World of Us

One: The Dream

It's night time, nagdinner ako with my father and his new wife which is okay for me but a little awkward.

"I should go to bed na po, thanks for cooking tita." pagpapaalam ko.

"You're always welcome, wag na ngang tita, pwede mo na akong tawaging mom pero naiintindihan ko kung hindi muna ngayon, ok sleep well Artemis." the new wife said.

I'm Artemis Del Mundo. Bagong lipat lang kami dito sa mansion ng new wife ng dad ko. They are actually newly weds since kahapon lang. May anak si tita bago pa siya makilala ng dad ko, so basically I have a lil sister. We are both girls, mahirap yun but not now, she's only 5 years old and I'm 15.

Papunta na akong taas gamit ang stairs nang makasalubong ko ang isang matipuno pero sobrang pormal na lalaki.

"Good evening, Artemis. May I take you to your room?" The man said.

"Um, pwede lumibo--"

"This way." Lilibot pa sana ako sa bahay pero nagmamadali ata yung lalaki na maglakad kaya sinundan ko nalang siya.

WOW.

Yan ang reaksiyon ko at napasigaw din ako nito. Sobrang ganda! Sobrang ganda ng kwartong ito. Is this even a room? It's like they gave me a whole house! Unbelievable. Tita's quite a catch. Tama tama lang ang pamilya namin and dad is kinda an awkward man so I was wondering paano niya nakuha si tita, hmm.

"Is this my room?" I asked to the man.

"Bakit ayaw mo?" Nagtatagalog pala siya.

"Gusto anuba, sinong hindi!" Napatalon ako sa sobrang excite ewan ko ba.

Nilibot ko ang room na may nakangiting labi. Nakaka overwhelm tong kwartong ito but it is kinda weird to be honest. Sobrang bright niya pero I feel dark through my peripheral eye view parang may side ng kwartong to ang hindi ko nakikita. Weird.

I got my luggages and bags kaya agad ko itong binuksan at inilabas ang mga gamit.

Habang nilalabas ko mga gamit ko. A picture sneaked under my clothes.

It was our family picture. Complete. With my mom. Hindi ako napaiyak pero I feel soft and sad. Masakit pa rin ang nangyari kay mama. Tinitignan ko nalang yung picture namin at nababawasan naman ang sakit.

Sinabi kong di ako iiyak but yes, tears fell down. Hindi ko mapigilan, kaya hinayaan ko nalang. Humiga lang ako at umiyak ng umiyak.

Then I fell asleep.

"Anak! Artemis! Gumising ka na nga! Late ka na sa school!" I heard mom but my body didn't. I still wanted to sleep.

"Ma, 10 minutes nalang please! Babangon na talaga ako." I will not. Sinabi ko lang so that my mom will be put at ease.

"Halika na!" AAAAARGH!

Kiniladkad lang naman niya akong sa cr at binuhusan ng tubig.

"Mom!" Sigaw ko sa kanya.

"Dalian mo!"

"Liguan mo ako, hehe"

"Artemis, please!"

"Ok."

Nakapikit kong in-on yung shower at naligo. Yes I consider that as a skill.

I miss those days, nung 6 years old kasi ako antok na antok pa ako tapos pinapaliguan ako ni mama habang ako natutulog lang.

The water was cold but I felt warm because it was my mom.

I felt energized by the water! Kaya agad akong nagbihis at bumaba para kunin yung breakfast na niluto ni daddy.