So It's You (Filipino)

"Hindi ba't sinabi ko na sayo na huwag ka nang kakain ng spicy at oily foods? That's what your doctor also told you!" asik ng aking ina. I pouted at my mother and let out a sigh. "Kahit ngayon lang 'Ma, please?" I begged, reaching out to grab the food from my mother's hand. "No! Don't be so stubborn Fiona! Kaya madalas na pag atake ng acid reflux mo at ulcer. Hindi ka nakikinig sa'kin. Paano ka masasanay? Gusto mo ba matulad sa Tita Mary mo na nagkaroon ng cancer dahil sa katigasan ng ulo?" Oh dear. Tinutukoy niya ang panganay nitong kapatid na namatay kamakailan lang dahil sa lumalang ulcer nito at nauwi sa cancer. "Fine. I'll stop eating." Hindi na ako nakipagtalo pa at pinagpatuloy na lang ang panonood ng korean drama. "Amelia? Pakiayos ng mga kalat dito sa sala at itong junkfoods na 'to itapon mo lahat," utos ni Mommy sa katulong at agad naman itong sumunod. "Why don't you start looking for a job or accept your father's offer to take some training in our company? Kaysa ang magkulong ka rito sa bahay. You’re not a teenager anymore, free to just relax and wander around having fun with your friends." Nakapamaywang ito sa harap ko habang nanenermon. Not again? I pulled a weary expression and looked over at my mother. "Ma naman, kakagraduate ko lang three days ago, remember? Gusto ko muna magpahinga kahit isang linggo lang. You know how depressing school was. Can I at least have a break or a bit more time to get ready before I have to leave the house again? Tsaka namiss ko 'tong bahay 'Ma. I've missed you and Dad, and I want to spend more time with you both before I move forward with my life." Apat na taon na akong hindi nakakauwi at bihira ko pang nakikita sa personal ang mga magulang ko habang nag-aaral ako sa kolehiyo. And yes, I'm an only child. So bet it. After graduating from high school, I moved into my own apartment near my school in Manila to start a new chapter as a college student. I was determined to get the highest grades to become summa c*m laude kaya naman sa entrance exam palang, pinaghusayan ko na just to make my parents proud and fulfill their demands, especially my father. He was stricter than my mother, and when I went to college, he expected me to be the best and always come out on top. I never disappointed him or gave him any reason to worry. I did everything my parents asked of me, consistently topping every exam in all subjects. Sumali rin ako sa mga academic competitions hindi lang sa loob ng campus kundi nakikipaglaban ako sa iba rin na mga bigating schools sa Manila. And guess what, I held the top spot for four years in a row. Pinag agawan pa 'ko ng ibang schools para sa kanila ako pumasok pero pinili kong manatili sa school ko dahil andun si Layla, my one and only bff. I don't want to be separated from her. Sa sobrang busy ng college days ko, I've never had a large circle of friends. Suitors? Plenty, but none ever received my sweetest “yes.” My parents were strict, even when it came to matters of my love life. Tama na sa akin iyong magkaroon ng crush dahil natatakot rin naman akong pumasok sa isang relasyon at iyon ang kahinaan ko, love. "Your father won't buy your excuses, young lady. You know how strict he is about your future. To him, time is as precious as gold, and you're well aware of that." "Right. I don't expect him to understand me anyway. When was the last time he cared about my feelings? Yes, his doing everything for me to have a bright future, but he forgot how to be a caring and understanding father. He was never there when I needed a father to lean on. He only cares about his company. Time is gold, huh? How ironic. He never seems to have any for me." My mother stared at me with a guilty look on her not-so-wrinkled face, and I could tell she agreed with everything I had said. I grabbed the remote control and turned off the television. "Time is gold my foot." I was about to go upstairs when she spoke once more. "Fiona, you know what your father was doing is only for your own good," anito habang pinagpatuloy ko ang paglakad papunta sa hagdan. "He loves you very much and he cares for you. He just can't--" "That's enough, mom. I completely understand. I'm tired of explaining myself for the hundred times. You guys were the ones who can't understand. I'll go to my bedroom. Excuse me." Blast! I rested my forehead against my bedroom door as soon as I closed it. "Same old times," I mumbled and sighed in disappointment. "What to do next...." I said, talking to myself. As I walked across my bed, I heard a car