Living with the Psychopath

Episode 3

Episode 3:

Napahilot ako sa sentido ko bago umiling-iling. I felt tired. Hindi ako nakatulog ng maayos dahil napanaginipan ko yung wrist ni Rosendale na nagdurugo. Nakakainis lang. Kung kailan ayoko siyang isipin, saka naman siya magpaparamdam.

It's not that I was afraid of the blood. It's just that, somehow, I was feeling concern about her knowing that what she did was not the first time.

"And that woman!" Angil ko sa sarili. Imbes na magpasalamat, nagawa pa talaga niya akong pagmalditahan. Walang pinipiling oras yung attitude niya. Dapat doon dinidisiplina, eh.

Napapabuntong-hininga na humiga akong muli sa kama ko. Good thing that I didn't have class today or else I will literally force my ass out to move. Gusto ko pa sanang matulog...kung hindi lang kumulo ang tiyan ko.

"Hungry..." I muttered under my breath.

Wala akong nagawa kung hindi bumangon at mag-ayos. Hindi ko matiis na hindi kumain kahit na gaano pa ako kaantok. Yes, sleeping is life but eating is lifer. I opened my door when I was confident enough to leave my room pero ganoon na lang ang gulat ko nang mabungaran ko sa labas ng kwarto ko si Mama at si Papa na akmang kakatok na sana.

"Uhm, good morning?" Patanong na pagbati ko. I was kind of wondering why they're here early in the morning. They're supposed to be at work. "Should I assume that my lovely parents wanted a talk from me?" I asked with humor. My heart melted when I saw them smile. Ah, parents... I love them both. Really.

"You're right, my lovely daughter," Papa said while raising his eyebrows suggestively. "But why don't we eat first?"

Mabilis naman akong tumango at sinabayan sila sa paglalakad sa aming kusina s***h dining room.

Our home was not that big in the first place. Nakakaangat kami sa buhay kahit na papaano but my parents taught me to live in a simple way na hindi ako dedepende sa mga karangyaan sa buhay. Besides, a house with no family was nothing but a plain house. It's not home. I was proud to say that despite of them—working—hindi sila nagkulang sa oras pagdating sa akin.

Though that didn't mean that I should be perfect. I was aware my moods and overflowing sarcasm at times, but that made me human.

"Echo, you listening?"

"Po? Sorry." Napangiti ako ng malumanay. Nasa lamesa na kami at nakapaghain na si Mama ng pagkain. Hindi ko namalayan sa kakaisip ko na natatahimik ako masyado. "May sinasabi po ba kayo?"

"Meron," sagot ni Papa, "I'm asking if it's fine with you kung may makakasama tayong iba rito sa bahay."

Automatic na kumunot ang noo ko. Imagining someone living with us felt...out of place. I was used having less people, kung magkakaroon kami ng ibang kasama, malay ba.

"Echo?"

"Okay lang naman siguro?" medyo hesitated na sagot ko. There's nothing wrong in trying naman. Pero kung magiging abala yung ganoong set-up, baka magbago yung isip ko. "Why? May makikitira ba?"

"Actually, yes." Mama answered.

We started eating ngunit hindi naman namatay ang usapan.

"Kamag-anak?" tanong ko.

Papa squinted his eyes. "Hmm, let's just say na matalik kong kaibigan ang magulang niya."

Tumango lang ako at hindi na nagsalita. Wala naman din akong maisip na sasabihin.

"Matagal na rin namin siyang kino-convince ng Mama mo na manirahan dito kasama natin because she's not really safe living alone." paliwanag niya. So babae pala yung tinutukoy niyang titira kasama namin. "And we're glad that finally, she took our offer."

Mukhang ayos lang naman siguro. Sana lang, hindi siya mas maarte pa sa akin. Or sana maayos makisama.

"Then when will she going to move here?" I asked afterwards. Patapos na rin kaming kumain.

"Today."

"Agad?" Bahagya akong nakaramdam ng pagkabigla. Siguro kung may iniinom lang ako malamang naibuga ko na. "At talagang ngayon ninyo lang po ipinaalam sa akin?"

"Sorry?"

