Damage On You (COMPLETED)

Prologue

#DamageOnYouPrologue

Migs is afraid of what would happen if he lets people in; the damage they could do to him. And Migs is me.

"Pardon?" a small portion of bubbles fell to my slipper.

Pang-ilan na niyang buntong hininga sa harapan ko but... how am I supposed to understand what she's saying when it's barely seven in the morning? "Migs, nandito ako para bigyan ka ng reminder na any time this month, may makakasama ka na rito sa dorm mo."

A small flick of regret crossed her, as if saying 'dorm mo' feels burning hot on her already. "B-but..."

I still don't get it.

"Alam ko na magtataka, magugulumihanan, mawawalan ka ng clue sa sasabihin ko pero..." she tossed her hair behind her small back. "Kailangan na rin kasi, hijo."

"But... but hindi ba pangako mo na..."

Bago pa matapos ang sasabihin, may tumakbong bata sa likuran ni Ate Mariz, the landlady, and her 7-year-old daughter came bustling in, hugging her short legs. "Ma... punta ba mall mamaya?"

Kamukhang-kamukha ni ate Mariz ang anak at hindi na niya ako matignan pa. "That's what I'm saying, ate..." dugtong ko. "Didn't you... promise me na you'll let me stay here alone after what I did?"

She shivers from remembering what I'm pointing out. I feel bad but that doesn't match the feeling I'm experiencing now! Umagang-umaga, kakasalang ko pa lang ng breakfast ko, maghahanda na sa gagawin ngayong natitirang araw bago pasukan dito sa UW, tapos bigla siyang darating para sa ano?

Just to tell me that she's now willing to forget and break her promise at me!

"Alam mo naman kung gaano ako ka grateful sa'yo bata ka, 'di ba?" hindi pa rin ako matingnan. "Pero ilang taon na at hindi ko na kayang tiisin ang mga hinanai—"

"I'm willing to pay for double, not until you insisted na isa na lang just to have this for my own!"

The kid hold onto her cheek, wiping the bubbles from my mouth bursts in front of them, not to say the stench of burning egg behind me...

"Puwede bang tapusin mo muna ang pagsipilyo mo, Migs?"

"Ate Mariz naman..."

Sumulyap lamang siya sa likuran ko, "Balak mo na bang sunugin ang building sa balita ko?"

And true enough, my room suddenly filled with black smoke and the pan where I'm frying my breakfast is now doomed. Panting, I turned it off and stare at the burned eggs and smoking black pan with such contempt look. This day should've been great like yesterday if that hadn't...

Keep your shits together, Miguel. Kung sasabog ka na lang dahil sa nalaman mo, baka tuluyan ka na niyang paalisin. But hell, why would she do that? I just saved her daughter's life almost two years ago! That's why she let me stay in one of the UW's dormitory rooms with no one else but me! Usually, one room will take one to three students, it depends, but from the heroic act I did, she forgets about the rules and told everyone I'm the only one occupying the room 011 at the third floor!

What had gotten into her that made her decision suddenly changed? She just told me one reason earlier but... sinabi ko na rin na handa akong magbayad ng doble para ako lang mag-isa pero dahil nga sa nangyari... gah. What now? I'm perfectly fine on my own! I thought this room will be mine until my fourth year!

Now the plan's crumbling down.

As I threw the burnt egg to the bin, I just continued my brushing and think about ways how to persuade her to veto the decision itself. May nagreklamo na ba sa governors ng university about this unfair treatment! Ha! As if my all alone living hurts them in a way that pushed them to complain. Wala akong ginagawang masama!