engine outside. I quickly headed to the window to see who it was. "Oh," I murmured. I watched as my mother slipped into the car, the guard swinging the gate open with practiced ease. Stepping out of my room, I found Amelia bent over the center table, quietly tidying the mess of food I had left behind. "Amelia? Saan pupunta si Mommy?" tanong ko sa katulong habang dinadampot nito ang mga balot ng junkfoods sa center table at squidballs na may hot sauce. Hindi nalalayo ang edad ni Amelia sa akin. Kapag wala ang mga magulang ko. Siya ang kasama kong manood ng korean drama or magshopping. Isa rin siya sa pinagtataguan ko ng sikreto kaya't close na close kami. "Pupuntahan raw ang Daddy mo." I slowly nodded. "They will argue again about me." "Mukhang ganoon na nga. Ang tigas kasi ng ulo mo." I smirked. "Wag mo muna itapon mga yan. Akin na at kakainin ko pa yan." "Naku baka ako pa ang pagbuntunan ng galit ng Mommy mo. Ayoko matanggal sa trabaho, Fiona. Please lang huwag mo na kainin yan. Masama sa kalusugan mo 'yan." "She won't be able to know. Last na talaga 'to. And please don't tell her when she gets home later." I gave her a pitiful face and puppy eyes. "Huwag mo 'kong sisihin pag inatake ka ng acid reflux mo ah." Bursting with joy, I grinned at her like a little girl. "I know thank you." I started once again, munching my squid balls. "Samahan mo 'ko sa mall mamaya. Free ka ba?" "Naku marami pa akong lilinisin sa taas. Nagbilin ang Mommy mo na bago siya umuwi eh dapat wala nang alikabok sa mga kwarto." I frowned. "Hindi ba't kakalinis mo lang nung isang araw bago ako umuwi?" "Alam mo naman ang Mommy mo. Obsess sa kalinisan tsaka sanay na 'ko. Gawain ko na yun simula nung umalis ka." I sighed in disbelief. "Eh bakit di siya kumuha ng kasambahay pa para hindi ka naman nahihirapan." "Eh ayaw na ng Mommy mo. Ako na lang ang pinagkakatiwalaan niya dahil nung nakaraang buwan, napabalita na yung kasambahay ng kapitbahay natin eh tinangay lahat mga alahas ng amo niya. Kahit yung tv tinangay rin." "Talaga? Tsk, tsk." Napailing-iling ako. "Oo. Kaya heto, solo ko lahat ng gawain. Nung nangyari yung nakawan sa kapitbahay eh pati ako pinaghihinalaan ni Madam na baka ganun din balak ko. Diyos ko wala na nga akong matirhan eh gagawa pa ko ng mali. Huwag na. Kuntento na ako sa kung anong meron ako. Kaya laking pasasalamat ko sa inyo." I chuckled. "Hayaan mo nalang yan si Mommy. Sobrang paranoid na sa mga napapanood niya." "Sanay na 'ko ano ka ba. Tsaka di ko naman siya masisisi. Masyado lang siyang segurista. Mas okay nga yung mga ganoong tao eh." We both continued what we were doing. Amelia left and continued cleaning the house. While I'm munching on my favorite comfort food. After eating, I went back to my room, jumped onto my king-sized bed, and decided to videocall my best friend, Layla. She's been my bff since high school. We entered the same school and same course as well. So, there's no way we couldn't be together. "Hey!" Layla greeted me with her most joyful voice. "Uhm Layla? Can you come over?" "Why, my dear?" tanong niya. I sighed and scratched my nose. "I'm bored." "You're always bored," natatawa nitong sabi. "I know." Layla didn't answer. "Come over and let’s go for a swim in the pool, then feast on plenty of food—just like we used to in the old days." It took her a few seconds before answering me. "Uh, Fiona, I think I'll pass for now. It does sound tempting, but there's something I need to tell you," she said in a sullen tone. "Why? What is it?" I rolled over and hugged my pillow. "My Dad won't let me go outside. I'm grounded." I frowned and laid on my back. "But why?" She let out a heavy sigh. There must be something going on with my best friend. "He found out that I have a boyfriend. I'm screwed, Fiona!" Few moments of silence fell on us, then I started laughing. "What's so funny? It's our monthsary today, and we can't even go out for a date! I miss him!" "Sorry," I said, stifling a laugh. "Just give him a call and explain what happened." She started sobbing and sniffing. "I did, but he's not replying or answering my calls," she said, sobbing harder. My laughter had completely faded, and now I just felt sorry for her. "Baka busy lang, ito naman." "Oh yes, busy with his video games! Or maybe he's hanging out with that bunch of goons again? Or perhaps he's with someone else?" She whimpered. "Oh, come on! Don't rush to any conclusions, Layla. Trust him—he'll reach out. Just be patient and stay positive, alright? Maybe he's been planning a surprise for you." "Okay." Kumalma