Wedding Ditcher

TWENTY FOUR

It's already dawn. I'm still in my pajamas, seated on the couch watching Phineas and Ferb.

I laughed a little when Candice tried to showed her mom what her brothers were up to, but eventually failed. Namiss ko tuloy si Griffin.

I checked my phone. No calls or text messages, it was four twenty four in the morning. Patuloy akong nanood ng cartoon hanggang sa matapos ito. Naghanap ako ng ibang palabas hanggang sa natigil ako sa star movies.

I heard a slow squeaking sound of the door. Lumingon ako sa kaliwa at naaninag si Maddy. She rubbed her eyes, glanced at me then at the clock.

"It's almost six you're still up... again." naglakad siya papunta sa water dispenser. "You should go to sleep." nagsalin siya ng tubig sa kanyang baso.

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo at pinulot ang remote ng t.v. saka pinatay ito.

Maddy's place has two bedrooms. This place is cheap yet very welcoming. Madalas lang ang mga ganitong apartment, nagkataon at vacant siya nung naghahanap si Maddy ng matutuluyan.

"What about work?" she stopped me before I could grab the doorknob to the bedroom. "Dalawang araw na ang lumipas."

Is she trying to get rid of me? "Sabihin mo lang kung istorbo na ako sa'yo at aalis ako ngayon din. I can always find another place to stay, may pera naman ako." pinagtaasan ko siya ng kilay.

She rolled her eyes. "That's not my point. Ilang araw ka ng absent, may trabaho kang naghihintay sa'yo."

"Papa will understand."

"Here we go again. You're abusing you father's kindness. Ilang beses ka na ba namin pinagsabihan. Stop relying on that, especially now na hindi-"

"I know." I cut her off before she finishes her sentence.

"You know you can't always run and hide. Kailangan mong harapin ang mga problema mo, alam mo 'yan. A problem is not a game of hide and seek. Even if you don't hide, it will still come and look for you. Better embrace it. "

Napabuntong hininga ako. "I will work but I won't go there. Isend mo na lang sa'kin sa email tapos yung iba na hindi pwede, sa café ko na lang gagawin. I will message you kung saang café tayo magkikita. Will that do?"

"Kahit nakakatamad 'yang gusto mo, fine. Mas okay na 'yan kaysa wala kang atupagin na trabaho. I will wait for your text."

"Before that I will take a nap first." binuksan ko ang pintuan sa kwarto at napatigil. "And Maddy, h'wag mong ibigay ang new number ko ng walang pahintulot."

She was drinking water while I said that, kaya nagsalute na lang siya sa'kin.

Sinara ko ang pintuan pagkatapos kong sabihin 'yon. My phone beeped, a message maybe. Mamaya ko na lang 'yon titingnan, wala akong gana. I changed my phone number temporarily. Nairita kasi ako, tawag nang tawag si papa sa'kin. I left the mansion the next morning papa and I talked at his office. My brothers kept texting me, lalo na si Deacon. Kapal ng mukha niyang maghanap sa'kin. So now they can't contact me.

Griffin has no knowledge of what's happening, it's better that way. Nagtaka lang 'yon kasi ilang araw na akong 'di umuuwi. I don't want him to know.

My hair was tied all the time, tinanggal ko ito bago humiga. The bed isn't really comfy, ito ang napala ko sa paglaki na nasanay sa maginhawang buhay. But still I can manage, as long as may mahigaan ako sapat na sa'kin 'yon. Hindi dapat ako mag inarte.

Pa iba-iba ang posisyon ko sa pagtulog. I tried to sleep. My mind kept wandering on what papa have told me that night.

"Am I your daughter?"