All Over Again

Chapter 13: Fly Away

Venice's POV

Bzzztttt ... Bzzzzzzztttt ...

What? What? -___-

With eyes still closed, kinapa-kapa ko ung nightstand para hablutin ung cellphone kong malamang eh nag-aalarm na kaya ganyan na lang kung makapag-vibrate..

Where is it?!?!

Kapa-kapa ulit--

Whoopsss!

o_o

Dahil sa sobrang kaka-reach out ko for my phone, I literally rolled out of bed and bumagsak sa sahig with a BOOG!

Ako: Awww... -___-

Nahablot ko na rin sa wakas ung cellphone ko, and finally turned the alarm off.. Then, sumandal ako dun sa kama, trying to wake myself up..

"Hey.. You're still here.."

I turned my head and saw Jerwin peering at me from the bed.. He looks a lot better now.. Thank God..

Ako: Yea, I'm still here.. Good morning, Sunshine.. -__-

Jerwin: (smiles) Good morning.. Nice to see you're not suffocating me with a pillow this time..

He rolled over and managed to barely miss me when he swung his legs out of the bed..

Pinanood ko lang sya as he stretches for a little bit.. Energetic na si kuya ulit..

I yawned, feeling my brain cells wake up one by one..

Yes, one by one..

Jerwin: Was that you who fell earlier?

Ako: Yea.. Di mo ba alam, the best na panggising ang mahulog sa kama..

Jerwin: So you do that everyday?

Ako: Do you think I fall off the bed every single day?!?

Jerwin: Well.. if it's you, I don't think I'd be surprised..

Ako: What's that supposed to mean?!??

He just laughed and picked up the basin of water dun sa stool na katabi nung nightstand.. Sumunod ako palabas nung kwarto, combing my hair with my fingers, and trying to fix myself para kung sinoh man makasalubong namen, kahit papano, mukha naman akong tao kahit bagong gising..

Just before we turned to go to the kitchen, we suddenly heard two voices talking.. Napatigil kaming bigla kasi, aside from Jerwin's mom's voice, nagulantang ako dun sa isa pang boses..

Ang nanay ko!!!

Ako: What's she doing here!??

Jerwin: My mom lives here...

Ako: I don't mean your mom, I meant my mom!

Jerwin: I don't know, let's go ask.

"Ay, oo, Merryl.. Kausap ko nga si Remy kagabi.. Nasabi kong gusto ko nang bumalik ng States, at sabi naman niya, handa naman raw ung bahay na tutuluyan namen dun.."

I suddenly grabbed Jerwin, na muntik-muntikan nang matapon ung tubig na dala nya sa bigla kong paghaltak pabalik sa katawan nya..

Jerwin: What are you doing?!?

Ako: Ssshhh!

I turned my ear towards the kitchen again. Busy na tinatago si Jerwin with me dun sa likod nung wall separating the formal dining room and the kitchen..

Tita Merryl: Aba, bakit hindi ka pa lumipad pabalik?

Mom: I would love to go back to the States..

She wants to go back to the States?

Ilang taon na ring nakatira and nagttrabaho si Mommy sa Amerika.. Ilang beses nya na rin akong pinipilit isama, pero dahel mabait akong anak, I refused. Palusot ko na lang, gusto ko matapos muna ung schooling ko chuchu.. Kaya sige, nandun si mommy, nandito ako sa Pinas.

Patawag-tawag na lang sya.. At sa sobrang tagal nya na dun, nakilala nya si Tito Remy, matandang binata na nain-love kay mother at ayan, parang silang teenager na palovey-dovey.. nakakakilabot mang isipin..

It was about one and half year ago nung umuwi si mom at si Tito Remy dito sa Pinas.. Totoo lang, di ko rin alam kung bakit sila biglang napadpad dito.. Pero ayan na nga sila.. Nagkasundo naman kami ni Tito Remy.. A real father figure, lalo na't di ko naman nakilala ang father ko.. After 6 months, he had to go back to the States para kumayod na ulit.. Naiwan si mommy..

And now.. she's saying na she wants to go back there....

Mom: Pero, I'm worried about Venice. Nako, kumare, kung alam mo lang, nung una kong uwi two years ago, lantutay yang batang yan!

Tita Merryl: Really? Venice?

Mom: Oo.. Alam kong loka-loka at daig nya pa ang may sugar rush na bata ngayon, pero dati, parang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa! Buti na nga lang at matino na ulit sya ngayon..

"Parang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa"

Kung alam nya lang...

Mom: Kaya nga nagdadalawang isip tuloy ako bumalik ng States. Ayoko naman kasi maiwan nanaman syang mag-isa.. Pero, kumare, ang tagal na kong hinihintay ng boyfriend ko dun! Ay! Sana makilala mo si Remy minsan!

Nalipat ung topic nung dalawang nanay sa boyprend ni mother..

Oh di vah? Ang landi! Feeling teenager talaga si mother.. Kinikilig pa habang nag-kkwento tungkol sa fafa nya..

