Max: The Queen of All

Kabanata 15

Maxine

Mom has been teasing me for two weeks. May inaabot siyang tupperware. Unang tingin pa lang ay alam ko na kung ano'ng dapat kong gawin. I signed. Nakapalit na ako lahat-lahat pero ito ako at kailangang gawin kung ano 'yong ''daily task'' ko raw sa kaniya.

''Dad. Hindi kaya sumakit tiyan ni Caleb kakabigay ni Mom ng grayham at spicy calbonara?'' I asked with a curious tone. Natawa si Dad dahil sa itsura ko. Hindi pinansin ang tanong ko. Ang ganda ko raw sana kaso nakabusangot ako't umagang-umaga.

I looked into my reflection in our living room mirror. It's a crosswise cut, filled with golden linings and sparkling diamonds. Nakasabit ito sa tabi ng built in ref namin. Sa baba ng wall clock. I fixed my long hair using my fingertips. As usual, I did my tips curls. I'll leave it like this.

To be honest I despise a tight bun hairstyle after what happened. Dahil doon tinatawag akong losyang. Nothing's wrong with the hairstyle, the people around me are the problem. Who would thought that a simple common hairstyle would bring me trauma?

I'm now wearing our school uniform. A white shirt paired with a red necktie. Royal blue blazer and a two-inches above-the-knee skirt. On the right side of our blazer is the Casteñia High's Logo. It's a gold circle and has a crown on top with a design C.H. curved with shimmering silver.

I wore a light pink wristwatch, some gold bracelets designed with stars, and a white pearl hairband. Punas agad ang ginawa ko. Pinagmasdan ko ang sarili ko sa salamin at 'di maiwasang mairita. Ang init!

"Why? He told you that he was experiencing stomach ache? Siguro text mate kayo 'no." Mom teased me more. Sakto namang dumaan muli si Kuya Jio sa tabi namin. Kuya Marcus was clueless since he was not present in the house at all times.

Napatitig saglit sa akin si Mom na para bang sinusuri ang itsura ko mula ulo hanggang paa. Tinitigan ko siya pabalik. Syempre, hindi maiiwasan. Hindi naman ako nag-aayos ng ganito, e. I turned around and prepared myself. May bago uli siyang pangtukso sa akin! In three... two... one—

"You look stunning! May dahilan kaya nagpapaganda." Sapo-sapo ko ang noo nang sulyapan siya. Sinasabi ko na nga ba! She keeps humming like a mischievous bird!

"Ano ba, Mom." I hissed. Kinuha ang inabot niya.

Ever since Caleb moved to our apartment, our house became nosier. Mom and Dad decided to build a studio type apartment. Katabi lang nitong bahay namin. It has three story consist of 11 room. Bale Room A-K ang tawag namin. Mabenta ito sa mga estudyante at mga newly wed.

Tuwing uuwi ako kasabay siya ay abot langit ang ngiti nila Mom sa akin na para bang nanalo ako sa loto. Nakasimangot tuloy ako pagkapasok at pagkauwi ng school! According to Caleb's Mother, they moved out to start a new life.

Kung ano man ang new life na tinutukoy niya ay hindi na ako nag-abala pang alamin. It's their life, I should respect someone's privacy. Besides, hindi naman na dapat tinatanong 'yong mga gano'ng bagay, e.

"Mabuti na lang natapos 'yong inidoro sa CR. Nag-post lang ako ng pictures ng room sa groups. Nagulat ako meron agad tumawag sa telephone natin." Tuwang-tuwa si Mom. I sighed, kahit ang totoo nakangiti ako habang nakatingin sa kaniya.

This is the view that I always wished to witness again. Mom and Dad's smile. After I left this house and decided to live on my own, I realized that my life is a disaster without them.

Noong una, hindi pa ako marunong magluto dahil nasanay ako na puro delivery at fastfoods. Ang ulam ko lang lagi ay can-goods, noodles, o 'di kaya kung talagang tamad na tamad na ako ay puro itlog na lang. Minsan, na-aalala ko ang lutong chicken curry ni Mom, ang masarap na bulalo ni Dad.