“Hey, wake up,”

Someone whispered. Tila nakiliti ang aking tainga sa mainit nito hininga ngunit imbes na mapangiti ako ay inis ang nagibabawa sa akin.

I used the blanket to cover my face and rolled to the other side of the bed kung saan walang bwisit.

“I said, wake up—”

“Five more minutes, Chi!” I groaned.

“It’s already past lunch! And not Chi, I’m Parker,”

I snickered and hugged my pillow tighter with my eyes still close, “You’re funny, Chi. Sige, kiss mo nga ako kung ikaw si Parker,” natatawang sabi ko. Naramdaman ko ang pag galaw ng kama kasabay nito ang pagdilim ng harapan ko.

“Open your eyes so that I can kiss you,”

My eyes widened in surprise when the soft voice suddenly turned into a husky one. Nakangisi si Parker sa harapan ko habang ilang pulgada ang layo ng mukha namin sa isa’t-isa.

“Brush your teeth. I don’t kiss girls with bad breathe,”

I playfully glared at him and pouted, “Even if it’s me?” I asked.

He softly laugh and slowly caress my hair, “Fine, I’ll make an exempt—”

“Hindi talaga kayo mag-on?”

Our attention drifted away to the young man standing in the doorway with a lollipop on his mouth, “This is how adult people joke,” I mumbled.

“May I remind you that you are only nineteen— NINETEEN!”

“We are matured enough, Spencer,” I yawned. Bumangon ako sa kama at napagpasyahan na mag ayos sa banyo.

Ngayon ang pangalawang araw namin sa bahay nina Spencer. It was one of the safest hideouts from the Bozos especially that we can monitor their movements from the outside using the CCTV System. And we are also lucky enough na walang tao lagi sa bahay na ito. Both of Spencer’s parents were always busy. His mother was the principal of our university, while his father was the guidance counselor.

Hindi rin naman namin balak mag-stay sa lugar na ito for the rest of our lives. We all agreed on getting to Alpheus so that we can exit through its secret tunnel towards the other side.

Nang makalabas ako sa banyo, nakita kong nakahiga si Parker sa kama ko habang hawak ang cellphone ko.

“Stop playing on my phone. May gagawin kayo ‘di ba?” Sabi ko sabay hablot sa phone. And just like I thought he was playing a random game downloaded on my phone.

“Gumising ako ng 7AM habang napakahimbing ng tulog mo. Let me rest, kakatapos lang namin ilagay ni Spencer ‘yung grills window,”

Hinila ko siya patayo upang bumangon siya. He was looking so grumpy dahilan upang matawa ako. Parker cooked a burger for breakfast at kinakain ko iyon habang papunta kami sa garage. A luxurious RV welcomed us. We’ve been designing this thing for two days, a design that will fit the apocalypse.

We just added some safety materials to the RV though maayos na ito especially dahil mukha itong mini house sa loob. May mga kama, kusino and even comfort room and bathroom.

We mounted a machine gun at the top of the RV. So the emergency will serve as the spot where it can be use. Aside from that, they attached steel window grills earlier to every window. Para kahit masira ang salamin, the Bozos won’t be able to enter the RV.

While the walls have a secret yet convenient way of hiding our weapons, the walls are slidable at lahat ng weapons namin ay nakatago ro’n.

The inside of the RV was the entrance and the driver seat, followed by a wall divider with a door and a curtain. The next part was the four beds that are styled like a double-deck, which can be turned into a couch. After the bedroom was the kitchen, and the last part is the shower and toilet.

And the size of the RV can be compared to a minibus. The most astonishing part was its self-driving feature. Pwede kaming matulog habang umaandar pa rin ang RV or shoot Bozos with the RV still moving.

“Spencer, no chocolates!” I scold.

He wrinkled his eyebrows as he rolled his eyes at tuloy-tuloy na pumasok sa RV habang bitbit ang isang bag ng chocolates.

“Let him be,” Parker whispered.

Sumunod kami kay Spencer na inaayos ang chocolates n’ya sa mini refrigerator. Napansin kong hindi gumagana ang GPS ng RV dahilan upang lumingon ako sa kanila.

“Hanggang saan ang pinagtatransimitan ng cellular tower ng Laodicea?” I asked.

Inangat ni Spencer ang mukha niya na tila nag-iisip siya, “Gethsemane— the other city that has a cellular tower,”

“Pero hindi tayo sigurado kung nakatayo pa rin ang cellular tower do’n,” sambit ni Parker.

Gethsemane is four cities away from Laodicea. Ibig sabihin kailangan muna namin na makalagpas sa mga Bozos do’n bago makakuha ng signal at makahingi ng tulong from the other side.

