Chapter Two

                    Avyanna Elyse

“Woy, Avyanna, wake up, damn it it’s almost 10 am but you’re still asleep? Get up, take a bath and get going,” he said while poking my cheeck. 

“Too early, geez give me five minutes,” I said and pulled a pillow and covered my face to avoid the sunlight. 

“ANO? YOU’VE BEEN TELLING ME THAT FOR THE 3RD TIME! WAKE UP!” he shouted and stormed outside. 

Geez, too grumpy, may regla ba yon? Kung maka asta. 

I immediately took a plain  crop top polo shirt and a mom jeans to make it simple yet stylish. 

After I took a bath and put some makeup I finally flew out my room and saw my grumpy childhood crush slash husband waiting outside. 

“So where’s the car?” I asked him while putting my shades up. 

“Wala, mag co-commute, tara,” he said and because of that my eyes widened. 

“Whaat!? Heck no, I’m going to call manong jun,” I said and started dialing Kuya Jun, my driver’s number. 

“Ket tawagan mo pa yan mag co-commute parin tayo, they’re on vacation,” Rigel said while fixing his polo. 

“What in the actual, damn,” I hissed. 

“Tara, wag maarte para matuto kang mag commute mag Isa,” he said and started walking. 

“Hey! Wait!” I immediately followed him. 

                             *** 

After the long ride on a jeepney, Rigel quickly pulled my hands staring walking like we are the sweetest couple on earth.

“Good morning, Sir, Madam,” the secretary of Rigel's dad said and i gave her a wave on the hand. 

“So Nicole, should we proceed?” Rigel said while fixing his polo, like a real business man. 

“Right this way please,”  Nicole said and immediately walked first. 

“Your father wants you both to strengthen this company,” Nicole said and gave us a plastic envelope that has plenty of documents. 

And saw a CGC logo, but because Rigel was very so strict he closed the envelope at the time he saw me reading it. 

“Ang arte mo, feeling mo naman  totoong business man,” I whispered and now looking at the ceiling and noticed Nicole who’s laughing at us. 

“And the funny thing is?” Rigel said while raising his eyebrows. 

“Ahhmm, sorry it’s just you both look cute ho, bagay na bagay kayo,” Nicole said making my spirit of kalandian awoke. 

Gosh I know right. 

“Proceed,” Rigel. 

“Now, like I said earlier, Sir Albert wants you to strengthen his company, this company was the first yet not successful company, from this company you may get your daily expenses, for short mag tra-trabaho kayo habang nag a-aral,” she said and made me stand up. 

“Just like what I suspected,” Rigel calmly said, crossing his arms. 

“WHAT?! THERE’S AN EASY WAY TO HAVE MONEY, WHY BOTHER DOING THE LONG AND HAD WORK? GOSH! DOES MY DAD KNOWS THIS?” I said with furrowed eyebrows. 

“Avyanna, sit down,” Rigel pulled me down. 

“Yes, even your father approves  this, here’s  the other files that are needed, they already changed the name from Albert Gonzales and Michael Concepcion, to Rigel Lucerious Gonzales and Avyanna Elsye Concepcion, Gonzales, ”   

Gosh, seryoso nga. 

“Thank you Nicole, you may go,” Rigel dismissed her and immediately walked out. 

“Your father  just texted me to come over, let's go,” he said while taking the envelopes that Nicole gave us. 

“Rigel,” I called him making him stop.   

“What now?” he answered without looking back. 

“Are we really doing this? I mean I’m only sixteen and you’re just twenty years old, kaya ba natin yan?” I said while pointing a the envelope he's holding. 

“Syempre, ikaw hindi ako oo, wag ka nang mag arte, wala na nga kayong pera diba? kaya wag ka nang pa tanga tanga d’yan tara,” he said now looking at me with the sharpest look. 

And because of that knifes hit my heart, I mean I know, we aren’t really bankupt but what he said hurt me, He never treated me like this long ago, well not since our mom died, and the pictures he saw of me,I really didn’t know what he saw but it made him furious. 

