Nagising ako kinaumagahan nang may narinig na nag-uusap. I looked at their direction and saw my Mom talking with a man wearing a lab gown and a stethoscope on his shoulder.
"Mrs. Zalora. Your daughter passed out because of stress. Siguro'y kailangan niyo po siyang bantayan sa pagkain at sa mga nagpapapagod sa kanya. Kung maaari rin ay bawasan ang mga ginagawa niya. I heard that she's joining a pageant every night and getting home late tapos papasok ng maaga. Maybe you can let her lessen her... hobbies? It's not healthy."
"Ganoon po ba? Thank you, Doc."
"M-mom..."
"Ceres, anak? What are you feeling? May masakit ba? What do you want?" sunod-sunod niyang tanong.
"Ayos lang ako, Mommy."
Hinawakan niya ang likod ko para tulungang umupo. Inabutan niya ako ng baso ng tubig na nasa side table. Pinangalahatian ko ang tubig at tsaka humarap sa kanya.
"What happened?" I asked.
She brushed my hair using her fingers. "Are you happy with what you are doing, anak? Joining pageant day and night and coming to school early? Do you even sleep?" pagbabaliwala niya sa tanong ko.
"Huh? Of course, Mommy, I'm happy with what I'm doing. I love it. And also, I want to be independent na. Why?"
"Hmm, nahihilo at nahimatay kana?"
"Nalipasan lang ako ng gutom, Mommy. Rest will do." humiga ulit ako at ipinikit ang mata.
"Ceres, anak,"
"Mommy, I know what I'm doing."
She sighed. "Fine. But if that happens again, I will bring you to-"
"Where? To your hometown? No way!" hindi ko napigilan ang pagtaas ng boses ko.
Nagpakawala siya ng buntong-hininga at tumayo at iniwan ako nang mag-isa.
I reached for my bag and get my phone. My eyes narrowed to check the time and shocked to see that it's almost ten at the evening. Ilang oras ba 'kong tulog?
"Light! Kumusta lagay mo?! Ba't ka nagpo-phone?! Baka masama 'yan!"
"Ano? Kakahawak ko lang, e."
"Whatever. Oh! Check your twitter pala! Tignan mo mga kalat nung bida-bida sa school!"
"Ano raw?"
"Just check her shits, girl." Umupo siya sa hospital bed ko at ipinatong pa ang dalawang paa at saka nag-cellphone.
I connect my phone to the hospital's internet at nagulat sa sunod-sunod na vibrate at tunog ng mga notification sa iba't-ibang social media sites ko. Inuna kong buksan ang twitter account ko at marami ang messages at sabog ang notifications na naka-tag ako. Hindi ko na kailangang tignan ang notifications dahil ang first tweet sa feed ko ay ang tweet ni Ethyl na maraming likes at retweets.
@ethylcruz:
Someone's pregnant? hmm.
I read the some of almost 2.4k replies
@eyesni3thyl:
What's the tea, queen?
@pointednoseofethyl
Ooh, I think I know her.
@kissablelipsniethyl_:
Let me guess, letter L?
@eyelashesn1ethyl:
Spill, spill, spill!
"Tanginang parts 'yan!" tumawa siya nang malakas si Yen na nags-scroll rin sa twitter niya. Nakita kong may tina-type siya roon kaya pinabayaan ko nalang.
