Chapter Nine
ANAIS
"Anais, ano'ng oras na?" I could hear Mom's voice outside my room. I covered my face with a pillow and tried to ignore the banging on my door. "You're going to be late for school! Malalate na kami ng Daddy mo at ng kapatid mo! Hurry!"
"Yeah, yeah..." I muttered.
"Are you still in bed, Anais?" Mom screamed like a banshee. "Are you seriously—God! You're so difficult! I'm going into your room!"
After a few minutes the door to my room opened. I heard Mom's heavy footsteps walking nearer to my bed. My limbs and eyes felt so heavy. I didn't think I could even lift a finger. I just wanted to stay in bed all day. Just sleep the day away.
"Anais!" Mom snatched the pillow over my head. "Get up!"
"I don't feel good." I mumured.
She felt my forehead and then my neck with the back of her hand. "Wala ka naman sakit. Nagpuyat ka na naman ba kagabi?"
"Can I skip school today?"
"Hindi! Anais, tumayo ka na diyan! Take a shower so we can all leave!" She firmly said.
"Mooooom..." I whined.
"You're going to go to school whether you like it or not! Do you want me to get your Dad so he can carry you to the shower?" There was warning in her voice.
Padabog na tumayo ako sa kama at pumunta sa banyo. I took a shower and that somehow, lifted my mood a bit. Mom was telling me to hurry up even when I was in the shower. It took me less than ten minutes to finish. I dried myself and grabbed some clothes, a simple pair of jeans and a white cami top and a black jacket to match. I didn't feel like dressing up in a cute outfit or even putting powder on my face. I just felt awful.
"Anais, hurry!" Mom said as I walked down the stairs.
"I haven't had my breakfast..." I frowned, feeling my stomach clench in hunger.
"Malalate na ang kapatid mo. Ito na lang ang kainin mo." Dad handed me two pieces of toasted bread in a tissue paper and a small carton of chocolate milk.
I looked at Bryce and she stuck her little tongue out at me. Usually, pinapatulan ko ang pagka-brat ng batang ito but this time I didn't feel annoyed at all. I just smiled at her.
Mom grabbed Bryce's hand and they went to the garage. Dad and I followed behind them while I ate the toasts that he gave.
"You should've atleast added some butter." I complained.
"If you want a decent breakfast, you should've woken up earlier." Dad retorded.
I sighed tiredly. Dad slipped into the car, Mom sat next to the driver's seat and Bryce and I climbed into the backseat. Dad pressed a button in his car and the garage door lifted up. Pinaandar na ni Daddy ang kotse palabas.
"Mom, I want chocolate milk too!" Sabi ni Bryce.
"Bryce, kumain ka na di ba? Hindi pa kumakain ng breakfast ang ate mo." Mom answered.
"But I want the chocolate milk."
"I'll get you one later."
"I want it now!" She pouted cutely.
She looks extra cute when she does that. Her fair skin complimented her super dark eyes and hair. She had cherub cheeks that turns red when it's hot and cute pink lips. She maybe annoying most of the time but she's really pretty. She looks like one of those glass antique dolls.
"You can have mine." I said handing my chocolate milk to her.
She looked at me, skeptically. Her brows furrowing with confusion. I admit, I'm always nice to my sister. Okay, I'm rarely nice to her. I'm nice to her like once a year. She wasn't nice to me anyway. She had always been a wailing, complaining, annoying, whiny entitled little imp since she was a baby. I remember seeing her in the hospital after Mom gave birth to her. Everybody's attention were on her. My Granpa Auggy, Lolo Jaime, and Gradma Lottie barely even notice me. And I had always been the center of their attention. I had always been their one and only and most favorite granddaughter! But then Bryce came and that changed everything. They were gushing at how cute she was but all I could see was this little unprocessed blob of human being.
Now I kind of see what they were talking about. Cute naman talaga ang kapatid ko. She grabbed the milk from me and poked the straw in. I watched as she drank my chocolate milk. Her long, dark hair hung over her shoulders.
"Hey, Bryce. Come here. I'll braid your hair." Sabi ko sa kanya.
She lifted her eyes up to me and stared at me like I was going crazy.
"Anais, huwag ka na naman magsimula. Leave your sister alone." There was warning in Mom's tone.
"I just want to fix her hair." Sagot ko. I scooted closer to her.
"Anais, I'm warning you. Kapag kayo nag-away na naman." Dad made eye contact with me through the rearview mirror.
"I'm not going to do anything." I promised.
I took out an elastic hairband from my bad and started braiding her hair. She patiently sat there while sipping her chocolate milk.
"See! Mas cute ka kapag nakatali ang hair mo! They'll see more of your pretty face." I smiled. You know that feeling when you see something cute and you want to bite it? That's how I feel now as I Iook at my sister.