“So were you guys surprised of the company we gave you?” Rigel’s Dad said while slicing a piece of meat.  We’re currently having dinner. 

“Not really, Dad,” Rigel answered while I’m still eating. 

                           ** 

“I’ll be taking your credit cards now Avy,” Dad said making me choke out of the blue. 

“Dad, Why? Is that really necessary?” I asked while stopping my tears. 

No, I don’t want to suffer. 

“Yes, because from this day forward you and your husband will work hard for money, kung hindi kayo mag tra-trabaho anong ka-kainin ninyo?” he answered now gesturing me to give my credit cards. 

Because Rigel was staring at me and secretly raising his eyebrows giving me a give it already stare, I took put my wallet and placed my cards in a box that dad placed infront of me. 

“Kulang ng isa Avy, hand it over,” Rigel  said making me and my dad look at each other, Dad planned to  leave one card for me to spend anything I want but  still I need to act. Because Rigel and his father is around. 

“Huh? Wala na kaya,” I said raising my eyebrows. 

But instead, he took my wallet as speed of light and took the last card and dropped it in the box, making my dad close his eyes in defeat. 

“Since its getting late, we should go now, Dad, we have classes to catch tommorow,” Rigel said while putting his arms intto my shoulders. 

What a great pretender, Rigel. 

                            ******

“Yan, weekly allowance mo, that includes you breakfast, lunch,  dinner, kanya kanya tayo ng pagkain dito kung anng say say, kung akin akin at wag kang kukuha ng maski isang pagkain, and your daily needs like pang bayad sa pag commute, o baon mo,” he said giving me 700 hundred pesos an because of that it made me stand up. 

“What? 700 hundred pesos?! Etong pera nato kulang pato sa isang kainan ko, di pa kasali dessert, are you serious? are you tying to starve me? Well I hate that idea! Sayo, ilan sayo? Baka mas malaki yan!” I shouted while pointing everywhere, my habbit whenever I shout. 

But instead of answering me he slowly put all the money inside the envelope. 

“Yan, sige bilangin mo lahat, isali mo yang 700 mo,” he said with a tightened jaw.  

I just followed what he said and couted them all, in total, 10,000 pesos. 

“10k,” I said, leaning at the back of the chair, lalayo nako baka ano pa magawa niya sakin no umiigting na ang panga niya, kung hahalikan edi masaya yon, pero kung susuntokin ako, edi ouch. 

“We have 10k, just like you counted,  700 for weekly allowance, so in one month your allowance is, 2,800 x 2 that includes mine in total of 5,600 so 10k minus 5,600 equals 4,400, minus 2k for the electric and water bill, leaves us 2,400, minus 2k for the house rental, and we have still 400 which is for our savings for the nearest emergency, any objections?” he said while seperating the money. 

Instead of  shouting my objections my eyes sparkled out of amusement. 

“Wow, Rigel, ang cool mo, how did you do that? Like you just quickly said those numbers and calculated in your mind? Tapos sinabayan mo pa ng pag divide ng pera? Wow! Turuan moko please,” I said and quickly ran besides him now pinching his arms. 

But because he was very strict he just pulled his hand and stood up. 

“Simple calculation na a-amaze ka? Sige matulog kana,” 

“Pst! Rigel!” I quickly called him, before he’d close the door of his room.

“What now?” he said now looking at me.

“Did you know na crush kita since then? Yieee goodnight!” I said and quickly ran towards my room not waiting for his  reply, kasi alam ko pang lait o di kaya masakit sasabihin niya.

At least alam niya na.

                             ****

The shine of the beautiful sunlight waked me up and slowly opened my eyes while smling not untill…..

“GOOODDMOORRNIINGG!!” Big eyes, big nostrils red lips and plenty of holes on the face being closed to my face, very close that made me scream. 

“JUSMIO MAHABAGIN MAMATAY KA NA NGAYON DIN!!”  I shouted and jumped.

“Ouch, Nag Good morning nga lang ako pinapalanginan  pa akong mamatay,” Our land landy said while holding a broom. 

“Ohh, Good morning rin ho,” I said, fixing my hair and giving her a awkward smile.

