"Gosh... it hurts..." mahinang sambit ko habang pinipilit ang sariling dumilat. This headache! Nang nahimasmasan ako kaunti ay naupo ako... why am I on a bed? No. This is not the room of one of those guys yesterday, right?! Tiningnan ko ang katawan ko. Phew, I still have my clothes on. Safe. I mean, I just needed a place for that night, not something in my belly! Kinapa-kapa ko pa ang katawan ko. Something's missing... My camera! "It hurts!" Sigaw ko nang sinubukan kong luminga-linga sa paligid. I stood up and walked around. The room is not that big, probably a studio size, and... What are these? Pinadaan ko ang kamay ko sa mga display na nasa lamesa by the window. They look like some kind of prototypes? Wow, this guy is interesting... Napatingin ako sa mga windows niya. They have a lot of complex formulas written with whiteboard ink. A nerd? I don't remember any of them looking like one... Nilingon ko pabalik yung bed. Then my eyes went to the side table. There is my phone! Agad kong kinuha ito at tiningnan ang oras. What the hell? 10:38 am?! It's my second period right now... Argh I don't care. I need to find my p— "Let's talk inside your room." A woman's voice echoed outside this room. Uh oh. "Why? It's fine—" "So you hiding somethin' now? huh?!" "Wait, I—" Napairap na lang ako. This couple... geez. Nabato ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang marinig ang yapak na paplapit sa akin. Bago pa bumukas ang pinto at mapahiya ako rito, tumakbo ako sa bed at nagtalukbong ng kumot. What mess is this? Yung lalaki namang nagdala sa'kin dito, may sabit. How am I supposed to stay here a little longer? Saan na ako pupunta? I went to my phone and in one swift motion, the blanket that's been covering me was lifted! Agad akong napaupo at sinalubong ng sampal ng isang babae! Gosh! The nerve of this girl! Sinipa ko siya bilang ganti. It hurts no! 'Wag niya akong idamay sa kanila! I was brought here! "Ha! This is that woman of yours? Marcus? So you like young ladies? You should've told me then." The girl looked at the guy... Oh no. What happened to the guys at the restaurant yesterday? This is... The bench guy! Omg! His ocean blue eyes, once again, bore into mine. However this time, it is much darker... I looked away from him. "Tapos ang kapal din ng mukha mo? Well, you're still young that's why." sambit nung babae habang nakatingin sa akin. Galit na galit siya... Teka nga. Why am I here in the first place? Ang naaalala ko lang na kasama ko kahapon ay yung mga lalaki sa restaurant... Nag-away pa ang dalawa sa harapan ko. Naiiyak na yung babae. Talking about how she wants to have a proper farewell with him tapos ganito pa raw makikita niya. Gosh. So it's my fault?! But... I... I don't even know how the hell I get in here. Maybe I drank to much? "That's it, Marcus. Let's end this. Just be with your..." tumingin pa sa akin ang babae sabay balik dun sa guy. "Your young lady. It's all over. There. I'm finished. We're finished." Pagkatapos ay padabog na naglakad palabas ng room yung girl... "W-wait, Chelsea! Come back in here!" Sigaw ni guy... Narinig ko pang sinuntok niya ang pintuan ng kwarto. Now I'm outta here. Naupo ako ng maayos at nagdial sa phone ko. "Look what you did. I wrote a letter for you to leave before 10 and you're still here?" He walks up to me. "I helped you and this is what I get?" He added. Sino ba siya? At anong help— ah yung sa bench? "This guy... Marcus, is it? Excuse me, but if what's you're talking about is the bench thing yesterday, then thank you. You saved me. Now, I don't want to be a part of all this drama—" "I want you out of my apartment right this instant. I want to go back here without you still sitting on my bed. I helped you last night and you can't even— Nevermind. Damn." Tumakbo siya palabas ng room. Ano bang sinasabi nito? 