Daraga Series #1: The Fire's Sanctuary

Chapter 32

I couldn't sleep.

How can I sleep when he thinks that he failed me just because he was hurting at that time? 

It was unfair to him.. I smirked I was always unfair to him. I broke up with him because I didn't want to be a burden anymore and I just knew that we would eventually just decide to break it off because of how I treated him back then.

The problem in our relationship is me..

It was never from his end.. it was always from mine.

It was already three in the morning and I still couldn't sleep. Sinilip ko ang katabi ko at napaismid nang makita na ang layo niya sa akin. Maliit lang ito na foam na inilalatag naman sa lapag para sa aming dalawa ni Vern pero usog na usog siya sa pinakadulo.

Umupo ako mula sa pagkakahiga at nakita ang dalawa na mahimbing ang tulog. We have two single beds na ginagamit ni Chloe at ni Lolo at kami naman ni Vernon ay hati sa inilatag foam sa lapag.

We have our own rooms here pero dito kami natutulog sa kwarto ni Lolo para makatipid sa kuryente. Malaki naman ito pero hindi na kaya magdagdag pa ng isa pang higaan kaya naman sa lapag nalang kami natutulog ni Vern.

I sighed as I realized that he looked a bit uncomfortable with his position. Inayos ko ang kumot niya bago ako tumayo at lumabas.

I prepared breakfast for them since maaga naman ako nagising. I knew I might be late but I waited for them to wake up.

"Oh andito ka pa?" Lolo asked kaya naman agad ko siyang tinulungan papunta sa mesa pero nasita lamang ako kaya naman pinanood ko na lang siya habang naglalakad. Nang tuluyan na siyang makaupo ay sakto namang paglabas ng dalawa.

Napabaling ako sa banda nila at nakita ko na nakabusangot pa rin si Vern at hindi pa rin ako tinitingnan. Pasimple ko pa ngang nilagyan ng hotdog at itlog ang plato pero hindi ginalaw at yung pandesal lang ang pinansin.. animal na 'to.

I breathed heavily as I tried to calm myself. Nauna siyang umalis at nagtungo sa tindahan kaya napaismid ako.

"Anong nangyari don? Bat ang tahimik?" nagtatakang tanong ni Lolo habang kumakain kami. Napatikhim naman ako at tumayo na.

"Di ko alam.. nag away ba kami?" narinig kong sabi ni Chloe ngunit nag-ayos na ako at nagmadali na para sa trabaho, sinilip ko siya sa tindahan nang makalabas ako at tnginang arte.. tinarayan pa ako.

Pagkarating ko sa trabaho ay agad akong pinatawag ni Ma'am Karina. Before I knocked on her door, I breathed heavily first trying to calm myself. After calming myself for a whole minute I knocked and opened it for a bit.

"Good morning Ma'am.." I greeted her. She's busy reading some documents on her table at nag-angat lang ng tingin sa akin saglit. 

"The annual outreach program funded by Hotel Amara.. did you chose a barangay already?" she asked at tumango naman ako.

I told her about a Barangay in Rawis. Wala naman akong binago sa mismong objective ng program, it still focuses on children. Free medical check ups, school supplies, bags of rice and some foods to eat during the program.

It was one of the outreach programs Mommy organized yearly. Marami siyang programa dati para makatulong pero ito lang ang na-retain ko. It was just one but I felt happy , it was really hard to convince Ma'am Karina.

Pagkatapos kong sabihin sa kanya ang plano ay aalis na sana ako pero naalala ko ang tungkol sa kapatid ko.

"Ma'am can I talk to you about something.. it's about my brother.." by mentioning my brother she looked at me.