400 Days After Fina

Day 401

400 Days After Fina by JellOfAllTrades
Chapter 2

I groaned and turned around, suddenly aware of how hot and sweaty I feel. Opening my eyes to my darkened room, I remember that I turned off the air conditioning last night.

My body feels like it's on fire from the lack of ventilation, so I pull away the blanket that is covering my legs and pushed away the numerous pillows surrounding me. I swept my bangs from my forehead and felt my hair drenched in sweat.

Laying flat on my back, I still feel tired and I want to go back to sleep but I'm also bothered by how soaked I am. So I sat up and took my shirt off, unconcerned that I'm only wearing my bra and then used my shirt to wipe away the sweat on my face, neck, and on my back. When I felt a tad bit better, I threw the shirt to the side of the bed knowing I'll pick it up when I do get up and once again, laid down and turn to my side. I grabbed one of the pillows I have and hugged it, closing my eyes so that I can fall back asleep.

Surprisingly, I did fall asleep. Only to wake up because of another nightmare about caterpillars, cockroaches, bugs, and other creepy crawlies making their way through my exposed body.

When I opened my still sleepy eyes, I swear I could still feel the crawling sensation of having a hundred bugs walk on my skin as if it were real.

Light streamed through the slightly parted curtains and I grab my phone to check the time.

6:28 AM

2 Messages

I open the messages and saw that it's just Jaime drunk texting me about banging a backpacker from Australia.

I stay on the bed with my eyes closed for a few minutes, hoping that sleep will come back to me. But I feel parched and I want to get a glass of water, if not a cup of steaming hot coffee.

So, with a groan, I get up from the bed and proceed downstairs to find the adult members of the family having breakfast. Mamita is on her usual seat at the head of the table and my uncle Rannie and his wife, aunt Arlene are seated on the left side of the table.

"Oh, Jellane! Maagap ka ngayon, kumain ka na." Uncle Rannie said.

"Sige po,"

I approach the table and reached for an unused mug. I then take it to the nearby coffee maker and pour myself a cup of black coffee.

Last year, before I met Fina, I liked my coffee with cream and sugar, but after Fina's death, I've slowly preferred black coffee. It's one of the numerous changes I've noticed on myself after I returned to Manila. The changes didn't come all at once, but they're a gradual change that one day when I met up with Jaime for coffee, he pointed at my coffee, reminding me of my old preference.

The smell of coffee woke me up from my thoughts and I take the mug back to the table, taking a seat beside Mamita.

"Kumusta ka?" Mamita asked as I take a piece of bread and spread strawberry jam on it.

"Okay na po,"

"May sakit ka ba?" Aunt Arlene pitches in.

"Wala po,"

"Sigurado ka ah?"

"Sigurado po," I answer.

Mamita and Aunt Arlene don't look so convinced but nevertheless did not ask me any more questions about what happened last night.

As I slowly chew my breakfast, I thought about how awful I felt last night after I vomited my whole dinner, taking note that I should try to avoid getting a full meal again even if I feel starving.