When the Stars Lead to You

04

"You have grown so much, Maya!"

I grinned when Tita Sienna said that to me. It was only a month ago that we saw each other.

Yeah, I had grown so much. I was already entering the first year of high school with Devin to this catholic Private High School that Sienna and rain also attends to.

"So was the exam, okay?" she asked me. She was the one who picked me up after my entrance exam para makapag aral ako dun.

"It was hard, Tita. But it was fine. Most of the questions ay napag-aralan ko naman," sagot ko sa kaniya. Devin wasn't here kasi 7 am ang schedule ko sa exam and he had the 1 pm schedule kaya hindi kami magka pareho.

"Yeah? Sienna and Rain looked like they wanted to cry after they took the exam last year," she laughed. "Anyway, let's buy you a bag!"

"No, tita. I think I'll just find one at home. I'm sure mommy has a lot of bags for me to use," I declined her offer.

"Oh, that's unfortunate, because I saw a really nice bag earlier Louis Vuitton and I already reserved it for you," she smiled at me and looked back on the road.

I sighed at humilig sa upuan. Alam ko namang hindi ko na mapigilan si Tita Seanna on buying that bag for me. She's Tita Seanna. She's not Tita Seanna when she's not extra. Kaugali sila ni Sienna. She wants it, she gets it.

When we went to where she saw the bag, she bought it talaga. I couldn't refuse because I knew that she will be sad. Nung birthday ko nga, binigyan niya ako ng Gucci na 'yung maliit na wallet tapos hindi ko ginamit kasi baka mawala ko, she became sad. Tuloy, hanggang ngayon, iyon na ang gamit ko.

"I'm home!" sabi ko pagpasok ko sa bahay. Hinubad ko na ang sapatos ko at nilagay ito sa shoe rack.

Naabutan ko sina Ali and Devin sitting on out couch tapos nanonood ng tv. They were both eating ice cream tapos spongebob pala ang pinapanood.

"What happened?! Hard ba ang exam?! Ano ano ang nag came out na questions?! Lumabas ba pinag aralan natin?!" agarang tanong ni Devin sa akin.

"Let her sit down first, Devin," Ali said and handed me a glass of water. Kada magka sama kami, may dala talaga 'yan siyang tubig. Nakasanayan ko na kasi simula nung nagka sakit ako, hindi na niya ito tinigil.

"The exam was fine. Some questions that came out weren't in the review, but you'll be fine," I shrugged and drank the water that Ali gave me. "I'll just change clothes."

"Do you want me to accompany you upstairs? I'll be waiting outside your door," Ali offered at akmang tatayo na but pinigilan ko siya.

I shook my head. "No, I'm okay. I don't feel like it's coming."

When I was in second grade back in elementary, I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy and Cataplexy. It was the time when I lost consciousness inside Ali's house. That was 4 years ago. Also, the time when Ali started talking already. Maybe because of what happened to me, it triggered him to talk because he panicked and didn't know what happened to me. It was not easy though. Ali went to therapy, and I was in and out of the hospital to find a cure but there was none.

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. People like me, often find it to stay awake for long periods of time, regardless of the circumstances. Narcolepsy can also cause serious disruptions in someone's daily routine.

Iyon siguro ang dahilan kung bakit I was feeling sleepy all the time when I was still not diagnosed. I also experience hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and sleep disruption.

By that time, Devin also made a joke which made me laugh so much. It triggered my Cataplexy. Cataplexy is the sudden loss of muscle tone while a person is awake leads to weakness and a loss of voluntary muscle control. It is triggered by sudden, strong emotions such as laughter, fear, anger, stress, or excitement. Stress din ako nun because of that one math problem that I couldn't answer.

Because of that, my parents were so worried about me. My mom cried so much like I was dying that she fainted. Dad wanted to cry but mom was crying. I could see that in his eyes, but he had to remain strong for mom. My girl friends, Sienna, Rain, and Veronika were worried about me too. They insisted that we should enter the same school in high school because of that.

