Salem's Eyes (COMPLETED)

12 Salem

I was beat up. Kakauwi ko lang galing sa coffee shop. I removed my shoes and sat on the couch. I could fall asleep right now. Two weeks na rin kaming nagta-trabaho ni Amara doon.

At first, she didn't like working because it was exhausting. Pero na-realize n'ya na kailangan n'ya din 'to para makaubos ng oras. Malayo pa ang pasukan namin. She got nothing to do.

Alas singko pa lang pero gusto ko ng matulog. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ang dami ng mga costumers kanina. Apat lang pa naman kami kanina and I was assigned on the floor.

Saglit pa akong nagpahinga atsaka tumayo na para magluto. Alam kong mas pagod si mama sa akin kaya dapat handa na lahat 'pag nakauwi na s'ya.

Naupo ako sa kusina habang binabantayan 'yung niluluto ko. My phone suddenly vibrated from my pocket.

There were six messages in total. Three of them were from Caius. Two from mom and one from Herra.

I opened my mom's text. She said that she'd be home a little late. Mauna na daw akong kumain.

The next one I opened was Herra's. Hindi naman ako tinetext palagi nito kaya nakakapagtaka lang. Kapag may kailangan s'ya, diretso tawag naman s'ya.

Herra:

Your boyfriend wants me to force you to attend his birthday.

I immediately closed her text. I didn't bother to reply. Caius must've reached out to her just like he did to Amara. Buti nalang 'tong pinsan ko ay hindi s'ya pinansin.

Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago buksan ang mga texts ni Caius. Ever since I texted him that night when we went home from the mall, he kept sending me texts regularly. He was true to his words, though. Hindi naman s'ya nangungulit. He was sending me texts twice or thrice a day. Minsan, humahaba lang kapag nagre-reply ako.

Caius:

Good morning, Salem.

Miss na kita.

Nakauwi ka na?

Ngayon ko lang binuksan lahat ng texts n'ya. Wala kasi akong time kanina.

I replied a simple 'yes'.

Inilapag ko ang cellphone ko sa mesa. I stood up and turned off the stove. Tapos na akong magluto. All I needed to do was clean myself and eat. Tapos ay pwede na akong matulog.

My phone rang. I picked it up from the table. Hindi na ako nagulat pa noong makita ko ang pangalan ni Caius sa screen.

It was the fourth time he called me. Sinasagot ko naman 'yung mga tawag n'ya. Hindi lang ako gaano nagsasalita dahil sapat na 'yung kadaldalan n'ya. Isa pa, wala naman akong alam sabihin.

I went back to the couch when I swiped the screen to answer his call. Inilagay ko ang cellphone sa tainga ko atsaka pumikit. My goodness. Pagod na pagod talaga ako.

"Anong tawag sa diaper na tinatapon pagkatapos gamitin?" bungad n'ya. "Edi huggies!"

I bit my lip. He sounded stupid as always.

"Salem?" he asked when I didn't respond to his foolish joke.

"Hm?" I asked.

"Pagod ka?" tahimik na tanong n'ya. He was like trying to match my energy. Parang takot s'yang mag-ingay, like his bright mood would tire me more.

"Yeah." I breathed. Really. I could fall asleep like this.

"Kumain ka na muna, ha? Pagkatapos magpahinga ka na. Two days pa bago 'yung day off mo."