SIN: Valeria Caruso

29: Disney Princess

"Ate?"

I set down my Birkin bag on the sofa and approached Livia. She was seated on the luxurious couch, engrossed in a Netflix drama, as evidenced by the logo on the screen. The voices of the Korean characters echoed in the air.

"Bakit hindi ka umuwi kaninang umaga? Mom and Dad were waiting for you because you texted them saying you'd be home by 6 a.m.," sabi niya sa akin nang maisalampak ko ang aking sarili sa sofa. Magkatapat lamang ang inuupuan namin kaya magkaharap kaming dalawa. I'm trying my best not to stare at her for too long.

All I felt was guilt, now that I'm facing her. Her face triggered memories of Zevran, memories I struggled to push away, but my conscience persisted, haunting me relentlessly.

"W-Where are they?" I dodged, not wanting to hear anything related to Zevran.

"They went out, magkasama sila mom and auntie, mag-g-grocery and mag-s-shopping 'daw sila." she suddenly stood up, and I followed her gaze as she headed to the nearest expensive refrigerator and opened it. With her back to me, I couldn't tell what she was doing, but she seemed to be reaching for a drink.

"How about dad?"

She faced me, holding a bottle of Mogu Mogu in her right hand, bubblegum-flavored. "He went to visit his friends here in the Philippines ——— anyway, ate, have you eaten? Where did you spend the night? Are you here because you don't have work today? Is it your day off?" she bombarded me with questions.

"I-I just dropped by." And I want to check on you. My gaze fell on my hands as she glanced at her phone screen. "I-I just crashed at a..." At your fiancé's place. "...at a friend's." I felt a lump in my throat, lying to her, the lies gnawing at me.

"...A-And don't worry about the food." I glanced at Livia, but she was still glued to her phone. "...I already... ate." I suddenly stopped when I saw fear in her eyes. Agad akong tumayo at lumapit sa kaniya.

"Livia?" hinawakan ko ang mga siko niya. "Are you okay?" I looked down at her trembling fingers as she held her phone.

She slowly looked up at me. I wasn't sure, but her eyes seemed red, as if she wanted to cry.

"What's happening---"

Instantly, she smiled at me, her dimples appearing. Like she didn't want me to worry at all. "I'm fine, ate," she said, maintaining eye contact.

"Are you sure? You don't need---"

Bigla siyang tumawa. "Haha, ate, don't be silly." Her smile was radiant. "It was just my friend, you see," she grinned and glanced at her phone screen. "So she sent me a GIF on Messenger, and I opened it immediately and got scared because it was a super-duper really scary picture..." she paused abruptly, and I felt confused as she suddenly stared at me.

"And then? What picture was it?"

Her smile never faded. "It's a lady with a long hair and magkahiwalay ang upper and lower part of body niya, she's standing in the middle of the road in heavy rain," she paused and looked in another direction.

"Turns out it was a 'manananggal'," she smiled at me. "She had that terrifying look on her face, and it's slightly funny that nakasakay pa siya sa Porsche. Like, woo. Napagod na siguro kaka-lipad." We both chuckled.