Breathless (Book 1&2)

Harder to Breathe #18.2

Harder to Breathe #18.2
Cielo

"Ugh." I groaned pagkatapos magising. Pogi has been licking my face kanina pa. He was waking me up dahil sa walang tigil na pagtunog ng phone ko. I looked at the clock and I already know kung sino ang tumatawag this early.

"Hello, Cielo?" I heard my brother's voice.

UGH! I really hate morning persons.

"Kuya..." tinatamad ko pang sagot sa kanya. I covered myself with a blanket because Pogi doesn't want to stop licking my damn face!

"Is he okay? How's the surgery?" Agad niyang tanong.

"Huh? Uunahin mo pa talagang kumustahin yung aso mo kesa sa kapatid mo?" asar kong tanong sa kanya. "Anyway, the surgery went well. He's fine and super kulit na ulit. Kailan ka ba uuwi?"

"Please tell him that Daddy will be back home soon."

"How soon? Pumayag ako mag dogsitter dahil suspendido ako sa trabaho pero meron din akong ibang inaasikaso ah! Saka kakalipat ko lang ng bahay, dami ko pang lilinisin at aayusin!"

"Yes, for now diyan muna siya mag-stay sa iyo. Please take care of him. Thank you Cielo."

"Hay, if you'll talk like that paano pa ako tatanggi?"

"I'll pay you. Daily rate?"

"I liked the fact that you know me very well."

"Why did you suddenly accepted that house?" he suddenly asked.

"Hm? Short ako sa budget eh. Suspended ako for three months. Wala akong ibang source of income. Yung huling apartment na tinirahan ko nag expire na rin contract, ayaw na nila ako i extend, minsan lang naman ako na de delay sa pagbabayad ng rent."

"Why don't you start working for the company?"

"Hindi mo talaga tinanong kung bakit ako nasuspend?" takang tanong ko sa kanya, I heard him sigh.

"Not interested."

I clicked my tongue. "Working for the company? No thanks. Kaya niyo ng dalawa yan." tanggi ko agad. "Okay pa naman ang sahod ko sa pagiging detective. Kaya ko pa namang buhayin ang sarili ko, na short lang talaga ako this time. Saka ayaw mo yun? Merong normal na tao sa ating magkakapatid." biro ko sa kanya.

"Yeah and clearly that's not you!"

"KUYAAA!"

"Anyway, I'll call you again for updates."

"No need kung ganito lang din ikaw kaaga tatawag. Pogi will be fine with his Tita. I'll take care of him. Once okay na siya, I'll take him out for some walks."

"Thank you Cielo."

"Alam mo naman ang bank account ko di ba?" I answered him and I heard him chuckled because of that. "Text mo na lang ako pag okay na."

I have no choice but to get out of the bed. Pogi has been making that cute face at hind ko kayang tiisin iyon.

After I feed him, I changed and wore my workout clothes. It was only three days ago when I arrived at this new neighbourhood. Seems nice and quiet naman.

The house is really big for someone like me pero wala naman akong choice, ayaw ko naman gamitin yung pad ni Kuya, madumihan ko pa yun baka mag away pa kami.

I can't go home rin. I can't risk their safety.

I decided to jog around the area. It is still summer pero I heard from the news na malapit na mag transition into rainy season. That explains why madalas na umulan ng hapon.

"Oh?" I didn't count kung nakailang balik na ako sa tapat ng convenience store na medyo malapit lang din sa bahay but what made me stop this time was the little girl who was standing there since kanina pa.

I wiped my face and walked towards her.

"Hey." bati ko sa kanya pero di siya sumagot. I smiled and talked again. "Are you alone?"

It kinda irked me when she just stood there with a suspicious look.

She's cute but she has attitude, huh!

"Don't worry I'm not bad." and somehow napilitan akong ipakita sa kanya ang badge ko. I think she's a smart girl kasi I saw how her expression changed matapos makita iyon.

She understood, right?

"Are you lost?" tanong ko ulit at doon siya umiling.

"I'm here to buy chocolates po," I bit my lower lip matapos marinig ang cute niyang boses.

Calm down Cielo! You can't pinch that pinkish cheeks!

"How old are you? Why are you here alone? Where's your mom?" sunod sunod kong tanong. Saka it's too early for her to eat chocolates, nag breakfast na ba siya?

She showed me her fingers. Ah seven.

"She's at work." she simply replied.
"Your Dad?" tanong ko ulit.

"He is in Germany po."
"Sino kasama mo sa bahay?"

"Yaya po."

I took a deep breath bago siya tinignan ulit. "Want me to help you buy chocolates?" she just nodded and went inside with me. "Why are you standing outside?"

"Because I can't decide what to buy po," she politely replied. I looked at her hand na kanina pa nakakuyom at doon ko napansin ang mahigpit niyang pagkakahawak sa twenty peso bill.

Naglakad kami sa tapat ng estante na full of chocolates. I saw how her eyes twinkled. My heart is so full dahil sa nakikita. Ngayon lang ako nakakita ng kasing cute niya!

Her soft hair was tied up with big red ribbon kaya naman kita kita mo ang cute and maamo niyang mukha. She has natural chubby pink cheeks na kanina ko pa gustong pisilin. The tip of her nose is a little red too, parang yung mga labi niya.

She looks like she came from a rich family pero bakit twenty lang ang pera niyang dala?

"What do you want?" I asked her, hindi siya sumagot agad because obviously she was having a trouble deciding which one.

"My money is not enough," she almost whispered. Agad akong kinabahan at nataranta matapos makita ang paglungkot ng mga mata niya.

"A-Ah, it's okay I'll buy it for you! Just get what you want and Tita will pay," alok ko.

"Tita?" she repeated while looking at me curiously.

"That's what you call an older woman to show respect," paliwanag ko.

"But you don't look old." she replied.

Ugh! Gusto ko na siyang iuwi!

We bought a-lot of chocolates, it was my last bill pero okay lang, at least she seems happy because of that. I offered her to walk her home and she agreed.

"Ah!" Tumigil kami sa harap ng bahay. Bigla akong nagtaka.

"I live there." she said while pointing at the house in front of mine. "Thank you po sa chocolates."

I gently let her small hand go na hindi bumitaw sa akin simula ng umalis kami sa convenience store.

"You're welcome. Neighbours pala tayo eh." Sagot ko sa kanya. "I'll see you around." she nodded but before she can totally go inside tinawag ko ulit siya. "Ah, what's your name pala little girl?"

"I'm Keysha," she politely replied. "Keysha Coyiuto po."