Three years of Almost

Chapter 14

Late at night, the Malisorn household was quiet—except for one very distinct problem echoing from your bedroom walls.

“Ohmygod, ohmygod, OHMYGOD!” you whispered in horror, your blanket already over your head like it could possibly muffle the... traumatizing noises coming from your parents’ room.

Your face turned pale. “I can’t live like this.”

You sprang up, grabbed your nearest hoodie, and bolted out of the house barefoot in panic, not even bothering to close the door behind you. Three houses away, you banged on Sheena’s door like your life depended on it.

“Y/N? Anong—” Sheena opened the door in her bunny pajamas, blinking at you, then screamed when you lunged and hugged her.

“Please! Pa-sleepover! Nakakatrauma! I heard things I can never unhear!”

Cut to a few minutes later, you were curled up in Sheena’s bed with a borrowed stuffed toy and wild eyes.

“They were like... like animals, Sheena. Animals. Mommy Faye even said—!”

“NOPE!” Sheena clapped her hand over your mouth. “Tama na. Wag mo nang ikwento, please lang. Maawa ka sa utak ko.”

You nodded vigorously, still horrified.

But not even the sanctuary of her cozy room could keep your brain from spiraling again. “Anyway... back to the real problem,” you murmured, eyes distant. “Stacey's birthday is near. I still don’t know if I should give her the gift as her mysterious admirer or her mortal frenemy... pero what if she hates both? What if she throws it away? What if—”

“Y/N.” Sheena threw a pillow at your head. “Snap out of it. Girl, it’s past midnight. You’re thinking about the love of your life and your parents’... horizontal cardio in the same hour. Anong gusto mong mauna kong tulungan, trauma o fantasy mo kay Stacey?”

You groaned, burying your face in her pillow. “I can’t believe I’m dying like this.”

“You’re not dying,” she sighed, pulling the blanket over you both. “You’re just hella gay and cursed to have an in heat parents at the middlw of the night.”

You mumbled something incoherent, your eyes finally closing as sleep started to pull you under—with a slight frown on your lips as you imagined Stacey’s face receiving either a flower from an admirer... or a sarcastic card from her least favorite person.

“Bahala na si Batman... bukas ko na ulit iisipin ‘to,” you whispered.

The next morning, a calm yet imposing knock echoed through the front door of Sheena’s house.

Sheena, still groggy and in oversized slippers, opened it—only to nearly choke on her saliva at the sight of your regal, intimidating, judgment-ready mommy Faye standing there, poised in a cream blouse tucked into dark slacks, hair in a perfect bun, lips drawn in a faint, polite smile that screamed:

I-know-my-daughter-is-here-and-you-better-not-lie-to-me.

“Good morning,” Faye said with a slight bow of her head. “Nandito ba ang anak ko?”

Sheena’s parents peeked from the hallway, clearly a bit stunned too. “Ah—yes, Miss Faye. Pasok po kayo. She’s still sleeping sa room ni Sheena.”

Faye stepped inside like a queen gracing a peasant’s hut. “Salamat po. Pasensya na po sa abala, nag-walkout kasi ang anak ko kagabi without permission. Nalaman ko na lang wala siya sa kama pagkagising ko kanina.”

Sheena cleared her throat nervously. “Uh... Tita Faye, sorry po. She ran to us kasi... uh... may narinig daw siyang—”

Faye raised an eyebrow, silently daring her to finish.