Just The Strings (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 46

#JustTheStrings

Kabanata 46

To say that it was awkward would be the understatement of the year. I didn't know how Mama pulled it off, but she managed to make Parker stay in our house. And it had been five days since he started living with us, but nothing changed... Hindi siya lumalabas sa kwarto. If Mama wouldn't force him to eat, I believed that he would starve himself.

It felt like he didn't even have the will to live anymore... Kagaya ngayon. Kumakain kami pero wala siyang gana.

"What's your plan now, Parker?" Mama asked.

Parker was mindlessly poking his food.

"I don't know," he replied.

"Do you want to go back to study?" Hindi siya sumagot. Mama sighed. "You have all the time in the world. Just tell me when you already know what you want to do, Parker."

Natapos iyong breakfast namin na walang nagsasalita. Ilang beses na saglit akong tumingin kay Parker. He was here, but his mind was somewhere else. I wanted to console him, but even before I could get close, itinataboy niya na ako. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya lalapitan ng hindi niya ako nilalayuan. I just wanted to help, but him pushing me away was making it impossible.

Nung hapon, may usapan kami ni Saint na aalis kami. I still hadn't told him about Parker staying with us. I didn't know how I'd break it to him without him thinking the worst. I knew that Saint's an understanding guy, but even understanding people have their limits. And I didn't want to push his. Kaya naman imbes na sunduin ako ni Saint sa bahay kagaya ng palagi niyang ginagawa, I asked him to just meet me at the mall.

"You sure?" he asked. "If you're running late, I can pick you up a bit later."

I bit my lower lip. I really didn't like keeping things from him. He's so nice.

"Ah... hindi, e. Pero magpapahatid na lang ako kay Manong."

"Alright. But same time?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Mary..." he said. "Is everything alright? You sound weird."

And he's so receptive. Alam ko na hindi ko maitatago iyong tungkol kay Parker ng matagal. Saint would know, and I didn't want us to fight about this. There was nothing to fight about.

"I'm alright," I said, trying to make my voice livelier.

"You sure?"

"Yup. Everything's alright. I'll see you later. Choose a movie para pagdating ko, manonood na agad tayo."

May bago kasing cinema na may unlimited popcorn at saka drinks ako na nakita sa newsfeed ko. I just clicked like tapos a few minutes later, nagmessage na si Saint na inaaya ako na manood. Minsan, pakiramdam ko na iniistalk niya lahat ng ginagawa ko sa Facebook at Instagram. Kapag kasi may ila-like ako na kahit ano, a few days after, bibigyan niya ako ng regalo. Minsan nga, susubukan ko na maglike ng picture bagong bahay. Baka bigyan ako ni Saint.

"So, paghihintayin mo ako?" he asked.

"Bakit, may reklamo ka?"

He laughed.

"My Mary's starting to become a brat," he said, laughing. "Alright, I'll choose the movie. But don't make me wait for too long. Baka magalit ka na naman sa akin kapag may babae na nagpapicture sa akin," sabi niya at saka humalakhak ulit.

"Hindi ako nagalit nun!"

"Sure, tell that to yourself."

Hindi naman kasi talaga! May nagpapicture kasi sa kanya nung isang beses na nasa mall kami. Tapos medyo rude kasi iyong babae sa akin tapos hawak ng hawak sa katawan ni Saint... Hindi naman ako nagalit. Medyo nainis lang. Kaunti lang naman.