Room 701.
Karina and her friends, Giselle, Ningning, Kai, Felix, Lia and Yeji eyed the door sign just beside Karina's unit.
Alam nila kung sinong nakatira don. Well, alam ng halos lahat ng tenants sa building kung sinong nago-occupy ng room 701.
“Girl, does it never bother you na kapitbahay mo s'ya?” Lia asked Karina as the latter opened her unit's door to let them in.
“What is there to be bothered about?” tanong ni Karina bago sumunod sa mga kaibigan sa living room.
“She stabbed her father so her mother sent her to the mental health facility for rehabilitations before.” Giselle said, no, reminded her of what the girl next door is known for. It was all over the news back then.
Karina stands up to make her friends something to eat.
“And as if you didn't know all her records in school? Ikaw kaya SSG president hanggang grumaduate tayo.” Ningning added while Giselle went to help Karina in the kitchen.
The boys couldn't help but add, “She was so rude to everyone back then.” Kai said.
“She gets into fight five times a day.”
“Six.” Yeji corrected Felix.
Karina and Giselle went back to them and placed the food and drinks they prepared on the center table.
“As far as I can remember, she doesn't just go around hitting people. She just fights back if they hit her.” Karina tried to make a point and as they try to process it, what she said is actually true.
“But she still stabbed her father...?” Lia didn't know if that was a question or a statement either.
“We didn't know the whole story, can we stop talking about her please?” Karina said which they all agreed on to. It was their movie night after all.
And so, they watched, play and eat until they decided that it was enough for the night.
Nakahawak na si Karina sa doorknob ng nakabukas n'yang pinto, iniintay na lumabas ang mga kaibigan n'ya nang biglang may dumaan sa hallway na naka-hoodie. Napatili pa si Ningning at Lia sa gulat habang na-stuck yung iba sa kinatatayuan nila.
“What the hell was that?” takot na tanong ni Yeji at sinilip naman ni Karina at Giselle yung tumakbo.
“That's her, 'di ba?” Giselle asked Karina, “That's Winter.”
Mabilis naman na naglabasan ang mga kaibigan nila para habulin ng tingin si Winter.
“Saan s'ya pupunta ng ganitong oras? Goodness gracious.” nag-sign of the cross pa si Lia na binatukan ni Felix.
“Tama na nga 'yan, tara na, hatid ko na kayo sa baba.” sabi ni Karina at akmang il-lock na ang pinto nang pigilan s'ya ni Giselle.
“No need. Madami naman kami.”
“Oo nga, not to be judgemental because of your neighbor's past pero mas okay na nag-iingat tayo. Mag-isa ka lang aakyat kapag hinatid mo pa kami.” dagdag ni Kai.
“Next time ulit, Kars.” niyakap na s'ya ni Yeji na sinundan naman ng iba bago tuluyang naglakad papuntang elevator.
“Iuwi mo sila Huening ah? Isusumbong talaga kita sa kapatid mo.” pahabol ni Karina at nag-wave lang si Kai sakan'ya bilang sagot.
Karina went back inside her unit to clean the mess that she and her friends made. She was too occupied that she didn't notice time passing, 11 pm na at kakatapos n'ya lang magligpit.
She was about to go inside her room to wash up when she heard three soft knocks. Too soft that it felt like nahihiya yung kumatok. It was creepy at some point but she tried not to scare herself.
Tinignan n'ya yung monitor at dun na nga mas lumakas ang kaba n'ya. It was her neighbor, na naka-hoodie padin at nakayuko sa harap ng pinto.
What could her neighbor possibly need at this hour?
Two years na silang magkatapat na unit at never pa sila nag-interact.
Her train of thoughts were cut off when she saw Winter lifting her hand against the door, ready to knock again but there seems to be a battle going on inside her head. She hesitated. And after a few minutes, she turn to walk away.
“WAIT!” Karina felt stupid for shouting. She shut her eyes off but run to the door to open it in haste at hinarap s'ya ng kapitbahay. “Uhm, hi. May kailangan ka?”
Hindi n'ya makita nang maayos ang mukha ng kapitbahay dahil sa hoodie nito at dahil na din nakayuko ito pero nanatili s'yang nakangiti, not wanting to give off a vibe na “My friends were too scared and bothered by your past and they still think of you as a serial killer” yeah, that kind of vibe if that even makes sense.
She can't blame them, they're just being careful but she don't want that past to define whatever it made Winter to be as a person now. Besides, she doesn't know the whole story yet.
Tumingala si Winter para tignan s'ya, and for the first time in Karina's whole existence na kilala n'ya si Winter, their eyes met. And she finally saw her face.
Holy shit?! A serial killer?! A problematic girl?! A troublemaker?! Nothing seems to be matching those circulating description that she know about Winter.
Because right now, all that she can see is a... A kid?! Seriously Karina? No, but, seriously! She looks innocent! She looked like someone who has been bathing in baby products!
Karina is malfunctioning.
Winter lifted her hand to show a phone in her hand.
Karina is malfunctioning.
Winter put the phone on the floor.
Karina is malfunctioning.
Winter run towards her unit and locked the door.
The phone on the floor rang and it snapped Karina out of her reverie. She answered the phone without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello? Who's this? I left my phone at J Condominium! Oh my god! Can you—” it was Ningning's voice, but she can't understand what she was saying. She was just looking at the locked door near her.
“She's not a serial killer.”
“Karina? Wait, what?”
“She definitely is not.”
“Hello? What are you talking about? Hello?”
YOU ARE READING
Make Me Understand
FanfictionWinter is a problematic girl, that's what everyone around her believe so. But Karina saw the child seeking for love in her that everyone failed to see past the front that Winter built.
