Science and Faith

Two -- Meet Sandy

Sandra Mondejar looked over the house where her Yaya Mildred lives. During these times, wala na syang ibang malapitan kundi ang Yaya nyang halos nagpalaki na din sa kanya. Sa dinami-dami ng lugar na pupuntahan nya, naisipan nyang dito sa Cebu magpalipas ng sama ng loob.

“Sandy, anak! Dyaskeng bata ire! Bakit ka naman napasugod dito ay!?” Salubong sa kanya ni Yaya Mildred nya. “Pasok ka anak!” Yaya Mildred took her stroller bag from her as she motions her inside. This is not the first time she’s been in her Yaya’s house… dahil hindi din naman ito ang unang pagkakataon na umalis sya para magpalipas ng sama ng loob. Her yaya looked at her again. “Nag-away na naman ka kayo ng Daddy mo?”

She looked at her Yaya. Alam na alam na talaga nito kung anong problema nya. “Kailan ba kami hindi nag-away ni Daddy?” She said before she heaved a sigh.

“Haay naku. Mamaya na nga lang natin pag-usapan yan. Kumain ka muna at maghahanda na ako ng pananghalian.”

Tumango at nginitian lang nya yung Yaya nya bago sya sumunod dito sa kusina para kumain.

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Sandy looked at the rest of the money she had just borrowed from a random stranger before she buried her face in her pillow. She let out a silent scream as she hits her pillow hard. Ngayon nya narerealize kung gaano kamalas ang araw na ito.

First, she and her dad, as usual, had a fight. Madalas naman silang mag-away ng Daddy nya pero iba ang away na ito ngayon. Mukang napuno na sa kanya ang Daddy nya dahil kinuha nito ang kotse nya, pina-hold ang bank accounts at credit cards nya, and worse hindi man lang sya nito binigyan ng cash kahit na magkano!

Hindi nga nya maintindihan kung bakit laging nagagalit sa kanya ang Daddy nya eh. Ano naman ngayon kung hindi sya nagtatrabaho? Ano naman kung gabi gabi syang nasa iba’t ibang bar sa Timog at Malate? Ano naman kung shopping at puro pagboboyfriend ang inaatupag nya? Are those reasons valid enough to make her suffer like this? The world is so UNFAIR!

So, nung hindi na nya nakayanan yung ginagawa ng Daddy nya, she chose to leave her house. Again. Ang nakakainis pa nito, hindi man lang sya pinigilan ng Daddy nya nang makita sya nitong aalis na sya ng bahay!

Siguro, akala kasi ng Daddy nya, babalik sya agad ng bahay! Pwes, he’s definitely wrong! She’ll gonna prove him na kaya nya ang sarili nya.

But… on another note… how can she even stand on her feet if she is as broke like this? Kung noong unang beses na naglalayas sya, she could still pay Hotel fees, she even has a car, she could even go to bars every night. Pero, this time, it’s really different.

It was her first time to ride in LRT at makipagsiksikan sa mga iba’t-ibang tao sa Baclaran. And worse, nanakaw pa ang last money nya. How great could that be? At ang mas matindi pa dun…

… kinapalan nya pa ang mukha nyang umutang sa isang complete stranger! AGHH! Kapag naaalala nya yun, it feels like she wants to slit her wrist and die right away.

But what else could she do? She’s desperate as hell. Wala naman syang ibang malalapitan. Her so-called “friends” only love her when she’s as rich as a queen. And her boyfriend. Well, sino nga ba yung boyfriend nya? Si Miggy o si Drew? Wait… eh paano si Raf, Paolo at Kevin? UGH! She can’t even recall kung may boyfriend nga ba sya o wala! But whichever, ayaw din naman nyang humingi ng tulong sa isa sa kanila. She doesn’t want to be labeled as a broke girl... That’s a super no no. And fvcking embarrassing as well.

Haayy. Ano bang gagawin nya sa buhay nya? Wait…Sandysuddenly rose up from her bed and rummaged her stroller bag. May pag-asa pa!

She’s gonna finish her novel and publish her book! Easy!