Ali and Devin, they didn't leave my side. Even though Ali was still struggling to talk before, hindi niya papalagpasin ang isang araw na hindi ako napupuntahan dito sa bahay. He was home schooled in elementary kaya walang kaso sa kaniya. Si Devin, kung nagjojoke siya, sinasabihan muna ako na wag masyadong tatawa kasi matitrigger nanaman ako.

"Maya! You're taking so long there! Are you okay?! If you don't answer, I will knock out your door!" narinig kong sigaw ni Ali sa labas ng pintuan ko while constantly knocking on my door.

Binuksan ko ang pinto at nakita ko siyang mukhang nastress dahil sa tagal kong nasa loob. "I'm okay. I just struggled to find this pair of pajamas."

He breathed heavily. "Let's eat lunch. Manang cooked your favorite pork adobo," he said at inakbayan ako habang pababa ng hagdan.

"Come on! Why are you two so matagal? I'm starving!" Devin pouted, nandoon na siya sa harap ng hapag kainan. "I'll say the grace."

Devin led the prayer, and we ate happily. We just kept asking Ali about what we should expect on our first day of school. He entered high school a year ahead of us kasi mas matanda naman talaga siya sa amin ng isang taon.

"You are sure that you'll pass the exam, Devin?" he raised his brow to Devin, who glared at his cousin.

"Tss! You'll see! I'll ace the exam!"

"We're home!" agaran kaming tatlo na nagpa unahang umalis sa hapag kainan when we heard my mom, enter the house. It's a Saturday and my parents still go out to have a date.

"Welcome home po, tita, tito!" Devin cheerily said at nagmano kina mommy and daddy. Ali also did the same to my parents.

"Daddy! Mommy!" I kissed their cheeks and hugged them.

"How's the exam, my love?" dad asked me.

"It was okay!"

"How about you, Devin? Are you ready for the exam?" tanong ni Daddy.

"Yes, naman po! Me pa kaya?!" Devin boasted. He earned a disgusting look from me and Ali.

Mommy laughed at his reply. We offered mom and dad to eat with us, but they refused because they just ate. Pinagpatuloy na namin ang pag kain namin and we lead to hanging out again in the living room.

"Just why did he just to be this dumb?" Devin groaned while pointing at the one character sa horror movie that we were watching.

"Because the director said so," Ali rolled his eyes.

"Besides, all of the characters are dumb enough to be tripped at the time where the zombies are chasing them," I pouted at humilig sa balikat ni Ali. Inayos niya naman ang kumot na nakapalibot sa amin at nilagay iyon hanggang sa balikat ko. I don't know, but sometimes the cold can trigger my narcolepsy.

"Are you sleepy? You can sleep," Ali offered pero umiling ako.

"Nope. I'll just wait for Devin to go," sabi ko and turned to Devin. "It's almost 1 pm. Aren't you going to get ready, yet?"

"I'm ready. My bag is already here too," he shrugged at kinain iyong cookies sa lamesa. Kanina pa siya kain ng kain.

When it was 12 pm na, nagready na siya so that tita Janette can already send him to the school where the exam is held. Nung naka alis na siya, me and Ali actually finished off the movie but somehow, I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I was already using Ali's back as a pillow at nakatulog na din siya sa living room. Maybe mom or dad turned off the tv and the aircon turned low para hindi kami lamigin. Umayos ako ng higa pero ginawa ko nalang talagang malaking throw pillow si Ali. I don't know but I feel comfortable with my leg, over his leg. Because of that, I fell asleep again.

When I woke up the second time, nakapulupot na sa akin ang katawan ni Devin. At nasa lapag na din kaming tatlo ni Ali nakahiga. Poor Devin, he must have been tired because of the exam. I stretched my body and then went to the kitchen and saw dad cooking. I was just staring at him while he was doing his thing.

