When I was a freshman in college, I had a bunch of friends who were very accommodating I could sleep in three different boarding houses each week if I chose to. But there is really no place like home so I still preferred to sleep in my own bed, the upper deck of my sister’s bed. I didn’t get used to waking up unable to remember whose house I stayed the night in.
One time, I spent the night with some friends in another friend’s house. We were chatting and playing cards while a shot of gin was moving about. We were so noisy we didn’t notice the brewing argument between the couple next door until their voices were loud enough for the entire boarding house to hear. We kept quiet and were finally able to hear what was going on.
Later than night, I wished I didn’t listen at all.
They were arguing heatedly. We tried to ignore it as we all knew it was a domestic problem and none of our business. Then, the guy started cursing and the girl started screaming. Then, we heard it. The guy was hitting the girl. We froze. Nobody could move. Most of us were of minor age and whatever was happening next door was new to us. For me, it was.. unthinkable.
Then the sounds grew louder. This time, the guy was kicking the girl. I started to shake violently. I guess I was so scared and that I wanted to do something to stop what was happening but was powerless to do so. Luckily, somebody arrived, probably a police officer or a barangay tanod, I could no longer remember. All I cared about was that it was finished.
How one person could inflict that much pain to another remained a mystery to me until now..
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