Returning Home

"Mark Sebastian Esquivel, gising naaaaa!" Rinig ko ang pagkalabog ng puting pinto kung saan pumasok si Andrea.

Maya-maya pa, naramdaman ko ang pag-uga ng kama ko. Pinatid ko ang paa ni Andrea na walang tigil sa pagtalon.

"Aray! Bakit kasi ayaw mo pang bumangon diyan? Maninipa ka pa, batukan kita, e!" she ranted. She rolled her baby blue eyes while her hands are on her hips then start walking away. She banged my door so loudly, I hear it crack.

Damn that woman, I said on my mind. She have a gut to jump up and down to my starry night themed bed cover and she's the one who's angry? Pathetic.

I scratch the back of my head while lumbering towards my white comfort room. I look at myself in the mirror, tousled hair with a bulbous nose. My eyebrows are long but in a thin line with my pouty lips.

After I examine the ugly creature in the mirror, I start brushinh my teeth and take a shower. I need to be productive today.

I amble on the stair and heard my friends having an argument about something.

"I already told 'ya! That's MY cookies, not yours! Why are you always like that? I just got home from the gym tapos ito ang maaabutan ko?" Theo's face is red and I can see his veins popping out.

"Chill, man. I'm starving and that's the first thing I saw on the refrigerator. I can't just die because of starvation. Besides, It's just cookies, I can buy you thousands of it." Nichole trying to explain why she ate the whole box of Theo's favorite cookie.

"It is JUST a cookie! The thing is, it is given by an important person, Nichole. A VERY important person! I don't care if you can buy me even millions of it! You're not as special as her!" He strode upstairs while mumbling like "I wish I could kill her " thing.

Tinignan ko ang perming naka-upo na si Nichole. Tahimik lang siya habang nanonood ng telibisyon na parang walang nangyari. I know she's hurtful, she's just trying to hide the fact that Theo's word really got into her.

"Bakit kasi sa lahat ng pwede mong kainin sa refrigerator, 'yong cookies pa ni Theo?" Andrea question Nichole and sat beside her.

Nichole tear up, I know she can't hold it anymore. I patted her back, letting her feel that it's alright to cry sometimes.

"Nagutom lang naman ako,masama bang magutom? Sana kasi nilagyan niya ng sign na may lason 'yon para hindi ko ginalaw. Akala ko pa naman, ayos lang. Papalitan ko naman mamaya, e."

The three of us—including Kevin who's been quite since the argument started—hugged Nichole.

Nichole has a dreamy gray-colored eyes. Together with her naturally long and thick eyelashes and eyebrows. Fair skin with rosy cheeks. A beautifully carved pointy nose with her pouty thick lips.

She looks a little bit Demi Lovato but Nichole's face looks younger—like she never age.

Sikat na artista si Nichole. Infact, she has her own name on walk of fame in Hollywood. She's known for being cool and such. They even thought she got no emotion.

Funny, isn't it? She doesn't have any reaction on some things. But deep inside, may pake siya. Sweet and caring, some of her fans can't appreciate her efforts tho.

While Theo—the angry ogre because of cookies—is the owner of one of the most famous airline that he inherited from his parents.

Lagi siyang laman ng gym kaya may matitigas siyang bato na nakadikit sa katawan niya. He got a brown-colored messy perm hairstyle, a hump nose and a thicker lips than nichole. He also got a tattoo on his wrist, right arm, and left chest.

Nichole seemed to calm a bit. She look like a lost puppy. After minutes of sobbing, she finally said her goodbye to us.

"Sino kaya sa tingin mo nagbigay sa kumag na 'yon ng cookies para magalit pa siya kay Nichole? Baka sugar mommy niya?" Kevin wondered with a hint of joke. I jokingly punch his arm.

"Gago! 'Pag narinig ka no'n, sapak abot mo. Baka nalilimutan mo, siya may pinakamalaking muscle sa atin," I exclaimed as the corner of my mouth lifted.

"Baka nalilimutan mo rin na ikaw lang ang walang abs and muscles dito. Kayang-kaya ko 'yon labanan," he quipped as his chest sticking out and his arm lifted in the air, showing his rocks on the arm. Indicating that he's strong.

His smile slowly faded as he saw my eyes looking at him sharply and my lips are on point. He lifted his arms once again, palm opened. He Looks like he's surrending from a police officer.

"You, asshole!" We started running around the living room. When we got at the bottom of the stair, we almost bumped on Nichole.

