Sunset in Paradise

CHAPTER 4 (New Habits)

*Reina*

After surviving our first week in our new home, I realized that Miles is really a good cook. He volunteered to be the official chef of our home but also the handyman.

At that time being, I just bummed my days cleaning and organizing things in our humble home. Of course, he helped me out with heavy and toilsome jobs like assembling metal racks, installing the gas range and driving me around to buy things we needed essentially.

I decided not to bring my car here because the parking space allotted for tenants is fixed for one car only. That's fine because our trip outside is limited since it is currently pandemic.

The world is put under a severe test and huge setback since all of the activities that could spread events were all cancelled, even schooling. Good thing we already graduated from SHS before the pandemic hit and a good thing before restriction got back to highly restricted, we moved out.

We survived the long period of quarantine because we had each other. We had plenty of time to bond and do recreational activities. On the bright side, the pandemic made me realize how good it was to be indoors. On the other side of the coin, we have to wait 'til class resumes.

Because of the pandemic, our first semester as an incoming first year is postponed for God knows when. And just like in school, our training in sports was also cancelled since the league we were about to compete in declared postponement or even worse, skipped the year for the event.

Since it was out of hand, we can't do anything but accept it. Maybe this wasn't really our year. Too bad, my birthday came and I just added a year that I haven't done anything worthwhile. With nothing good to celebrate.

He said I shouldn't be so hard on myself but I can't help it. Days became weeks, and it really got on my nerves, so Babe suggested that I should do a destressing therapy. He wanted to influence me with his love for nature through planting and photography but, nah, it wasn't my book. So he introduced me to Pilates.

I suddenly remembered when I was studying ballet, we used this kind of exercise. It was fine, I can use this kind of exercise regimen to strengthen my muscles and also improve my flexibility.

Then, after a few more weeks, we tried to up the interior of our house. We decided to put wallpaper in our bedroom, and we bought a sturdy desk and drafting table for him since his course applied a lot of drafting and drawing.

Sinamahan ko rin siyang mamili ng mga drafting tools at equipment niya. Nasulit ko rin talaga yung moments namin bago naghigpit na naman ang safety protocol na ipinatutupad ng national government.

Naging ECQ na naman mula MECQ. Naiinis ako kasi mabuburo na naman kami sa bahay. Ang dami kasing pasaway, dumarami na naman yung cases dahil ang daming hindi sumusunod sa minimum health protocol.

Tapos hindi na nga kami halos lumalabas ng bahay, nagloloko pa yung Wi-Fi connection. Netflix na nga lang ang nagpapasaya sa akin eh.

I felt like we lived in an area off the grid. Kaya no choice, puro kami balita at yung ilang matitinong cable channel na lang sa TV ang pinagtyatyagaan namin.

“Ay grabe naman yan, di na ba bababa yung cases, ano, kada linggo pataas ng pataas?” sentimyento ko habang naka-flashed sa balita yung panibagong record high na active cases dahil sa virus.

“Wala tayong magagawa, ang daming ayaw sumunod,” usal niya at tumabi sa akin sa sofa habang nilalapag ang bowl ng chips sa coffee table.

Sinilip ko siya at pakunwaring dumukot kaso tinapik niya ang kamay ko. “Bawal ka sa chips, di ba sabi ni Coach Francis, self-training muna kayo?”