Mended Broken Souls (✔️)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Nagising ako kinabukasan na sobrang sakit ng ulo ko at sobrang bigat ng pakiramdam. I opened my eyes, and they first laid on the unfamiliar ceiling above me. Huminga ako nang malalim bago dahan-dahang bumangon.

I groaned due to the pain in my head and because even in waking up, my body was ponderous to be lifted. I was about to sleep again, however, I opened my eyes again because of the sight of the unfamiliar room.

That's when I remembered what happened last night... on my graduation day. I regretted remembering what happened that caused me unbearable ail. I thought nothing painful happened last night. I thought today's just a normal day again every morning that I wake up. Sana hindi ko na lang nang naalala ang nangyari kahapon at kagabi.

We really tend to forget what happened before we sleep, and think it intently after... And then, would regret remembering because it wasn't euphoric.

"Shia... gising ka na pala." I heard someone speak beside me. Nakita ko si Venice na kinukusot ang mga mata bago niya ako tingnan.

Oo nga pala, hindi ako umuwi kagabi. The last thing I knew before I collapsed was someone carried me, and I recognized that it was Caleb because he spoke after I lost all of my senses.

"Nagugutom ka na ba?" tanong niya dala-dala ang nag-aalalang mukha noong tinapat niya ang palad sa noo ko. "May lagnat ka, Shia. Kagabi nang umuwi ka rito, inaapoy ka ng lagnat. Tinulungan ako nila Lolo at Lola sa pag-aasikaso sa 'yo." 

I took a profound sigh. That explains why my system was so ponderous to be lifted.

"Venice... thank you." It was my first time giving those three words at her. Nakita kong natigilan siya bago ngumiti sa 'kin. "I don't know where I am right now after what happened last night if you were not here on my side. Thank you for being a good friend despite of my personality."

"Ano ka ba, Shia! Wala 'yon! Hindi lang kaibigan ang turing ko sa 'yo kundi pamilya na. Kung ramdam mong hindi ka parte sa pamilya ninyo, nandito lang ako na parte ka sa buong puso ko bilang pamilya. If you are longing for a mother's love, I can be your mother. You can call me Mommy Venice na pretty." She flipped her hair jokingly, and chuckled after.

For the first time, I laughed with her.

"Dadalhan na lang kita ng pagkain dito dahil alam kong hindi mo pa kayang bumangon. Nagluluto na yata si Lola dahil amoy na amoy na mula rito ang bango ng ulam," she said and stood up.

I nodded at her. I didn't smell any aroma of a food from the kitchen. Doon ko lang din naramdaman na sinisipon pala ako.

I roamed my eyes around Venice's room. Her room was huge, bigger than my room. Mayroong study table malapit sa bintana, maliit na sofa, at may mga posters pang nakadikit sa mga pader. Taylor Swift's poster, BTS, Eraserheads, and there were still other artists in the music industry that are well-known. Oh... she's a multi-fan.

There was also a comfort room and bookshelves. I was simping over the various books in her bookshelves. I noticed that almost all of her things here were color violet.

Napatingin ako sa bintana rito sa kwarto niya. Umuulan pa rin pala. The rain was relatable to what I'm feeling right now. Even if I slept one night, it wasn't enough to vanish the pain inside me. I was hoping to just have an amnesia for the whole week or even forever to forget about what happened yesterday.

Ilang sandali pa'y narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pintuan.

"Hija, kumain ka na. Pinakain ko muna si Venice sa kusina kaya ako na ang naghatid sa 'yo ng pagkain."

Dahan-dahan akong bumangon dahil mabigat pa rin sa pakiramdam. Umupo agad si Lola Viviana sa kama ko at nilagay ang dalang pagkain sa isang lalagyan.

"Kaya mo na ba? Kung hindi, susubuan na lang kita..." nakangiting aniya habang nakatingin sa 'kin. Nakatingin lang din ako sa kaniya.