P.R.N

7

"You better take me home tomorrow morning, C." I said while I was preparing the coke and he was opening the bottle of rhum.

"Let me just take a call." He suddenly said tyaka tuloy-tuloy na umalis. Hinanda ko naman ang mga chips na binili namin sa convenience store kanina. Hindi ko na rin siya hinintay at nagsimula na akong uminom mag-isa.

Maya-maya ay umupo na siya sa tabi ko. "Why didn't you wait for me?"

"Sino tinawagan mo?"

"Tita Marie. I told her you're here." Oh.

"She was actually the one who told me to take you away." He just nodded before drinking his rhum coke. "You know what, parang lalaki ang tiyan ko kapag madalas kita kasama."

He laughed at me before answering. "I won't get you pregnant, Erica Vienne."

Uminit ang pisngi ko sa sinabi niya. What the actual fuck?

"With all the alcohol drinking kasi! Lagi nalang tayo nag-iinuman!"

"You keep on asking me to drink with you." Pagsagot niya pa sa'kin. "Do you have a hidden agenda or something?" Natatawa niya pang dugtong.

Aba.

"Do you wanna die tonight?" Tumawa lang siya bago kinurot ang pisngi ko.

As the night go deeper, our topics went deeper, too.

"Is it okay to ask why you're not in good terms with Tito Collin?" I waited for any slight change of emotions in his face that indicates discomfort. I wouldn't push it if he's not yet ready to talk about it. He just sipped his rhum coke before answering me.

"He's..." He stopped.

"It's okay, you don't have to answer it. I'm sorry." I immediately said. I'm so stupid to even ask.

"He cheated on my Mom..." What the fuck. "...a couple of times," he scoffed. "with his 'patients'"

"He doesn't know anything, Collin." No, he knows.

"All I can remember from my childhood was my Mom's tears." I can hear the anger from his voice. "I hated him for that... Why would he make her cry like that?"

"Do you know that your Mom doesn't know that you're aware of what's happening?"

"She knows..." but that's not what I heard. "...she just love thaf guy a little too much." He scoffed again. "Ayaw pakawalan." He drank again.

I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay..." I know it's not. "... My Mom made him leave. That should be okay."

I remember Tita Karen telling me Cole only decided to come home when he found out that Tito Collin moved out of their house.

"He fucked up big time." He finished his glass. "I just want him gone in our lives."

Cole is hurt. It must have hurt him a lot, seeing his Mom hurt. I can see how Cole cherishes Tita Karen. It must have been hard for him.

I didn't know what to say so I decided to just come at him to give him a hug. I tapped his back while hugging him. He was not hugging me back, though. Kaya hindi rin nagtagal ay binitawan ko siya.

"I can't give you any comforting words, so that should be enough." I told him that made him smile. He pinched my cheeks before answering.

"You don't have to say anything, Erica Vienne." He told me while smiling. "That was kind of heroic move, actually."

"What?"

"Taking me away from there." Inutusan lang ako. Of course, I wouldn't say that. "I'm sorry for ruining your birthday."

I showed him the time. It's 12:05 am. "It's not my birthday anymore."

"Didn't get you anything."

"You're not obliged to."

"Aww. Is my presence enough?" He, teasingly, asked. I rolled my eyes at him that made him chuckle.

"I didn't even invite you."

"If I didn't come, edi sana wala kang kainuman."

"Edi sana... ako yung ex mo ngayon..." Okay, what the fuck? Napaayos ako bigla ng upo nang maalala ko 'yon. Nilapag ko na ang baso ko. "Ayaw ko na. Gusto ko na matulog."

Tinignan niya ako saglit at hindi na nakipagtalo. "You can borrow my clothes. I'll clean up here."

Tumango nalang ako at pumunta na sa kwarto niya para kumuha ng susuotin. Napangiti ako nang buksan ko ang drawer niya. This guy is really into sweat shorts. He has five pairs each color. Magulo ang unit niya, especially his study area, pero maayos ang drawer niya ng sweat shorts niya.

Kumuha ako ng isang itim na sweat shorts at isang beige hoodie na alam kong kakainin ako ng buo dahil sa size. After picking, I went to the shower and did my 'unusual' night routine because I'm not home and my things are not here. Luckily, he has some spare towel and toothbrush in his bathroom.

He was sitting on the edge of his bed when I went out. He surveyed me from head to toe. "What?" Taas-kilay kong tanong. He licked his lips before smiling and shaking his head.

"I'm gonna wash up too"

"Saan ako matutulog?"

"I'll give you the autonomy to choose." Natatawa niyang sagot bago pumasok sa banyo.

Wow, he answered my question. I rolled my eyes before getting a pillow and a blanket to sleep in the sofa outside. He chose a 1 bedroom unit because as he said, he doesn't require too much space because he's alone.

--

"Erica Vienne..." He called me as he tap my shoulder as an attempt to wake me up, but I couldn't open my eyes. I was too sleepy. "Not here..." He softly said.

Narinig ko ang buntong hininga niya bago ko naramdaman ang pag-angat ko. He carried me in his arms and put me to his bed. Hindi naman nagtagal ay nakatulog na ulit ako.

--

I woke up in the smell of toast and coffee. Did he prepare my breakfast? I pushed myself off from bed to wash my face and brush my teeth before coming out of his room.

I was right. He prepared breakfast and now sipping his coffee while reading something— probably one of his modules. "What are you studying?"

"Histology."

I noticed that Histology is that subject that's giving him a hard time. "Do you find histology harder than biochemistry?"

"For me, yes." He sipped his coffee. "Tissues are not my favorite. They all look the same for me."

He was almost pouting while saying that. I suppressed my smile and just sat in front of him. "Take me home after breakfast."

"Yes, Ma'am."

--

"Thank you, hijo! Take care." Paalam ni Mama kay Cole.

Pag-alis ni Cole ay binalingan ako ni Mama. She even crossed her arms.

"Ang sabi ko ilayo mo lang. Bakit hindi ka na umuwi?"

I was about to explain myself when she cut me off. "Pero okay na rin. Mas mabuting hindi siya nag-iisa sa mga ganoong oras."

I just shook my head and walked towards the stairs. "Mag-aaral na ako, Ma."