Loving This Bitch

CHAPTER 28

Naalimpungatan ako sa tunog ng aking cell phone. Kinapa ko ang bed side table at kinuha ang cell phone. Bahagya kong binuksan ang isang mata para sagutin ang tawag. Inilagay ko iyon sa tenga at pumikit.

"Yes?" Halata pa sa boses ko na bagong gising ako.

["Why did you call me?"]

"What do you mean? You called me."

["Tinawagan mo ako kanina.]"

"Ah, really?" Umiba ako ng posisyon at humarap sa kabila. I'm still sleepy. I yawned.

["Girl, are you still sleeping? Wake up na. You're going to be late, bitch."]

"Yeah, I know." I yawned again. "I'm late..." I opened my eyes and looked at the wall clock. "Oh, shit!" Agad akong bumangon at dumiretso sa banyo. Hindi ko na napatay ang tawag dahil sa pagmamadali. Mabilisang ligo at bihis na ang ginawa ko. I put makeup, of course.

Kinuha ko ang bag at nagmamadaling naglakad ngunit napahinto ako nang makita ang mukha niya sa canvas. Napangiti ako bago lumabas ng kwarto.

"Oh, hija, gising ka na pala." Bati sa akin ni Manang pagkababa ko.

"Bakit hindi mo ako ginising, Manang?" Kunot noo kong tanong. Kumuha lang ako ng isang sandwich at uminom ng gatas.

"Sabi kasi ng mama mo ay huwag ka munang gisingin dahil hindi ka papasok ngayon."

Napahinto ako sa pagnguya at inis na tumingin sa kaniya.

"Pati ba naman ang pagpasok ko ay pakikialaman niya?"

Nakatalikod si Manang sa akin at naghuhugas ng pinggan. Pansin kong ang dami niyang hinuhugasang mga kaldero.

"You're awake?"

Pairap akong tumingin kay Mommy na kakapasok pa lang ng kusina. Bumaba ang aking mata sa suot niya. She's wearing a pair of tailored, straight-leg jeans in a dark wash paired with a crisp white blouse or a soft cashmere sweater.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Mall, want to come with me?"

Inubos ko ang gatas at tumayo. "No, I'm going to school." Sabi ko at nilagpasan siya.

Kaya niyang pumunta ng mall nang mag-isa. Pwede naman siyang magsuot ng mask at cap gaya ng ginagawa ko para hindi siya mapansin ng mga tao. And I'm not in the mood to go out today. Kailangan kong pumasok dahil malapit na ang finals.

Niona, good news. Nerdy is the champion! Grandpa is going to give him a reward," Rinoa said when I bumped into her in the hallway. "Really? That's good." I pretended to be uninterested. He really is smart.

"What kind of reaction is that? You don't seem proud of your tutor—" I covered her mouth and glared at her.

"Watch what you're saying, someone might hear you," I said, irritated, and removed my hand from her mouth.

"Oh, here." She handed me the review materials. "We reviewed that yesterday," I took it and immediately put it in my bag. "We were with Nerdy yesterday reviewing after rehearsal. He said he's not tutoring you anymo—"

I glared at her.

"So what? Did something happen? Pinabalik ka na pala ni Tita Cerise sa bahay niya. You didn't tell us."

"What for? Mommy just sent me home; I didn't need to tell you that."

"Even so. Nerdy was really sad yesterday."

I stopped walking and turned to her. "What did you say? Why was he sad? Did something bad happen?"

A smile slowly spread across her lips. "Ang taray-taray mo, pero may pakialam ka naman pala sa kaniya."