Chapter 24: Goodnight, Goodnight
(Venice's POV)
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I laid on the bed, silently counting the number of times na nag-tturn si Jerwin. He's trying to find a comfortable position. Nakakaasar na kaseh kanina pa sya nag-ttwist and turn, pero, at the same time, I guess I kinda understand.
The bed is made from bamboo. It's a little bit smaller than a queen-sized bed. The mattress is not the softest, most comfortable mattress in the world. You can almost feel the hardness of the bamboo beneath it. It's kinda cold; may mga butas dun sa bintana -- we can even hear the wind whistling through the holes.. We're sharing a blanket that's too small to be shared.. The pillows are almost flat. It also doesn't help na the room is really cramped. It's everything a rich kid like him has never imagined he would find himself into.
After he turned to his side one more time, umikot na rin ako, and I found myself face to face with him. He has his eyes shut closed, pero halata naman na pinipilit nya lang na isarado ung mata nya. Siguro iniisip nya baka sakaling makatulog rin sya kung pipikit nya ung mata nya..
Ako:Jerwin...
He opened one eye.
Jerwin:Hm?
Ako:Di ka makatulog?
This time, both eyes opened and even in the darkness, I could almost see him looking at me.
Jerwin:*sigh*Yea.. It sucks coz I'm exhausted and we have to wake up early tomorrow...
Ako:Relax.. Well, I know, medyo nahihirapan kang mag-relax kaseh kamustah naman.. Di ka naman sanay na matulog sa ganito katigas na kama.. But, just stop thinking about tomorrow, ok?
Jerwin:Easy for you to say. Mr. Gordon almost had a panic attack when I called him and said we'd be spending the night somewhere else. I better make sure that I'm not late for the photoshoot daw.
Ako:Well, why didn't you ask him to come and pick us up then?
Jerwin:You crazy? And let him know we got lost.....
Ang pride mo kuya.. Di mo naman kasalanan na nawala tayo..
Ako:Okay.. Well, just don't worry about it. Sabi naman ni Aling Marie, gigisingin nya tayo around 7 AM, di ba? That's good enough.
Jerwin:*sigh*I know.
Ako:You know, you really interacted well with those people.
Jerwin:Hm?
Ako:Sina Manong Ben.. May sarili ka rin namang kaartehan sa buhay, lam mo? Pero tonight.. You talked with Manong Ben na parang ka-level mo sya.. Tapos, di ka pa nagreklamo nung binigyan tayo ni Aling Marie na pamalit na damit, although di mo alam kung anong detergent ung ginamit panglaba.. I mean, tinikman mo pa ung lambanog. Samantalang nung dinalhan kita nung minsan ng kwek-kwek, halos mamatay ka na sa intensity ng pagtanggi mo. :P
He rolled over and looked at the ceiling. Nahiya? ;D
Ako:Tapos, you listened patiently dun sa mga drunk rantings ni Manong Ben tungkol sa economy, sa hirap ng buhay, at chuva-chuva.
Jerwin:Weren't you tutoring Jose during that time?
Ako:Kasalanan ko bang may tenga ako?
Natawa si Jerwin, then he shifted his position and faced me again.
Jerwin:You know, it'd be really cool to stay here for a few more days. Kung pwede lang, I would really want to know how their lives work.. They can barely live through every day with the little pay Manong Ben gets from the farm. Tapos, pinag-aaral pa nila si Jose. I just realized how blessed I am to be born into the "luckier" level of society.