Parker suddenly started the engine, “Aalis na tayo?” I asked. Napangiwi ako nang maalala kung anong araw ngayon. Martes ngayon at katulad nang napagusapan, aalis kami ng Martes upang makarating agad sa destinasyon namin.

Because of the advances in the Luzon, hindi na maingay ang ibang sasakyan at isama na rin ang RV na ‘to. Parker set the RV in self-driving mode. Papunta kami ngayon sa kabilang city which is Kir. It was the city full of notorious thieves. But they are known as the wealthiest city aside from Alpheus. Kir is known as the Gamble Capital of Luzon.

“So, who’s Chi?” Spencer asked me.

“Pake mo?”

“You are my mother now. I should know who your friends are,”

I scoffed, “Paano mo ako naging nanay? How can I give birth to you, when in fact, I’m single?”

“No, you’re not,”

Pinisil ko ang dalawang pisnge niya dahilan upang manahimik siya. Alam ko kung saan pupunta ang usapan na ‘to.

“Cheena Ramirez, happy?”

“She’s your roommate?” Parker asked.

“Yes, why?”

“Then, you know her sister?” Parker asked, and I nodded. The Ramirez sisters are my roommate though I don’t really like Chi’s sister. Her sister is part of the cheerleading squad and one of my haters.

“Oh. Si Cara’ yung obsessed sa’yo ‘di ba?” Spencer asked Parker.

I looked at them curiously. Hindi ko alam ang bagay na iyon, especially inside our dormitory room— it was Chi and me who were close. Palagi rin na wala si Cara at ayoko talaga sa babaeng ‘yon.

Tila nandidiri na tumango si Parker sa tanong ni Spencer. Hindi ko rin naman napigilan ang pagtawa ko dahil mukhang natatae na ewan si Parker.

I wish that I could see Parker and Cara in the same room. Well, as if that will ever happen.

We talked many stupid things about school when the RV suddenly stopped at the border between Laodicea and Kir. Sumilip kaming tatlo sa bintana unahan ngunit walang kahit isang Bozo ang naroroon pero mamapansin ang mga fishing line na nakaharang sa daanan.

There was a suspicious cabin at the edge of the road. It looks fragile and sloppy.

“Walang bababa,” Parker said.

He suddenly slid the wall and get a shotgun, “Stay here. Ako na ang magchecheck. Spencer, standby sa machine gun for an emergency,”

“Got it,” Spencer said and handed him the garden scissors.

Lumingon muna sa akin si Parker bago binuksan ang pinto ng RV. Sumenyas siya na bantayan ko ang pinto para maisara ito kung Bozo man ang nasa loob ng cabin. Napapalunok ako habang pinapanood si Parker habang papunta ro’n.

“Don’t worry, Mommy, magiging safe si Daddy,” Spencer joked.

I glared at him and noticed that he was hiding on his back, “I told you. Don’t eat chocolate! What did you eat this time?”

“Snickers…” He answered.

I rolled my eyes. Binalik ko muli kay Parker ang atensyon ko. And while he was cutting the fishing lines, the cabin’s door slowly opened.

At parehas kaming napangiwi ni Spencer sa taong lumabas doon at nagtatatakbo papunta kay Parker.

“OMG! MY SAVIOUR! MY PARKER!”

And now, I wish that I didn’t wish to see her irritating face.

I slid the wall at kinuha ang katana. Sumunod kami ni Spencer sa labas pero minabuti muna namin na nakasarado ang pinto.

Cara was hugging and crying on Parker’s shoulder. Nanlulumong lumingon sa akin si Parker at tila nanghihingi ng tulong. Ngunit nawala ang atensyon ko sa kanila nang muling magbukas ang pinto ng cabin, at halos mapasigaw ako ng makita ko si Chi.

“Amiraaaa!” Impit niyang sigaw at tila pinipilit na huwag gumawa ng malakas na ingay.

Another man was with them. And just by looking at him, I can tell that he is one of the nerdy kids, especially with those thick glasses.

“Omg. Parker, my love!” Cara exclaimed.

Parker once again looked at me with his puppy eyes. I wanted to laugh, but looking at how pitiful he is. I can’t.

I used the unsheathed katana to lightly push Cara, making her glare at me. Nang lumuwag ang yakap sa kanya ni Cara ay mabilis na itong inalis na Parker at agad na tumabi sa akin.

“What the hell are you doing, bitch?” Cara asked.

“You’re trespassing,” I stated.

They all looked at me, curiously. Maging si Parker ay nakalukot ang noo habang nakatingin sa akin. I looked at Spencer, and I didn’t know that I will use his stupid idea to make an excuse to save Parker’s ass.

“You’re trespassing on my property,”

Chi gasped along with her sister, who mightily glared at me, “Bitch, just what the—”

“In Layman’s term, the man you are hugging earlier is my husband. My property and I am warning you, get near him again... And I will use this katana to cut your head off,”

#