Kendrick's POV
It's past twelve midnight and she just got home. Last night she got home at eleven o'clock. I don't want to think bad things about her work, but who wouldn't think bad things about her work when she comes home at this time?
I like to think that her work is as noble as her innocent face but how can I think about that if she comes home like this, looking drunk. Nakuha pa niyang kumanta habang binubuksan ang pintuan.
I opened the bedroom door and peeked at her in the living room. She sings as she takes off her shoes and throws them somewhere.
I just shook my head and went back to my bed. I guess I was wrong in thinking that she works for a bpo company kaya dis oras na siya ng gabi nakakauwi. Sa itsura niya ngayon mas mukha siyang nagtatrabaho sa isang cabaret. who is the sane woman who goes home at this time of night diba?! I didn't know that her life was this difficult at nagawa nitong magbenta ng panandaliang aliw.
I'm annoyed and still don't want to believe myself that she works in such a place. Nagpabago bago ako ng posisyon sa pagkakahiga para makatulog ngunit hindi parin ako dalawin ng antok. I don't want to speculate answers to my questions kaya mas mabuting tanungin ko nalang siya ng direkta para hindi maghula kung ano nga ba.
I stood up and left the room to ask her what her job was, kaso nakita kong mahimbing na siyang natutulog sa mahabang sofa. Her mouth was even slightly open. My eyes were left on her open wet lips as if she's inviting me to kiss her.
I'm not easily tempted and seduced, because if I need a woman I can easily get one. Bukod tangi lang siya nakakuha ng atensyon ko at nagpagulo sa isipan ko. Inayos ko nalang ang katawan niya sa pagkakahiga and covered her with blanket. Sa inis ko ay tinakpan ko narin ang ulo niya. I returned to my bed and forced myself to sleep.
****
I was sitting in a chair across from her while I watched her yawn. Ang haba ng tulog niya habang ako hindi nakatulog kahit saglit kakaisip kung saan siya galing and why she came home drunk.
when she opened her eyes she seemed surprised because I was in front of her. "Good morning" she said and she sat down folding her blanket.
"Good morning" I said with a frown as I looked straight into her eyes
She raised her eyebrows and met my gaze "ang aga aga mukhang wala ka sa mood" she said ang stood up
"Kung nagugutom ka huwag mo na akong hintayin magising at magkusa ka nalang, may bigas at neatloaf naman diyan" she said as she walked to the kitchen.
"where did you come from last night and why did you come home so late?" I asked as I followed behind her. She faced me with her arms folded and one eyebrow raised.
"Diba sabi ko sa'yo nagtatrabaho ako? Natural lang din gabihin ako kasi pang gabi ang trabaho ko" she answered with her arms folded
"what kind of job do you have and you come home drunk?!" I couldn't help raising my voice in my question.
"Hoy lalake! Wala kang karapatan questionin ako okay?! Wala ka rin karapatan sigaw sigawan ako sa pamamahay ko! Pero para manahinik ka sasagutin ko ang tanong mo! Galing ako sa trabaho sa ihawan at may mga gangsters akong nakaaway! Tignan mo may mga gasgas pa nga ako oh!" Mataray na sagot nito habang dinuduro ako. She also showed the scratches she got. "Tapos pagkatapos ng trabaho naaya ako ni Tine mag shot, sa sama ng loob ko hindi ko namalayan napadami na pala ang inom ko. Hindi ko nga alam paano ako nakauwi" kwento niya.
I pulled her hand and looked at her scratch. She has a scratch on his elbow and palm. I want to be angry with her for being careless pero mas nagagalit ako sa kung sino man ang may gawa ng mga gasgas niya..
"Who the fuck did this to you?" I clench my teeth asking her
She pulled her hand and looked at me as if confused. "H-huwag mo nalang alamin tapos narin  naman" she avoided my gaze and stuttered "d-doon ka nalang muna sa sala magluluto lang ako ng almusal" Sabi pa niya
I'm not done asking her yet, but I decided to follow what she asked me to do. Bumalik ako sa may sala at pinanood nalang siya habang abala sa pagluluto.
I watched her every move as well as her whole body. Naalala ko na naman kung paano ako naging parang teenager kagabi ng nakawan ko siya ng halik sa labi. Damn! I thought I would be able to sleep after that kiss pero lalo akong hindi nakatulog.
"Do you work at the grill every day?" I asked
"Oo, wala naman pahinga doon pwede kang magtrabaho mula lunes hanggang linggo kung gusto mo. Pwede karin naman umabsent pero dapat magpaalam ka muna, bawal rin umabsent ng sabado at linggo marami kasing bumibili sa mga araw na iyon" she answered and turned off the stove. Mukhang luto na yung walang kamatayang meatloaf na pinapaulam.niya sa'kin.
She looked where I was and raised her eyebrow. I frowned as I look at her. Bakit ba kasi nagtataray na naman siya.
"Bantayan mo ang sinaing at hinaan ang apoy kapag kumulo na, bibili lang ako ng uulamin natin sa palengke" she said at pumasok siya sa banyo.
When she came out of the bathroom nakatapis nalang siya ng tuwalya. God! didn't she even think that she had a man in the house with her?!
She casually walked into the room and when she came out mukha na siyang disente. She's wearing a t-shirt and shorts.
