The Girl Who Came From Above

CHAPTER 20: The Distance Between Us

I arrived at my house and I saw Angel sitting at the couch while looking at the window. It is still raining kaya I'm quite wet. I close the door slowly pero napansin parin niya ako. She slightly smiled kaya lumapit ako sa kaniya. "Did you had your dinner already?" I asked her. Tumango naman kaagad siya. I nodded slightly at tumungo sa kusina to fetch a glass of water. After filling in the glass, pumasok sa kusina si Angel at lumapit sa akin. "May sasabihin pala ako sa iyo Jastine" she said slowly. I look at her and her eyes are seriously looking at me. Ever since Angel came here, I never failed to read her expression because she's an open book. I know something is bothering her.

"Okay, spill it out. Nakikinig ako" I said. She cleared her throat and speak out, "Gusto ko sanang maghingi ng pahintulot sa iyo, I wanted to move out. Tutulungan daw ako ni Paulo maghanap ng magandang bahay" napahinto ako sa sinabi ni Angel. She's talking about moving out again. I put the glass down on the table at hinarap si Angel. "Are you sure you can manage all by yourself?" tanong ko sa kaniya. She nodded confidently. "Oo Jastine, kayang-kaya ko" she said.

"How about me? How about our contract? You're supposed to be with me always to help me cure my trauma" her expression changes as I mentioned that. "Oo, hindi ko nakakalimutan ang duty ko sa iyo Jastine. Pero effective lang ang employment ko sa iyo kung hindi ka pa gumagaling sa iyong trauma. Pero napansin ko na magaling ka na at wala na akong dahilan upang kailangan mo pa akong bayaran at magpatuloy akong magtatrabaho sa iyo" she explained. I never expected this to hear from her. Back then, she always said that she'll be with me forever no matter what,  because she's my guardian Angel and now, things changes.

"You can just stay here even—.." hindi natuloy ang aking pagsasalita dahil pinutol niya ito. "Hindi naman ako masyadong malayo sa iyo Jastine, at mararamdaman ko pa rin kung sakaling kailangan mo ng tulong" she smiled. "I understand" I shortly replied. I can't seem to force her to stay her anymore. I know she's very determined to move and there's something bothering here. Natahimik siya ng sumagot ako sa kaniya na naiintindihan ko siya. "Salamat sa pag-iintindi" sagot niya sabay ngiti at agad na tumalikod sa akin at umakyat papunta sa second floor.

Tumunog ang phone ko kaya agad ko itong kinuha mula sa bulsa ko. "Guess who's here at your house!" Lloren exclaimed at the phone kaya agad akong tumakbo papunta sa may pintuan at binuksan ito. "What are you doing here?" I asked her as she paved her way inside the house. "I just missed you" she said sabay upo sa couch. I slide my phone on my pocket at hinawakan siya sa kamay. "Lloren, it's evening already, you should head home and besides, we already met earlier" she just laughed at inilabas ang mga pagkain na binili niya sa labas. "Why? Can't I just pop up here just the way I did last time? Why are you seems so upset—.." hindi naituloy ni Lloren ang kaniyang pagsasalita ng makita niya sa Angel na nakatayo sa second floor.

"What is she doing in your house Jastine?" biglang lumakas ang pagbuhos ng ulan. Lloren just stared at Angel wearing a pair of sleeping clothes and I can't no longer deny that she's been living with me all the time. "She's .. she's living here" I said. "Yeah, of course because she's your cousin right?" Lloren asked me while widening her smile. I look at Angel and hindi lang siya umimik. I slightly nodded and smiled at Lloren. "Yes, she is" I shortly replied. "Come down Angel and join us" Lloren invited Angel. Bumaba naman kaagad si Angel at umupo sa couch. She seemed bothered by Lloren's presence. "Jastine, pick up some plates and glasses in the kitchen, please" Lloren commanded me so I stand up at pumunta kaagad sa kusina.

I saw Lloren transferred at Angel's side. She's talking something to Angel and Angel is keenly listening to her. Nang lumabas na ako ng kusina, agad na lumayo si Lloren kay Angel at agad na ngumiti sa akin. "Let's talk again later" Lloren said to Angel as if they're talking to something important. "I bought some of your favorite foods, I hope you still like it" Lloren said sabay lagay ng mga pagkain na karaniwan naming kinakain namin noon. We are just talking about our past memories as Lloren is talking to Angel about what we did on our past years as a couple.