na ang itsura nito pero hindi pa rin ito kumbinsido sa sinabi ko. "How did your dad find out?" "I don't know," sagot nito. "What? What do you mean you don't know?" "I have no idea, Fiona. He just knocked on my bedroom door and scolded me like I was a ten-year-old girl." Natawa ako at napakamot ng noo. Jeez. "Disadvantage of being an only child," I stated, grinning. "Hello, as if you're not! Your parents are far more strict than mine." I laughed once again. "You've got that right there." Ngumisi ito. "Anyway. Why don't you just obey them? Wala naman mawawala sayo kung susubukan mong gawin yung gusto nila. Tsaka diba tinuruan ka na noon ng Daddy mo sa ibang gawain sa kompanya niyo?" I hissed. "Yes, he did. And I have learned a lot, but I have plans for myself and I know what I'm doing," I said, a bit irritated. "Yun naman pala eh. At least hindi ka na mahihirapan na patakbuhin ang iba niyo pang negosyo. Sisiw na lang yan sayo." "I know and I'm confident that I can do it. Look Layla, I don't want to talk about it right now. I'm tired of it, to be honest." "Fine. Siyanga pala, ginugulo ka pa ba ni Morris?" tanong nito. Speaking of that playboy, he was my college batchmate and also my neighbor. At first, he didn't even notice me, even though we often passed each other in the school corridors. Back then, he was too busy flirting with a group of mean girls—bullies, really—who only cared about putting on makeup and wearing revealing outfits. I have no idea how they managed to graduate; they didn't seem serious about studying at all. Most of the time, they just cheated during quizzes and exams. Sometimes I think their parents might have paid the professors to give them passing grades. It felt so unfair to us students who worked hard, pulling sleepless nights studying and reviewing lessons. The library was practically our second home. Anyway, back to Morris. He finally noticed me when my mom threw a party for my birthday last month and invited his family over. She made me wear a sexy yet elegant dress and put makeup on. And guess what? His eyes were on me most of the time, and after that, he started visiting several times a week, which I found pretty irritating. "Sa ngayon, hindi na niya ako ginugulo dahil sinabi kong may boyfriend na 'ko kahit wala naman talaga," sabi ko sabay ngisi. "Mabuti naman. Tsaka hindi naman siguro papayag sina Tita Melanie at Tito Marco na siya ang makatuluyan mo," anito na ang tinutukoy ay ang mga magulang ko. I smirked. "Boys these days are the human version of migraine." "Grabe ka hindi naman lahat noh. Okay naman ang boyfriend ko." "Fine. Hindi na ako papalag," natatawa kong saad. "He's a good guy, you know. And I know he loves me so much," she said in a dulcet tone. Marami pa kaming pinagkwentuhan ni Layla na halos hindi na namin na tatlong oras na pala kaming nag uusap. Nagpaalam na ito sa akin at ganoon rin ako. Sakto naman nang muli kong narinig ang tunog ng kotse sa labas. Agad akong sumilip sa bintana. Nang makita kong si Mommy iyon ay lumabas na ako ng kwarto para salubungin ito. Agad kong kinuha ang pinamili nitong grocery items sa backseat ng kotse. Bigla akong nagtaka. "Ang dami naman yata nito 'Ma. The pantry is still full. We just had gone to grocery store the other day. Anong okasyon?" Isa-isa kong kinuha ang mga grocery bags at iniabot ang iba kay Amelia na nakaabang rin sa labas ng kotse upang tumulong sa pagbuhat. "We will have special guests tomorrow," sagot nito habang dala-dala ang ilang pang grocery bags. Napansin ko sa reaksyon nito na parang nababahala ito na para bang hindi ito mapakali. I sensed something was off the way she said those words. "Okay?" I said in a suspicious and questioning tone of voice. We all headed to the kitchen and placed the goods in the cabinets and refrigerator. "Listen, Fiona. I want you to wear the elegant peach dress that I bought you last week." I frowned and stopped putting the frozen goods in the fridge. "Why?" "I want you to look stunning tomorrow. Put on some light makeup as well." Lalong lumalim ang kunot sa noo ko. "Why 'Ma? You know I'm not used of facing your guests. Bakit kasama ako? Bakit kailangang maganda ang susuotin ko? Are they really that special para kasama akong haharap sa kanila?" "Yes. And I don't want you to show them your rudeness, young lady. Act nicely and with modesty. Be polite and careful with your words, especially your tone." I sneered and rolled my eyes secretly. "And those expressions too. Cut that out." I scoffed. "Who are they?" "You'll see tomorrow."