'Diba nung umaga naman yun nangyari? Anong last ni— OMG. That didn't... Bigla na lang nagflashback ang lahat ng nangyari sa akin kagabi... So I was with him the whole night?! So... the guys left me pala. Where am I supposed to go now? Nilinga ko ang paligid at nang muli akong naglakad palayo ng kama ay may naapakan ako. Pinulot ko yun. It's a sticky note. Out of my house. Before 10. Ah ito pala yung sinasabi niya. Buong kwarto ay hindi naman marumi... pero crowded. Ang daming papel, tapos may mga libro sa gilid na naka-stack, then mga display na kung ano. Basta! It's messy for me! Hmm... Marcus is it? Since kanina niya pa sinasabing wala akong gratitude, maybe a little cleaning will help? I started making his bed and then pinagsama-sama ko yung mga sa tingin kong magkakasamang mga papel. Parang mas lalong gumulo ah? I'm not used to cleaning but... screw it! Okay na ito. Ganito lang naman yung nakikita kong ginagawa ng mga maids namin sa mansion... Maybe, he'll help me find a house after this... He's a half Filipino din naman... I can see it. Though because of his eyes... it doesn't look like that. "Ah!" Sigaw ko. Napatigil ako nang nabangga ko yung table at bumagsak yung isang display dun... Nasaksihan ko kung papaano nasira yung isa sa mga display niya sa ibabaw ng table. Gosh, Daliah! Agad akong lumuhod at pinilit ayusin yun. Hala! Bakit ayaw nang bumalik? "Argh!" Sigaw ko pa. Nakakainis 'to! Bakit ba kasi nabangga— "What the hell?! Hindi ka pa rin umaalis?" Napatingin ako kay Marcus nang pumasok siya ng room. I immediately stood up and tried to cover what had fallen on the floor. He spoke Filipino with a bit of American accent... I like that. Oh wait. I'm in trouble. There you go. His eyes are burning! "What have you done?" Tanong niya pa at nilapitan yung nahulog na display niyang mukhang prototype or something dahilan upang itulak niya ako sa gilid. Ouch ha?! "Get out." He said while trying to fix the thing on the floor without looking at me. No, no, no. Paaalisin niya na ba ako? "I- I'm just trying to help, you know? Since you told me na tinulungan mo ako, here. But I guess I didn't do it right?" sambit ko. Hindi siya nagsalita. Bumuntong-hininga ako, "Well I tried, okay? I just—" "I don't need it. Just get out of my sight. Now." Nakaramdam ako ng panlalamig nang dahil sa ma- awtoridad niyang boses. Hindi ako pwedeng umalis dito. I need help! He's a Filipino pa rin naman kahit papaano so he should help me! "Since you said just out of your sight... Can I stay? I mean, I have nowhere to go and..." I tried to find words but... Tumayo siya at hinarap ako. Nasa magkabilang-baywang niya ang dalawa niyang kamay. Unti-unti siyang lumalapit sa akin. What the? "W-wait. I need help and since Filipino ka naman, can you just—" Napatigil ako nang hinawakan niya yung wrist ko at hinila ako! "Tulungan mo na ako! I just need like, a month! After nun aalis na ako." Marahas niya akong binitiwan sa labas ng apartment niya. How rude! "I won't help people like you. You look like someone well off, but can't even take care of herself? Go back to your house! Because of your foolishness yesterday and today, my life is ruined even more!" Sigaw niya. Bago pa ako makalapit ng tuluyan sa kaniya ay isinara na niya ang pinto. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW? Kinapa ko ang sarili ko at... Yung sling bag ko! Hindi man lang binalik! "Hey! Get out of there! I need my bag!" Hinampas-hampas ko pa yung pintuan niya. But nothing. "Can you please settle your lover's quarrel outside? You're not the only ones in here! Tsk, youngsters these days." Napairap ako sa sinambit ng taong dumaan. Lover's quarrel. Gosh! Kinuha ko ang phone ko at nagdial. "What? Bakit ngayon pa!" Sigaw ko nang naging black ang screen ng phone ko. Lowbatt. "Argh!" Sinipa ko ang pintuan niya bago maglakad paalis. "Screw you and my family!" All of you... you are all so stone-hearted! I don't know where to go kaya naupo na lang ako sa may stairs ng floor ng apartment niya. "Gosh..." Napatingin ako sa tumatawag. "Why?" I asked sa kabilang line. "Don't you have any plans of going back to school? Professors are all coming back at you..." What? So 'di pa nga nasesettle ng family ko? Ni dad atleast... Ano ba kasing nangyari sa kanila? "I'm not going back to school. Not until my family settles it..." "What? You aren't serious, are you? You have to get in here and fix your life!" Sigaw niya. The hell I care? I can't even contact dad. Para kanino pa 'tong ginagawa ko? He gave his camera to me. One of his cameras... but something is special about that one. Other than the fact that I could take videos with it as well. "This is the right time, Lia. Do the right thing for me. I'll give this to you, and you will know what to do." I sighed. I