She's standing right in front of us while looking with a confused look.

"Honestly, Guys, be mature! Stop running around the living room breaking all the furniture." We looked at the whole living room. She's right, there's a broken glass vases and picture frames everywhere.

"Anyway, would you like to go with me to the grocery store? I will buy some foods so I don't have to steal someone else's food on refrigerator. But first things first, clean the mess you made." She pointed on the floor and sat at the couch.

"Yes, of course! Baka mamaya, 'yong sa akin naman 'yong kainin mo, mahirap na." I nudged his elbow, thinking it might offend her.

Kinuha ko ang walis at dust pan habang si Kevin naman ang nag-vacuum ng gilid -gilid at ilalim ng couches.

Nagpaalam muna kami kay Nichole para magpalit. She look at us with her famous disgusted look.

Nang makalabas ako sa kwarto, nakita ko si Andrea sa hallway ng 2nd floor. Kaliligo niya lang din.

"Aga mo maligo, a? Parang kanina, ayaw mo pa bumangon. Saan ka pupunta?" Giggles can be heard as she finished her sentence. She's always energetic, is she's using drugs? Maybe she's high.

If Nichole has black waist-length hair, Andrea has wavy ash gray and hip-lenght hair. Her long—but fake— eyelashes that matches her almond shaped eyes. Her presence can make any men on modeling industry feel like a jelly.

"Sasamahan lang namin si Nichole mag-grocery. Sama ka?" Anyaya ko. Sana hindi na siya sumama. Hiling ko. Panibagong ingay na naman sa kotse 'pag nagkataon.

"Ha? O, sige! Sandali, magre-retouch lang ako. H'wag niyo akong iiwan, ha?" Parang bata niyang pakikiusap. Tango na lamang ang itinugon ko, ang tagal.

Kasabay ng pagsara ng furnished na pinto ni Nichole ay ang paglabas ng lalaking naka-black na sweater that paired with black ripped jeans and white shoes. Sandali kaming nagkatinginan.

"Bro, magpalit ka nga! Idol mo ba 'ko o gaya-gaya ka talaga? Ang pangit, 'di bagay sa 'yo, sa akin lang bagay! Pupunta tayo ng grocery ng parehas ang suot? Twinny tayo?" angil ko ng makita si Kevin. Parehasna parehas ang suot niya sa akin. Ang tatak lang sa harap ang pinagka-iba.

Nginusuan niya lang ako saka dali-daling tumakbo pababa. Kahit kailan talaga, abnormal.

Kevin has a funny and sweet personality. I should also add that his a gullible person. He also has a masculine body that matches his sharp face. Side part kind of hairstyle, unibrows, and a long nose that makes him more attractive.

I go downstairs with Nichole who's wearing a pink off shoulder assymetric dress with a little white flowers around her waist and at the bottom. She's also wearing a red stiletto heels as her footwear.

"Handa na ba kayong bumalik sa Pilipinas?" inquired Nichole while looking at the window of my car. We're driving our way home.

"Aba, sinong hindi? Malay niyo, doon ko na mahanap ang Mr. Right ko! Ay, naku! Parang gusto ko na tuloy gumora ngayon." Andrea exclaimed excitedly.

"Bakit ka pa maghahanap sa Pilipinas, kung nandito naman ako? Pilipino rin naman ako," biro ni Kevin kay Andrea habang naka-pout. Isang malakas na batok ang natanggap niya na naging dahilan ng hagalpakan namin.

"Alam mo, kahit kailan talaga, wala kang maisip na matino! Edi nasira friendship natin 'pag nag-break tayo? Engot!"

"Biro lang naman, 'kala mo papatulan kita? 'di na, uy! Lugi ka-gwapuhan ko, 'no! Tsk, si Andrea na lang lalahian ko. 'Di ba, Andrea?" Kinalabit niya si Andrea na nasa passenger seat katabi ko.

"Tigilan mo 'ko, Kevin. Baka masapak kita."

"Bakit ba ayaw niyooo? Maganda naman lahi ko, a? Tsk, bahala nga kayo sa buhay niyo!"

Simangot na bumaba si Kevin ng kotse pag-uwi namin. Kasalukuyan kaming nasa New Zealand at binabalak namin umuwi ng Pilipinas bukas.

Kinagabihan, nakita kong pababa si Nichole sa sala. Dala-dala ang cookies na binili namin sa grocery store kanina. Kakainin niya 'yon? 'Kala ko para kay Theo 'yon?

