ang mayabang na chinito

0.5 ; blessings.

clock ticking. water dripping at the washroom. mitchu-pitchu scratching his body; yan lang ang tanging maririnig ko. yung mga tingin nila kay joaquin, yun bang gusto nilang bugbugin. tapos eto namang si joaquin, parang naghahamon ng suntukan.

"so, boyfriend ka nga ng anak ko?

"yes."

"no, dad." I groaned. "I'll never be in a relationship with our scho-"

"nanliligaw palang po kasi ako sakaniya." he said, cutting my words. I hate him. I gave him a death glare, but he just gave me instead a death glare. "pero, yun nga po yung pinunta ko."

"daddy, listen." I said, but he wasn't listening to me.

"remain silent, catherine. I'd love to hear some things from your suitor." he said and they both cracked a devilish grin. they kept on talking about sports, his grades on school and guys. kilala ko si daddy; alam ko kung impressed siya sa isang tao. and he looks really impressed nga kay joaquin.

after they talked for 20 and a half minutes, including the time we used on eating our dinner. hinatid ko siya palabas ng gate namin pero I'm just giving him unamused look.

"bakit ganyan ka makatingin?"

"tingin mo ba hindi ako magagalit dun sa sinabi mo kay daddy? sinabi mo sakaniya na manliligaw kita. and now he gave you my time and all."

"ayaw mo nun, makakasama kita ng matagal?" he said and giving me a nonchalant shrug.

"ayoko, joaquin. ayoko."

"oh really?"

"really." I defended. unti-unti niyang nilalapit ang mukha niya pero dumampi ang labi niya sa pisngi ko. ewan ko kung anong mararamdaman ko. kikiligin ba ko? maiinis?

"I like you, catherine. now take a rest and take this days as the best day of your life." he said then walked away. punyemasuuu!! sinarado ko nalang yung gate at dumeretso paloob. wala na sila, siguro na sa kwarto na sila. or nasa movie room.

dumeretso nalang din ako sa kwarto ko't nag-twitter. nag-rant sa twitter, lmao. di naman ako fino-follow ni joaquin kaya kayang-kaya kong gawin 'to.

Joaquin Reyes followed you.

aye namaaan. sabi ko nga. hindi na ko pwedeng magrant. goodgirl na 'ko. dinelete ko na lahat ng tweets na connected sakaniya tsaka pinatay yung phone ko. di ko na talaga alam kung ano tong gulong pinasok ko. ayoko na, lord. I give up.

"catherine?" narinig kong pagtawag sakin ni mama na nasa mlabas ng kwarto ko. "pwede ba kitang makausap? tungkol lang kay joaquin?"

hindi pa man ako nakaka-oo pumasok na siya't may dala-dalang malaking puting box. ipinatong niya yon sa tabi ko't nakangiti lang siya sakin. ano nanaman trip neto ni mama? tsaka sabi niya tunko-aish mabuti na yon.

"ma, ano nanaman 'to?"

"open it, 'nak. para malaman mo." she said.

napairap ako't hinila yung box palapit sakin. dahan dahan ko siyang binuksan. alangan namang madaliin ko diba? hindi ako excited. but yea, it's a dress. the dress I wished three years ago. di ko na type tong dress na to ngayon.

"do you like it?" pambungad niyang tanong. "bigay yan ni tito arkie mo."

"now what? nanliligaw sayo si tito arkie, that's why he bought this for me? oh, come on, mama. di ka ba nagsasawang masaktan?" I groaned, pushing the box away from me at mabilis itong tumilapon paalis ng kama ko.

hala nahulog log log log log log.

"it's not like that, catherine. he just want to make you happy."

"well please, tell him im not." I quickly lay down my bed and hid under the sheets. ayoko sakaniya. ayokong magpaka-tanga si mama sa lalaking yon. tapos ano? pag sinaktan siya, tatakbo siya sa kwarto ko tapos yayakapin ako? lmao hell no.

"ayaw mo ba kong maging masaya?"

"it's not like that, ma." I shouted, tears started flowing down at the side of my eyes. "nakakasawa na kasi yung paulit-ulit kang iiyak. masasaktan."

I know mom won't leave my room unless makuha niya yung gusto niyang sagot galing sakin. and that is yung masaya na ko para sakanila, well hindi ko sasabihin na masaya na ko para sakanila. wala na kong tiwala sa mga tao ngayon.

"do me a favor, catherine. just please."

I sat up on my bed and giving mom a glare.

"what is it for me?" I said, in a slight calm tone. she grabbed my hand and squeezed it. is she trying to comfort me? to tell her, it's not helping.

"tanggapin mo na si tito arkie sa buhay mo. malapit na kaming ikasal, catherine. blessings mo nalang ang kulang." mahinang sabi niya't tuloy-tuloy nang bumagsak ang mga luha galing sa mata ko. "pag nagawa mo yon? I'll set you free. you can have your own apartment. live your own life. or ipapadala kita sa ibang bansa."

"blessing ko nalang ang kulang? does that mean, kinukuha niyo yung blessings ko na hindi kayang ibigay nila kuya? I won't give you my blessings, ma. I won't."

"listen to me, catherine." She groaned. "this is about my happiness and not yours! not maggie's. not your brother's and also not your father's happiness!"

she stormed out of my room and I sobbed. bakit ba ayaw niyang makinig sakin?

I threw my head on my hands and naghintay na tumigil sa pagbagsak tong mga luhang 'to. nakakasawa naman kasi umiyak. ano ba naman yan. pero teka, alam ba 'to ni daddy? ikakasal na si mama sa iba? nyemasuuu.

"f*ck this life." I whispered to myself. "I wish that I could wake up with amnesia."