T-Shirt Girl (COMPLETED)

TSG 29 - Wide Awake

"Falling from cloud nine. Crashing from the high..." –Wide Awake, Katy Perry

--

He didn't go to work that day. He was even hesitant to leave her side to take a bath. Pakiramdam niya ay nagi-guilty si Toby sa nangyari, which he shouldn't, given na hindi naman siya nito pinilit. If it's a crime, then she's an accomplice.

Since then, mas lalo itong maalaga sa kanya. Parang hindi na nga sila mag-boyfriend. Parang mag-tatay na. Napapasobra na yata ito sa pagiging thoughtful and caring. Yung tipong maya't maya ito magtetext o tatawag sa kanya to ask how she was doing.

Palagi itong nakatambay sa bahay niya during his free time. Every weekend, he spends with her. And she didn't know why it bothered her. Samantalang dati naman, ganoon ang gusto niya. Gusto niyang maging mundo ng isang tao. She wants someone's life to revolve around her, to put her first, ahead of everything... And now that it's happening, para namang mali.

And when she couldn't take it anymore, she snapped.

"Ano ba, Toby! It's just sex! Stop acting like you amputated my leg!"

He flinched, as if she just threw something at him.

"So yun lang yun sa 'yo? Sex?"

He was hurt. She could tell. It was written all over his face. Gusto tuloy niyang bawiin ang sinabi. But it's out there now. There's no taking it back.

"Okay, that's not what I meant. Sorry, it came out wrong."

"What did you mean then?"

Sighing, she told him, "I just want you to stop acting like my dad."

"Bakit? Inalagaan ka ba ng tatay mo?" he scoffed. Now, he's looking guilty. "Sorry."

But it was already out there. There's no taking it back.

"Pasensya naman kung wala kami sa kalingkingan ng perpekto mong pamilya!"

"Jae, huwag mo namang idamay ang pamilya ko rito."

"You started it!"

"You brought it up!"

Bahagya siyang natigilan. It's not because of what he said. It's because of what's happening. They were yelling at each other. Parang ang nangyari sa parents niya. It's starting already. Hindi pa man sila kasal pero ganito na agad sila. Paano na lang kung maging ganito sila palagi?

When she looked at the stairs, she could imagine a little girl crying, her hands on her ears, muffling the sound of the screams. Then, it hit her. She's not imagining her future kid. She's remembering herself...

Everything became a blur. Even his voice slowly faded. She couldn't see anything after.

--

Nang magising siya maya-maya ay wala na si Toby. Nakahiga siya sa sarili niyang kama. Nasa gilid si manang, nakatingin ng mataman sa kanya.

"Mabuti naman at nagising ka na. Pinakaba mo 'ko, Eloisa!"

She flinched. Masakit sa ulo ang malakas na boses ni manang. Parang bumabaon sa kagigising niyang utak.

"Si Toby po?"

"Nasa kabila. Sabihan ko raw sya kapag okay ka na. Nag-away ba kayo? Itanong ko raw kung galit ka pa e."

"Bakit hindi sya ang magtanong kung gusto nyang malaman? Hindi yung ipapatanong pa nya sa ibang tao."

Manang gave her a smug look. "Galit ka pa nga."