Chapter 6

Chapter 6: I have my notebook and pen out.

I sit on my bed as I laugh out loud at the conversation we are having on the phone. Xystal announces what happened on the last night of our trip. “Abe was literally sleepwalking! He even tripped over the mattress!”

Abe defends himself, “I was awake! I was just, you know, lazy to open my eyes!”

We all laugh at his excuse then Rust speaks up to spill the beans about Abe’s sleeping habit. “Abe, I can clearly remember how you were sleeping while sitting on the toilet on our first night.”

In shock, “You slept on the toilet?”

Abe shouts on the other line with all embarrassment, “Hillary!”

I flop down my bed while laughing hysterically at Abe’s reaction. Well, it has been a few days since I came back home from the trip. It was a fun three days trip where we learned that we all cannot live together. I call them, “Guys!”

Xystal responds and I can audibly hear that she’s laughing and just made a sound. “Huh?”

Rust responds in between laughs, “Y-yes?”

Abe gives the silent, “Hm?”

I exaggeratingly announce my thought, “I just remember. We cannot live together! Like literally cannot!”

Rust adds something, “The fact that Abe sleepwalks, Xystal needing one whole queen-size bed for herself, Hillary nagging?”

He confidently answers himself, “Accurately an n.o!”

Xystal shouts on the phone, “I don’t need a whole queen-size bed for myself!”

Rust snorts and chuckles, “I can clearly remember how you spread yourself on one of the mattresses exactly leaving no space for Hillary.”

Xystal fights back, “Hey Rust! Don’t forget the fact that you can’t even cook!”

Rust responds, “At least I know how to cook.”

Everyone laughs, “I remember how awful you fried the spam, Rust! That was just frying!”

“Hillary! You cooked with me!”

I defend myself, “You told me to just boil ramen and not touch anything from there!”

Abe laughs, “She took it seriously! Oh my!”

He adds, “Oh, and don’t forget the fact that Hillary sleep talks!”

Everyone laughs but I am left in agape, “I what?”

Rust answers, “You sleep talked and kept on mumbling the word angel eyes. It was funny with the way you frown then say it again.”

Xystal adds, “She also kept on saying “He isn’t cute!” then she smirks!”

The phone call ends after a few more conversations and recalling the funny moments we have spent together. However, I didn’t get to catch up with them after they revealed that I sleep talk. I mean, I am grateful enough for them not to ask me anything about what happened that morning and they just kept the conversation very cheerful but, the fact that these all happened and might happen again bothers me.

However, I feel like there’s something wrong with it. I get off the bed and go straight to my desk. I pick up a notebook and a pen, I try to recall the dream I had the morning my friends were worried sick about me, those vivid scenarios I experienced, and the exact emotions that haunted me till I woke up.

Tap, the tapping on my shoulder calmly wakes me up. “Ate, Ate.”

I lift my head from the desk and rub my eyes to adjust to the luminous light coming from my desk lamp. “Hmm?”

He responds slowly, “Dinner, Papa said.”

Nod my head and he on the other hand jumps on my bed. I trail my vision to the window to see that the sun has set already, it is dinner time. My attention goes back to my brother who is now rolling on my bed. I snicker, “What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be downstairs by now?”

He stops what he is doing and crawls at the end of my bed, “I’m waiting for you.”

His reply brings the corner of my lips into a smile. “Let’s go.”

I get off my chair and am about to turn off the desk lamp when I notice that I have my notebook and pen out, they are lying on my desk. The notebook is opened showing a blank page while the pen is on top of it, with the lid on. I flip the page of the notebook to see if I wrote anything but, they all seem to be familiar math equations when I was in 6th grade and a few new ones I have been studying for junior high school. I shrug at the thought of actually doing math equations before dinner time when I usually do it in the morning, “Did I really just did that?”

“Also, I don’t usually fall asleep doing math,” while asking myself that, I lift my hand for my brother to take. He no doubts grabs it and hops off the bed then we both go downstairs to the dining area.

The scrumptious aroma of Ma’s cooking tingles my senses that I almost drag my brother to the kitchen. He stumbles but quickly gets his balance back, trying to catch up. He yells, “Ate!”

I laugh at him and urges him to run faster but then my brother Miguel snatches him from my hold and carries him bridal style. The snatch is quite smooth like those men in horses suddenly snatching the princess to ride on the horse. as we run to the kitchen to check what Ma is cooking for dinner.

The moment we step foot on the kitchen floor, Ma is already looking in our direction with her hands on her hips and her face is as cold as stone. “Why are you running inside my house?”

