2: the encounter

"Roma, wake up! It's already afternoon and you need to wash your clothes!"

That's the first thing I have the moment I woke up. Or should I say, the alarm that woke me up—my mom's voice that even my door was closed, it can still reach my ears and disturb my sleeping soul. My forehead wrinkled then covered my ears with my pillow.

What time is it anyway? I still want to sleep. Besides, I don't have school today because it's Saturday. I grabbed my phone at my head to check the time. I saw that it was only eight in the morning. Moms really love to exaggerate things.

I aggressively get off my bed and lazily went out of my bedroom.

"Mom, it's just my clothes that I'm going to wash," I complained as my mom passed by me.

"Yeah, I know. Eat your breakfast now," she replied.

Then I went to our dining area and my siblings were already there.

"Where's Dad?" I asked after sitting on a chair and got some hotdogs on my plate.

"The usual," my younger brother, Rayver answered.

I didn't say anything at all. All of us here already knows that. Cockfighting was his hobby, especially every weekend and nobody can stop him.

"By the way. Mom, I'm going out," I told her.

"And where are you going?" she interrogated.

"To Josephine's place. We'll just hang out there."

"Fine. Just go home before the sun down."

"Okay."

When did I get home late anyway? Besides, it's rare for me to go out during weekends. Going outside wasn't even my thing. For me, staying in my room was a lot better than that.

"Eh, to Josephine's place? Just say that you're going to play DOTA," my younger sister, Reine suddenly mockingly interfered.

"Jutsu, Jutsu," she continued mocking me.

"So? At least, I'm not searching for my forever at the age of twelve!" I sneered.

Reine suddenly paused and widened her eyes at me. "Why? Do I have a boyfriend?"

"What did you say, Reine? Stop fooling around. As if like I don't know that you're staying up late at night just to have a chat with your boyfriend. What was his name again? Ah, Carl!" I derided.

I can't help to laugh when I saw her reaction. She looked annoyed and irritated.

"Mom!"

I burst out laughing when she cried Mom like a little child.

After a moment, Mom rushed here and she looked pissed and angry.

"Roma, Reine. Stop fighting in front of your food. Where's your manners?"

We went quiet after Mom scolded us.

"Hey, Reine. What was that I heard about? You're still too young to have a boyfriend. And Roma was your eldest sister. Stop being rude to her."

I'm laughing inside my head while Mom was lecturing my sister.

"And you, Roma. Stop picking a fight with your sister. And you should also stop playing DOTA."

I raised my brows. "But, Mom. It's just my hobby. Besides, I don't overlook studying and my grades are the proof of it. I'm even one of the class top students," I said in my defense.

"Yeah, I know. But that game is making you a loud and mannerless lady. Your cursing while playing that game terrifies me."

I pouted my lips from what Mom said. We have a desktop computer with internet connection here in our house that's why I can play DOTA here sometimes. I can't help myself to curse and trashtalk while playing, especially when the game went intense.

--

Wearing a black t-shirt, skinny jeans, and a black and white high-cut sneakers, I head off my room and bid farewell to my mom before leaving.

I took a fifteen-minute walk to leave our subdivision. Good thing, I have ridden a jeepney right after that. and because it's Saturday, the traffic was a bit heavy even it was still nine in the morning. The weather is also hot and it irritates me.

And another fifteen minutes when I arrived at the subdivision where Josephine lives. I rode a tricycle because it's the fastest way to go to her house. It took me ten minutes to arrive at her place.

After I get off the tricycle, I pushed the doorbell at their gate. I saw Josephine head off the door and opened the gate for me.

"Roma was late."

It was Evan, my friend since seventh grade and until now, I'm still clueless how I ended up being his friend while he's always pissing me off since the beginning.

AJ and Jeyra was already here too and busy watching TV. Josephine invited us here in their house because she was left alone here by her aunt. This house was owned by her aunt and she went out for work.

We just did everything that we could do just to kill time. Eat, chit-chat, board games, then movie marathon.

We are watching a romantic movie right now and while my friends were so focused on the movie, it makes me feel bored. I don't know if the storyline was absurd or I'm not just into romance? They don't want to watch horror, that's why.

"I can't still understand the female lead. Why does she think that she's different and better than other girls just because she's into basic and boyish outfit, not wearing makeup, and a bookworm?" I queried.

"Ah, that's really how her character was portrayed," Josephine replied.

"Her character was ridiculously cringe."

I'm not into girly clothes and makeup as well, but we don't have rights to judge and ridicule other girls that have different preferences than us. It won't make you feel special.

"Wow. Three hotties are into her. How I wish," Jeyra commented.

The scene in the movie was already at the part where there's three guys fighting over her.

I made a disgusted look. "Why are they fighting over a girl with a terrible personality? And why is she stopping them like that? She's crying while stopping them to fight over her."

"It's touching, you know," Josephine blurted.

"Nah. That's stupid. If I were them, I'll just start a betting game of who will win after a boxing match."

"You're really an antiromantic!" Jeyra babbled.

"Not really. It's just the movie was so stupid. They're fighting over a girl who highly thinks of herself and loves to judge other people, especially girls. But they're mad at the female antagonist just because she's brutally honest and loves to be pretty? To be honest, her character was more on point," I complained.

"Why are you siding with the antagonist?" Josephine asked.

"Because her character was more realistic."

Until the stupid romantic movie has finally ended.

"Why is it like that? Why did she choose the possessive bad guy over the nice gentleman?"

"Because he has changed. He was changed by true love," Josephine answered.

"True love, my foot. What a stupid reason. Oh well, they deserve each other. They're both awful and cringe," I commented.

"You're really silly, Roma," Josephine laughed.

Until Josephine's aunt went back exactly four in the afternoon.

I left with AJ and Jeyra, rode a tricycle that passed by after we bid farewell to Josephine and thanked her aunt. After we arrived outside the subdivision, I waited for AJ and Jeyra to ride a jeepney before I left.

It was already past five when I arrived at our subdivision. After a couple of minutes of walk, I was already at the shortcut that leads to our street. It was a narrow and rocky pathway that was covered with tall grass, thick bushes, and trees.

While I'm walking, I suddenly heard some footsteps approaching me. For me to make sure, I decided to pause all of a sudden. But I wondered when the sound of footsteps disappeared. I looked around to check and when I saw no one, I continued walking.

But then, I heard the footsteps again. This time, I thought of walking faster and I was startled when I heard that the footsteps went fast too. This was the moment when I felt a bit nervous.

I was in the middle of the way when someone suddenly appeared from the bushes.

"Hi, miss. Where are you going?" the guy asked.

I ignored him and just continue walking. He looks like a weird guy who won't do anything good.

But he suddenly grabbed my wrist so I stopped. I was startled but my temper was worse so I turned around and faced him and gave him a glare.

"I'm still talking to you. Don't be rude."

Feels like my blood boiled and it rose up to my head.

"Get off," I commanded with a serious tone.

But he tightened the grip instead. It made me lose my temper so I quickly grabbed his arm, twisted it, lifted him up, then threw him on the ground.

I learned some self-defense skill, thanks to YouTube.

The guy groaned in pain while curling himself on the ground. And I was startled when two guys suddenly appeared from the side. I punched that one on his face then he fell on the ground.

The other one was going to attack me but my mind went blank when I saw that he was holding an ice pick!