Embrace The Moon / h. sandoval

Chapter One : Sunday Frustration

Groaning, Nawal reached for her never-ending ringing phone while cursing inside her head. Frustration, resentment, and a headache are progressively licking her brain for various reasons, one of those is a hangover.

Nawal despises getting up so early. And it's Saturday, after all. Nawal should get some extra sleep, but how can she do so if she gets a call at 6:39 a.m?

6. 39. a. m.

Damn, that will drive the young lady insane for the rest of her life.

"Who the f**k are you—!"

A frigid, penetrating, and hostile voice halted Nawal, forcing her to open her eyes, sit on her bed, and make a satisfactory nerve shattering wake up noise with her room mate.

"Sheerazade," said by the voice in the other line.

fuck, I. am. dead. was in her mind as she realized that the one who made the effort to call her was her dearest older sister.

Nawal who is still shocked, hindi niya mapigilang tumaas ang kaniyang boses na siyang resulta kung bakit makatanggap ito ng mas malutong pa sa chicharon ni Mang Juan na mura galing sa kaniyang room mate na sa kabilang kwarto lang.

Sa sobrang aga ba naman ngayon, sinong hindi maiinis kung ang ayos ng tulog mo tapos biglang may sisigaw sa sobrang random na oras?

"Oh, my f*****g god! Hello there, Lama!" what a great choice of word, really wrong move to pull. Bulalas ni Nawal pagkatapos niyang makilala ang may-ari ng boses.

"Shut the f**k up, Shalom!" Sigaw naman ito ng kasama niya sa kaniyang dorm, kaya napakamot ng batok si Nawal at sinigawan ito pabalik.

"Good morning too, little s**t!" Bulyaw ni Nawal kaya tumikhim ang na sa kabilang linya, phews.

Sa sigaw na 'yon galing sa kabilang kwarto, nalingat si Nawal at nawala sa isip niya na si Lama pala ang kausap nito.

"I believe, you're studying in catholic school, Sheerazade." Nawal's blood suddenly disappeared from her body the moment when she heard how Lama's voice changed into impatient, disappointed and harsh voice.

Before the storm hits Nawal, huminga si Nawal ng malalim at sinubukang pakalmahin ang nagwawala niyang puso.

God knows how Nawal's older sister can be scary as hell. Lama is not the type of person that smiles often. She is the most stoic person for Nawal. Walang tatalo kay Lama pagdating sa kawalan niya ng expression sa mukha.

She's scary and always be. Lumipas na ang anim na taon pero ang takot ni Nawal kay Lama ay gaya pa rin noon, walang pinagbago at mas lalo panglumala sa nagaganap ngayong umaga.

"L-Lama, nagulat lang ako. Hindi ko lang inaasahan ang pagtawag mo sa akin—ng ganito kaaga. It's been 6 years, right? You never call. I never heard your voice since that day, six years ago? Right, How are you? Being one of military really makes you busy, huh?" Seryosong sabi ni Nawal na siyang dahilan upang matahimik saglit ang linya.

Nawal and Lama isn't that close to each other. In fact, they barely see each other. Kung mag-usap naman sila, tungkol 'yon lahat sa kapalpakan ni Nawal sa buhay at never naging maayos ang daloy ng usapan nilang dalawa.

This is all because of their age gap. Lama was 22 years old when their mother gave birth to Nawal. That time, Lama was already training to become a soldier kaya reasonable ang pagiging distant nilang dalawa lalong lalo na't hindi ugali ni Lama ang bonding maliban kung mahalaga ito masyado.

Therefore, not seeing each other for almost seven years isn't new for the Shaloms. Tuwing umuuwi kasi si Nawal sa family house nila, palaging wala si Lama. Gano'n din si Lama, hindi naman nila ugaling mag-usap sa video chat. Parehas wala sa vocabulary nilang dalawa ang gawain na 'yan, malabo kung mangyari kahit ngayon.

"That's not good excuse for that behavior. You are not getting younger, Sheerazade. I thought putting you in San Francisco will make you matured and collected. What are you doing in past 6 years?"

Nawal couldn't bring herself to believe what Lama just said. Well, receiving something like this from her sister wasn't that new for Nawal. It's always like this, pero hindi magawang masanay ni Nawal dahil sa malaking agwat bago sila nagkakaroon ng usapan.

Nawal cannot help it, biting her own tongue because of sudden frustration she felt. Nawal is not the type of very collect and calm person but surely, Nawal is matured in her own way.

"Come on, Lama. You call me just to receive your earful words?" Are you kidding me? but Nawal chose not to include the last question.

"See me, there's something I personally wanted to tell you." Walang emosyon, kaswal pero halata ang authority sa boses ni Lama.

