Begin Again

Challenge # 04

News

"Good morning, Sir Perseus."

I nodded at the room service crew that entered my suite. May dala silang almusal para sa akin. I sat on the bed while waiting for them to finish their work. I saw a couple of pancakes, eggs and bacons, fresh fruits, fresh juice, cereals, and all the healthy food.

"Thank you. Just put it in my tab," I told them.

"Enjoy, sir!"

I smiled. Nang makaalis sila ay tinitigan ko lang iyong pagkain. I was thinking of eating but my desire for vodka intensified. I chose on the bedside table and I started drinking. I was trying to drown that voice in my head. I don't want to hear them anymore. I don't need them telling me that I am lonely. I know it. I feel it and I don't need to hear that from the judgmental voices inside my head.

My phone rang but I wasn't in the mood to answer. Sinilip ko naman kung sino iyong kanina pa tawag nang tawag. Nakita ko ang pangalan ni Apollo. Hindi ko sinagot. Siguro ay hinahanap na naman niya ako. He can just call Achilles, he knows that I am here. Nagkita kami kahapon pagdating ko.

Achilles Vejar now lives here with his beautiful wife and four kids. Siya na ang official CEO ng CLPH kaya magkakaroon ng turn over sa Consunji Hotels sa susunod na buwan. It's between Red Azul or Orion Consunji. They are getting ready for it, kung sinuman sa kanilang dalawang ang aakyat ng posisyon ay papalitan ko. My father thought that it's time for me to be involved in the family business. I used to be the pre-managing the gold mines in Compostela but Apollo told me that I better stay in the city with Papa. Sila naman kasi ni Ate Wewe ang naroon.

Kahit sa pamilya ko, hindi ko alam kung saan ako lulugar.

My family is vastly rich. They are fucking loaded. Some people think that the clan own one-fourth of the country. Hindi naman iyon totoo, malapit pa lang. But that's not important. Ang mahalaga sa akin ay iyong may lulugaran ako kasi wala. Wala talaga.

I've been Perseus Vejar – that Vejar who's taking care of his father since his mother died and her sister tragically "died" in that incident with that jerk of an asshole Eos Demitri. I smirked. If only people know the truth.

Since then, hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. I wanted to mourn but I can't. My father will be devastated if he sees me in that state, so I needed to learn how to keep it all inside and fuck, it's not easy.

I need to pretend that I'm happy for everyone to see but deep inside, I just want to be with Mom. I miss her a lot.

After finishing the bottle of vodka, I took a bath. I need to go out again. I need to show my family that I'm okay. This pretending to be okay is getting old. Minsan, naiisip ko na lang tapusin ang lahat, maybe being with Mom isn't so bad after all but every time I try, naiisip ko si Dad. Hades Vejar doesn't need another heartache. He's been through a lot these past few years, ngayon ko nga lang ulit siya nakikitang ngumingiti.

"Hey, you."

I just got out of the shower. I found Apollo in my bed – grinning. Good thing I hid the vodka bottles. Nakatingin siya sa mga pagkaing nasa harapan ng kama ko.

"You haven't eaten, Perce."

"Mamaya. Naligo lang ako, Kuya." I smiled at him. Here we go. "What are you doing here? Where's Dad?"

"In the cabin. He wants to see you."

Naguluhan ako. I tried remembering kung nagsabi ba si Dad na gusto niyang magpunta ng CLPH. Baka nagpasundo siya sa akin pero hindi ko natandaan dahil sobrang lasing ko? Kung oo, bakit hindi niya ako tinawagan to remind me? Dapat ako ang susundo sa kanya.