"Pi, I didn't know you were coming." Josh said the moment he saw his uncle.
"You know, Piolo likes surprises." He answered with a smile on his face and gave his nephew a hug. "How are you doing in here? I never knew you had a girlfriend." He asked.
"It has been a while, Pi. She's Kara, we're four years now." He answered proudly. He looked at me as if he was trying to communicate with me about my bruise. "Anyway, have you eaten yet? Kara, did you cook breakfast already?"
"Don't worry, Ethan. Kiara here, made a really great breakfast." I smiled when I heard what he said. "You should probably eat, Kiara made you coffee, lucky guy."
"As she should." He said bitterly as he walked towards the kitchen.
I turned on the television and sat on the couch. This is how my day goes by in this miserable home—should I call it a home when it doesn't feel like one? Ethan's uncle sat next to me as we both watch on the television.
"Your face looks really swollen, Kiara." He whispered. I just placed my hand on my face, caressing the swollen and painful cheeks that I have.
Few minutes later, Josh sat with us. He watched but it didn't took him long to speak again.
"Kara, I'll be out with my friends later. I would be staying the night with them so make sure you take care of Pi." He instructed as if I am just a slave in this house. I simply nodded as an answer.
"Ethan, you don't have to tell her to take care of me. I'm a grown up." He chuckled.
"You're still a visitor, Pi. She has to take care of you or else—" He quickly realized what he had just said. He went back upstairs and I just kept watching.
Moments later, I have decided to wash the Josh's dishes since he was already done eating.
"I'll go ahead, Pi. Feel at home." Josh said as he left.
I continued cleaning the kitchen, wiping the plates and utensils so that I can store them. I then started to clean the sink, removing all the watermarks on it.
I was busy doing my chores when I felt Piolo's fingers travel through my face putting my hair on the back of my ear. He then gently placed a cloth with ice on it over the parts of my face that are swollen.
"I'm so sorry, Kiara." He sincerely said as he keeps on gently patting the cold compress on my face.
"You don't have to." I answered. "Thank you, Piolo. Let me—" I added pointing the cold compress. I placed my hand on the his hand to get the cloth from him. To my surprise, he didn't let go of it and our hands are both handling the cloth.
It took us minutes but then I told him that it's already feeling better. I went back to what I was doing so that I can finish up early and then I could rest. I had also cooked our lunch already so that I would just get up and prepare when we both wanna eat.
As I was about to be done cleaning the whole kitchen, I went back to the living room to talk to Piolo.
"A-Ahh, I've already prepared our lunch. Just knock on Ethan's room if you want to eat." I said shyly and quickly went back to what I was doing. I have prepared a healthy dish since I think that he is on a diet. I just cooked a chicken cutlets with a creamy pesto on it.
I tiredly walk upstairs to rest. Since Ethan is not home, I feel like I'm free to take a rest. I was about to rest but then I decided to take a shower since I've been cooking since morning.
I took my time to scrub my whole body, removing every inch of Ethan's residue on my skin. After a few minutes, I delt contented and went out of the bathroom. I just wore a silk top and short terno. This outfit reveals more of my skin, revealing the healing bruises on it.
I just shook my head and went straight to the bed. Because of tiredness, I quickly fell asleep.
I WOKE up because of the gentle taps I felt on my shoulder. I slowly opened my eyes, it was Piolo standing with a tray full of food.
'Did I forgot to lock the door?'
"T-Thank you. You didn't have to bring me food here." I sincerely said while carefully getting the tray from him.
"I know but I know that you're tired." He answered with a little smile on his face. "It's 3pm so I was worried that you'll be sleeping with an empty stomach." He added. "The cutlets tastes really good. I ate a lot."
The amount of happiness I'm feeling right now hearing that someone appreciates my cooking.
"Thank you, Piolo." I sincerely said.
I started eating after he left the room. I took my time eating as I enjoy the food that I cooked. Ethan has never complimented me nor my skills in cooking since we've lived together. He always think that giving me compliments will make me feel like I'm the best when I'm clearly not. He would always criticize me for everything that I do. He would shame me for not giving in with him saying that girls would beg him to have a night with him.
I never understood why he suddenly turned into a person I never thought he could become. I never really understood why he would always hurt me. I've always blamed myself for it. There are times that I would force myself to try to give in to him but then when he tries to touch me, the disgust I feel for myself is hindering me from giving myself to him. I would always think that if I give in to him, the ways he treats me would change but then I couldn't stop myself from refusing his painful touches.
His presence scares me whenever he tries to force me to give in making my body shiver from all the touches he does to my body. I feel like getting sees me as an object that he could just play with and then when I didn't give him the amusement that he wanted, he would just beat me up.
