"Look at us! We are still talking lady!" Saway saakin ni Mom nung iniwasan ko ang mga titig nila.
"Ma'am, Sir, I don't think it's the right time to tal-"
"Shut the F up! This is a family meeting!" Napatayo si Lola nung sigawan ni Dad si Xian.
"Hoy! Kami'y wag mong sinisigawan dito! Ganyan ba ang ibabayad niyo sa pag-aalaga namin sa anak niyo?"
"That girl is a criminal!"
Criminal
That girl is a criminal
Criminal
Criminal
Criminal
Napangiti ako ng mapait sa sinabi ni Mom. I didn't know that my life could get even worse. Me, being called a criminal by my own Mom.
Wala sa sarili akong napatayo at tumakbo palabas. Mom tried to stop me but I unintentionally shoved her away and ran out of there. Pinagsisitinginan na ako ng nga tao sa hospital. I even heard whispers which relates to me such as;
"Hindi ba yan yung modelong si Eve?"
"Siya nga! Teka, hindi ba't may kaso iyan- Shems! Baka patayin tayo!"
I didn't bother on looking at them and continued running until I found myself breathing for air in a forest just behind the hospital. Great, another forest.
After I compose myself, natandaan ko muli ang itinawag saakin ni Mom. She... really said it.... without any proof!
Napaupo ako sa may damuhan saka inakap ang magkabilang tuhod ko. If only Trix was here. But after what I saw? I don't think she'll ever have the chance to comfort me again. To think.. this is all my fault. I was the target! If only....... My friends shouldn't be involved in this shiz! And then, dumagdag pa yung napanaginipan ko. What the hell was that about? Ano yun? Coincidence lang ba na napagkamalan akong may bali sa ulo nung doktor kanina? Was that all a freacking coincidential event?!
"Finally!" I heard someone speak as he gasped for air.
"X-xian?" I asked while raising my brow. "If you're here to return me to them feel free." I stood up and gave him my arms. But what he did stunned me. He held my right arm and ran to a different direction to the hospital, bringing me along.
"Don't give up Eva. You still have a case to solve."
~~~
"Vince!" Pagtawag ko kay Vince na kasalukuyang nakikipag-bulungan kay Leon. It's been a week since I got discharged from the hospital.
"Oh?" Gulat niyang tanong. Pati si Leon ay nailang bigla sa presensya ko.
"Ay grabe naman kayo! Tunog halimaw na ba ako?" Natatawa kong sagot habang hawak-hawak ang pisngi ko.
"Eh ikaw kasi eh, nanggugulat ka!" Mukha namang gumaan ang kanilang loob.
"Eh kasi... may nakapagsabi saakin na namatay raw si Sir Fred. Itatanong ko lang sana kung alam niyo ba kung bakit?" Nagkatinginan sila bago tumikhim si Leon.
"We don't know Eva. By the way, the class is about to start." Tas sabay silang iniwan ako.
"H-hoy! Wag niyo kong iwan!" I ran after them and gave them each a smack on their nape. "Mga pangit!" I shouted once again.
"Aray! Kung makabatok eh dinaig mo pa si Undertaker!"
"Blah blah blah" pang aasar ko kay Vince.
Naabutan naming nag-didiscuss yung bagong teacher namin sa Algebra and she's nice!
"Oh? Salazar, Reyes, Aguilar, ba't ngayon lang kayo?" Tanong saamin ni Ma'am Che, ang mabait naming new Algebra teacher.
"Hinanap ko pa po kasi silang dalawa." I told Ma'am Che to which she responded with a smile.
"Okay. You may now sit." Rinig kong napabuntonghininga ang dalawang ulupong sa likod saka kami sabay-sabay na nagsiupo sa aming mga upuan.
The day went on just like how our day used to go. Magkakasama nanaman kaming umuwi.
"Naku! Buti nalang at may bago na tayong teacher! Finally, hindi mo na kailangang magpatutor sa pumanaw na si Sir Fred-" lahat kami kapwa napatigil maglakad. We were already at the main gate of our school.
"Magpatutor?" I questioned while staring at Trix. I don't know if it just me but I felt some tension rising. "Anong magpatutor?" I asked them again. Napakaimposibleng mangyari yun. I always ace my class!
