Lean on the Acrux

Prologue

"'Uwi na 'ko."

"You're going home na?" Rica asked me. Tumango naman ako at Umalis sa kama para kunin na ang bag ko. "It's early pa kaya! It's just 4 pm, Elysia. You normally go home when it's already 6 pm."

I took my phone out of my bag to check if there was a message from mama. There was no message from her kaya naman binalik ko na ang phone ko sa bag.

"We will have dinner with Kuya Croy's family," I explained why I already need to go.

We're in Ace's house. Every friday, our class ends early than usual kaya naman tumatambay muna kami sa mga bahay-bahay. Nandito kami sa kwarto ni ace, she has a big room and they have a lots of food. That's why this is our favorite place na tambayan.

I am the one who always go home early. Sinusubukan nila akong demonyuhin pero hindi tumatalab kasi mas inaalala ko ang bunganga ng mama ko na sasalubong sa 'kin kapag nagpalate pa ako ng uwi.

"Dinner? Oh aga pa, ah! Mamaya ka na umuwi," reklamo ni Iyya.

"Mas maganda na maaga umuwi kesa naman walang ng uuwian," I said and rolled my eyes.

Itong mga 'to lakas sabihin na 'wag muna ako umuwi kala mo papatirahin ako sa bahay nila kapag pinalayas ako.

"Okay lang iyan. Kapag wala ka ng mauwian, doon ka nalang sa 'min. Tabihan mo 'yung aso namin matulog," sabi ni Migs habang tumatawa.

"Yuck! I will sleep beside you?" I pointed my finger at him with a nandidiring facial expression.

"Ha?"

"Ay hindi ba ikaw 'yung aso?" I asked and dramatically covered my mouth with my hands.

"Hoy Elysia, kawawa naman 'yung aso. Cute ng mga aso tapos pagkakamalan mo lang na si Migs?" si Ivan.

"Bye na, dami niyong sinasabi." I went to the door but before I could open the door someone grabbed me at binalibag ako sa kama.

Umalis ako sa pagkadapa sa kama at umupo. Unang-unang nakita ko pagkaupo ko ay si taong asong Migs na malakas na tumatawa.

"Napakapapansin talaga nito." Tumayo na ako mula sa pagkakaupo sa higaan.

"Alis nga!" sabi ko at binangga ang balikat ni Migs at lumabas na ng kwarto.

"Bye!" I said before I shut the door.

Ace's house is just one ride from our house kaya naman mabilis akong nakauwi. The moment that my feet touched our village gate ay tumakbo na ako. Pinagbuksan naman ako ni Chezka ng gate.

Chezka is the daughter of ate Nina. Ate Nina has been working for us for almost a decade. Unlike her mother, Chezka is not working for us. We are both the same age. My parents sponsored her tuition fee and other school fees. We are studying in the same school but we're not close. We're not even talking to each other. Nag-uusap naman pero 'pag need lang.

I'm a friendly person and Chezka seems like a shy type girl kaya pag kinakausap ko siya hindi naman siya masyadong nagsasalita kaya medyo naboboringan ako kaya naman kahit magkasama kami sa bahay at sa school hindi kami nag-uusap and it was kinda awkward especially when the only people in our house is Chezka and I.

Ate Nina is the only helper we have because our house is not that big and tumutulong din naman kasi kami sa gawaing bahay. Our house is a two-story house and we also have a rooftop. We also have two salas, one on the first floor and one on the second floor. Our house is modern, my parents built this house. Mama is an architect while papa is an engineer.

"Are they already here?" I asked Chezka, pumasok na rin ako sa loob. I gazed at the parking lot and it answered my question. Papa's car is not yet here,