“Oh, sya, sige wag ka nang mag taka kung bat andito ako, dahil hindi ko kayo napag lutuan noong unang araw ninyo rito, ngayon ko nalang ginawa, tsaka nag linis naki usap yong asawa mo eh, yong asawa mo pala, umalis na,” she said while the floor.

“WHHAAT??! He supposed to wait for me!!” I shouted and ran inside the bathroom.

“WAHHH!! ATE!! WHY IS THE WATER COLD??! THE LAST TIME I SHOWER THE WATER’S ALAYS WARM !!” I shouted when I flipped the tabo.

“HAH? NAKO, NENG DATI PA YAN MALAMIG, PAG PASENSYAHAN MO NA KUNG WALANG SHOWER NA MAINIT AH,” She shouted back.

After I took my breakfast that the land lady cooked I quickly hop on at a jeep who’s not full  yet.

                             **

And while the jeep runs I noticed a man texting her daughter.

Because I was bored and forgot to bring my phone I couldn’t help but read their conversaton since he doesn’t noticed it.

ANENG TM

Tay, may handa po ba tayo sa birthday ko ngayon?

Nako…. Anak.. wAla..cNo kasama.. mo deyan?

Ahh, akala ko ho, mag hahanda tayo, mag ta-tatlong taong birthday na ho akong walang handa tay eh.. joke lang tay, si mama po at si dodong.

Because of what I read my heart was about to cry when a light blusted out of my brain.

I  immediately took out my 500 pesos and called him.

“Excuse me po, kuya?” I called him while poking his arms.

“Ano yon neng?” he answered.

“May I ask how much yong pamasahe dito? Its my first time kasing mag jeep kasi sira yong car ko,” I asked while smiling and now even smiled when he looked at the money im holding right now.

“Ah, ganun ba?, 500 pesos yong pamasahe dito neng eh,” he said who'd perfectly took the bait.

“Ahh, is that so? Can you pleasegive it to them po kuya? I saw everyone passing their payment eh, thank you po,” I said.

“Dito lang po!” a student who has the same uniform of mine shouted, seeing her going down, when I saw that we are already here. I quickly go down, baka  ibigay ni kuya pabalik yong money.

When I ws about to enter the school someone grabbed my hand and pulled it in place where no one is around.

“Ampocha, bobo kaba Avyanna? Hah? Diba tinuruan na kita  kung papaano sumakay ng jeep at kung ilan ang pamasahe? 10 pesos ang pamasahe Avyanna, tanginang 10 pesos, tapos anong ginawa mo? Nag pauto ka sa katabi mong 500 ang pamasahe ano ka? Gago? Eh alam mong nag titipid kana, nag papabola kapa, oh anong  kakainin mo sa isang linggo? Bato? Anong pampamasahe mo? Ayosin o nga sarili mo! Wag na wag kang kakain ng bibilhin ko! Bakit mo ginawa yon hah! Sagot!” Rigel shouted at my face, with an angry eyes, veins of hes  showing, while my tears are falling down.

“Fine! I know! I know!” I shouted back.

“Oh! Alam mo naman pala eh! Bat mo ginawa!” he shouted.

“Shut up! Damn! Yan ang problema sayo Rigel eh! Puro ka bato ng mga masasakit na salita habang yong binabatohan mo di o an ang binigyan ng pagkakataon na mag paliwanag, I did that on purpose, I saw that man being sad while texting her daughter about her birthday kung mag hahanda na daw sila! Kasi mag tatatlong taon na syang nag bi-birthday na walang handa ! that’s why I did that on purpose!” I shouted while crying.

“OH! SIGURADO KA BANG TOTO YON! NAPAKA BOBO MO AVY! PANO MO NASISIGURADONG TOTOO YON?! SIGURADO KA BA SA NABASA MO?!” He shouted.

I took a deep breath before answering him, and dried my tears using my hands while smiling.

“Yes, look,” I said now looking at the man whos buying cake across the street. And that made Rigel quiet.

“Next time, when you talk something hurtful to others without knowing their side, stop, and learn how to,” I said and walked out, walking fast to enter the campus.