My AI Romance

Episode 10

Special

Things went alright the following days. Pinilit kong maging maayos ang lahat at umaktong parang walang nangyari. Everytime na nakakasalubong ko si Primo, kusa ng umiiwas yung mga mata ko mula sa kanya.

The good thing is, he gave me personal space and decided not to bother me. I also forced Nikkolas to tell me truth and that's when I started to realize that I shouldn't trust Meiko and Drio. I can't believe na magagawa sa akin ni Meiko 'yon. Nang dahil lamang sa pustahan nila ni Primo ay nagawa nila akong ipahamak.

"Ms. Levithan, kindly fix those books in the left cabinet," the librarian commanded.

Two days ago when I started to be a working student. Na-realize ko na hindi na dapat ako umasa sa mga ipinapadalang pera ni mommy sa akin. I want to learn how to stand all alone. Alam kong darating din ako sa puntong wala na akong pwedeng asahan pa kung hindi ang sarili ko lang.

It was late for me to come up in this realization. I was only awakened by the fact when my friend in Canada sent me a message through email. She told me that my mother is pregnant. Kaya simula ngayon, pipilitin ko na huwag ng umasa mula sa kanya. She told me back then that she won't leave me after my dad died but she chose to break that promises.

After doing my work here in the library, I went to the cafeteria to be a dishwasher there. I engaged myself with study and work kaya nawalan na din ako ng oras para makapag isip isip. It actually help me a lot dahil mas naiiwas ko ang sarili ko mula sa ibang tao para di na nila ako masaktan.

Distancing myself with them will surely help me to have a peaceful life.

"Don't stress yourself too much. You should go home and get some rest," Nikkolas worriedly exclaimed. Tipid ko na lang s'yang nginingitian. Minsan pa ay umiiwas ako dito.

I will just talk to him kapag kaming dalawa lang. I felt comfortable with Nikkolas but I am uncomfortable whenever there are many deadly stares thrown in me. Mas gugustuhin ko na lang siguro ng tahimik na buhay.

Balancing work and academics is definitely hard. Halos araw araw ay ganito ang nagiging daily routine ko. I didn't mind what will other people says. What only matter to me is to help myself because no else will do that for me.

After my classes in Physics, I immediately went again to the cafeteria to clean the tables there. I've been hearing a lot of students saying I am poor or helpless but I just chose to be a deaf. Madalas ko pang naririnig ang mga pangungutyang 'yon mula kay Eleonora.

After doing my work here in the cafeteria, I went to the storage room dahil 'yon ang sunod na pinapalinis sa akin. Looking how dirty and messy the place is, nakaramdam agad ako ng panghihina.

I don't have an enough sleep kaya't ganon na lang ako makaramdam ng pagkapagod. Sinimulan ko ng linisin yung maaalikabok na gamit na matagal ng nakatambak. Ilang beses na akong napabahing dahil mukhang isang taon na itong hindi nalilinis.

Napainat ako ng katawan dahil sa matinding pagod at antok. Kumuha ako ng silya at umupo doon. Nagdecide ako na umidlip muna ng kaunting minuto.

I was awakened in a very dark place where I can't here anything but the breathing of someone beside me. I was scared while mouthing my mom's name asking for help. It was just a whisper because I don't anymore have the strength to voice it out and shout. My whole body is trembling but I slowly became calm when someone holds my hand.

"Wait for me here. Don't cry anymore because I will come back. Trust me," he said in a small and soft voice.

———

Mabilis akong napabalikwas matapos ang panaginip na 'yon. When my vision becomes clear, unang nahagip agad ng mga mata ko si Nikkolas. He was standing infront of me. Nang mapatingin ako sa cellphone ko, doon ko napagtantong halos 30 minutos na din pala akong nakaidlip. Naisip ko iyong panaginip ko kanina. What is the meaning of that dream?

"Did I wake you up? Sorry. I just change my shirt over there," aniya kaya't napatigil ako sa pag iisip. Nilibot ko ang tingin ko sa paligid at nakitang maayos at malinis na ang mga ito. Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang dalawin ng kunsensya. He shouldn't done all of this.

