"Mhm~ that felt gooood!"
Angel stepped out of her room, her hair a tousled mess,
her t-shirt slightly crooked,
and her shorts a little roughed up too.
She leaned against the doorframe, her legs visibly trembling from the afterglow of what she'd just done.
"It actually felt better than when I did it in the bathroom in a hurry,"
Angel admitted, biting her lower lip as a blush crept across her cheeks.
「Though, this is bad... I might just get addicted to this...」
She couldn't help but giggle softly as she straightened her clothes.
「Oh right, I should check the time.」
Angel had been at it for quite a while—longer than usual—so she was worried she might've gone overboard... though, admittedly, she had.
She headed back to her bedroom to search for her phone.
「Where did I put it?」
Her desk was empty, so she glanced to her left—there it was, lying on her bed.
"There you are."
Angel quickened her pace, grabbing her phone to check the time.
「4:50 pm... Ma might be back soon.」
When her mother returned, Angel planned to ask if they could go out together—or if she could go alone.
The reason Angel didn't want to go out by herself? Well... people were looking for her. They'd already found her newly made social media accounts. Who's to say they wouldn't spot her walking around and figure out where she lived?
"In any case, what should I do to pass the time?"
Before Angel could think further, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching the house.
Was her mom home early?
Angel clasped her hands behind her back and began moving slowly, each step deliberate as she leaned forward with every motion.
By the time she reached the door, she saw a familiar silhouette.
「It's Pa...」
Angel's eyes widened just a fraction as the door opened, revealing her father.
Sweat glistened on his face.
His white t-shirt was disheveled.
His pants were creased.
His shoes were caked with mud and dust.
"Hi, Pa."
Angel smiled slightly, leaning forward to take his hand and perform *mano*.
"Oh, Jo—Angel. Musta?"
Once again, her father showed little emotion, his gaze fixed on her.
"Oh, nothing much, Pa..."
Angel looked away, a faint blush dusting her ears.
「Awkward...」
Her father worked as a security guard at a mall. During his spare hours, he often helped unload goods from trucks.
Because of this, they rarely talked. Even when she was a child, he'd always been distant.
The only times they'd had lengthy conversations were during arguments. Otherwise, it was always like this.
Angel watched as her father walked past her.
She was used to it...
yet it still stung every time.
Not that she didn't deserve it. She was just a freeloader, after all. She wasn't even a man anymore, so how could she be expected to know everything... do everything?
Angel walked to the couch and sat down.
"Angel, go cook rice."
Just as she took her seat, her papa gave her an order.
Angel couldn't help but sigh.
She got up and went to the kitchen to prepare the rice.
......
After finishing up with the rice cooker, Angel heard the front door open. Her mom had arrived, carrying some carton bags.
Angel picked up her pace, heading straight for her mother and helping her out—not out of obligation, but because she knew she'd be asked to anyway.
One thing Angel had noticed after becoming a beautiful young woman was how things that once felt effortless now felt a little heavier.
Maybe it was biology. Maybe something had changed completely.
After placing the carton bags on the table, she peeked inside.
It was groceries.
「Right, I should probably ask Ma if she can come with me to an ukay-ukay to buy some more clothes.」
Angel looked behind her and—
Her mom was gone.
She must've gone to her room to change.
「Shit. Well, maybe I have to wait till dinnertime.」
Pouting, Angel headed to her room to play some video games and kill time.
......
She glanced at the PC clock.
6 PM.
Angel left her room and walked to the dinner table—only to see her parents eating without her.
She went to the kitchen, grabbed a plate, a spoon, and a fork, scooped some rice from the cooker, and returned to the table to take her seat.
She looked at the ulam.
Veggies.
「I think it's ampalaya... mixed with some... meat? I don't know what this is called.」
Angel wasn't sure how to feel. She ate whatever was handed to her, but ampalaya was a little...
「Well, fuck it. Might as well eat something different.」
She sighed, took some, and began eating.
Bitter. But the meat helped stabilize the overwhelming taste.
As she ate, her eyes drifted to her mom, silently eating across from her.
Her mother's lips opened and closed, as if searching for the right moment to speak.
"Ma."
Angel spoke softly.
Her mother looked up.
"Can you come with me to buy some clothes at the ukay-ukay?"
Her mother's eyes were gentle.
"Sorry, 'nak. I can't. I have a meeting."
「Ah... figures.」
Angel lowered her gaze to her plate.
Her mother was a teacher, after all.
"I'll give you some money. Just go by yourself, is that okay?"
Angel looked at her mother and nodded.
"Sure, Mom."
There was nothing else to do.
Angel finished her meal, she cleaned her plate and utensils, and returned to her room. It was too late to go out now. A beautiful young woman walking alone at night spelled disaster, so she decided to go tomorrow instead.
Still, it was a shame her mom couldn't come.
Angel just hoped her ukay-ukay trip wouldn't turn into some weird disaster.