Nakatitig lang ako kay Angel habang nakikinig siya kay Lloren. She smiled a bit and turned her head to the food at kumain ng portion sa mga binili ni Lloren. After some chatting, Lloren decided to sleep her dahil gabing-gabi na. I offered her the guest room but she beg to sleep beside me. Angel is just silent about it and Lloren keeps begging me kaya napilitan ako na pumayag na sa room ko mismo siya matutulog. Tuwang-tuwa si Lloren na umakyat papunta sa room ko. "I apologize for her disturbances" I said sabay harap kay Angel. She just smiled at me and said, "Walang problema, Jastine" malumanay niyang sabi at mahinang umakyat papunta sa second floor.

Before I entered my room, I grab a comforter and a bunch of pillows. Pagpasok ko nakita ko si Lloren na nakahiga na sa kama and when she saw me bringing all these stuffs, her expression become disappointed. "I'll be sleeping in the floor" I said at inilapag sa sahig ang comforter. "But you'll be uncomfortable there, I'll be at the floor nalang if that's the case" she said sabay baba sa kama. "Sleep in the bed and I'll be sleeping here and that's final" sambit ko sabay upo sa sahig at inayos ang mga unan na gagamitin ko. Hindi na umimik si Lloren at bumalik sa kakahiga sa kama. Hindi ko maipikit ang aking mga mata. I keep thinking about Angel and what would be her reason of deciding to move out again.

I didn't notice that time passes so fast dahil sa kakaisip ko kay Angel. Lloren fall asleep and some of her beddings fell to the side of the bed. Tumayo ako at hinila ang comforter palayo sa kama. I tiptoed at lumabas ng silid. I slowly walk towards Angel's room. Pinihit ko ang doorknob at dahan dahan na binuksan ang pintuan. She is sleeping soundly. Lumapit ako sa kaniya at inayos ang kumot na nakabalot sa kaniya. She's sleeping like a baby. She's doing some cute sounds and cute expressions. Napatawa ako dahil sa mga habits niya habang tulog.

I decided to go out from her room after some minutes of watching her sleeping. Baka kasi magising ko siya and it'll be awkward if she'll find me looking at her sleeping in the middle of the night. Pumunta ako ng kusina ang grab a glass of water. I pull out a chair at umupo dito. I keep longing for Lloren for the past years, and now when she's back, I can't feel any excitement at all. Siguro baka galit parin ako sa ginawa niya sa akin before? I can't understand what I felt right now. I'm happy because Lloren is back and we're together again.

I can hear soft footsteps kaya agad kong nilingon ang si Angel na kasalukuyang nakatayo sa may pintuan ng kusina. Her hair is messed up and she's little bit drowsy. "Hindi ka pa natutulog?" she suddenly asked. I slowly shake my head as she walk pass by me at dumiretso sa refrigerator. She opened it at kumuha ng tubig. "Nauuhaw ako" she shortly replied. I can feel that she's avoiding my stares kaya agad akong nagtanong sa kaniya. "Do you feel uncomfortable when Lloren's around?" napahinto siya saglit and then she continue pouring water on the glass. "Hindi naman" tipid pa din niyang reply sa akin.

"Then, why are you doing this?" I asked her. Humarap siya sa akin at sinalubong ang aking mga tingin. "Anong ibig mong sabihin Jastine?" she said softly. "You're avoiding me" straightforward kong sabi. "Hindi naman kita iniiwasan Jastine—.." I cut her off. "You seems distant to me this past days and now you wanted to leave my house. If you're uncomfortable with Lloren around, I can—.." this time she cut me off. "Hindi Jastine, wala akong dahilan upang iwasan ka. Una sa lahat, masaya ako sa inyo ni Lloren. Susuportahan kita kung saan ka masaya at isa pa, mabuting tao si Lloren dahil nakilala ko din siya noon pa. Ang dahilan kung bakit gusto kong lumipat ay dahil magaling kana at kung ganoon man ay tapos na ang trabaho ko sa iyo" ani niya sa akin.

"You said, babantayan mo ako hangga't sa makakaya mo?" I asked her, dahil iyon ang sinabi niya sa akin noon. I can still clearly remember that. "Ang pagbabantay ay may hangganan Jastine at mayroong limitasyon. Sana maiintindihan mo ang biglaang paglipat ko" ani niya sabay lapag ng tubig sa mesa at umalis ng kusina.