Love, Alice

Chapter 16

Feisty

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"Do you miss your friends?" it was mom who asked.

Nakaupo kami sa isang restaurant, dad went out for a phone call. Nakita niya akong nakahawak sa cellphone at kanina pa nakatingin do'n. I was worried though Cas said she's alright. Hindi rin kasi ako nakastay pa doon kinaumagahan dahil bumyahe agad kami. I felt bad I left when she needed me the most.

"I'm just texting them." iling ko.

After that night I immediately went to the city kung saan sila nagtatrabaho. I'm going to spend my semestral break here in dad's small apartment until the classes reopen. I don't know much about what happened next, pero ang sabi ni Kat nagtatampo pa si Cas tungkol kay Spence at ngayong walang klase mukhang hindi pa magkaka-usap ang dalawa. Our gc's also quiet since Cas left on Friday. I panicked, I called Kat pero mukhang kahit siya walang idea kung anong nangyari. Tinext ko naman si Cas pero nag-reply siya na magku-kwento raw siya pagkabalik ko at e-enjoy ko nalang ang bakasyon.

I feel bothered the whole time I was away. May parte sa akin na gustong e message si Enzo o kaya......si Ren. But I feel like that would be betraying Cas. Hindi naman na dapat dahil sa kanila naman ni Spence 'yon but I feel like contacting Spence' s friends is wrong. Magkaibigan kami pero hindi pa ako gano'n katagal para manghimasok sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Maybe Kat could but me.....I'm not sure.

May parte sa akin na mukhang uuwi nalang, at least there I get to talk to Cas. Wala rin naman akong masyadong nagawa dito dahil gabi na naman umuuwi ang parents ko. Dad's sometimes not here on his day off and I don't know why. Last night I heard them had a fight, madaling araw na nakauwi si Dad at galit na galit si mommy. Masyado lang akong nahila ng antok para labasin pa sila.

"Binilhan kita ng bagong bag." Saturday, one afternoon mom went home earlier than usual.

"Mommy, may bag pa naman ako do'n."

I know she's saving and tracking our expenses. We got—after all—a huge amount of debt to pay. Pero umiling siya.

"This one's for you. Accept it, ngayon nalang ulit kita nabigyan ng regalo. Last year even on your birthday I w-wasn't a-able to." nanginig ang boses niya.

I sighed. Last year was tough for all of us. But like what I said, it's harder for my parents.

"Thank you, mom." I held the bag tightly. She pulled me in for hug, crying on my shoulder.

Hindi ko maintindihan ang gabing 'yon, mom slept beside me and when I woke up around three am wala na siya doon. I figured she transfered to dad's room and slept there instead. The next day I busied myself buying souvenir to take with me when I go home tomorrow.

Home. I smiled when I remembered my friends there. I made sure to buy a lot of food for Cas and Kat. The festival just finished here so I was able to secure some souvenir when I first got here. Ngayon naman mga pagkain nalang. Cas need to vent it all out, we'll be hungry then.

I stopped from my walks when I caught a glimpse of handmade bracelets in the sidewalk. Papunta ako sa mall but the jeepney I was in doesn't have a route in this road so I have to walk. Lumapit ako papunta doon at nakita ang iilang dream catcher na nakasabit. There were posters of some idol and famous celebrities but I like these bracelets.

"Magkano po?" tanong ko sa nakabantay.

"30 pesos, Miss."

Ginala ko ang mata ko doon, plenty of colors for my option. Some has heart shape beads as locks and some are knitted. Mayroong din floral pero iba ang presyo. In the end I chose the knitted blue one with a white pendant in the middle engraved with the letter 'R'. Ilang beses kong pinag-isipan kung kukunin ko 'yon but he was all I could think the moment I saw this.