"I am?" She asked.
"Of course! Mana ka sa akin eh"
"May sakit nga yata talaga ang anak mo. I don't think she's faking it." I heard Mom whisper to Dad and then she turned her head to us. "Honey, okay na ba ang pakiramdam mo? Gusto mong iuwi ka na namin ng Daddy mo paghatid namin kay Bryce?"
"I'm fine now, Mom." I answered.
"Are you sure?" Dad asked.
"I'm sure."
Within a few minutes, we were in front of Bryce's school. Bryce was about to jump out of the car when I hugged her. I couldn't help it. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyayari sa akin ngayon. Kung bakit gustong-gusto ko siya panggigilan.
"Ate, you're hugging me too tight!" She complained.
"I'm sorry. Be good, okay?" I told her. "I love you."
She rolled her eyes and jump out of the car. She gave Dad a kiss bago siya hinatid ni Mommy papunta sa gate ng school. Mom gave her a kiss on the head before going back to the car. I waved at her one more time and she waved back at me with a confused and hesitant look on her cute cherub face.
"Ms. Lavigne!" Our world history professor tapped her magic stick on my desk. I groggily lifted my head up and was met by the old lady's piercing glare. "Could you explain to me why you're sleeping in my class?"
"I... um..." I sat up straight, still a little dazed.
"Um, what? I want an explanation or do you want me to send you to the office?"
"Hey, Mrs. Duran." Coco raised his hand. "I have a question. The world is round right? How come in some places, people don't fall off the earth?"
"What kind of question is that, Mr. Cordova? What are you? A kindergartener?" Her head snapped to his direction.
"I heard in Switzerland their toilets flush upwards." He shrugged.
The whole room roared with laughter which annoyed Mrs. Duran even more.
"That is not true at all. I do not know where you got that information but only an imbecile would believe in that." Her haughty nose tilted up. "Kung hindi mo seseryosohin ang klase ko, Mr. Cordova, you are free to leave."
"I'm just asking." He was so casual about it. Hindi mo alam kung seryoso talaga siya.
"If you are serious then you are the perfect definition of a dumb blonde." Mrs. Duran commented as she massaged her temples.
He turned his head to me and winked. I knew he was just playing dumb to save me. He had always been like that since we were kids. He'd embarrased himself just to save me from embarassment. I didn't know what I'd do without Coco.
The bell rang and I quickly shoved my book into my bag. Coco and I got out of the room together and went straight to the cafeteria to get ourselves some food. Then we went to our favorite spot. We sat on the school field under the shade of our favorite tree. We even had our name carved on it.
Coco + Anais bestfriends 4ever
Okay, ako lang talaga ang nagcarve noon. Coco hated it. He thought it was too corny but I thought it was cute. Atleast we had something that we would leave behind kahit na maka-graduate na kami dito. Someday we'd visit this tree when we're old and remember all those days we spent here together.
"Coco, ano ba?" I shrugged his head off my shoulder.
"What did I do?" He asked, confused.
"Huwag ka ngang dikit ng dikit sa akin. It's so hot already." I complained.
It was pretty windy out here. Hindi naman ganun kainit. Hindi ko alam kung bakit iritang-irita ako mula ng makita ko siya kanina. I just couldn't stand him being so near me. I felt suffocated.
"Geez, what is wrong with you?" He pulled away from me.
"Lumayo ka nga sa akin. It's really hot, Coco and you're too near. I feel smothered."
He scooted a little further away from me. "There! Are you happy now?"
"Layo pa..." I grunted.
"Bakit hindi mo na lang ako paalisin?" He sounded a little pissed off.
"I'm just asking you to move. Bakit nagagalit ka agad?" I asked.
"I'm not mad. Tinatanong lang kita kung gusto mo na akong umalis. You've been like this since this morning! Ayaw mong hinahawakan kita, ayaw mong dumidikit ako sa'yo! What am I supposed to do? Stand ten feet away from you?!"
"Don't shout at me." I glared at him. "Huwag na huwag mo akong sisigawan, Nicholas!"
"I am not!" He raked his fingers through his hair.
"See! Ano'ng you're not! Sinisigawan mo ako eh! I'm just asking you to move tapos sinigawan mo ako? Ano bang masama sa sinabi ko? Can't I get a little space?" Tears began to form in the corners of my eyes.
"Anais, what the hell?" There was a mixture of confusion and frustration crept across his brows.
"Ewan ko sa'yo! Inaaway mo ako sa ganun kaliit na bagay? You're pathetic." The corners of my lips sagged downwards.
"Hindi nga kita sinisigawan." He said with extra gentleness. "Hindi ako nakikipag-away sa'yo. I don't want us to fight over something this stupid."
