Mary Grace

Thirty-Six

Thirty-Six

I am under house arrest, which is fine by me dahil wala naman akong balak lumabas ng bahay after that memorable trip. Kinuha din nila ang phone ko sa akin, na wala din namang problema dahil wala akong balak gamitin ito. I'm sure it'll be just tons of messages and calls from Jeremy and my friends. I just sleep inside of my room the entire day, refusing to get down and eat with them. Alam kong nauubos na ang pasensiya ni Dad sa akin. I once overheard him said things like "Hayaan mong magutom ang anak mo kung hindi siya bababa dito para kumain," whenever my Mom would bring my meals upstairs.

Nahiga ako sa kama. I inhaled the familiar scent of old books, my perfume, and hair products lingering around my room and decided I couldn't stay any longer. I got up from bed, put on some jeans, red hoodie, and chucks before I grabbed my bag and went downstairs.

Dire-diretso ako sa pintuan palabas when my mother's voice suddenly spoke up.

"Mary Grace?"

Napahinto ako. Unlike the mad tone that I was expecting from her seeing that her daughter is trying to escape the house using the front door, I was kind of surprise by how calm she sounded. And I don't even know if it's a good thing or not.

I turned around. She's wiping her hands with a towel as she looked at me. Then she eyed my backpack.

"Going somewhere?"

I nodded my head.

She stared at me for a long time then she sighed. "Well, just make sure that you'll be home before your Dad will." She said with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Thanks." I mumbled. I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. Hindi ko na sila masyadong nakakausap mula noong halos ikulong na ako ni Dad sa bahay. Alam ko namang ayaw ni Mommy ang ginagawa niya pero naisip niya atang ito nalang ang natitirang paraan sa sobrang tigas ng ulo ko.

"I hope you're not going to Harry's though," She eyed me skeptically, as if reading through my thoughts. "Mary Grace, I do not like the idea of my daughter dating her dead sister's boyfriend." She said frankly na tumusok sa puso ko. "I hope you respect your sister, Mary Grace. She may not be your sister in full blood but she's still part of our family. Ayokong may sabihin pa ang ibang tao sa inyong dalawa."

Napakuyom ang mga kamao ko. So she still thinks about what other people are going to say, after all? "Yeah, of course." I spat bitterly.

"Magalit ka na kung gusto mong magalit," Malumanay niyang wika sa akin. "Pero wala na akong magagawa. Para din ito sa iyo anak." She fished something from her pocket and pulled out my phone. Iniabot niya ito sa akin. "You might need a phone call in case you decided to stay out late. Ayokong pagalitan ka na naman ng Daddy mo,"

I pursed my lips as I accepted the phone from her and muttered a goodbye before I left the house. Biglang sumama ang loob ko kay Mommy. I thought of all people she'll be the one to understand me. Being the usual pathetic that I am, of course I'm wrong. Naglakad-takbo ako hanggang makalabas ako ng subdivision namin. Halos wala akong nagastos sa trip naming dalawa ni Harry kaya may naibulsa pa ako. Hindi ako nag-atubiling pumara ng taxi at kaagad sumakay. My mother's voice keeps on ringing inside of my head.

---

"Hey," I greeted as I sat down. Inilapag ko ang mga bulaklak sa puntod ni John Will. The hot wind breeze through as I trace his cursive name on the tombstone. "Pasensiya ka na ngayong lang ako nakadalaw." Wika ko.

When I climb inside the taxi, I actually had no idea where I am heading. All I know is that I wanted to escape from the house for a while kung hindi mababaliw na ako sa loob ng kwarto ko. I also agreed of what my mother had said, despite my growing hatred to her, not to see Harry. For now. I also don't know how to face my friends right now because I know they will fire me questions of my whereabouts these last few days. And Jeremy... well, I don't think he'll ask me for a picnic the moment I showed up outside his apartment.