"Oh, you're up, my love?" he asked me and kissed my forehead. "Are Laurent and Devin already awake? Let's eat dinner. Your mom's also upstairs too, sleeping. We already ate earlier. We were going to ear with you but you three are so deep in your sleep."

"It's so mabango, tito." Hindi na ako nakasagot kay daddy kasi pumasok na si Devin. Kinukusot niya pa mga mata niya.

Dad chuckled. "Sit down, Devin. Let's eat dinner. Where's Laurent?"

"He's still sleeping," Devin yawned.

"I'll get him," I offered at bumaba sa stool na inuupuan.

When I went to the living room, balot na balot si Ali nung comforter and his brows are a little bit furrowed like someone was making him mad on his dreams. I turned off the aircon and tapped his cheek lightly.

"Hey, let's eat dinner."

"Hmm?" he hummed and opened his eyes slightly. I giggled when he immediately closed it again because of the harsh light on his eyes. Kinusot niya iyong mata niya and sat up. Namumula pa iyong pisngi niya. Iyan ang napapansin ko sa kaniya kapag bago siyang gising. His cheeks turn slight pink kasi maputi siya.

Tumingin ako sa orasan. "Dinner. It's already... 7 pm."

He nodded and stood up. Papungay pungay pa iyong mukha niya habang naglalakad papunta sa hapag kainan at inaayos iyong buhok niya.

The whole month, we were just waiting for the result of the entrance exam. I was so nervous! I mean, I have the right to be nervous, because isang school lang naman ang kinuhaan ko ng exam!

"This is making me stressed," pagbibigay alam ko sa kanila habang nirerefresh iyon site!

"It will take a few weeks, for the result to come out, you know?" kampanteng sagot ni Devin.

"Maya, breathe. Stress can trigger your cataplexy. Please stop, and drink this water," he gave me the glass full of water. Inubos ko iyon at binalik sa kaniya.

"I'm still nervous," I said and started picking my nails and biting them.

Ali clicked his tongue at hinawakan ang kamay ko. He glared at me. "You're hurting yourself. It will bleed." He sighed at hinila ako palabas ng bahay. Devin followed us, shouting that we shouldn't leave him because he still believes that there are monsters that will take him.

"Inhale... exhale..." Ali made me practice my breathing exercise. Sinunod ko naman agad siya and it made me calm down. The nature surrounding our village also calms me down. I can't explain why, but nature and flowers can make me calm down.

"Flowers?" Devin asked and handed me the flower na pinitas lang niya sa labas ng bahay nina Ali.

"Thanks," I giggled and laughed at Ali's face who was glaring at Devin for picking out the flower from their garden.

"Aw, don't be mad, it's for me naman!" He pouted and rolled his eyes before looking away. Mahina nalang kaming natawa ni Devin and continued to have our afternoon walk.

"I want a tree house," Devin suddenly said in the middle of our walk.

"Then build one," sabay na sabi namin ni Ali. We both looked at each other and both grinned.

"Wow... your support is very much appreciated," Devin sarcastically said.

I chuckled at inakbayan silang dalawa. It was easy to do so because I was now an inch taller than them! What a life. I get to tease them about it, and I hope they won't be much taller than me in a few years. Siguradong babalikan ako nitong dalawa because of all the teasing that I'm doing.

"You're nakakainis na, ah? I'm getting offended already," Devin scoffed beside me.

"Let's just wait for a few years until we're taller than her, Devin. We can get our revenge," Ali said to Devin like I wasn't here.

"Hey! You're like plotting murder against me while I'm right beside you!" Pare pareho lang kaming natawa tatlo dahil sa sinabi ko.

"Let's get you home. It's getting dark already," Ali said at umuwi na kaming tatlo sa bahay.

"Bye!" Devin hugged me and ran to his house. Napailing nalang ako and Ali had the same reaction as me.

"Good night, Ali," I chuckled and hugged him.

I felt him tighten his hug on me. "Good night, Maya. Sweet dreams."