Lights Off

Chapter 34

Trigger Warning.

Kara's POV

Patuloy sa pag-agos ang mga luha ko habang nasa byahe kaming lahat. Mabilis ang pagpapatakbo ni Gazel sa sasakyan habang walang tigil sa paghaplos si Scoby sa aking likuran.

"We can't take Kara to her mother. We don't even know where they are." Jianne answered after Gazel ask her why can't they take me to my family. "It's Qionne who knows everything."

"Kahit si Haeliy walang alam? Can't you use your connections to know their location? Lai needs her sister, Jianne." Gazel's voice dimmed as she let out an exasperated breath.

"I don't know, Angel." Sagot ng isa.

"Ikaw Vito?"

"Hindi ko na alam kung nasaan sila simula nang umalis sila sa Pilipinas. I can't contact Lai anymore."

"Eh, tangina anong ginagawa ng mga pera n'yo na lagi n'yong ipinagmamalaki kung hindi n'yo gagamitin ngayon? This is the time when you need to seek a connection to find where Laine is! For goddamn sake, she needs her ate and Kara should be able to see her mother as soon as possible. Hindi n'yo ba maintindihan 'yon o sadyang mga tanga lang kayo?!"

"Gazel," kalmadong utas ni Jia ngunit mababanaag ang inis sa tono niya. "Mukha bang wala akong ginagawa? I'm trying, it's just that I don't know where to start---"

"Siguro simulan mo sa finish line tapos hanapin mo 'yung beginning---amputa Jianne ang tanga mong mag-isip ngayon." Scoby handed me a handkerchief which I used to wipe away my tears.

"Shut up if you won't say anything that will actually help to solve this---"

"Dito pa talaga kayo mag-aaway dalawa? Kung lumabas kaya kayo at ako ang magmaneho d'yan?" Iritado at walang pasensyang putol ni Vito sa huli na malakas na ikinahampas nito sa gilid n'ya.

Jianne clamp her jaw, "why do you keep cutting me off---"

"Miss Ferriego," my best friend interrupted with casualties, "with all due respect, ma'am, pwede po bang mamaya ka na makipagtalo sa pinsan mo? Kasi kapag hindi natin naabutan ang manliligaw ng best friend ko ay kayong dalawa ang ingungudngod ko sa mga perang sinasabi n'yo." Scoby rolled her eyes and looked at the two in front who both shut their mouth off.

Matapos ng tagpong iyon ay hindi na nagsalita pang muli si Jia dahil abala na ito sa cellphone n'ya. Hanggang sa makarating kami sa hospital ay wala kaming imik lahat pero halos takbuhin na namin ito papasok dahil agad sumalubong sa amin si Noah.

"She's in critical condition. She drank a lot of pills after she hurt herself." He looks extremely exhausted and stressed as he looks at me with sympathy, "don't leave her alone if you may."

Noah lead us to her hospital room but he didn't let us in. May ilang bodyguards ding nakabantay sa pinto at ng akmang papasok ako ay agad humarang ang dalawa.

"She's not yet awake. She has extreme fatigue and her doctor advised that don't let anyone else in if it's not in her will. It will take her long to recover, Kara." Pormal na saad ni Noah matapos alisin ang pagkakahawak ng isang guard sa aking balikat. "The doctor also said that she might not be in herself when she wakes up."

"Does any of her family know about this? Kahit si Eli man lang, Kuya?" Jianne asked.

Her brother slightly nodded and guided us to sit in one of the chairs. "I already send a message about her condition. Haeliy's on her way while their parents are requesting to take Qionne to Russia once her condition gets better. They want her to be monitored well to avoid more damages she might have done again."