Miguel puts Mj down and pushes him to walk to Ma while we stand straight as if we’re in military training. “Ma!” Mj runs to her and she squats down to hug him. I and Miguel, on the other hand, get to exhale our breaths as a relief but then Ma’s sharp eyes meet ours.

We both speak at the same time but not the same line.

“I was excited to know what’s for dinner.”

“It was fun?”

I elbow my brother, “Miguel!”

“What? It was fun, admit it!”

Ma comes forward and brings us both warmth by her hug, she giggles “Enough kids, I was just kidding but still be careful and don’t break anything…” she lets go of us, and points her index finger on our faces. “Or else, your ass will get it, you both know that.”

Miguel speaks, “Is that a threat Ma? It's kinda cute.” He smiles cheekily.

I just shake my head and pat Ma on her shoulders.

All of a sudden, “What’s wrong? Did the kids do something wrong?”

Pa comes in with a worried look, “Or did they disobey their mother and hurt her feelings?”

He stands beside Ma while having his arms crossed over his chest and gives us a serious expression we don’t see often.

I snappily wave my hands in dismissal, “No Pa! Nothing serious,” I beg, “So please, don’t get mad or anything!”

He scans the atmosphere, from me to my Ma then he nods his head that makes me relieved. But then Ma and Pa make eye contact and they both look serious. “But kids, we do have something important to talk over dinner. Let’s go.” Like a trained soldier, he turns his back to us having his hands behind him then he leaves the kitchen and we all follow.

We all sit down on our respective chairs and places. Ma comes out of the kitchen with a platter of afritada. The savory tomato-based sauce with cooked vegetables such as bell peppers, potatoes, and green peas travels the air. Ma puts down the dish but none of us moves a muscle.

Pa notices and signals us to just eat first. Me, with very much anticipation to eat first takes a serving from the afritada and a serving of rice as well. I happily dig in and they all get theirs one after the other.

The dish Ma served brings us all into delight. While eating, we talked about various topics. For some instance where would we want to spend our summer vacation?

Miguel gives a suggestion first, “Why don’t we travel abroad? Like to Japan!”

I agree with him, “Japan would be great, Ma! Oh and let’s go to Akihabara, I read a lot of awesome things about it that relate to anime!”

I look at Miguel excitedly. We both are into anime, I mean he influenced me with the anime world when I was just in 5th grade. Ever since then, we have talked about anime and sometimes we watch it together. And just as how my Kuya influenced me, he is also a big influence on our little brother, Mj. The little guy even starts the conversation regarding anime we have recommended him, the kid learns too quickly.

Pa suggests another place, “Why not Ilo-ilo? We haven’t been there for a while now.”

Miguel responds, “But Pa, we always include going to Ilo-ilo to visit the grandparents there every summer, same goes with Bicol.”

I add, “So it’ll be the same as always? A week in Ilo-ilo then a week in Bicol before actually leaving for a trip?” I look at Ma and asks her, “Or are we staying in one of the two places?”

Ma answers, “Staying would always be a great idea but other relatives would also be visiting or staying with your grandparents and it’ll be too much of a hassle for them.”

Pa adds, “Considering I have a bigger branch of siblings while your Mama’s parents are living with your grandma’s sister.”

He also considers Japan, “Going to Japan would be a great idea since you kids seem to be a little too excited for that.” he chuckles.

“But, I sadly can’t say we’ll be going to Japan together.”

Miguel asks, “What do you mean by that, Pa?”

Papa looks at Ma for confirmation, she nods and before he speaks up he sighs deeply. He turns to face us again, his face isn’t as bright as it was a while ago. I look at Ma and she seems to be having a hard time spilling the news to us.

Another deep sigh from Papa, “You kids need to choose between me and your mother.”

Miguel interrupts, “But why?”

“If it’s about work, then that’s fine if we cancel going to Japan. We can always go there as if Japan has legs to go running off the earth.”

I agree with my brother, “It’s not a big deal for you guys to sigh that deeply.”

My brother playfully kicks my leg under the table making the table shake a bit then he laughs, “You are being dramatic, parents.”

Pa raises his hand, “There are important matters to be discussed. However, I do want you kids to enjoy your summer vacations without any of these in the way.”

Ma adds on Pa’s argument, “Besides, it’s not just about work, kids. There are adult things to be discussed and they are big deals.”

Me and Miguel ask in unison, “Like what?”

Pa suddenly raises his voice, “Again, like you kids deciding who to go with between me and your mother.”

We didn’t catch it earlier but it seems like we just pushed his buttons a while ago or another too sensitive topic is being avoided.