Break Fresh Ground

45: HEARTBREAK SEASON

"In case you change you change your mind, tell me, okay?" Mom said, smiling gently.

She wanted for us to celebrate Holidays in France and I already said no. Syempre, ngayon ang anniversary namin ni Artemis, hindi naman puwedeng mag-isang taon kami na malayo sa isa't-isa.

I was the one to greet her first dahil excited ako. I send her an edit video I did containing all our photos and videos together, as I added a voice memo in the video with my message to her. From the first photo of her in my gallery: the photo in which I was having a selfie and she was accidentally joined the photo with her sister, followed by unforgettable memories from La Union, Caramoan, Italy, and numerous cherished moments that ranged from silly to intimate, culminating in the last photo from her birthday celebration in La Union.

Hindi pa siya nakakapagreply dahil base sa message ni Violet, hindi muna daw pinapahawak ng cell phone ni Tito Rod, Artemis' dad, ang mga anak niya dahil naghahanda sila para sa pasko. Sinabay na rin kasi ang homecoming party nito kaya maraming aasikasuhin sa kanila.

I just hope I am there to help and meet Tito Rod, and witness them being complete family.

I nodded. "I wish my eyes were blue too," I pouted looking at her eyes.

Mom chuckled softly, her hand tenderly caressing my face. "Sisihin mo ang dad mo," she teased. "Your eyes are beautiful naman. Hazel brown pero kapag tinignan at nilapitan, there's some green flecks on them."

"Really?" I turned to the nearby mirror, examining my eyes closely. "I never knew that. I always thought they were just plain brown."

"Trust me, they have that little touch of green," Mom assured me.

Curious, I asked, "How did you notice that?"

A sweet smile played on her lips. "I was the first one to gaze into those eyes and get lost in them."

I couldn't help but scrunch my nose playfully. "Malamang, nanay kita," I laughed.

Naiiling siyang pinagpatuloy ang pagbabasa ng magazine.

"Mom, can I go somewhere later?" I asked.

She looked up, flipping the magazine's page. "Where to?"

"Kila Violet lang. Senior ko," I replied.

"Anong oras?"

"Um, I don't know yet."

Mom smiled, giving her approval. "Alright, just make sure you're back before midnight, okay?"

I pouted. "Ano ako? Si Cinderella?"

She chuckled, her eyes shining with affection. "I just want to welcome Christmas with you."

I nodded, smiling genuinely. "Okay. I'll try."

After lunch, I decided to take a nap so I could be all energetic when I head over to Artemis later. But I think I dozed off for too long. I woke up around eight in the evening, and I blamed myself for munching on that melatonin chewable earlier.

Dali-dali akong nagpalit ng damit at nagpaalam kay Mom. I found her in the kitchen, busy cooking.

"Mom, I gotta go," I kissed her cheeks.

"Wait, anong oras na, Scarlett?" she worriedly asked.

"I'll be back on or after 12, Mom." She sighed. Na-guilty naman tuloy ako. "Mom, I promise, I'll be back. Please?" She smiled eventually and nodded. "Thank you!"

"I'll call Bri to drive you," tukoy nito sa secretary niya. Um-oo na lang ako dahil baka hindi pa ako payagan.

When Bri arrived, I told him to drive fast para makarating kami agad.