"Pupunta lang ako saglit sa palengke may ipabili ka ba?" She asked
"Nothing, but I hope you buy a sensible dish, not canned food" I answered
"Huwag ka ng magreklamo pagtyagaan mo nalang kung anong meron, kapag sumahod ako sa linggo mag sisinigang na baboy tayo. Kailangan natin mag tipid malapit na dumating bill natin sa kuryente" I really don't want to complain and I understand her situation. I'm not only thinking about myself but also about her. Everyone knows that canned food is not good for the body lalo na kung araw araw delata ang kinakain.
While I was watching her put on her sandals, I saw the scratches on her elbow again. I can't help but be annoyed. Nakipag away daw siya sa gangsters? Seriously?
"Ikaw na ang bahala sa bahay alis na ako" paalam pa niya bago umalis at lumabas ng bahay.
When the rice was cooked I turned off the stove and went to the room. Kumikirot ang sugat ko sa tiyan kaya naman tinignan ko ito. Maayos naman ito kailangan lang sigurong linisan. I took my medicine against pain and infection, luckily I didn't get a fever.
******
"Psst Kendrick gising na kain na tayo" I slowly opened my eyes until our eyes met. Damn! why is she so beautiful? I looked at her lips that I stole a kiss from last night as if she was inviting me to kiss them again. "Hoy! Para kang namaligno ah! Okay ka lang ba?" She asked touching my forehead.
"I'm fine" I said and removed her hand from my forehead
"Bigla ka nalang kasing natulala akala ko nagdedeliryo kana"
"Stupid" I said and sat on the bed
What a fool to think that I was stunned because of delirium. Can't she think other than that? I was stunned because of her beauty. She's beautiful but yeah stupid.
"Ay grabe ka talaga, concern lang naman ako natawag pang stupid. Malay ko ba kung napano ka na bigla ka nalang natulala at hindi nagsasalita. Sa susunod hindi na kita gigisingin bahala kang mamatay nalang sa gutom" She said before he left the room annoyed with me.
Sumunod ako sa likuran niya at umupo sa katapat ng inuupuan niya. I couldn't hide my smile when I saw the food served on the table. I immediately scooped up some rice and put chopseuy on my plate.
"what came to your mind and you cooked chopseuy?"
"Mura kasi ang gulay ngayon tsaka hindi ka pwedeng kumain ng malansa no choice tuloy ako kundi mag gulay"
"
Nice. Vegetables are good for the body you should take advantage habang mura pa"
"Hindi naman ako mahilig sa gulay ayoko nga sa gulay e" she said and took the carrots and cauliflower from her plate and put them on my plate
I looked at her plate and the only thing left was cabbage.
"What are you doing? Bakit ayaw mo sa gulay? Vegetables are so delicious" I said seriously
"Huwag mo akong intindihin kumain ka nalang diyan"
"What? Seriously?" I put down my cutlery and looked her in the eyes.
"Jusmiyo huwag mo ngang gawing big deal, Hindi ko naman sinabi na hindi ako kakain. Wala akong balak magpagutom okay?" She said and showed me how she took a spoonful of rice with cabbage in it.
"Now I know the reason why you are so stupid, because stupid people don't eat vegetables." I said and continued eating
"Hindi ibig sabihin hindi kumakain ng gulay ay tanga nga no! Hindi ko lang hilig kainin yung cauliflower at carrots pero may mga gulay din naman akong gusto"
"Don't explain, you're still stupid and getting more and more stupid when you explain. Tss"
"Alam mo gwapo ka sana pero ang pangit ng ugali mo. Dahil pangit ang ugali mo pumapangit din ang itsura mo. Sa totoo nga niyan papangit ka ng papangit sa paningin ko ngayon. Malapit na nga kitang buhusan ng tubig sa mukha e, nagmumukha kana kasing tae" she said and stood up
"What the f?! We are in front of food you're disgusting!" I said dropping the cutlery I was holding.
"Sumosobra kana kasi! Tigilan mo kakatawag sakin ng stupid dahil hindi ako stupid!" She said with her hands on her wais. Her whole face was red, halatang galit na galit.
"You can't stop me from calling you stupid because you are stupid. You dummy" I said making her even more angry.
"Yaaahhhh!" She yelled and started hitting me. She didn't give a damn about where her blows landed and she just kept hitting me. With her small body, I did not know that she was hiding such strength.
Habol ang kanyang hininga nung kumalma na siya. Her eyes are still sharp but you can read on her face that she is worried.
I held my wounded stomach that I protected earlier from her blows. Mabuti nalang naiwas kong matamaan ang sugat ko kung hindi bumuka na sigurado ito.
"A-ano masakit?! K-kasalanan mo yan! Isang stupid mo pa sa'kin m-mamamatay kana!" I would have believe her if she hadn't stuttered. "Patingin ako ng sugat mo" she didn't wait for me to lift my clothes at siya na ang nagtaas. Napangiti naman ako sa naging reaction niya. She looked like a gentle cat who was scared while looking at my wound.
So she treated my wound and apologize sa pambubugbog niya sa'kin kanina. Nakakatuwa lang dahil sa lahat ng nag so sorry siya pa ang galit at naninisi na kasalanan ko daw talaga. She looked like she was about to cry pagtitripan ko pa sana pero huwag na. I nodded as if I agreed with what she said para lang hindi siya umiyak at matapos na.
****