"Oh now you think I'm stupid?" My frown crew deeper.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me, Anais." He let out a frustrated huff.
"Ngayon minumura mo na ako! Hoy Nicholas Cordova, you know my Dad swears like a sailor pero never akong minura ng Dad ko!" The tears were starting to sting my eyes.
"Hindi kita minura. Will you just calm down. Just calm down okay?" He cupped my face into his palms.
"Ewan ko sa'yo..." Tears began to slide down my cheeks.
"Sheesh! Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today." He kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry, okay? Kahit wala akong kasalanan, kahit hindi ko alam ang ginawa ko. Sorry na."
"Stop denying it." I sobbed.
"Okay, okay... everything's my fault. I'm sorry." He sighed and pulled me closer to him.
"Sabi ng lumayo ka sa akin." I pushed him away.
"Okay! Lalayo na nga." He said, pulling away and moving.
"Masyado naman malayo yan!" I complained, wiping my tears.
He scooted closer to me. "There? Happy?"
I nodded and couldn't help but smile at how silly these all were. "Yeah..."
I baked Bryce's favorite strawberry cupcake and used Mom's recipe. I knew she would love this. I couldn't wait to see her reaction when she tastes my cupcakes. I pulled the tray out of the oven and put it over the marbled countertop, letting it cool down.
I decided to go to my room and take a nap. They won't be home for another hour. I woke up feeling refreshed after a two hour nap. Okay, I kind of overslept a bit. I jumped out of my bed when I remember the cupcakes and Bryce.
I went straight to the kitchen to find Bryce, Mom, Dad, and even Coco eating the cupcakes I baked for Bryce. They were only for Bryce!!!
"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed, bewildered.
"I didn't know you can bake. This is so good." Dad complimented. But they didn't mean anything now. Those weren't for them!
"So good." Coco said and took a big bite out of it. It made me even more angry, seeing them enjoy my cupcakes!
"No! No! No!" I freaked out. "Hindi sa inyo yan!"
I snatched the cupcakes they had in their hands even though it was already half-eaten.
"What are you all doing?" I looked at all three of them like they just murdered someone. "Why did you eat my cupcakes?"
"Sabi ni Yaya you baked these for us." Mom answered.
"Those are not for you! They're for Bryce!" I shouted.
"It's okay. I want to share it with them." Bryce said.
"No, I don't want to. These are only for you." I pouted, already on the verge of tears. Gusto ko siya lang makita kong kumakain ng cupcake.
"Wait? What did you put in the cupcake, Anais!" Mom's eyes narrowed at me.
"I know Bryce can get on your nerves sometimes but honey, you wouldn't poison your sister... would you?" Dad asked.
"No! What are you guys talking about? I'm not trying to poison my sister. Why would I poison this cute little angel?" Lumapit ako kay Bryce at niyakap siya.
"Okay..." Bryce's face crumpled uneasily, totally weirded out. "That's... nice."
"Are you sure you're okay, Anais?" Dad uttered each word slowly and carefully.
"She's been like this all they tito." Sumbong ni Coco. "I don't know what's happening to her."
"It's okay. We'll make another tray of cupcakes. I'll help." Mom diverted the conversation.
"No! Ayoko na! You can help yourselves with those cupcakes that I ONLY baked for Bryce! Enjoy yourselves." I sarcastically said, stomping my way out of the kitchen.
I went back to my room. I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster all day. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako nagkakaganito at naninibago ako sa mga nararamdaman ko. I just felt like I wasn't me anymore. I couldn't stand Coco. I didn't see Bryce as an annoying little brat anymore. I get really angry at the smallest things. What was happening to me?
Naisip ko ang nangyari. The whole cupcake incident. I admit, I overreacted. I was just so confused and so lost with my emotions. I was irritable, frustrated, tired. I didn't like how emotionally unstable I had been acting.
I went out of my room to apologize for how I had acted earlier but then I passed by Dad's study and heard Mom and him talking.
"You think she needs to see a psychiatrist?" I heard Mom asking.
"A psychiatrist? Val, what are you talking about? Hindi baliw ang anak ko." Dad blurted, sounding completely bewildered.
"I'm not saying Anais is crazy. Maybe she just needs help. Professional help. She's been acting a bit strange lately."
"Then we'll talk to her. We'll find out what's bothering her."
"I'm fine, Mom, Dad." I told them in an annoyed tone. "There's nothing wrong with me I swear."
"ANAIS!" They were both surprised when they turned their head and saw me standing on the door.
"Kanina ka pa ba d'yan?" Mom asked.
"I heard what you said. I don't need to see a shrink." I sighed. "I'm going back to my room."
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