A la una na rin ng umaga at nauuhaw ako kaya sinundan ko siya pababa. Pinagmasdan ko siya habang kumukuha ako ng tubig sa refrigerator. Papunta siya sa madilim na parte ng sala. Doon siya kakain? Weird.

Maya-maya pa, narinig ko siyang nagsalita. Okay, natatakot na 'ko kay Nichole. Bakit siya nagsasalita mag-isa sa madilim na parte ng bahay? Paano kung hindi pala siya 'yong kumain ng cookies tapos may engkanto lang siyang binibigyan? Teka, may engkanto ba sa ibang bansa?

Dali-dali akong tumakbo papuntang hagdan ng walang nililikhang ingay. Nang nasa ikalimang hakbang na 'ko paliko sa spiral na hagdan, narinig ko ang sinabi ni Nichole sa kausap niya.

"Sorry na kasi. Hindi ko naman alam na sa 'yo 'yon—okay,maybe alam ko na sa 'yo 'yon—pero hindi ko naman alam na magiging ganiyan ka ka-galit, e. Tanggapin mo na 'tong peace offering ko, ayaw kong umuwi sa Pinas nang hindi tayo magka-ayos." Mukhang seryoso sila at sa tingin ko naman malapit na sila magka-ayos.

E, kung si Theo ang kausap ni Nichole, e di walang engkanto sa bahay? I can't hold my laughter because of my foolishness.

Nakita ko ang sabay na pagtingin nila sa hagdan kung saan ako nakasilip sa direksyon nila. Sigurado akong kitang-kita ako dahil sa nakasabit na chandelier sa ceiling na nakatapat sa hagdan.

"Seb, nag-uusap kami, hindi magandang nakikinig ka sa usapan ng iba," fumed Nichole on a very cold tone.

I cleared my throat before speaking, "Ah, yes. I'm sorry, I just thought you were talking to yourself. I don't mean to eavesdrop. I'm gonna go back to my room now."

Nang makabalik ako sa kuwarto ko, saka ako humagalpak ng tawa. Magkanda-iyak-iyak pa 'ko sa katangahan ko. Seryoso, bakit ko naisip 'yon? Ang tanga ko naman.

Naisipan kong ipinta ang katangahan ko ngayong umaga. Dalawang oras din ang ginugol ko bago matapos.

Kalmado akong nakahiga sa kamang malambot nang biglang sumagi sa isip ko ang nangyaring salot sa buong mundo, isang taon na ang nakakaraan.

Tanda ko pa ang bakas ng takot at pagaalala sa mukha bawat ng tao na makakasalamuha ko. Ikalawang taon namin noon dito sa New Zealand kasama sina Theo, Kevin, Andrea, at Nichole.

Isang model si Andrea at Kevin kaya ganoon na lamang sila ka-close. Habang si Theo naman, nagkakilala kami dahil naiwan ako ng flight para sa photoshoot ni Nichole at iba pang movie stars. Siya ang nagbigay sa akin ng private plane. Mula noon, lagi na kaming nagco-communicate.

Nang makarating ako sa building kung saan magkakaroon ng photoshoot, doon ko nakilala ng personal si Nichole. Gaya ng sabi nila, malamig maki-tungo,hindi ka kakausapin kong 'di ka mags-start ng conversation. Isa lang ang maling pagkaka-describe sa kaniya, ang pagkakaroon ng masamang ugali. May mental issues si Nichole kaya ganoon siya makitungo, nabanggit niya 'yon nang minsan kaming nag-kuwentuhan.

Nag-set kami ng schedule para makapag-pahinga o makapag-bakasyon. Dito namin napagdesisyunan sa rest house ng pamilya namin manuluyan. Hindi namin inasahan na saka magsisimula ang outbreak kung kailan, malayo kami sa pamilya namin.

Busy na mga tao, takot at nagaalala kung anong pwedeng mangyari kinabukasan. Ang iba nga ay hindi alam kung aabutan pa ba ng umaga.

Mula nang magkaroon ng Corona Virus, hindi na naging normal ang pamumuhay ng mga tao. Laging nandoon ang takot na baka maulit muli kung gaanong paghihirap ang dinanas ng buong mundo.

Nang maka-recover na ang buong mundo, may isang lugar ang hindi na nakayanan ang pangyayari. Tuluyan na silang sumuko. Isa sa kinakatakutang lugar ng mga tao dahil sa haka haka.Pumikit ako para makapag-relax bago ang flight namin.