When the Sun hides

Sixteen

I woke up under a white thick and soft blanket. My arms wrapped around a pillow. My head was throbbing in pain. My eyes felt heavy. I was only staring blankly at the ceiling. I wanted to cry but no tears were coming out of my eyes.

I feel empty.

"Good morning." I heard from someone. I sat up and realized that I slept on the sofa. "Breakfast is ready." He said again, bringing the plates of food to the rectangular table inside his living room. I roamed my eyes around the area before they settled on the person smiling at me. "Drink this tea. It will help you feel better." He handed me a mug of tea. I looked at it. I forced myself to smile at him and then took a sip. It tasted sour but good.

I folded the blanket that I used and set it aside together with the pillows. I straightened the Hoodie jacket that he let me borrow and put my hair into a bun. I also grabbed the wipes and immediately clean my face from any marks of sleeping.

The good smell of food traveled from my nostrils down to my stomach which grumbled due to hunger. I looked down at the food on the table. He prepared sausage, bacon, scrambled and poached eggs, and two cups of milk.

"Let's eat." He said more, delving into his own foods. I just did the same though I didn't really have an appetite. He kept on putting foods on my plate kahit na  wala akong gana kumain. Naiisip ko si Ken. Gising na kaya siya? Nakatulog kaya siya ng maayos? Kumakain kaya siya?

I sighed, then I noticed Vincent was looking at me.

"Try the soup. Masarap din ito." Sabi niya. Pinilit ko nalang ngumiti at magpasalamat.

"Thank you, Vincent." He simply smiled then resumed his eating.

"What are your plans today?" He asked, anew. Napaisip ako. Gusto ko lang umuwi at siguro umiyak buong araw hanggang sa maubos na ang luha ko at makatulog lang ulit.

"Maglilinis ng bahay tapos matutulog. I feel too tired." I replied, trying to shove the delicious food down my throat.

"I have a lot of movies and series, baka gusto mo manuod?" Huminga ako ng malalim at bahagyang umiling.

"Sa susunod nalang siguro."

"How about going Out of Town? Nature Tripping? Hiking? Swimming? Or Road Trip lang?" I looked at him and sighed again.

"Salamat, Vincent pero gusto ko lang mag-stay sa bahay. Next time nalang siguro natin gawin ang mga iyon." I gave him a weak smile.

"Okay. I understand." He said with a smile and we ate in silence.

After having breakfast, nagpasalamat at nagpaalam na rin ako kay Vincent, but he insisted to drop me at my house. Pumayag nalang din ako dahil wala na akong lakas para humindi pa sa kanya.

"Gusto mo ng ice cream?" Tanong niya. "Bibili rin kasi ako." Dagdag niya pa. I glanced at him then outside the window where I saw a convenience store. He went out in a few seconds, taking my silence as a yes then came back after 10 minutes, holding two paper bags of 1.5 liters of  Ice cream. We reached my place in 30 minutes. He leaped out immediately and then opened the doorway on my side.

"Salamat, Vincent." I smiled, weakly at him. I still couldn't properly opened my eyes dahil sa sobrang pagiyak kagabi. I cried myself to sleep kaya namamaga ang mata ko.

"You're always welcome, Cat. If you need someone to talk to, tawagan mo lang ako. Handa akong makinig sa iyo at samahan ka sa kahit na anong oras. " Gumagaan ang pakiramdam ko kapag naririnig ko iyon. He is really a good friend.

Heaving a deep breath first, I forced my lips to smile once more.

"Okay. Thank you." I said, sincerely. He was only staring at me as if wanting to be sure that I will be fine on my own.