Chapter 5: In her worst state.

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“You’re back early,” Dad called out from the living room. I didn’t notice that my parents were there. I was silently praying that they hadn’t caught sight of what happened between Ralph and me since the room was directly facing the front door.


“Hey there, honey. Had a great time with Ralph?”


I walked up to them and gave them both a peck on the cheek. Dad looked at his wristwatch and commented,“It’s only 9 p.m., and I thought you wouldn’t be back until 11.”


I tried to smile as I took a seat beside my mom, who was currently reading a magazine. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Olive Tala called this morning. Do you remember her? She’s the associate editor of Crimson Magazine. She was asking when you would like to schedule the interview.”


I just shrugged and rested my head on my Mom’s shoulder. “Are you feeling ill, sweetheart?” Mom asked.


“What’s wrong, Chi? You haven’t spoken a word since you got in.” Both of them were now intently looking at me, waiting for my response.


“I’m fine, Daddy. I’m just tired, that’s all. No need to worry. Maybe I just need some sleep,” I told them while trying to smile less feebly as possible. I then got up and kissed them both good night.


“Have a good rest, Isabelle,” Mom said as I went up the staircase.


I went inside my room and sat by the windowsill. I wanted to curl into a fetal position and succumb with anything that fate would decide to throw. However, the last thing I need in my life right now is regression. Instead, I tried to lull myself despite of everything this day had brought in.




The peering morning sunlight from my half-opened vertical blinds had woken me up. I was moments away from the thought that what happened yesterday was nothing but a dream. Unfortunately, reality bites off more than I can chew. But just like any ordinary day, I ran through my morning routines and I went to the patio to join my family for breakfast.


“Good morning, Ate,” Wade greeted brightly.


“Good morning, honey. Did you sleep soundly?” I just nodded even though I hadn’t and took a seat beside Kuya Wesley, who was munching on bacon and eggs. “Anak, eat slowly,” Mom cautiously reminded.


Kuya swallowed his slab of food and spoke, “I have to be off somewhere.”


“And that would be where?” Dad asked over reading the newspaper.


“Hazel’s,” he unperturbedly replied.


“Who’s Hazel?”


“My girlfriend. Didn’t I tell you about her?” All of us, especially Mom and Dad, looked at him with blank faces. “Seriously, I didn’t happen to mention her?”


“I thought you’re girlfriend’s name is Cristal?”


“Cristal?” He snickered, “No, she’s my ex-girlfriend now.”


“But we just met her two weeks ago,” Dad reacted.


“I know, Pop. But, well, uh… you know,” he shrugged.


“No, Wesley, we don’t know,” Mom probed.


“Oh, come on, you guys,” he groaned. "Let’s just say things didn’t work out well between us, okay?”


Dad shook his head, “Fine, fine. Let Wesley do what he think is right.”


“Thanks, Dad. I know you’d understand me.” Kuya was beaming from ear to ear. Dad sighed and continued on reading the newspaper.


“I wonder when you’ll finally start taking things seriously,” Dad whispered to himself.
 

“Wendy, you haven’t touched your food yet,” Mom said. Great. Now she’s turning her attention on me since I didn’t bother to join in with their conversation about Kuya’s new girlfriend.


“Can I be excused for a moment?”


“But you just got here, sweetheart.”


“I’ll just pour myself an apple juice from the fridge,” I lied. I got out of my chair and went inside. I slumped down on a seat in the kitchen nook and forcefully exhaled all the air out of my lungs.


I took my phone out and there were five unread messages. Unfortunately, none came from him. I keyed in his phone number just like a learned by heart alphabet ― the only number I have managed to commit to memory besides mine.


I stared his inputted number in my mobile screen. In spite of my uncertainty, my subconscious did not think twice in pressing the call button. Then, the most unbelievable thing happened… my battery went dead. Seems like fate had saved me from a desperate attempt and making a fool out of myself…


“Chi, don’t keep your food waiting,” Mom called out.


“Coming, Mom.”




“She barely touched her food this morning. Maybe if I did not beckon her, she wouldn’t even bother to eat breakfast.” Mom was pacing back and forth in the family room.


“Mom, you’re worrying to much. Relax,” I told her.


“And she just spent the whole morning and noon looking out her windowpane,” she went on. “I told Thelma to bring her lunch in her room instead, but she told me Wendy did not even take a spoonful from it.”


“Ma, if you continue worrying like this, you’re the one who’s going to get sick.” Wade stood up and escorted Mom to take a seat. 


“But, honey, I can’t bear seeing Wendy like that. I know something is wrong. I can feel it.” She massaged her temples with her index and thumb fingers. “She started acting this way two days ago when she got back from that dinner with Ralph.”


“Mom, every teenager goes through something major once in a while.”


“Wesley, this is different.” She suddenly shifted from her position and looked at me. “Maybe she and Ralph got into a fight, don’t you think? Nathaniel, will you check on her for me? I know you’re worried as much as I am.”


I sighed. “Fine, I’ll talk to her. But as of the moment, I’m begging you to relax, Mom, because you’re one beat away from having a heart attack already,” I said while massaging Mom’s shoulders.


She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, “I simply can’t relax when I know that my little girl is carrying a heavy burden.”




Mom was right. Wade and I went inside Chi’s room and there she was, her gaze focused somewhere outside her windowpane.


I intentionally closed the door behind me with a loud thud, trusting that it would finally disturb her from looking fixedly at nothing in particular ― but she did not budge even a bit.


“Chi-chi,” I hollered her name.


Momentarily, her eyes blinked rapidly and looked at the two of us. “Huh? What were you saying?”


“Pffft,” I grunted. “Where the hell did your mind set off?” I sprawled on the carpet beside her bed and looked at the ceiling while Wade sat on the foot of Wendy’s bed.


“What’s the matter, Ate?”


“Nothing,” she replied. She was wearing a smile but her eyes showed no glisten, so I knew she was lying.


“Hay, Wendy,” I sighed. “Ever since we were little you weren’t that good of a liar. That’s why I would always be caught red-handed because you would always tell me off with Mom and Dad,” I snickered, but apparently her attention has flown away again so she did not get a hold of my joke.


Jeez, I am about to reach my boiling point already! Why does she kept on having her head in the clouds?! I stood up in front of her, arms crossed. “Hoy, Chi-chi,” I yelled.


She flinched and angrily replied, “Why are you always trying to frighten me?”


“Because you obviously are not listening!”


“Kuya,” Wade nervously pleaded for me to stop. I know I should not be shouting at her right now but we can’t help her if her mind keeps on wandering off.


She suddenly looked mopey. “Sorry," she mumbled. She lowered her head and hugged her knees to her chest. I heard her sob.


I sat beside her and put my arms around her shoulders. I grabbed the nearest throw pillow I could find and placed it on my lap. She laid her head on the pillow and continued to weep.


“Don’t you trust us anymore? We made a promise before remember: no secrets.” I was talking calmly now. I could hear nothing from her except for the plaintive crying.


Wade sat on the floor facing Wendy. He clanged on her hands and held it close to his cheeks. “Tell us what’s wrong, Ate. You know Kuya and I are always here for you.”


She still hasn’t spoken a word since her tears started to shed. After an hour, she finally stopped crying and fell asleep on my lap.


“Do you think we should call Ralph, Kuya?” Wade asked, keeping his voice in a low tone so Wendy wouldn’t be stirred by our conversation.


I shook my head, “I don’t think so. I have a theory that he might be the cause of Wendy’s pain right now.” Wade stared at me looking confused. “I think they broke up, Wade,” I concluded.


to be continued…


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