Dahil dito, tumaas lang ang kilay ni Nawal. Yeah, meet up after 6 years, huh? Ano naman kaya ang gustong sabihin ni Lama kay Nawal na kailangan pang sabihin sa personal, eh, puwede naman sa tawag?

Doon din napagtanto ni Nawal ang sinabi ni Lama at gulat itong napatanong sa nakakatanda niyang kapatid.

"What? When did you— nevermind, what time?"

It is only natural for Nawal to act surprised. Na sa Gehenna Island ang parents ni Nawal, and Nawal isn't there. Na sa Philippines si Nawal, sa San Francisco, isa sa pinakamalaking syudad sa nasabing bansa. Of course, it takes an hour to travel from Gehenna to Philippines.

"8:30, I'm expecting you not to be late, Sheerazade. I assure you, you won't like it if you show up a minute late." Striktong paalala nito na kinangiwi ni Nawal.

"Roger, Command Sergeant Major." Labag sa loob na sagot ni Nawal habang nakatanga ito sa kaniyang kama.

"I'll send you the address. Be presentable enough and don't embarrass me. I'm hanging up the call." At pinatay na nga ang tawag.

Pagkatapos matapos ng tawag, dahan-dahang namula ang mukha ni Nawal dahil sa inis. Nagsisimulang manginig ang kamay niyang mahigpit ang hawak sa foan ng kaniyang kama, ang ugat sa sintido ni Nawal ay kanina pa gustong kumawala gaya na lang ng sigaw na hindi na napigilan pa ni Nawal na huwag ilabas.

"PUTANGINAAAAAAA!" Was heard from Nawal.

Walang preno, at naka-full volume ang boses ni Nawal sa pagsigaw niya. She's upset, she's really mad because of her older sister. At last, Nawal couldn't do anything. Nawal knows it very well, masyado pang maaga para sumalungat sa kaniyang kapatid kaya natural na ito pero kahit anong pilit intindihin ni Nawal, she hates it, very awful and ridiculous to think.

Nawal gets shivers thinking about seeing Lama after 6 years. What the hell, Nawal has no idea whether this is a good thing or not? Ha! What kind of nonsense is that? Her older sister is the one and only Lama Shareena Shalom! A high-ranking soldier. Nawal's worst nightmare, for God's sake!

"This is nonsense! f**k! f**k! f*****g bullshiiiiiiiiiii—!"

Nawal's door was forced open with a kick, followed by a loud bang that caused Nawal to shut for 3 minutes straight.

"What the actual f**k is your f*****g problem, f*****g Shalom?" Reklamo ng panibagong tao na banas na banas ang itsura, nakatayo ito sa pinto ni Nawal, halata sa tingin nito na sa isang maling galaw ni Nawal, hindi na matutuloy ang meet up na magaganap mamaya.

A messy black wolfcut mullet hair, dressed in white silk pyjamas and slippers.

My god, be good to me.

"H-Hayan.." Sambit ni Nawal sa pangalan ng taong masama ang tingin sa kaniya, medyo naiiyak na si Nawal habang utal na tinawag ang pangalan nito.

Dahil dito, napapikit ito at pinakalma ang sarili. Really, Hayan is ready to hit Nawal pero bigla itong nag-back out pagkatapos niyang makita ang mukha ni Nawal.

"What's with that face? You look pathetic." Kunot noong tanong ni Hayan kay Nawal.

Pathetic? Really, little s**t?

But yeah, kung isasagot 'yan ni Nawal ngayon, mas hahaba ang bardagulan nilang dalawa ni Hayan kaya mas pinili nitong umayos para makamit ni Nawal ang peace of mind na gusto niyang makuha kahit ngayong araw lang, o ngayong buong isang oras lang.

"Be good to me, Sandoval. Just for today. Baka mamatay na ako pag pati ikaw ay dumagdag pa." Ang pagmamakaawa ay na sa tono ng boses ni Nawal.

Ngumiwi lang si Hayan, "Don't call me that. It's Hayan for you, not Sandoval or anything, stupid." Sagot nito tsaka tuluyang tumalikod kay Nawal at umalis sa kaniyang pinto.

Napahilamos si Nawal ng wala sa oras.

Someone needs to remind Nawal how she ended up being Hayan's Bestfriend for almost 7 years?

They're not alike at all. Hell, and why Nawal's thinking about her friendship with Hayan, anyway? She needs to calm herself first and put her sister as her priority today or else, hindi talaga magugustuhan ni Nawal ang resulta gaya ng sinabi ni Lama.

At last, Nawal let out a lazy groan and finally out of her bed to prepare.

She needs to move otherwise, mauuwi sa tulog ang lahat at pag nangyari 'yon, game over.

— F. E