"Patanong talaga, Papa?" Taas kilay kong tanong. Tinawanan lang nila ako. Napa-face palm ako. Asking me too late....edi siyempre wala na akong magagawa.

Magtatanong pa sana ako kung hindi lang kami natigilan nang marinig yung doorbell.

"Siya na siguro iyan." Sabi ng Papa ko bago humalik sa noo ni Mama. Sweet. Sila lang yung PDA na gusto kong panoorin to be honest. "She's too early."

Si Papa na yung tumayo para puntahan yung nagd-doorbell. Bigla tuloy akong na-curious sa kung sino ba yung magiging kasama namin sa bahay. Sana lang talaga ayos siyang pakisamahan.

"Echo, anak."

"Yes po, Ma?" Pinagmasdan ko siya habang nililigpit yung pinagkainan. Namana ko sa kanya iyong mata ko. Ang ganda kaya ng mata ni Mama. Just like her, meron akong almond shaped eyes and light brown orbs. Napailing ako ng pasimpleng pumasok sa isip ko ang mata ng babaeng ayokong maalala. Damn it.

Marahan naman siyang ngumiti. "Yung makakasama natin. Sana magkasundo kayo kahit na papaano."

"Well, if she's not a b—" I was about to say b***h, buti na lang at napigilan ko. Profanities weren't allowed in this house. "A bad girl, then maybe it won't be too hard to get along with her."

Tumango siya at hinawakan ako sa kamay. "Echo, we are keeping her for a reason. So if ever na things went wrong, please understand her na lang." Hinigpitan niya ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko. "Okay?"

"Why?" I asked but she didn't get the chance to answer kasi dumating na si Papa.

Halos mapanganga ako nang mapansin ko kung sino ang kasama niya. What the hell.

Seriously? After invading my dreams, she's now going to invade our home? For hamburger's sake, what's happening in this world? And how the hell my parents knew her? Out of all people, why her?

"Echo, anak, she's the one na kinukwento ko, my bestfriend's daughter. Dear, meet Rosendale." Pagpapakilala ni Papa sa kasama niyang hindi man lang umiimik. Mahigpit lang itong nakahawak sa strap ng malaking bag niya.

If Papa was saying she's the daughter of his best friend, then that means, my parents knew her parents—and they were not just simply acquaintance—but friends, for real. This was sick.

I checked her out. She's wearing a white shirt and jeans that looked so rugged and those bracelets that never gets old. Parang bad girl na ewan. Parang gusto ko na lang mapailing. Out of all people, for hamburger's sake, why Rosendale?

"Tingin ko familiar na kayo sa isa't isa since sa iisang school lang kayo nag-aaral."

"We're classmates, Papa." dismayadong saad ko. Napunta yung tingin ko sa wrist niya. Ayos na ba yung sugat niya? O baka naman dinagdagan pa niya? Ayoko man pero hindi ko maiwasang maging concern. Makakita ba naman ng babaeng naglalaslas, ewan ko na lang.

"Then, that's great!" My father beamed. "Mukhang hindi na kayo mahihirapang pakisamahan ang isa't isa."

"I don't think so." Wala sa mood na bulong ko.

"Echo." Mama warned me, halatang narinig ang sinabi ko. Sinenyasan niya ako, pinapaalala yung sa naging usapan namin. Whatever.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"Saan ang room ko?" tanong ni Rosendale. Nakayuko lang ito kaya mas lalong hindi ko makita yung mukha niya dahil sa bangs niyang nakaharang.

"Ayaw mo bang kumain muna?" tanong ni Mama.

Umiling lang iyong isa. "I'm not...hungry."

Wala na rin silang nagawa kung hindi ihatid si Rosendale sa magiging kwarto nito. Nas-stress na napaupo na lang ako. What the hell happened? Paanong nangyaring yung babaeng ayaw kong makita ay nakatira na ngayon sa sarili naming pamamahay?

Can I just shoo her away? I knew my attitude was just getting through me again but I just can't help it. She's an eyesore. Hindi ko lang maiwasang hindi isipin yung pakiusap ni Mama. I didn't know if I can do what she wanted me to do.

But then, curious pa rin ako tungkol sa kanya. I didn't know that there's more to her—and worse, I was connected to her—whether I like it or not.

_____