Almost Feels Like Always (COMPLETED)

HUDSON (TWENTY ONE)

YESTERDAY was not Autumn's day. She clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I thought it was bad enough but boy, today was worse. We're okay before we went to bed. Hindi kami natutulog nang magkaaway or may tampuhan. That's why I was so worried and terrified when I woke up at 2 in the fucking morning with Autumn crouching beside me, sobbing.

"Baby?" I touched her arm, gently stroking it. "Baby, what's wrong?"

She didn't answer. She kept crying. I brushed her hair with my fingers and rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.

"What's wrong, baby? Please, tell me..." I couldn't stand seeing her like this. The mere sound of her sobs was killing me.

"I feel so terrible..." She whined.

I sighed. I get it. This was her hormones talking. "No, you're not, babe. You're amazing." I whispered softly in her ear.

She shifted from her position to face me. "Look at me! I'm so ugly!"

I wiped the tears that escaped her eyes with my thumb. "That's a lie, babe. I always told you how beautiful you are, right? Ang ganda ganda mo. You better stop crying. Nakakapangit ang pag-iyak."

She slapped my hand away from her face. "See? 'Di inamin mo rin na pangit ako!"

"Hindi kaya!" Kinulong ko siya sa mga braso ko. "It's just your eyes were already puffy. Have you been crying all night?" Malambing na tanong ko.

She shook her head against my chest. "I woke up and there's no ice cream in your fridge. I feel so bad. Why don't you have ice cream in stock?"

A small chuckle escaped my lips. "Is that why you cried? Because there's no more ice cream?"

"Yes." Sabi niya na parang batang nagsusumbong. "I have my period last night and my lower abdomen hurts like hell. I feel like someone's ripping my reproductive system apart. I looked for ice cream to relieve the pain and there's none! I'm dying here!"

I can't help it. My laugh echoed in the whole room. She hit my chest.

"You think it's funny?"

I caught her hand to stop her from hitting me again. "No. I just find it cute."

"It's not funny, Hudson! It's not cute! You will never understand the struggle of girls on their period! Never!" Tinalikuran niya ako at muli na namang umiyak.

Well, yeah, I would never understand her struggle but I can give her comfort. "Get up. We're going on adventure."

"I don't want to! It's just 2 in the morning, Hudson!"

Yeah, and you're there crying. "We're getting ice cream."

Natigilan at bumalikwas siya sa kama. "We will?"

"Ahuh." I kneeled in front of her and wipe the tears off her face. I put my maroon Nike cap on her head.

"Ayaw ko niyan." Reklamo niya.

"Mahamog na."

"I'm not a baby." Nakasimangot na reklamo niya.

I just smiled at her. She rolled her eyes. Nag-suot ako ng hoodie. Kumuha ako ng isa pang jacket sa closet at isinuot naman 'yun sa kanya.

Magkahawak-kamay kaming lumabas ng condo building. May malapit na convenience store sa block namin at doon kami pumunta. She got five solo cups of ice cream with different flavors. Nilingon niya ako.

"These are all mine." She possessively held the five cups in her arms like those were her babies.

"Oh..." Was all that I could say. "Okay, babe."