Gunita [EDITING]

trece

Uno was probably born to become a weird ass mushroom. Ewan ko ba do'n, lulubog-lilitaw yata ang motto niya sa buhay dahil apparently, just after the buffalo wings, the following week hindi na naman siya nagparamdam. Ni ha, ni ho, wala. I didn't really expect—I didn't want to expect anything from him since alam ko namang may sarili rin siyang buhay.

I just couldn't help but to think about him.

It's weird! I know! Of course, I do think about my friends from time to time, but I couldn't even figure myself out on why I get worried like this. Sobrang shit lang kasi pakiramdam ko hindi normal. Pakiramdam ko hindi na'ko normal!

I sighed and rested my face on top of the book that I was reading. Anna was back at home again, pakiramdam ko mabuburyo lang siya sa pagmumukha ko kapag nagkasalubong kami. That woman, really. Wala naman akong ginagawang masama sa kaniya pero tuwing may problema sa firm nila, sa'kin siya galit na galit! Ano ba'ng pakialam ko do'n!?

The least she can do is to be civil! Ewan ko ba. Lahat naman ng gusto niya, ginagawa ko, to the extent na I'll even end up hurting myself and beating myself up emotionally just to protect their damned reputation. Or siguro gano'n lang talaga lagi ang role ng mga stepmother kapag pwedeng pang-MMK na 'yung buhay mo—feel na feel 'yung papel, kaya masiyado nang pumapapel.

I took a deep breath in. I shouldn't let it bother me. 'Yun naman lagi ang ipinapaalala ko sa sarili ko, but every time I try to not let it bother me... pakiramdam ko mas lalo akong kinakain ng takot.

I'm afraid... that she might do everything in her will just to screw my life over and over again. And I can't handle any of that anymore again. If I had to fight for my life, I'd pretty much do it—kahit against na sa kaniya. Sa kanilang lahat.

But isn't it funny? Kasi at the end of the day, I'll still be that lame ass privileged granddaughter of the Vice President of the Philippines, who does nothing but keep a blind eye.

"Hay nako, Brandi," I whispered to myself, cocking my head to the side. Napatitig na lang ako sa family picture namin. I was in between Anna and my dad... nakangiti kaming tatlo. 'Yung tipong sobrang saying tignan para sa iba.

Sana totoo... Sana ganito na lang talaga.

I was interrupted of my monologue when someone suddenly entered my room. I scoffed upon seeing Zachary holding a pack of Chips Ahoy, "Binilhan ka ni Sofia. Aawayin yata ako kapag hindi ko binigay kaagad." I laughed before thanking him. Naupo na lang si Zach sa may bean bag malapit sa akin. "Di ka na nagkukuwento..."

I sighed.

"Wala namang ikukuwento," I said, leaning back on my chair and raising my book. "Busy lang."

"Uno?"

Napairap ako, "We're close."

Zachary shrugged his shoulders, "Sure, close... Uno's a very closed guy, and you really can't figure out what he's trying to do since even when you try to? The next thing you knew, he's doing the opposite already," he said, his words laced with a lot of emphasis, I can't even determine anymore if he's mocking me just because I'm close with Uno. "But lately? Uno's kinda off the grind."

I arched my brow, "Si Zach ba 'tong kausap ko?"

He laughed, "Seriously! He looks frustrated."

I hissed, "Law student 'yung vocalist niyo, remember? Ang dami niyo ring gigs, tapos kailangan din niyang mag-advance kahit pa paano..." I reasoned out. Totoo naman kasi! I mean, kahit naman sino'ng tao kahit gusto mo naman 'yung ginagawa mo, kapag masiyado ka nang nabu-burn out, hindi mo rin naman maiiwasang ma-frustrate. Kahit naman siguro ako mafu-frustrate pag sobrang dami mong iniisip. Normal human reaction and defense mechanism!