Fever Dreams | A Taglish Story

CHAPTER I : COINCIDENCE

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Kien wakes up in his mess of a bed, still tired and sleepy. He looks up to the ceiling with half-lidded eyes. Still trying to wake his own body up. He raises his hand up, waving it.

"Bumangon ka na." He said to himself. Kien wasn't much in favor of waking up early, nor waking up at all.

He lays there in his bed, a small migraine bugging him, and a dry mouth that was urging him to get up and drink water.  He stayed still for a few minutes, silent with just his breathing being heard in the room.  That was when he noticed it was more quiet than usual. Where was Marria?

He gets up in a hurry, making his mild migraine worse. He laughs it off, "Oh my gosh, ang sakit ng brain ko."

He chuckles, then getting his mind back to the current situation- or problem- basta. He stands up, holding his head as he walks outside of his room. He wonders where his roomate is currently.

He notices the clock on the wall.  12PM. Late nanaman siya sa job niya. He curses himself, walking over to the kitchen. Kien needed to send a text to his boss na sick siya, or atleast pretending to be sick. He reaches into his pocket for his phone. oo nga pala, walang pocket yung shorts niya. Not to mention hindi niya din pala kinuha sa bedside table yung phone. He walks back as he felt his stomach rumbling. "Isabay ko na itext si Marria para magpick-up ng pagkain kung saan man siya." He mutters to hisself.

He spots his phone on his bedside table, he grabs it and goes to text Marria when he sees that he was texted by his boss. His heart drops while he reads what had been written.

'Kien Everhart, because of your recent absents from work, we will have to fire you, please come to the office when you are available and pick up your stuff from your locker. signed, Trent Radcliffe, head of the [blank] delivery service.'

He throws his phone to the side, burrying his face into his hands. "Tangina. Paano nayan.."

Kien feels tears run down his face as he sniffles. He throws himself on the undone bed, curling up to the side of it. He hears the door of their apartment open but he doesn't care.

Ano na ang gagawin niya sa buhay niya? Napakababa ng grades niya, hindi siya nakakapag bayad ng renta, he feels na parang pinapahirap niya lng yung buhay ni Marria.

"Kien? Gising ka na ba diyan?"

Kien jumped in surprise, the voice had startled him. "Oo bhe! lalabas aku maya-maya!" He said in an unsteady voice.

Marria was a bit concerned. Why is Kien not turning around to face her? "Kien okay ka lang ba?" Her concern grew when she heard sniffling from the male. She hurried to set the things she bought on the table, running back to his room. "Kien?"

Marria entered the small, cluttered room.  She made her way around the scattered things along the floor, dahan-dahan just to make sure na hindi siya maka-sira o maka-apak ng gamit niya. "Bhe, sagutin mo ako, okay ka lang?"

Marria sat on the bed, nudging the male that had been curled up on the mattress. He turned around, wiping the tears off his face. "Bhe, sa totoo lang, hindi." He hicced.

"Bakit?"

"Bhe... " Kien couldn't bring himself to say it, he feels that Marria would be dissapointed in him. He doesn't want that, he would rather be dead than have to embarrass hisself infront of his best friend. "Kien, sabihin mo sakin so i can help-"

"Natanggal ako sa trabaho ko."

Marria raised a brow, not hearing what her friend had said. "Pakiulit nga, Kien." She said, shuffling closer to hear him better. Kien sighed, shrugging to himself. "Natanggal ako sa trabaho ko, Marria. " He turned to face her, his face still tears stained. "Sorry talaga, promise ko sayo maghahanap ako agad-"