"magandang umaga." sinubukang hinigpitan ni brent ang yakap niya kay elle but all he felt was a pillow.
"elle?" he called out, checking every room in his unit, wala, walang elle o kahit basti.
Napasabunot si brent sa kanyang sarili, sitting on the couch and dialing elle, or anyone. The sliding door from the balcony opened. Tumatawa si basti at nakangiti si elle.
"hell- oh? Bakit ka umiiyak?" elle asked, sitting down beside brent, she wiped his tears with her thumb.
Walang pasabi na niyakap ni brent si elle at si basti, he even kissed elle on the forehead.
"akala ko nawala na kayo sakin." brent said, hugging them tight.
"tamad ako magluto ng breakfast today sorry." nakangiting sabi ni elle, basti just played with brent's shirt.
"okay lang, kain tayo sa labas?" brent offered,
"ikaw bahala boss brent, may lakad ako" Elle said, tumayo siya at kumuha ng towel.
"aalis ka?" Brent asked, carrying basti, elle pinched his cheeks.
"yes." simpleng sagot ni elle, going inside the bathroom.
"bakit?" tanong ni brent sa pinto, elle rolled her eyes, she didn't answer brent, mamaya nalang after niya maligo.
"magbabayad ako ng upa sa dorm." she said, looking at brent who was feeding basti milk.
"bakit pa? You basically live here." brent said, giving basti the bottle. Elle combed her hair, umiling siya at ngumiti kay brent.
"You live here with basti, bisita ako." Elle said, fixing her things, it has been a routine na when she sleeps here, iuuwi niya rin yung mga damit niya.
"you live here also" Brent said, umiling si elle.
"you live here and grace lived here, inyo 'to." she said, kissing his cheeks and basti's forehead "bye boss." she whispered, wala nang nagawa pa si brent kung hindi tumango.
Elle took a deep breath when she closed the door behind her. The house screams grace so much na minsan nabibingi na si elle, alam niya na grace designed the unit and everything was what grace wanted, it is a reminder of what she really is. May pictures pa silang tatlo, and even grace on her own, true to her words, walang balak si elle na palitan si grace so even if it kills her everytime she sees the photos. Tatahimik nalang siya, ngingiti nalang.
"akala ko umalis ka na?" tanong ng nagpapa-upa kay elle, kumunot ang noo niya
"Po?" She asked, tumango at natawa ang landlady.
"kasi halos walang tao lagi rito, akala ko naman lilipat ka na." sabi nito habang binibilang ang bayad ni elle, umiling si elle.
"sige, mauna na ako ha? Lock mo palagi pinto. Ingat ka" Tumango lang si elle sa bilin at nahiga sa kama niya, she sighed and tried her best to sleep.
It's scaring Elle, how much her life changed because of brent and how she's letting it all happen. Her thoughts were suddenly disrupted by a chat from her best friend.
Avery Carmen: punta ka UP!! Miss na kita!! May papakilala ako sayo!!
ngumiti si elle at tumayo para mag-ayos ng sarili.