Every Line Crossed

ELC2

ELC2

It was selfish.

To know that I have a family waiting for me to go home which I know are also in a deep worry now but I choose a clearly farther path from them.

But what can I do? The thought of returning and being inside the mansion again terrifies me more than the thought of being away. When I stepped and be one with the crowd a while ago in the market, I felt like I was freed than lost.

"Ay medyo maliit sayo..."

I fixed the shirt which Dandi, Ate Lucy's daughter, made me borrow. She brought me here in her home which she shares with her daughter, patay na daw kasi ang asawa niya. Anyway, she told me to stay here tonight because she will still have to talk to the mayordoma she's saying.

Umalis din siya para pumasok doon at iniwan niya ako sa anak niyang nandito. Dandi is a nice woman. She didn't even become suspicious when her mother suddenly brought home a stranger. She's a little bit small, short hair, fair skin, and I can see some dark spots on her face probably because of dried pimples. She looks okay, though.

"Thank you..."

She waved her hand in the air. "Wala yon. Tsaka sabi ni Nanay samahan daw kita bukas para mamili ng damit mong dadalahin sa mansyon ng mga Andrada."

"Hmm... nagtab-tabraho ka din ba don?"

"Tarbaho?" she chuckled. "Kanina ko pa napapansin yan accent mo!"

I bit my lips and smiled. I'm really trying hard kaya! I'm really good at speaking tagalog on my mind so I think I could perfect my speaking skills in no time soon! If only I knew that I would be needing it now, I should have learned better in the past!

"Minsan lang kapag kailangan ng madaming extra na helpers. Kapag may salo-salo o handaan dinadala ako ni Nanay. Tsaka nag-aaral pa kasi ako..."

My lips parted and I nodded. I thought she was at my age? Well, I'm home-schooled so I'm not really familiar with other people's education but if I would compute it defending on what I read and watched, she should be done with school now unless we're not really at the same age?

"Ilang taon ka na ba?"

"22 na 'ko." she chuckled at me. "Tumigil kasi ako ng ilang taon para tulungan si Nanay dati nung kamamatay palang ni Tatay. Nalubog kasi kami sa utang non."

I smiled at her, feeling sorry that I asked when I shouldn't! But at least I managed to know that she's one year older than me! Malapit na din...

"Sorry..."

"Okay lang, matagal na naman yon..."

I enjoyed talking to her. She's telling me stories about the family that I will work to... mostly about their riches which she looks very impressed about and me... not even a bit. However, I just let her speak.

"At ang gwapo ng anak noon nila Senyor! Masungit nga lang pero mas gumagwapo pag nagsusungit!" she giggle while her eyes are shining like how Criselle's eyes are whenever she sees one of my brothers.

I frowned.

I just think that she's a nice one. I'm not really fond of having people who're too noisy that their stories never end but since it was the first time we met, I'll just give her that.

"Ayos ka lang?" she asked me.

I blinked after being stoned for some seconds. Dandi held the door of their bathroom to me. Tinanong ko kasi kung nasaan yon because I wanna pee. But now... is this?

"Akala ko ba naiihi ka?"

"Hehe..." I laughed awkwardly and nodded.

I really feel so bad to them for thinking about some uncomfortable things ever since I walked inside their house. Ang babait pa naman nila saakin.