Remembering Sir Tisoy

Pillows

Maine turns to her side, to try and acquire a better position to sleep. After a few seconds in that position, she turns to the other side. She ends up being face to face with Sheen who's eyes are completely open, anger clearly evident in them.

"Meng, puwede ba? Magpatulog ka naman!" Sheen pleads.

"Eh, anong magagawa ko kung ayaw akong patulugin ng katawan ko? I can't find a proper position to be able to sleep," Maine explains.

"Ahem."

They didn't realise that Richard was already standing on the edge of their bed. Sheen turns around so that they are now both facing him.

"Please, take my bed. Seryoso, ok lang na sa sleeping bag ko na lang ako matulog," Richard insists whilst flashing his signature smile.

Sheen starts to sit up on the edge of the bed. She stands up and makes her way to the other side.

"Hay, Mr. Faulkerson, salamat ng marami. Kulit kasi ng katabi ko...hindi yata makatulog dahil sa'y-"

"Sa init," Maine cuts Sheen off, knowing that she's going to continue to rat her out. "Grabe, ang init kasi. Pawis na pawis na ako,"

"Talaga ba? Ms. Mendoza, nasa tuktok tayo ng bundok, at night. Paanong magiging mainit? Plus, if you are feeling hot, bakit balot na balot ka ng kumot?"

Maine opens her mouth to answer but she didn't know what to tell him, so nothing came out of it. Richard mimics her action to mock her.

"Binibwisit mo ba ako, o sadiyang nakakabwisit ka lang talagang tao?"

Richard only laughs as a reply and he makes his way on the ground. He slips into his sleeping bag, and lies on his side, facing Maine. He props his head on his palm, plastering a wide grin on his face. She sees him do so, and she only scoffs, rolls her eyes at him, and turns onto her other side as a final expression of disgust.

-

'Yang si Sir Tisoy, mawawala nananaman 'yan. Iiwan ka lang ulit niyan. Tingnan mo nga eh, iniwan ka na nilang lahat. Mga kapatid mo may sarili ng mga buhay. Ikaw na lang ang natira sa bahay. Ang Tatay mo, nasa ibang bansa - patuloy na nangangakong uuwi na din siya, pero wala pa din hanggang ngayon. Nanay mo? Hindi ka na kinakausap ng maayos diba? Parang wala na din siya sa bahay kahit kayong dalawa na lang ang natitira doon. Iwanin ka lang talaga, Maine. Bagay sa'yo ang maiwan.

"Maine?"

"Buong buhay kang magiging mag-isa."

"Maine."

"Pati si Sheen, iiwan ka din niyan oras na makita niyang sira ka talaga."

"Maine!"

"Maine!"

She jolts awake at the sound of Richard's voice, as he also shook her.

"Maine, you're crying...in your dreams."

She looks up groggily and sees a blurred version of Richard as her tears clouded her eyes. Instinctively, she hooks her arms on his neck and hugs him tightly, sobbing onto his shoulders. He reciprocates her gesture by hugging her by the waist.

"Shhhh, it's going to be ok," he reassures as he starts to rub her back.

"Don't leave me," she whispers onto his ear.

With this she falls back to sleep.

"I won't."

-

She wakes up with a pang in her head. She starts to lift up her arm but realises that there was something prohibiting her from doing so. All of a sudden, she sees that she was currently encased in Richard's arms. Shocked, she pushes him off of the bed, sending him on the floor with a loud thud.

"AAAAAAHHHH! ANONG GINAGAWA MO?" she shouts in panic, covering her body with the sheets.

"ARAAAAY!" Richard expresses when he hits the floor, still a little dazed by the rude awakening.

"ANONG NANGYAYARI?" Sheen all of a sudden screams as she jostles awake.

"Manyak ka! Bakit ka nasa higaan ko?"

He continues to rub his arm - which he landed on when he got pushed off. He looks over to Maine, realising that she was completely clueless of why he ended up sleeping beside her.

"Hindi mo ba talaga naaalala, Maine?" he silently asks as he starts to walk back closer to her.

She widens her eyes and gasps.

"May nangyari ba sa atin?" she asks, trying her best to compose herself.

"As in, wala kang naaalala?"

"Anong ginawa niyo?" Sheen concerns in shock.

"Ano ba! Ano ngang nangyari? 'Wag mo 'kong ganiyanin!" Maine demands as she pummels her fists onto the sheets.

"Hindi mo talaga maalala?" he reiterates, a smirk forming on his face.

"BWISIT KA! ANO NGA?" she continues to dissect, now pulling fistfuls of her hair.

"Kalma, Maine...may nangyari sa atin," he pauses a bit before continuing to try and irk her even more. "Pero, hindi 'yang iniisip mo."

"Mr. Faulkerson, ano ngang nangyari?" Sheen pleads to try and ease everyone's emotions.

"Nagising ako when I heard you crying. You were mumbling and all, so I went up to you and woke you up. Tapos, sabi mo na lang, 'Don't leave me,' tapos nakatulog ka na ulit."

"Eh bakit kailangan mong tumabi sa'kin?"

"Sabi mo nga kasi," 'Don't leave me,' edi hindi kita iniwan. Alam mo, kinailangan mo lang yata kasi ng yakap ko," he says while popping his imaginary collar.

"Grabe ka mang chancing, Sir. Kahit tulog eh no?" she continues to argue, her eyes squinted, and her arms folded in front of her chest.

"Hey, I'm not the one who suddenly grabbed on to someone's neck like a monkey, cried on their shoulder and asked them not to leave them. You should thank me, Ms. Mendoza. If I know, enjoy na enjoy ka nga eh. Kung makasiksik ka sa'kin habang natutulog ka, wagas," he ends this with a laugh.

"Lumabas ka na nga!" she frustrates, throwing a pillow at his direction.

She misses as he heads straight out the door. Maine looks over to Sheen's direction who's now sitting on the edge of her bed, knuckles supporting her chin, and fluttering her lashes.

"Bakit ganiyan itsura mo?"

"Ang cute niyo," she aptly confesses.

"Don't me, Sheen. Don't me."

-

A/N: Finally, an update! With the recent end of FAD, I now have more time to prioritise RST. However, realidad is currently taking its toll on me. So please, continue to bear with 😩