Chapter 18
1413 Words
"Dawnnnnn, penge paaaaaa." Hindi ko alam kung naiintindihan ba niya ang sinabi ko, dahil sakin malinaw pa ang mga salitang binibitawan ko.
My sight is hazy, and my words somehow felt like their we're bathe in oil whenever they spew out of my mouth. Because they seem to go out in rapid succession and without my permission. Is this what being drunk is?
Dawn shove my glass back to my face and shook her head in a firm disapproval. "Tama na, lasing ka na."
I think, I've been drunk since our second glass of Johnny. But Dawn, I believe she's got an iron liver. Because I'm here in the walls skewing while she's beside me looking fine and dandy.
"Sabi mo. . .hiccup, "iinom tayo." I whined and pouted before I pushed my glass to her chest. Or tried, because I'm sure I miss the mark making the glass tumble to the ground and the next I heard was a loud shatter of the material.
"Ooopss." I said with a laugh.
Maybe, I should get drunk more often. Sarap pala sa pakiramdam.
I saw Dawn sigh and disappear, only to come back with a broom and a dustpan on hand. She was shaking her heard and murmuring things I can't hear or am I just to intoxicated to understand things. I chuckle while I watch her try to clean the area, good thing she's domesticated enough to know how to use those things.
I sagged deeper to the floor and shifted my resting back against the couch. Hmmm, I've never realized the tiles to be this comfy.
"You're a traitor, Dawn Elizabeth Uytingco." I slurred, pointing one accusing finger at her.
She looked at me shocked at first before she again jerked her head from side to side, "Sino kayang traitor sa ating dalawa? Is it me who broke a promise not to see Kyle again?"
I laughed, I don't know why. But I feel like laughing. "Hindi, ako. So, that makes us both apostates."
"Ano namang ginawa ko?"
"You never told me drinking feels so good. . .felt so right. I think you've been holding out on me on the good things in life."
"Well, this is the last time you're getting drunk. Matigas na ang ulo mo kapag matino ka, mas matigas pa ang ulo mo kapag lasing ka."
I shake my head before letting it fall on the sofa behind me. "Ang sakit, Dawn. Para akong sinagasaan ng pison, ramdam ko sa lahat ng parte ng katawan ko ang sakit."
Good thing, Dawn's here. She's been helping me nurse my poor, injured heart for the three days, since she got back from her trip overseas.
It's been a week. A week after my grand and unplanned confession to the man I've loved with all my heart beside my father. It was going so well, though he didn't say it directly, I knew. I frigging knew, that he liked me too. Not on the same level as mine, but regardless. Even if it's just a silver, I will grab it tight and won'tlet go, as if it's the only means I'll be able to stay alive.
But all my hopes, my wished of him returning the same feelings to me got broken. Got decimated into tiny, million pieces that it's impossible to paste and tape all it back.
"I can't, Chloe. We can't. It's not right. You're amazing. Too amazing for me, to be honest. I just got rejected by a woman I love and it's not right to jump into a relationship with you. I need to sort things on my own. Hindi kita gagawing rebound. You're too precious to me. I don't want to ruin you."
God, even when he's outright casting away my admission of love, he still sounds too perfect, too good, too kind. That it also hurts him to say those words to my fave.
I closed my eyes and heard Dawn walking around the house. I think she's in the kitchen, tinkering at things. I hope she's not cooking. I don't want to die of poisoning. The only toxic subtance I want to ingest is alcohol and never Dawn's cooking.
I love her to bits, but when she starts to act housewife and all, I need to hide. Because she's not built like that. She's a destructive machine whenever she thought of working. Guess, that's the downside of growing up with a silver spoon on your mouth.
"Here, drink this." She said, taking my hand and thrusting another glass on it.
I raised my head and I look at it before turning to look at the blurru profile of her, "Did you cook this? Because if you did, I don't want it."
She rolled her eyes, "It's just water, wiseass."
I let out a whine. She sighed and placed the glass on the coffee table before hurling me to sit upright. "You need water, it will help with the hang over tomorrow."
Groaning again, I followed her order. But the damn woman didn't let me waste any drop of water, she forced me to chug all the contents that I was left bloated and about to p**e.
"C'mon. Hop up on the couch so you won't complain about your back-aching tomorrow when you wake up."
"But I love this floor. I want to sleep here."
"Sure, you do. But I bet tomorrow, you'll have a different opinion about it. Now, scoot Chloe. In to the couch." She held both of my hands and yanked me up before she left me topple carelessly on the sofa.
She put both my legs together and unfolded a blanket over me, tucking me in. "Thank you, Dawn." I murmured, my mind slowly drifting away to dreamland.
"You'd do the same for me." is the last words, I heard her say.
I woke up when I felt a streak of gold and orange striking my eyelids. I slowly opened my eyes and I'm welcome by a pounding headache.
Woah. Okay, last night is the last time I'm getting drunk.
I held my head, before bringing my eyes shut again. Why is light this painful? I groaned.
Then I heard footstep coming near me, "Ma."
But it was followed by Dawn's chuckle, "Tita's still in America, sleepyhead." Oh, right. She extended. "Wake up, bangon ka na diyan. You need coffee."
"Jeez, stop being so loud. It hurts." I complained, wishing the sofa would just eat me whole.
"Not so good after the morning, isn't it? Tapos, gusto mo pang uminom ng mas marami." She snorts.
"I'm never drinking again." I murmured under the sheets.
"I hope not. Ang hirap mong alagaan."
I let out a grunt. "Whatever. Order food, hindi ko kayang magluto."
"Already did, it's in the kitchen. Ikaw na lang hinihintay ko. Kaya bangon na." she tapped me on my thigh before she left again, probably towards the kitchen.
Hinayaan ko muna ang sarili ko na manatili sa higaan. I think I'll sleep all throughout the day. My head is insanely in pain and I think if I ever leave this comforting nest, I might pass out or vomit all over our living room.
I am forcing myself to sleep when the smell of fried chicken assaulted my nose. I unveiled my face and saw Dawn, drawing Jollibee take outs from a paper bag.
"Kumain ka na para makainom ka ng gamot sa sakit ng ulo." utos niya nang hindi ako nililingon. "'Wag mo akong tanungin kung may gamot sa sakit na nararamdaman mo."
"Wala naman akong sinabi." Maktol na sagot ko kahit na ramdam na ramdam ko ang kirot.
"Kain na tayo. Baka sabihin ni Tita pag-uwi niya ginugutom kita kapag namayat ka." Biro niya saka inabot sa'kin ang box na may laman na Sphagetti at Chicken.
Napaupo ako, sandaling nahilo kaya napapikit ako bago napasandal. I took the food she offered anf sigh, "Saan na ako nito, Dawn?"
She looked at me, pain, sadness and pity evident in her eyes as it glistened with those emotions rolled in one big tide. I'm sure I have worse expression than she has.
"We'll start over. Together. I'll be there for you every step of the way. Babalik tayo sa original plan natin. Moving on from him."
I nodded my head but went wordless. I stared down at the food on my hands only to look back at Dawn when she touched my knee. "Kaya mo 'to, Chloe. Ikaw pa."
- Writer