They all stayed silent until Jenn butted in. "Trix! Kung pinagpapantasyahan mo si Sir Fred, kimkimin mo na iyon!" Jenn laughed so I laughed too.
"Eww Trix! You liked Sir Fred?" I asked her while laughing. What a revelation!
"Umm.... Yes!" She then answered. And just like that, the mood's once again lifted.
We all laughed as we each went on our separate ways.
~~~
"Saan tayo pupunta?" I asked Xian. Kanina pa kami tumatakbo dito sa may gubat. "Huy! Sagutin mo ako! At si Lola? Sinong kasama niya dun?" I kept on asking until I saw his forehead creased as he sighed heavily.
"Your parents informed her about your situation..."
"And...?" Nagdadalawang isip kong tanong.
"She's the one who told me to come and get you. I was about to leave the door when she shouted 'Go and Run Away!' Due to pressure, I did as what she told." Natawa siya ng mahina saka napailing.
"She said that?" Gulat kong tanong sakanya saka narin napatawa. "I was expecting she'd hate me."
"No she won't."
"And why?"
"For some reason... Anyway, let's get going." And then he pulled me once again and continued walking.
It was already getting dark when we found a motel. Kahit labag man saaking kalooban, dahil maaalala ko lamang ang mga kaibigan ko, I had no choice but to agree na dito muna kami magpapalipas ng gabi.
"Sir, 3 hours po ba o 4?" The receptionist asked. Napakunot noo ako sa tanong niya. 3? 4?
"No. 12 hours." Xian answered.
"Oooohhh~ Many rounds huh?" She said through her teasing smile as she entered something on the computer. And then it hit me. This was a motel! For f's sake! Wala sa sarili akong napalingon kay Xian na parang wala lang sakanya ang inasta nung receptionist.
"Here you go." The receptionist gave us a key. A single one!
"We'll take two." Pahabol ni Xian na ikinataka nung receptionist.
"Oh? Hindi kayo sanay na—"
"Just give us the d*rn key!" I growled before she could even complete her sentence. Gosh! Nakakarindi na siya!
"Kalma lang." Natatawang Tugon ni Xian nang nasa tapat na kami ng room ko.
"Kainis kasi siya eh." I said and rolled my eyes.
"Tss. Oh siya, if you need anything, there's my room.." sabay turo niya sa katapat ng room ko. "You sure you don't want me insid-"
"F you!" I shouted and shut my door. God! May gana pa siyang sabihin iyon habang nakangiti ng nakakaloko?!
Humiga na ako sa higaan saka tumitig sa kisame .
Bukas. Mag-uumpisa kami bukas. I closed my eyes until I felt some tears fall from them.
"Eh? Walang iwanan! Ano ba iyan!" Sigaw ng pitong taon na si Trix saakin nung hinawakan ko ang barbie ko.
"Anong pinagsasabi mo?" Nagtataka kong tanong sakanya.
"Yung barbie mo! Iniwan niya ung bato!" She sounded so pissed.
"Luh? Anong gagawin ng barbie ko jan sa bato?"
"Kiss." She answered so confidently kaya nabatukan ko siya.
"Huwaw ka! Pitong taon palang tayo pero alam mo na iyan?!"
"Ba't mo ako binatukan? Edi ibig sabihin alam mo rin?" She asked back which made me stop.
"Che!"
Pinunasan ko ang mamasa-masang magkabilang pisngi ko saka napatawa. It's so funny that I still remember that scenario. I guess that proves that not all child are innocent.
Trixie Bartolome.
The girl who I met by the park.
The one who punched the random boy who touched my butt.
The one who comforted me ever since I was still a child.
The on who stayed by my side.
I could say that she is a real friend indeed.
Everytime I do bad, she won't hesitate to tell me how wrong I am even though she knows that it'll hurt me.
And I wanted it that way.
Cause real friends stab you in the front and not in the back.
Napatayo ako bigla nang may narinig akong kaluskos mula sa may bintana ng kwarto ko kaya tumakbo ako palabas at mabilis na kinatok ang room ni Xian.
"What?" Tanong niya.
"I-I.......Can I stay in your room?"