Fishing
"So, any updates?" salubong kaagad nila Ate sa akin pagkarating na pagkarating ko sa bahay.
Of course, Julia is with her, looking at me expectantly.
I sighed and went to the kitchen. Sumunod na man agad sila sa akin. I poured myself a glass of water on the counter while they stared at me like kids waiting to be given treats.
I rolled my eyes and brought the glass of water down.
"Nakakahiya ang nangyari sa araw na 'to!"
"What? Why?"
Ang gulat na ekspresyon sa mukha ni Julia ay napalitan agad ng pagtawa. I glared at her.
"Bakit? Ano bang nangyari?" mahinanong tanong ni Ate.
Napabuntong-hininga ako at naka dekwatrong napaupo sa counter, siniguradong nasa itaas ang kaliwang paa para 'di masagi ang sugat.
"Well, nagpresenta siyang turuan akong mag-surf. Kaya lang, dumating ang mga kaibigan niya, na-distract ako at nawalan ng balanse. I fell and got slammed by the wave in front of them."
I whined and face-palmed remembering it all. I know I tried to act cool in front of him pero ngayon lang ako unti-unting nilukob ng hiya sa lahat ng inasta. I even told him that I know how to surf and almost didn't let him teach me!
"Hmm... well, that's embarrassing, and hilarious!" Humgalpak ng tawa si Julia at hinampas ang balikat ko.
Mas lalo ko lang silang sinimangutan bago lumapit sa akin si Ate at kuryusong dinungaw ang naka-bandage na kaliwang paa. She gasped and immediately told Julia to stop.
"Nasugatan ka dahil do'n?" She slowly looked up from my bandage then to my eyes.
"Yes." Simple akong tumango at nagsimulang maglakad papaalis ng kusina.
"Babalik lang ako dito para i-share sa inyo kung ano mang nalaman ko. I'll just go and get dressed upstairs."
Hindi na sila nakaalma nang tuluyan na akong umalis.
I went to my room and immediately looked for pants that are loose but will surely cover my whole leg. Dahil kung hindi, malalagot ako kay Mama kapag nakita niya ang sugat ko. Nakauwi pa naman sila ni Papa.
Mama always wanted us to be 'perfect' and 'lady-like' that I'm sure a wound like this will completely terrify her. Hindi pa nga nangyayari pero kabisadong-kabisado ko na kung ano mang sasabihin niya tuwing papagalitan ako, kasama na ng paminsan-minsang mga kurot habang pinandidilatan ako ng mga mata.
I immediately got down, all covered up when Ate and Julia was already in our living room. Narinig ko ang mahinang pagtatalo nila habang pababa ako ng staircase bago sila tuluyang tumigil nang napansin ang pagdating ko.
Ate sighed and shook her head while Julia gave me a small smile.
"Uhmm... is your wound okay? Hindi naman siguro gaano kalaki?"
Kaagad siyang sinaway ni Ate na hinaan ang boses. Baka marinig pa kasi kami ni Mama. Although she's not yet home from the company, we don't really talk about anything that triggers her even when she's not around the house.
Imperfection seems like a taboo thing in this house. Ewan ko nga ba kung bakit hindi pa ako natapon palabas. Sabagay, Papa is there to appease Mama whenever she gets so mad at me.
"Does it hurt?" Napangiwi si Ate nang sulyapan ang parte kung saan niya nakita ang sugat.
"Of course it hurts! Alangan namang masarap," I muttered underneath my breath the last thing I just said so she wouldn't hear.
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