Midnight Blues (Affluenza, #1)

Chapter 30

NIKOLAI
October 20, 2018 (Saturday, madaling-araw)

It's been two weeks since Mia's father passed away, and although she assured me numerous times that she's alright, I know for a fact that she is hiding her true feelings. As a member of The Dead Parent Club, I completely understand what Mia is going through. There's a phrase that says 'it takes one to know one' after all.

Also, there's just something with people's eyes and smiles that you can just kinda tell it when they're faking it.

When my mom died, I feel like I've done a lot of growing up internally. It's almost like I turned into an adult in just a day, and I find it hard to relate to my friends anymore. I just could not imagine how it must be for people like Mia, it's lethargic.

I learned that her mom died in childbirth. Two of her parents are dead. I don't know anyone around our age who has lost both parents... that's just too cruel and no one should experience that so early in life. Actually, no one should experience that at all.

I wonder if her home still feels like a home to her? Because home doesn't mean bricks that build a house; home is both of your parents.

"Coffee?" I offered.

Umiling lang siya, "Okay na 'ko."

"At least drink your water," I opened the bottle of water and placed it in front of her, and she immediately drank from it. "What food do you want tomorrow?"

"Kahit ano."

Tumango ako, hindi na alam ang sasabihin.

"Uwi na ako." She said flatly.

"Agad?"

Nagbigay siya sa'kin ng maliit na ngiti. "'Di ka pa antok?"

Umiling ako. "Are you?"

Umiling din siya.

"Then let's stay here for a few more—" binuksan ko ang phone ko at tinignan ang oras. "For 15 more minutes,"

"Okay,"

"Okay." I quickly raised my phone while Mia was still looking at me, and I took a picture of her. She tried to hide her face, but I managed to get the shot. "It's just for my eyes, don't worry, Ms. Camera shy," I chuckled and set the picture as my lock screen and wallpaper before closing it.

"Bastos kang bata ka."

"Just remembrance,"

"Bakit?"

"Anong bakit?"

"Aalis ka? Para saan ang remembrance?"

Oh, about that.

"My father wants me to study in the U.S,"

"Next year?"

"2020. I'm still in my junior year but I'm planning to just study here in the country. I don't want to go to the U.S.," I don't want to get away from you.

"Bakit?"

"Gusto ko lang, bakit din?"

Mahina siyang tumawa. "Wala lang. Sayang lang nag-international school ka pa hindi naman 'yon needed kung local ka lang mag-aaral."

"Wala ka na do'n, desisyon ko 'yon,"

Tinarayan niya lang ako, "Magtagalog ka pa more. Minsan hindi ko gets Ingles mo."

"I'm fluent in Filipino, Spanish, and even Ivatan," I boasted. (I'm not fluent in Ivatan, just conversational in Spanish due to my foreign language class.)