Hey, Cohen (COMPLETED)

GDL x Suarez (Preview)

Midnight Drives And Rendezvous

"We're leaving," mom said. I could feel the blood draining from my face. My god, Seffy! Why did you ever do that?! Paano ka haharap ngayon sa buong pamilya?! It wasn't as if I could just hide inside our house forever... e minsan pumupunta din sila dito!

Think, Seffy! Think!

"I'm feeling bad..." I said and even had the audacity to fake a cough... right in front of my doctor mother! I was just so desperate to skip this welcome party! Bakit naman kasi ngayon lang nasabi sa akin! Had I known about this, e 'di sana kahapon pa ako umalis para hindi ako mapilit na pumunta dito!

Mom touched my forehead. "You're not sick."

"Well, I feel sick."

"Just drink water," she said and then tapped my cheeks. "Magbihis ka na. We'll leave in an hour."

I grunted and shouted against the pillow. Ano'ng gagawin ko?! Hindi dapat ako pumunta doon! Hindi dapat ako magpakita! What if... what if maalala niya ako?! Bakit naman kasi hindi ko alam ang itsura niya! I should've known that it was him!

And had I known... hinding-hindi ko gagawin iyong mga pinaggagawa ko noon!

I tried to concoct a plan... but every plan I built inside my head all ended up with me accidentally bumping into him. Because who was I kidding? We're from the same circle... our families, though not blood related, were close—too close if you ask me.

God... there's no escaping him this time.

Or...

I quickly grabbed the scissors. Huminga ako nang malalim. Kaya ko 'to. Kaya ko... My god! I closed my eyes and just blindly cut a portion of my hair and turned it into bangs. Huminga ako muli nang malalim. That's it, Seffy... That's it. Your hair would grow again... kaya mo 'yan.

My whole body was shaking when I finished my artwork. I looked at my reflection... Not bad. I looked like I belong to Cleopatra's era.

Kinuha ko iyong phone ko at saka tinignan kung ano ang itsura ko nung nasa New York ako. Malayo na iyong buhok ko ngayon... I was wearing light makeup there. Okay... Time to eyeliner my way out of this situation.

By the time I was done, I couldn't recognize myself anymore. I looked like a confused Cleopatra wannabe and rocker. Whatever. Muntik na nga akong magsuot ng dark lipstick, but I figured that I might give my father a shock kapag ginawa ko 'yun.

"I'm ready," I announced.

"Okay, sweetie. We're—" Mom's words were paused when she took a look of me. I smiled at her as I watched her lips part in confusion. "What is... happening here," she said, motioning at my face.

"Did you lose a bet?" Dad asked.

Umiling ako. "No. Just new style."

"Have you seen yourself on a mirror?"

Tumango ako. "Yes. Can I..." sabi ko bago humugot ng malalim na hininga, "Leave early? I need to go somewhere."

Both of them nodded in unison. Mas gusto siguro nila na umalis na agad ako kaysa ma-weirduhan lahat ng tao sa akin. I couldn't blame them, really... I looked confused. Like I rebelled late.

We rode in a van. I was silent on the way. Of course hindi pwede na ganito ang itsura ko palagi... Baka tanggalin ako sa trabaho ko kapag ganito. But this was an emergency solution to a pressing problem. Kailangan kong mag-isip ng permanent na solution.

Maybe I'd talk to him. He seemed like a sensible guy.

Tama. Kakausapin ko siya. Though hindi ngayon... Kailangan kong mag-isip nang paraan para maintindihan niya iyong mga katangahan na ginawa ko noon. Kailangan niya akong maintindihan dahil hindi naman pwede kaming mag-iwasan! For God's sake, sigurado ako na magkikita kami palagi! Lalo pa ngayon na sabi ay dito na siya sa Pilipinas!