at long last, peace (medtech series #1)

twelve

Yesterday wasn't really a session, and Olly's dad made sure I was comfortable enough to talk about anything, and they were nice enough to invite me for dinner kahit nahihiya pa rin ako. Olly was an only son, and both of them seemed really close with each other, which made me miss my parents, kaso all we can do the meantime is puro videocalls lang and all that stuff. I knew eversince naman na I'd be homesick every now and then kasi ngayon lang naman talaga ako nalaya nang ganito katagal kila mama, which is fine kasi ginusto ko naman... parang 'yung napanood ko one time sa Tikok na ang sabi "kasalanan ko 'to kaya dapat panindigan ko 'to." 

That video was so funny that I almost snorted out so loud because I was cackling in the middle of the night when I saw that video! I was going through a phase of insomnia that time kasi, and thank God we didn't have classes the next morning or I'd have to go to school looking like a zombie, not because I had to finish requirements but because I couldn't sleep at all. I didn't want to depend on medicines every now and then kasi I have antidepressants to take na, and mom says I have to keep it out of reach... because the last time I had it close to my vicinity, I did something really terrible and I just woke up to people saying they've pumped out a lot of sleeping pills from my stomach.

It was the scariest phase of my life--and that was even before I was diagnosed with my condition. Mama thought I couldn't just sleep kasi I had to cram a lot of stuff for school and all the academic hustle I was juggling with, and I was pretty clueless... or maybe because I just didn't want to admit it to myself because I knew I was having symptoms ever since God knows when. Besides, there's nothing good to come out of a self-diagnosis. I wasn't a doctor, anyway. 

"Ay Telly, 'wag mo na hugasan 'yan baka bumagsak ka sa exams." Napalingon naman ako kay Doc pagkalapag ko ng pinagkainan namin sa lababo. 

"Hala po, okay lang ako na lang po maghugas," sambit ko.

He shook his head habang nililigpit naman ni Olly 'yung lamesa, "We can do it, you don't have to worry. Besides you're our guest so 'wag ka na mag-alala."

I frowned. Nakakahiya... it was the least I could do pero they said I shouldn't do it. I wanted to but I guess I'll just have to respect them.

Medyo maaga pa at hindi pa ako naaabutan ng curfew kaya ang sabi ni doc hintayin ko na lang si Olly bago niya ako hinatid. He had to attend an online consultation and he allowed me to roam around their garden kaya lumabas na lang din ako para magpahangin. 

I wouldn't even lie, their house (could pass out as a mansion already, to be honest) is top-tier architecture, it kind of looked like Slater Young's house although it wasn't a skypod, and the gate's automated and everything inside had wood accents and glasses, tapos sa likod may malaking rose garden naman at pool. Although his aura was screaming this "rich kind of vibe who lives in Loyola Grand Villas," Olly wasn't the type to brag it to anyone else, and he never really said anything about being this rich. He blended out with everyone else, although I'd have to admit that he'd stood out in the crowd with his looks. But aside from that, he wasn't really the type of a guy who'd be really hard to reach out to.

"Ganda 'no?"

"Ay kabayo," nagulat kong sabi nang bigla kong mapansin na nasa gilid ko na pala si Olly, making him burst out of laughter. I squinted my eyes as I look at him in annoyance. "Grabe 'di ka man lang nagsabi?"

"Bakit mukha ba'kong multo?"

I rolled my eyes, "Ewan ko sa'yo," sambit ko habang nakatingin lang sa rose garden.

"Mom loved roses so dad worked so hard to grow them," he says, out of the blue. 

"Your dad grew them?"