Chapter 5: Consequence

Isang marahas na tapik sa balikat ang nagpagising kay Lauren kinabukasan. Her head was pounding from lack of sleep and her eyes were throbbing from crying too much.

“Mabuti naman at gising ka na, Lauren. Bumangon ka na riyan at ipagtimpla mo ko ng kape,” utos agad sa kanya ni Tita Lileth. Nakaayos na ang kanyang tiyahin, bagong ligo rin.

Ipinagala niya ang kanyang tingin sa may dingding. It’s just eight in the morning. Last time she checked the time, it was 5:30 A.M. Meaning, she just had two and half hours of sleep. Pero heto na naman ang tiyahin niya at inuutusan siyang magtimpla ng kape nito.

“Bilisan mo na riyan. Pupuntahan ko ngayon ang mga kakilala ko. Susubukan kong ayusin ‘yang gulong pinasok mo. Pero hindi ibig sabihin na gumagawa ako ng paraan, hindi mo na gagawin ang pinagapagawa ko sa 'yo. Makikiusap ka pa rin kay Jerome sa ayaw o sa gusto mo,” anito, mabilis na humithit sa sigarilyo at naglakad patungo sa kitchen.

She released a slow breath. She really can’t have a break, can she?

Patamad siyang bumangon sa sofa kung saan siya natulog at pilit na tumalima sa utos ng tiyahin. She even made her aunt a toast, gaya ng usual breakfast nito. She used to do that to her noong nakatira pa siya sa poder nito. But when she startd bringing in money, kumuha na ito ng personal nanny nito na siya rin ang nagpapasweldo.

Matapos pagsilbihan ang tiyahin, binalak niyang umakyat sa kanyang kwarto. She wanted to take a bath, hoping that a cold shower would wash some of her worries away. Subalit hindi pa man siya nakakalayo, muling nagsalita ang tiyahin niya.

“Malaki itong townhouse mo, Lauren. Ang sabi ni Mrs. Chua, pwedeng itong ibenta ng at least 4 million dahil maganda ang location,” ang kanyang tiyahin, habang kumakain ng agahan.

Agad siyang natigilan, muli itong hinarap. Ang Mrs. Chua na tinutukoy nito ay isa sa mga amiga nito sa casino at may negosyong lending. She suddenly had a feeling where the conversation is going and she doesn’t like it. “A-ano po ang ibig ninyong sabihin, Tita?”

Marahan nitong inilapag sa mesa ang tasa ng kape nito bago bumaling sa kanya. “Ibebenta ko itong townhouse mo, gagawin kong pasalo para hindi na tayo mahirapan sa pagbabayad sa bangko. At least I can still make some cash out of it bago maubos ang lahat ng naipundar mo dahil d’yan sa kakatihan mo,” anito sa kaswal na tinig bago muling humigop ng kape.

Agad niyang naikuyom ang kanyang mga kamay. Pinagpaguran niya ang bahay na iyon. ‘Yon lang ang masasabing naipundar niya. Hindi pa iyon bayad, she still had three years left to pay. But she would do everything in her power to pay for it. It’s the only safe haven she has—away from the public eyes, away from her abusive aunt.

“Hindi ko po ibebenta ang bahay ko, T-Tita,” lakas loob niyang pahayag.

Agad na nagsalubong ang mga kilay ng tiyahin. “At bakit?”

Hindi siya agad makasagot. Not that she didn't want to. She wanted to. Had always wanted to impose her right as the one bringing in the money. But…

“Ano, ipagdadamot mo itong bahay mo sa akin? Alalahanin mo, Lauren, marami ka pang utang sa akin,” umpisa nito, bago itinuloy-tuloy ang paglilitanya tungkol sa mga bagay na utang daw niya rito—mga ginastos nito sa pagpapalaki sa kanya. “Kung balak mong magpakapulubi kapag naubos na nang tuluyan ang projects at endorsements mo dahil na rin sa ginawa mong iskandalo, puwes, mag-isa ka. I will not go back to that old bank, working my ass off day and night just to feed you, you ungrateful imbecile!” gigil na dugtong ng kanyang tiyahin. Ilang sandali pa, she watched her aunt leave the house.

She heaved a sigh. Matagal nang sinasabi ni Micha sa kanya that her aunt woudn’t be satisfied with whatever she brings to the table. And she knew that. But what can she do, pagbali-baliktarin man ang mundo, pinalaki siya nito, pinag-aral, binihisan. Utang niya rito ang buhay niya. Pero madalas, naiisip niya rin, hanggang saan ba talaga ang hanggangan ng pagbabayad niya ng utang na loob?

Agad siyang napatingin sa cellphone niya na nasa ibabaw ng coffee table nang mag-ring iyon. She quickly walked over towards it and checked who was calling her. Nang makita niya ang pangalan ni Jerome sa screen, she quickly put her phone on silent mode.

She doesn’t want to talk to him now kahit pa na ‘yon ang pilit na inuutos ng Tita Lileth niya. Darating ang panahon na makikipag-usap din siya sa ex-boyfriend, pero hindi pa sa ngayon. Ex-boyfriend. Yes, Jerome is now her ex-boyfriend, at least for her.

Tumigil ang tawag subalit may pumasok na text message. She didn’t even bother to check the message. She just, went straight to her room, strip her clothes off and walked under the shower. She trembled as soon as the cold morning water hit her skin. She willed the awful thoughts away that has been swirling inside her head for the past two days and just focused on the cold water. Few seconds more, temporary relief came and she started to enjoy bathing. Nang matapos siyang maligo, she dried herself off with a fluffy towel and put on her robe.

Dire-diretso siyang lumabas ng kanyang kwarto at muling tumuloy sa kusina. Now that she felt a little bit refreshed because of that cold shower, nararamdaman na niya ang gutom. She opened her fridge and grabbed a carton of non-fat milk and drank from the box itself. Nasa ganoon siyang ayos nang biglang may magsalita sa likuran niya.

“Do you agree with me that people do miss the fun when they don’t drink their milk from the box itself?”

Napasinghap siya at agad nabitiwan ang karton ng gatas. Mabilis siyang pumihit paharap sa pinanggalingan ng tinig only for her heart to pound faster against her chest when she saw the one who was sitting on the sofa.

“K-Kiel…” she whispered, her breath hitching.

He was sitting on the sofa, his elbow on the armrest, one of his fingers on his temple as he raked his eyes all over her. Wala sa sarili siyang napayuko sa sarili. Her cheeks heated up instantly when she realize that she was only wearing her white fluffy robe and nothing else underneath!

Nagpa-panic siyang napatingin kay Kiel. Flashes of what had transpired between them the other night filled her mind, making her cheeks heat up more!

Kiel grinned and pulled himself off the sofa, bago naglakad patungo sa kanya sa may kusina. Kusa siyang napaatras hanggang sa masagi niya ang counter sa kanyang likuran.

He stopped in front of her, dominating her with his very presence. His caramel eyes looked down at her, as if commanding her to just keep looking at him and nothing else. Maya-maya pa, umigting ang panga nito.

“I don’t like naughty girls, Ms. Ortega. I punish them,” he declared.