2: UNLUCKY ME

SIERRA'S POV!

The house was loud without actually being loud.

Dinig na dinug ko ang mga ibang maid na naglilinis sa kusina nag huhuhas at nag arrange ng mga mamahaling plato. Ang iba ay nasa garden angdidilig ng halaman at nag tritrim bawat isa ay may kanya kanyang ginagawa at walang may balak na pansinin ako. I moved through the living room with a cleaning rag in my hand like part of the furniture noticed only if I was in the way.

Yumoko ako at nagsimulang punasan ang maliit na coffee table kahit malinis naman talaga ito.

Not because it needed it.

Because standing still invites attention.

My aunt walked past me, phone pressed to her ear, her voice low and annoyed. She didn’t acknowledge me. Not with a glance. Not with a word. I might as well have been air.

That was normal.

Existing quietly was the only way to exist at all in this house.

I was putting the cleaning supplies back when I heard Claire’s voice from upstairs—sharp, already raised, already irritated.

“Nasaan na ‘yung bag ko? Daddy nangako ka!”

No answer.

A few seconds later, her footsteps thundered down the stairs.

“Nasaan na ‘yung bagong bag ko?” she repeated, louder this time.

My uncle answered from the dining area, tired. “Claire, hindi pa pwede.”

“Bakit hindi?” she snapped. “Pinangako niyo ‘yon sa’kin.”

“Wag muna ngayon” my aunt said. “May inaayos pa kami ng daddy mo sa  kumpanya.”

At tila takuring kumukulo ay sumabog sa galit si Claire

“Ano?” Claire’s voice jumped an octave. “So dahil may problema kayo sa negosyo, ako ang mag-aadjust?”

“Claire—”

“Hindi ko kasalanan na palpak ‘yang kumpanya!” she shouted. “At kailangan ko ‘yon. Lahat ng kaibigan ko meron na!”

I stayed where I was, eyes on the floor. Nanginginig ako habang sinusubukang wag siyang titigan dahil alam ko na ang susunod na mangyayari.

Claire’s anger needed a direction. And it never pointed upward.

At ang mga mata niya ay dumapo sa akin....of course its gonna be me

.

“Anong tini tingin tingin mo!?” she snapped. “Nakakatuwa ba ang nangyayari sa akin ha?!”

I blinked. Slowly.

“C-Claire hindi—”

Ngunit hindi ko na natuloy ang sasabihin ko ng isang malakas na sampal ang dumapo sa aking mga pisngi. Sa sobrang lakas nito tila ramdam ko ang hapdi at mukhang nag iwan din ito ng mapulang marka.

My head snapped to the side. I tasted metallic taste in my mouth as a few boood drips inside my mouth because of the sudden impact.

“Tumatawa ka sa nangyayari sa’kin?” Claire screamed.

“I wasn’t,” I said automatically, the words barely formed.

Another slap.

“You stupid bitch!” she demanded. “Masaya ka ba na may problema kami?”

I didn’t answer in time at akala ko titigil na siya pero mas lalo lamang yata siya nagalit.

Agad na dumapo ang mga kamay niya sa pisngi ko ng paulit ulit....sampal dito sampal doon at sa bawat paglapat ng mga kamay niya sa labi ko ay may kasama itong masasakit na mga mura at pag aakusa.

“Malas ka! You fucking bitch!”

“Simula nung nandito ka, puro problema na lang!”

“I fucking hate your ugly face! Tanga! Inutil! Bobo!”

I stopped trying to explain.

Explaining assumes someone wants to understand.

I stared at the floor, my thoughts racing even as my body stayed still... Its hopeless hindi titigil si Claire hanggang nailabas niya na lahat ng galit niya sa katawan ko.

Somewhere behind her, I was aware of my aunt and uncle. Nakatingin, Nag oobserba ngunit oarehong walang may pake sa nangyayari sa akin.

When Claire finally stepped back, breathing hard, she looked satisfied. Drained. Like she’d released something heavy.

She scoffed. “Ayan...yan ang bagay sayo unlucky bitch!”

Then she turned to my aunt. “Tignan mo. Bad luck talaga. Kahit wala siyang ginagawa, nakakainis.”

My aunt sighed, rubbing her temple. “Sierra, ayusin mo nga ang sarili mo...you look like a mess”

That was it. Na tila ba hindi nila nakita kung paano ako pagsasampalin ng anak nila.. Pero ano pa nga ba ang expect ko sa kanila hindi naman ito ang unang beses na sa akin inilabas ni Claire ang galit niya....at mukhang hindi din ito ang huli.

I walked to the bathroom, shut the door quietly, and stared at my reflection.

Red marks bloomed across my cheek. My eyes looked flat. Distant.

I pressed cold water to my skin and watched the color fade slightly.

I didn’t cry.

Crying would mean I still expected something different.

As I cleaned myself up, one thought kept circling in my head—clear, steady, unbroken.

They don’t hate me because I did something wrong.

They hate me because I exist when it’s inconvenient.

Claire needed someone to blame for the bag she couldn’t have.

My aunt and uncle needed someone expendable while their world cracked.

And I was easy.

I dried my face, tied my hair back, and went to the kitchen.

Dinner still needed to be made.

This house doesn’t see me as family.

It sees me as a cost.

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