Hindi ko alam kung ano ang iisipin ko matapos ang usapan namin ni Hugo. I didn't still get what he was trying to say. Is he disappointed or what? Is it my fault?
Nang makauwi ako ay panay ang tanong sa akin ni Mommy. I couldn't say that we had a slight misunderstanding so I just said that it went fine so that she would shut up.
Pero hindi iyon nagtagal. Makalipas ang ilang araw ay marahas niyang binuksan ang kwarto ko. Bumungad sa akin ang nakakunot na noo ni Mommy. Binitawan ko ang ukulele at bahagyang kinabahan.
"Are you lying to me, Nichoella? I thought it went well! Ano itong nabalitaan kong ayaw na makipagkita sa iyo ng Carvajal na iyon!"
What?
Namilog ang mata ko at kumurap kurap. "He... said that?"
Hinilot niya ang sentido. She just got off from work, I saw. Bumuntong hininga ako. Why am I even upset that he's not going to see me anymore? I should be glad. He's taking it seriously now.
"He didn't say that but Rachel said he was ignoring it. You tell me, young lady. What happened to that date, huh?"
Umiling ako. "I don't know... I think it went well."
"You don't know?" nanliit ang mata niya. "Baka na-turn off sa iyo 'yon!"
"Na-turn off?" bulalas ko. "Of course not!"
"Kung ganoon, bakit ayaw niya?"
"I don't know, Mom!"
"Then, you talk to him. Ask him on a date or something!"
Umatras ako. "Ew, Mom! I can't do that."
"At bakit?"
Tumikhim ako. "I don't do the first move. That's embarrassing."
She sighed after a while. Umirap siya sa akin at umiling iling.
"Fine. I'll make it work," sabi niya at matalim akong tinignan. "My goodness, sleep early, Nichoella! Your eyebags must have scared that man!"
She's so annoying! Hindi ko alam kung paano ba ako nagtatagal sa bahay na ito. I swear I'd get the hell out of this house once I graduated. Wala akong pakialam kung manirahan ako kasama ang mga daga.
When I was a kid, everytime my mother upsets me, I'd go to my cousin's. Iyon lang, we all grew up apart from each other. Hindi ko na iyon magawa. Kaya ngayon, kila Alonna na lamang ako pumupunta.
I spent the whole week with my usual routine. School, home, practice and gigs. Kaya naman lumulutang ang katawan ko tuwing weekends. Malapit na ang finals ng first sem. Also, Christmas.
Doble ang lamig at hamog ng El Vicente tuwing Desyembre. It would take me a while to shower because it's called. Though, I really like cold weather because I could wear my leather jackets.
"Punta ka sa plaza, Nics?" Tasha asked me while we were finished having our practice.
Ngumuso ako. "Kayo ba?"
"Oo. Tutugtog iyong Alpha doon. Namimilit si Krisha."
Ngumiwi ako. "Akala ko ba may girlfriend iyong crush niyang bokalista?"
"Oo nga, meron. Hindi ko din ba alam sa kaniya. Basta kapag nagsabunutan, kakampi ako sa isa."
I laughed. "Amber?"
"You know her?"
"Schoolmate."
"Ah..." she nodded. "Pumunta ka ha? Alonna's coming. We'll hunt some boys."