"I know you're tired so I'm here to pick you up and send you home," dagdag pa niya. I was left very speechless because of what he said.

"You will get sick if you keep on abusing yourself."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ginagawa n'ya ang lahat ng ito para sa akin. If he's only a real human, hindi ko na pipigilan kung ano man yung totoong nararamdaman ko para sa kanya.

"T-Thank you, Nikkolas."

Hindi na rin kami nakapag usap pa sa byahe dahil nakatulog ako sa kotse n'ya. I really want to finish lots of works pero yung katawan ko na mismo ang kusang sumusuko at bumibigay.

"Get some rest now," tumango ako sa sinabi n'ya bago ako pumasok sa loob.

Pagkapasok ko ng kwarto, bumagsak agad yung katawan ko sa kama. Medyo nahihilo na ako dahil ilang araw na din akong walang tulog. Thank God, hapon pa ako pinapapunta sa library. Wala naman kaming pang umagang klase dahil may seminars lahat ng prof ko bukas.

"Ms. Levithan, bilisan mo d'yan at marami ka pang aayusin dito," the next day, I'm back on my usual routine again.

"Yes Ms," I answered while wiping the sweat in my forehead. I started classifying the books and put them on their right places.

Napatigil ako sa pagpupunas ng mahagip ng mga mata ko ang isang libro.

When I woke up this morning, I read all the things written in my old journ at naalala kong madalas akong basahan ni mommy ng mga books related to discoveries and science.

Even if I was still young back then, my love for science never fades. It is maybe the reason kung bakit hanggang ngayon 'yon pa rin ang paboritong subject ko.

I went home 7 pm this evening. I haven't seen Nikkolas this day. Hindi ko alam kung may nangyari ba sa kanya o busy lang talaga s'ya ngayong araw. He get my number three days ago if I'm not mistaken. Should I text him or not?

Nagdecide ako na huwag na lang dahil ayokong mang istorbo pa kung may pinagkakaabalahan man s'ya. Nagluto na ako at pagkatapos kong kumain, kinuha ko yung librong hiniram ko kanina sa library.

I don't want to lie but I really miss my mom at this moment. I wonder what she is doing in Canada now. Maybe she's resting dahil makakasama 'yon sa baby n'ya. Minsan din hinihiling ko na sana maalala n'yang nandito pa ako. Na minsan man lang sumagi sa isipan n'ya na may anak pa s'yang naiwan dito sa Pilipinas.

I didn't notice na basang basa na yung librong binabasa ko. Kaagad ko namang pinahid yung mga luha ko dahil sa biglaang pag ilaw ng phone ko. Someone texted me at tiningnan ko kaagad kung sino iyon.

Nikkolas:

I am here outside.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng mabasa ko ang text n'yang 'yon kaya't kaagad akong sumilip sa labas. He's not lying when he told me that he was there.

What is he doing here in the middle of the night?

Halos takbuhin ko na papalabas dahil sa pagmamadali. When I was infront of our gate, my heart started beating abnormally lalo na nung naglakad s'ya papalapit sa akin.

"W-What are you doing here?" naguguluhan kong tanong.

Instead of answering, he handed me a small box. Napatingin naman ako sa kanya habang puno pa rin ng pagtataka ang mukha ko.

"What is this?" kunot noo kong tinanggap 'yong binigay niya.

Binuksan ko ang laman ng maliit na box na 'yon. There is a watch inside it pero hindi 'yon isang ordinaryong relo lamang. Maya maya ay umilaw ito ng kulay purple.

"You'll know the purpose of that watch soon. Happy birthday, my lady."

After he said those, napatulala ako ng ilang segundo sa kanya. I didn't forget that it's my birthday. I just decided to consider it just a normal day since there is nothing good that will happen.

But this time, I felt very important because I have Nikkolas Parker who didn't forget and make this day for me very special.