Shaira's Inbox

14- Stay

Shaira realized that she was whimpering early in the morning. In her dream, she was alone crying in a dark, unfamiliar place. She breathed deeply to release the quiet sobs the moment she woke up. 

The strange noise from the real world made her escape from the sadness of her dream. Mhay was already picking up her things to get an early bath. Obviously, there was no need for the alarm clock. Geez, she was starting to become an early bird? But Shaira did not immediately pick herself up. She knew that the four wash rooms would be enough. Instead, she uttered her morning prayers.

After a few minutes, Mhay was ready for dressing up. Shaira picked her toiletries even if the morning was a bit cold. She thought of her mother who always prepared warm water for her bath. She was really on her own with newly-found people whom she could not fully trust. As she stepped downstairs, waiting for the next available wash room, her hands and feet were feeling the coldness that almost reached her empty stomach. 

She yawned. The moment she opened her mouth, she caught sight of Leonil who was also sleepily going to take a bath. She covered her mouth upon seeing him but it was too late, Leonil saw the insides of her mouth. Leonil smiled. Shaira turned to the sink and gathered water to gargle. 

"Good morning." Leonil said from her back.

She looked at him sideways, nodded, and smiled shyly. He also gargled.

"It's a cold morning." He commented.

"Right."

Mike arrived too, complaining about the cold morning and greeted Shaira.

"Good morning baby girl!" Mike was full of energy.

"You greet her like a radio commentator. I was not sleepy anymore." Leonil said. They all giggled.

Suddenly, the morning radio program was on air. There was somebody downstairs who turned it on.

"Good morning, good morning, good morning Philippines!" The announcer on the radio began and they all laughed at the similarity of Mike's voice to the announcer. 

"Hey, stop laughing." Bea appeared from the door in the lady's wash room. She was wearing her towel on her head. "You can use the room now, Shaira. We could not afford to be late." She winked at Shaira.

"Oh look at this woman! I was the one falling in line with this room and you are asking Shaira to be the next." Mike retorted.

"You better read signs Mike." Bea glared at him as she pointed to the door that reads, "Ladies."

"Lady Mike." Leonil said.

"Cool!" Shaira added.

Everybody laughed again. Their noise was interrupted by the morning radio program which was seemed louder. Bea hushed them as she took the stairs up to get dressed for work.

Shaira entered the wash room as Mike and Leonil argued of who will come next. They even planned to enter the ladies' room in case there would be no enough time and in case there would be no more girls who would take a bath.

The pail of water was right in front of her. The shower was pouring few droplets as a cold wind flew in Shaira's already feeling cold body. She wished there was warm water but she still poured the water to her body without warning so there would be no more hesitations.

Outside, Leonil was complaining of the coldness. She wished he would be inside the other wash room already when she comes out. There was something in him that makes her uncomfortable. He seemed to be more than just friendly with the way he looked at her. It was different form how Mike usually makes fun of her. She noticed earlier when she was yawning, instead of disgust, he showed a cute smile of admiration. There was no way she was going to let herself be too close to a family man. She was not even over with the crying dream. For sure, it was about Nigel. She poured on the cold water more and more until she was done.