Taking Risks

9

For @tinadl01 - because of that little suggestion about giving her the ocean.

//

HER

"Menggay! Gising! Huy, Meng! Ano ba?? Gising na! MENGGAY!!"

I quickly sit up and almost fall off my bed at the loud call of my name, my bed sheets getting tangled in between my legs with some of my pillows even falling on the floor. I look around, slightly bewildered and totally out of it - like I didn't know where I was and what I was doing there. When I finally have a little of my wits about me a few seconds later, I look grumpily towards where Ninna is standing and started to pout.

"Ano na naman ba ang kailangan mo, Janinna? Ang aga aga pa, oh," I grumble as I plop back down on my bed and close my eyes once more, my arm going over my face, with the intent of going back to sleep.

Ninna, however, would not be deterred and tried to pull my arm away from my face, pestering me to get up yet again.

"Nicomaine! Ano ba?? Dali na!! Bumangon ka na diyan!"

"Bakit nga kasi??"

"BASTA! BUMANGON KA NA!"

"Grabe ka naman makasigaw! Eto na! Eto na! Babangon na!"

I sluggishly get up and frown up at her, grumbling and complaining the entire time. Just to let you know, I am DEFINITELY not a morning person. I usually get up in the mornings just to take my meds then go back to bed for another three or even four hours of sleep since I'm a night owl and is usually awake until the wee hours of the morning. Ninna knows this so I don't know what in the world has gotten into her to wake me up so early, it isn't even time for my meds yet.

She gestures for me to follow her downstairs and I lazily follow, dragging my feet and walking half-asleep.

"Si Nanay?" I sleepily ask as I yawn.

"Kaaalis-alis lang. Buti nga wala na siya nung dumating ito, eh."

At that - my ears prick up, suddenly wondering what Ninna had under her sleeves. What could she had done this time?

"Ano na naman ang ginawa mo Ninns?" I ask, voicing out my thoughts, wide awake now and wary about where she is suddenly taking me.

"Walaaaaaa..." she replies in a sing-song voice as she looks back towards me with a smirk over her shoulder before continuing on walking. "Ikaw, paka-judgmental mo. Iniisip mo agad na ako ang may pakana."

"Eh madalas naman talagang ikaw ang may pakana, eh," I mumble under my breath.

"Hoy! Narinig ko 'yun!"

"Sinadya kong marinig mo."

"Loka loka ka talaga!" she answers back as I snicker. "Hala, pasok! Nandyan 'yung gusto kong makita mo."

She gestures towards our house's sun room - an enclosed sun room at that, that my mom had commissioned for me to be able to get a little "outside" while still being locked up inside. This room has all glass windows and doors with plastic and sterile plants and furniture to decorate it but still equipped with the centralized air purifier our whole house has just to make sure that everything is still clean and germ-free for me.

I stand by the entrance and raise my brow at Ninna before she gestures at me to enter again. Warily, I slowly open the door and enter, thinking the worst already, even though I absolutely had no idea what to expect. I don't really want to think that there might be a prank or anything of the sort in there really. But this is Ninna we're talking about. You never know.

I mean - she was able to let me meet my neighbor (which I am always going to be thankful to her for) and that was no easy feat. Especially since she went behind my mom's back for that. What if my mom found out? Then she's going to be in huge trouble, me included.