kept thinking about that memory. Pinatay ko na lang ang tawag. Napalingon ako nang may narinig na pagbukas ng pintuan. Agad akong tumayo at lumapit sa kaniya. "Give me back my sling bag," sambit ko. Nakatitig lamang ang mga mata niya sa akin. Stop those eyes, argh! "Hey! Filipino ka right? If you are not going to give back my camera, help me at— hey!" Sinigawan ko pa siya dahil after niyang isara ang pinto ay nilagpasan niya ako. Sinundan ko siya pababa ng stairs at palabas ng building. "Tulungan mo na ako! I just need like, a month! After nun alis na ako." Tumigil siya sa paglalakad at hinarap ako. "I don't care." Matapos nun ay naglakad ulit siya palayo sa akin. Kapal mo ah! Umupo na lang ako sa stairs ulit. This time, sa harap ng main gate ng building. Sa harapan ko ay kitang-kita ang mga sasakyan at mga taong dumaraan. Kung nasa akin lang camera ko... Ayaw kasing ibalik nun eh! Nagutom na ako kaya naman nagspend ako ng araw maghapon sa isang resto bar. Kahit papaano, I have life here. "That would be two thousand dollars, ma'am." Sambit nung waiter. Wait. Wala nga pala akong dala! Nasa sling bag ko yung wallet! "Ma'am?" Gosh... this is embarrasing. "Ah—" Naputol ang salita ko. "I'll pay for her." Napatingin ako sa isang lalaki. Okay? Who are you now? Ngumiti siya sa akin. "I'll have this one and the other one. Thank you." sambit niya sa waiter. Napataas ang kilay ko. "Can I have a sit?" tanong niya. "Sure," sambit ko. He has looks, yes. And mukhang built ang katawan niya, 'di lang gaanong halata. He wears a suit... must be a business man looking to chill here? He looks like he's in his mid-20s. Aish! I'll stop! Tahimik lang ako. Dumating na ang drinks na inorder niya. Iniabot niya sa akin yung isa. "Have one, miss... Daliah?" How did he? After a while, napuno ng tawanan ang resto bar nang dahil sa amin. Ang bait naman pala nito. "So, so, you're not answering my question a while ago. How did you knew my name?" I asked again. He just looked at me. "Well, I... I am a fan of your photography works. Yes, I follow you in insta." Woah... So talagang may fans na ako ha? "Aww, that's too great. I feel good because of ya'll! Haha." "Besides, I idolize that Jonathan guy that's always with your father. His insta is rocking with productivity too! Got me inspired as hell," he said as he drank again. Ah si Jonathan. Kainis naman 'to, gusto ko lang mag-chill, pinaalala pa-- wait. I should contact Jonathan! Baka sumagot siya! Siya lang laging nakakausap ko dahil busy si dad lagi. "Wait, can I borrow your phone real quick? I'll just hit Jonathan up. I need to tell him something. You know, about my situation. My phone's lowbatt already." I told him. He looked up to me. His smiling eyes became serious. "Sure. How about we settle that and go to my place? I'd like to know you more," Sambit niya at tumayo na siya. "Okay!" Now I have a friend. I can finally have a home for one month atleast! Inalalayan niya ako dahil natutumba-tumba ako. Paglabas namin ng restobar ay may nakaabang na kotse. "So this is yours? Great!" Great choice! Black ito at... mukhang tinted? Inalalayan niya akong pumasok but tumigil ako. Naramdaman kong humigpit ang hawak niya sa braso ko. "What's the problem?" he asked. Inalis ko ang pagkakahawak niya sa akin at ngumiti. Unti - unti akong lumayo sa kaniya. "Hey, Miss Daliah?" he asked again. Naglalakad din siya palapit sa akin. Bumilis na ang tibok ng puso ko. Kidnap ba 'to? I don't know why but I don't feel so good kaya tumakbo ako palayo. Lumilingon ako at hinahabol niya ako. No! Bakit ba lagi akong hinahabol?! Gosh! Help me! Tumakbo ako nang tumakbo nang namataan ko ang building kung nasaan yung apartment ni Marcus. Tumakbo ako papasok rito kahit hilong-hilo na ako. Lumingon ako pabalik and he's there, coming to me! Dali-dali akong tumakbo paakyat at nang nasa floor na niya ako, which is sixth floor, gosh, nakita ko siya papasok pa lang ng room niya. "Hey! Marcus! Wait!" Pero huli na ang lahat. Naisara na niya ang pinto. What the hell! Pinagpapalo ko ang pinto niya at tumingin ako sa likuran ko. "Why are you running away?" he asked. Palapit na siya sa akin. I don't know what to do... Nawala na ang lakas ko na sumigaw at paluin ang pinto niya... Wala na. He's going to get me. Paano ako napunta sa sitwasyong 'to?