Jerwin: Wow.. alagang-alaga ka ng nanay mo ah..

Ako: Oh shut up.

Jerwin: Kaw naman.. Is that how you talk to your sunshine?

Ako: Ano?!?

Jerwin: (sings) I am your sunshine

Your only sunshine--

Pak!

Jerwin: Kidding. -__-

I took a deep breath and then grabbed Jerwin para pumasok na dun sa kitchen kasama ko. Kunwari bagong dating lang kami, bagong gising, walang narinig, chuchu..

Ako: Mom!?? Anong ginagawa mo dito??

Mom: Ay nako, hinde ka na umuwi kagabi kaya I brought you a change of clothes para dito ka na manggaling papasok ng school. (tingin kay Jerwin) Good morning, Jerwin~

Jerwin: Good morning po, tita. (looked at his mom) Good morning, mom. What time did you guys arrive?

Tita Merryl: Around 3 AM..

Ako: 3 AM? Then, where's Jean?

Tita Merryl: Ay, nakapasok na. Bakit?

Pumasok na?!?! Hindi man lang pinatulog?!?

Nakatingin sa'kin si Tita Merryl at si Jerwin, as if they're really wondering kung bakit ko hinahanap si Jean.. As if normal lang na pumasok na talaga sya, wala nang tulog-tulog...

Kawawang bata..

Ako: Uh, just wondering lang po.. Ano, pwede poh ba makigamit ng bathroom?

Tita Merryl: Ay sure! Jerwin, give Venice a fresh bath towel, at pakita mo na rin kung nasan ung banyo..

Jerwin, who just finished pouring the water from the basin dun sa sink, looked at me and then frowned..

Jerwin: Can't you just use my towel?

Ako: Abno ka ba?!? Ano pang virus makuha ko syo noh! (tingin kay Tita Merryl) No offense.

Jerwin: Hoy, buti nga pinapagamit ko ung tuwalya ko syo!

Ako: No, thanks. I'd rather use a fresh one.

Kinuha ko ung bag ng damit na dala ng nanay ko, smiled at the older ladies, and then stomped pabalik sa taas.. I heard Jerwin putting the basin sa sink, and then following me up the stairs..

We went in his room again, and he walked straight to the closet, looking for a bath towel..

Jerwin: Hey..

Ako: Yea?

Jerwin: I'll take you to school today.

Ako: Okay.

After that, he handed me the towel. Then he walked me to the bathroom at the other side of the hallway, opened the medicine cabinet, and gave me a new toothbrush..

Jerwin: You can use this one. Siguro, you should just put it with our toothbrushes since parang napapadalas na ang overnight mo dito..

Ako: Che! It's not like I drop by and make plans to spend the night here noh!

He laughed at me again, and walked out of the bathroom to eat breakfast while I closed the door to start my morning rituals..

I don't know how, and I'm not sure what he did, pero by some miracle, Jerwin managed to finish his shower, get dressed, and all that in less than 20 minutes.. Oh the luck of being a man.. -___-

Kaya when we left the house, we even had time to drop off my mom sa bahay, and pagdating sa harap ng school, I have enough time before my first class.

He parked on the curb again and I'm kinda thankful for the tinted windows, kaseh ganitong oras pala nag-ppour in ang sandamakmak na students.. Maaga silang gumigising..

Ako: Okie.. Thanks for the ride..

Jerwin: Venice, wait.

My hand stopped dun sa door handle, and I turned to look at Jerwin.. Anoh nanaman kaya ang hirit ni kuya?

Jerwin: You know, I was just thinking about your mom going to the States and all that.. If it gets to the point that she really wants to go and live her life.... You-- You can live with me.

-__-

>__<

O__O

Ako: ANO?!? Live with you?!? May lagnat ka pa ba o naluto na yang mga brain cells mo kagabi?!?!

Jerwin: Ano ba, seryoso ako. Didn't I tell you before? I'll take care of you..

Ako: Awww.. how sweet... Ulol. -__- At san mo naman ako papatulugin sa inyo ha?!? Geez..

Jerwin: (smiles) Well, if that's the only thing stopping you, then don't worry.. I'll find a way.

Tinitigan ko si Jerwin.. Ewan ko ba kung seryoso toh, kulang sa tulog, na-over sa tulog, o talagang nag-evaporate ung utak nya kagabi sa sobrang taas nung lagnat nya.. Tinotopak yatang bigla....

Ako: *sigh* Bahala ka.. I'm gonna go to my class now.. Ikaw, magtrabaho ka na..

Jerwin: Okay. I'll see you later.

Bumaba na ko nung pick-up truck ni Jerwin, somewhat oblivious of the stares ng mga nakakita sa'kin get out of the shiny truck.. Ano nga bang gagawin ko eh sa gusto na lumipad pabalik ng nanay ko sa States?

I can just tell her to go, pero I doubt na ganun-ganun lang un.. After nga naman ng mala-zombie kong aura two years ago, eh good luck na lang kung iwanan nya ko ulit mag-isa...

Haayyyy na koooo...