Light Up The Sky

Chapter 01

I was in the middle of brushing my teeth, with closed eyes because I'm still sleepy, when I felt something soft on my feet. I slightly opened my right eye to only see my fur baby, wagging his tail. I smiled and sat to caressed this cute little chow chow, but the latter just hopped over me the reason why I fell on the floor!

"Pashhhcaaall!" I exclaimed with a mouth full of toothpaste.

But my fur baby, impeccably groomed, just licked the side of my face as if he didn't see me for a thousand years!

"Vivienne, anong nangyari sa iyong bata ka?!" Manang Terentina, our charwoman, asked with horror over her face.

Napalingon ako sa kaniya at sa likod niya. Kasama niya ang ibang housemaids, maging ang aming driver!

Napakurap-kurap ako. Seryoso ba?

They all helped me to stand up and took my baby away from me. Natawa ako at inayos ang sarili bago ipaliwanag sa kanila ang nangyari. It was actually not a big issue but they all looked worried about me... as if I'd been in a lot of trouble by just slipping on the floor.

"Natamaan ba ang ulo mo? Iyong likod mo, maayos ba? May masakit sa iyo? Nasugatan—"

"I'm fine po, Manang Terentina. No worries."

I flashed an awkward smile before carrying Pascal, who immediately licked the side of my face, and went outside—leaving them all in my room. While walking down the staircase, I couldn't help but emit a long, deep, audible breath to express my lethargy.

Lagi nila akong inaalala na para bang hindi ko kaya ang sarili ko. I feel like I am that fragile... that I would break so easily... kaya kailangan nila akong bantayan sa bawat oras.

And the fact that Manang Terentina will surely report this incident to my parents alarms me. Because my parents are the ones who are most worried sick about my health all the time, just like the other past incidents that happened to me.

Hindi ko gustong laging ganoon ang nangyayari. Ayokong palagi silang nag-aalala sa akin. Iyong tipo na dumadagdag ako sa kailangan nilang isipin. I never wish to be a burden to anyone.

Nang makarating sa kitchen, binati ko ang aming mga cook. They're already preparing my breakfast but I insisted to do it myself. Kahit iyong simpleng pagprito ng sunny side up.

I like it when I lend a helping hand to the household helpers. It bestows me nice feeling. Lalo na tuwing naiisip ko na kahit sa maliit na paraan, nakakatulong ako at napapagaan ko ang gawain nila.

Kaya tuwing super agang umaalis ang parents ko, lagi akong nag-i-insist na tumulong, lalo na sa pagluluto. I also help them in doing some household chores whenever I finished eating. Ngunit kapag nahuhuli ng aming mayordoma na si Manang Terentina, agad na nagtatago at nakikipaglaro kay Pascal.

Because she doesn't want me to do things that might bring me to a dangerous situation. Because that is like a highest order from dad that everyone must obey—to protect me at all cost.

"How's my baby, huh?" I said and kissed him. "You're so neat na! You're not the Pascal I embraced last night."

Pascal looks so clean. It looks so good on him but I don't want him to be this so neat because I couldn't feel his fur anymore. But I have no choice because grooming him once a week is my dad's order.

He barked, but it's cute, so I laughed. Muli ko siyang niyakap nang mahigpit bago siya binitawan at bumalik sa ginagawa ko kanina.

I continue stroking the graphite pencil on the sketchbook, but I crumpled the paper and throw it out right after. Hindi na mabilang ang naitapon kong papel sa sahig ngunit, hanggang ngayon, wala pa rin akong maiguhit.