Beneath the Edge

SIMULA

"Portia, you should start fixing yourself. It's almost 7am!" mom shouted.

Nagising ako sa sobrang ingay at yugyog ni Mommy sa katawan ko. She's my personal alarm clock because she knows how heavy sleeper I am and how I hate morning.

You know what my most hated hour of the day is? 5 a.m.

The sun isn't even clearly rising in the sky, and yet my mom keeps nagging me about being late. Really?!

Nobody can outdo my mother when it comes to overreacting. 

Siya ang pinaka-over sa balat ng kalupaan.

Kung si mommy nalang kaya ang maging student? Tutal, she's more motivated to go to school kaysa sa akin. I should try recommending that to her next time. I would gladly trade our positions for a day.

"Mom, it's still early. You're exaggerating!"I told her and tried to close my eyes, attempting to continue my sleep.

Nagising ang aking kaluluwa nang bigla niyang pinalo ang aking hita and I swear to any saint out there—it hurts.

"Kung hindi kapa tatayo d'yan at magbihis. I will drag you out of your bed and help you take a bath in your bathroom!" my mom warned me and my eyes popped in disbelief because I know her. Gagawin niya talaga kung hindi ako susunod sa sinabi niya.

One warning means last warning—that's my mom. The ever strict mom when it comes to my studies. She always want me to go to school early then sleep late at night because I need to review the lessons. I'm not complaining, though. She gives me everything that I want so it's a win-win situation for the both of us.

Witty, right?!

Bumangon na ako sa bed sabay ng pag alis ni Mom pagkatapos niya maiayos ang aking bagong plantsa na uniform. Pumasok na rin ako sa cr ng kwarto para maligo. I enjoyed most of my time in the bathroom at sinadya kong magpatagal even though it will make my mom angry.

I won't go to school early again!

Sinadya kong tagalan magbihis because the last time na pumasok ako sa school, ako ang pinakamaaga.

I told my mom before na hindi naman usually nasusunod ang class time namin dahil laging late pumasok ang first subject professor and she didn't believe me. She never believed me when it comes to this dahil akala niya nagrarason lang ako to justify my actions. Pagkatapos kong magbihis ay bumaba na ako agad sa hagdan.

As I walked down the stairs and made my way through the corners of our kitchen, I smelled the breakfast cooked by Nana Lena, our housemaid.

This is the only favorite part in my morning routine, the breakfast.

Nana Lena is a good cook and I love everything that she cooks for us except one thing, vegetables.

I hate eating vegetables.

"Nana Lena, can I have a cup of milk po?" suyo ko kay Nana habang kumakain.

"Ay pasensya na anak, nakalimutan ko na naman ang gatas mo." sabi nito at nagsimula nang magtimpla ng gatas.

"That's okay, Nana. By the way, where's Mom and Dad? Hindi po ba sila sasabay kumain?" sunod kong tanong sa kaniya habang patuloy parin sa pagkain ng aking almusal.

"Naku, nauna nang umalis ang magulang mo at nagmamadali sila Portia. Bibili nalang siguro sila papunta sa opisina ng kanilang almusal." sagot ni Nana sa akin.

Okay, I'm used to this. My hardworking parents rarely eat with me during breakfast. They even rarely got days off because of the nature of their job. My father manage our family's own bank and real estate company while my mother helps him.