Caressing My Perplexed Stella [HS #3]

CHAPTER 2

I wish we can do this forever, but God knows we can't. When everything is at peace and everyone is delighted, the thought that we can't hide this forever creeps on me. It was like a little voice that whispers right through my ears that it will eventually happen and we can't do anything to dodge it. It was my before-the-sunrise thought.

It was actually two in the morning when we decided to go back into our own room. The house is big, but not as big as our house in the Philippines. Aster and Comet shared a room, which irritates Aster the most because that problematic kid wants his own room. I owned the space beside theirs, ang sumunod na pinto sa akin ay ang Kuya Meteo. Malinis na ang kwarto ko, nakahanda na ang lahat at matutulog na lang ang gagawin ko.

I was tired because of our flight, hindi ko na naisip pang ayusin ang aking maleta at mag-shower. Alam kong dugyot ako minsan, pero Lord please... Gusto ko na po talagang matulog. I swear, God heard it. The time I closed my eyes, I immediately fell in a deep slumber.

Eleven in the morning, I woke up. Only because I felt something on my toes, nang imulat ko ang aking mata at tinanaw iyon ay nakita ko kaagad si Comet. Marahan niya pang tinatanggal ang sapatos na hindi ko man lang nagawang tanggalin kaninang madaling araw. Ang mga pagkakataon na ito ay nangyayari lang kapag pagod ako sa Publication, I guess I was really tired because of the trip.

"Comet," Tawag ko. Nag-angat siya nang tingin at napatigil, napataas ang aking kilay nang makita kong mugto ang kanyang mata.

"Good Morning, you slept good Dale. You have forgotten to remove your shoes." Mahina niyang sabi at nag-iwas ng tingin, bumangon ako at hinagod ang buhok. Sa dulo siya ng kama nakaupo kaya naman may malaking distansya sa aming dalawa.

Umayos ako ng upo at humikab, what can I do to mend a broken heart? I can't even relate right now like hello? Masagana ang buhay pag-ibig ko kay George.

"You cried? Sea is fine, Comet. You don't have to worry..." Sambit ko, pinanood ko siyang tumayo at ngumiti lang sa akin.

"I will go downstairs, Kuya Meteo is baking. Tutulong na lang ako." Halatang iniiwas niya ang usapan tungkol doon, wala akong nagawa kung hindi tumango lang at pinanood na siyang lumabas ng aking silid. Ginalaw ko ang aking mga daliri sa paa, that's better. Para na rin akong nakahinga.

I went out of my bed, kumuha ako ng damit mula sa aking maleta at tumuloy sa banyo. I soak myself in the bathtub for thirty minutes to think about what should I do here. The National School's Press Conference will be in January, everyone is working hard to train themselves since it's holidays yet I had to remind them to train sometimes. They are sending me some mails containing their articles for checking, so I might just check my mails later, edit and voila! Wala na akong alam na gagawin!

Matapos maligo, sa loob na rin ako ng banyo nagbihis. Inayusan ko muna ang sarili bago tuluyang lumabas at tumuloy sa ibaba. Naabutan ko si Comet na naglalaro sa harap ng TV, nakasaksak ang headphones sa kanyang tainga at halatang walang pakialam sa mundo. Alright, Comet. Kung iyan ang pangpalubag loob mo. Tumuloy ako sa kusina at naabutan ko si Aster at Kuya Meteo, just like what Comet said, our eldest is baking while the middle one is just watching him do his job. Nakapajama pa si Aster, bagong gising ang bad vibes.

"Good Morning," Bati ko. Tinapik ko pa si Aster na umiinom ng kape at natawa nang muntik itong mabilaukan. "Ang sabi ni Comet, tutulong daw siya sa iyo Kuya. Ironic, si Aster pa ang nandito." Ani ko at umupo, inagaw ko kay Aster ang kanyang hawak na tasa at uminom din doon.

"He's crying last night," bulong sa akin ng aking katabi, napatingin sa amin si Kuya Meteo habang tinatanggal ang gloves. "Kaya ayaw kong tumabi sa kanya eh, naiirita akong naririnig siyang umiiyak." Our eldest smirked, marahan niya pang binatukan si Aster.