Chapter 1.
Cries and wailings everywhere. I could hear people's agonizing misery as the coffin were kept heading down, six feet underground. I stood still at the back, not wasting a single tear. It was until then that I sense an unwanted presence behind me.
"Hi....uh, condolence." I didn't say anything nor give her any attention at all. My gaze were fixed infront. Finally, the coffin was at rest and people are starting to throw flowers and roses. A farewell, a final goodbye. For me, both are different from each other. Goodbye means you could meet again, after a day, a month, a year or decades. You could set a date and catch up with each other, talk about the places you've been to and talk about the people you've let inside your life, or just simply talk about how good was a coffee on a sad evening night. Thus for farewell, means you'll never see that person again, you'll never see the glow in their eyes whenever they talk about something or someone they like. Never make any skin contact with each other, and you'll never hear their laughs and cries. Never will, you'll see their smile. But I guess farewell was more I always wish of.
"I know, it must be hard for you." No. It's not that hard to bid farewell to someone I once loved. It's like a normal day, seeing them getting buried. I am not in pain at all. I am totally fine, in fact, it's quite relieving.
"You look stupid, you know what!? You're a total bitch!" I averted my gaze at Marco, my brother. didn't even notice him coming this way.I pursed my lips and stared blankly ahead, not making any eye contact with him or any of our relatives. "That's our mother being buried there and you didn't even shed a single tear! You're a total bitch! Asshole! That's why people don't want to be near you!" That's the last thing I heard before he punch me directly at the face. I tried to keep my balance but I failed. I let my body fall on the ground, people are staring at me, not minding what my brother is doing. They thought it was fine, they always think that I needed a lesson. They let him punch me and gave him all the time he needs, until he got tired and I didn't even notice that I was beaten rapidly, enough to knocked me out. The next thing I knew, I was in the hospital. No one beside me, only myself and I. In this world full of emotions, I decided not to follow people's river of thoughts and just be an outsider to the world I once lived. The walls have such a beautiful paintings hanged right across the furnitures. It caught my attention as I stared at it a minute or more until someone knock at my door. I wasn't excited at all. That someone might remember me, or someone might care about me.
The door screech opened, But I am not averting my gaze nor doing anything. I'm just here, not wasting time on turning around.
"Hey. Don't freak out." This time I knew, I didn't know this guy, but I kept my calm anyway. I just didn't care at all. Noong napansin niyang hindi ako nag sasalita, ay naramdaman kong naglalakad siya papalapit sa akin. I didn't even bother to feel nervous. It was a feeling of normal. How can someone you know all your life, could still be a stranger of ones' beliefs.
"I saw him beating you up. " I heard him say. It was then that I cleared my throat and swallowed lightly. My throat hurts.
"Okay." I replied.
"I am Ron."
"Okay."
"Your name?"
"No. That's your name."
"I meant, what's your name?" Oh, so that's what he meant.
"Riva."
"Nice to meet you, Riva. First of all, I wanted to apologize for just barging in without any permission. And second, I know you're not in good terms with your family nor relatives. D-Don't freak out but I did some research on your background." It's when I turned around and saw him staring at me. Waiting for my reaction. I noticed that he's quite twice my age.
"I'm not interested in love." I said, intently looking at him. He looks like he's out of words. Looks irritating to look at.
"N-No. That's not what I wanted to tell you. I am not interested in someone who's younger than me. I am here to make an offer to you. I know that you're struggling financially and barely living each day. You don't have enough money to support your needs. I know you need this."
"What's the offer?" I asked him directly. Staring at the painting hanged before my eyes. It's really calming to look at. It somehow ease my soul.
"You see. I have a younger brother, you both have the same age. We just knew last week, that he his cancer went up to stage four. His days were numbered. But we could extend his stay if he just take chemotherapy. But He refused it. Help me convince him. I just wanted him to stay for a while." I could hear his pain and longing. How ironic, he's already longing on someone who's not even dead yet. Maybe because he knew that months from now, his brother will die. Funny how people pretend to have faith. People with faith without faith.
"Where's the offer in that?"
"Oh.. I didn't say it yet. Uhm, I propose to give you 1,000,000 Pesos. If you took my offer, I'll give you your down payment and if my brother lasted for 1 year, I will double it. If you convince him to take the therapy, I will triple it. Sounds good to you?" I'm dumb if I won't take it. I'm a person who barely lives a day with only 150 Pesos in her pocket.
"So are you saying that all I have to do is take care of him until he die?" I asked him. Interested in taking the money.
"I..uhh, no, you don't have to take care of him. You just have to accompany him. You see, he didn't have any friends to enjoy every moment with. And I am not always at home because I have my own family and I am working. Plus, our parents died when we were still young. So I don't have a choice but to hire someone. But yeah, until he die--that I most certainly hope not." I was looking at him the entire time and just doing nothing. I feel that he really cares for his brother. Which is a strange feeling I've never felt before.
"Okay."
"O-Okay, cool. I took care of your hospital bills, you don't have to worry. And thankyou, Riva." I am not worrying with anything at all. I am not nervous nor hearing my heart pounding rapidly like any movies or books would say. It feels normal. Again, how can something you never encountered before, could feel so much familiar than anything you've known all your life.
"Okay."
