Carpool

Chapter 15

~ Our First Sleepover ~

BEATRIZ

"Jho, relax ka nga lang. Your rambling won't help." I said while following the cars in front of us. Jhoana just rolled her eyes and looked out of the window.

After we ate lunch, Jho already became paranoid because of the report she saw on twitter. Buti nga na convince ko pa siyang kumain muna bago kami umuwi kasi inisip ko rin na baka nga ma stuck kami and we didn't have any food.

Believe it or not, hindi ko talaga alam na signal #2 na pala ang Laguna nung pag alis namin. And besides it wasn't raining. Pero late ko na narealize na hangin nga pala ang basehan ng pag raise ng storm signals.

I hate myself for it pero wala na rin akong magagawa kundi magdasal nalang na hindi kami ma stuck dito.

"Nako, ma'am, kailangan niyo po mag reroute." Sabi ni manong na nasa kalsada. Naka MMDA uniform ito at may kasama pang iba na nagpapaatras rin ng mga kotse. Napakamot nalang ako sa ulo dahil ito na nga ba ang sinasabi ni Jhoana.

Jho then took off her seatbelt so that she can come closer beside me and the window to talk to the enforcer.

"Sir, bakit po? Ano po bang nangyayari?" Nagaalalang tanong ni Jho habang tinitignan ang paligid. I roamed my eyes around the streets as well and saw cars turning around and going back.

"Isasarado na ho kasi 'tong kalsada kasi sa dulo po niyan hanggang bewang na po ang tubig."

"Ano?" Gulat na tanong ni Jhoana. "Bewang po? Ganon na kataas kuya?"

The enforcer nodded and stared at us with pity.

"Opo ma'am. Mababa po kasi ang lupa dito kaya ho bilis bilisan niyo na makaalis dito sa baryong ito."

"Bakit po? Hindi po ba huhupa yan ng ilang oras lang?" I hopefully asked. But the officer quickly shook his head. "Saka mataas naman po itong sasakyan ko, sir."

"Kung magtutuloy tuloy pa po itong pag ulan baka umabot pa hanggang leeg ang baha." The enforcer firmly said. Jhoana gasped at napailing nalang ako.

"Leeg?! Sir leeg?! Oh God-- Beatriz, halika na." Jhoana went back to her seat at sumandal. "Sige po sir thank you po."

I thanked the enforcer and rolled up my window feeling stupid.

I backed up and turned the car around to find a new route. No one dared to talk in fact it was so silent to the point that the windshield wipers were the only sound that could be heard inside the car.

I don't know if Jhoana's angry or not. Pero ilang minuto na akong nag mamaneho pero hindi parin siya nagsasalita. I turned the radio on to listen to some music, but I accidentally pressed the AM station.

"....inaasahang tatama sa lupa ang bagyong Henry simula ngayong ala sais ng gabi. Itinaas na ang storm signal #3 sa Metro Manila, Laguna, Batangas--"

Are you fucking kidding me?

Pinatay ko nalang ang radyo at nag focus ulit sa pag mamaneho.

"Why did you turn it off?" Jhoana asked while glaring at me. Finally she spoke.

"S-sorry. Ito buksan ko ulit." I softly said because I was also surprised at the tone of her voice.

Natataranta na rin ako kasi ang lakas na ng hangin. It's also getting harder and harder to drive every minute, it's almost zero visibility because of the rain and the wind resistance made it harder for the car to move.

But at least naman ngayon there's already a sound. Nakakabingi na kanina kasi ang tahimik.

I saw a couple of motels while driving, I realized that even though it was just two in the afternoon, it would be totally impossible for us to go home tonight.