DAMA: The Princess Bitch

Chapter 35

Please don't lie to me unless you're absolutely sure that I'll never find out the truth.

--

Ilang araw ng nagkukulong si Dama sa kwarto nya. Ni hindi sya nakikipag-usap kahit kanino. Ang pagkain niya ay dinadala pa ng mga katulong sa kwarto niya.

Maghapon syang nakahilata sa kama. Minsan, sisilip sya sa walk-in closet nya para bisitahin ang mga pinakamamahal nyang damit but she'll end up remembering Eula and Lei and then everything will come back to her.

And then she will start to cry.

Kaya bigla nyang titigilan ang pag-re-rearrange at pagsusukat ng mga damit at sapatos para bumalik sa kama nya at umiyak.

She has no one to talk to naman outside her family. Really, may kaibigan ba sya? Wala naman eh. Yung mga taong akala nya ay kaibigan nyang tunay, hindi nya alam kung gawa-gawa lang din. Maybe they were just a bunch of penniless teenagers who were paid to make her believe that she have friends.

Maybe this is her curse. Mayaman nga pero hindi masaya.

"Sweetie?" she heard her dad call. She didn't answer.

Maya-maya, she heard the door open. She grunted. Bakit ba palagi nyang nakakalimutan na walang kwenta ang pagla-lock nya ng pinto dahil may sarili namang susi ang parents nya?

She sat up and faced her father. Naupo ito sa gilid ng kama nya.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course dad. I'm fantastic!" she answered with sarcasm.

Dani looked sternly at her. "Don't use that tone on me. I'm not your mom."

"Sorry dad. Ikaw naman kase, obvious na, tinatanong pa."

"Well that's because I don't know what to say initially."

Yumakap siya sa ama. "Daddy, do you love me?"

"Of course I do," sagot nito.

"Why?"

Kumunot ang noo nito. "Why? Do I have to have a reason for that?"

"Do you just love me because I'm your kid?"

"Why are we having this conversation again?"

She pouted. "Because you asked me if I'm okay."

"Are you?"

"No," sagot niya.

"Don't worry kiddo, everything will be okay." He kissed her forehead.

"Why are you all like that? Why do you keep on telling me that everything will be okay? When dad? When will they be okay?"

"Alam mo anak, lahat ng bagay ay may panahon. It's not meant to be okay today so you're not okay. But someday, I don't know how soon... magiging okay ka rin."

"I wish I could be as optimistic as you dad," she replied.

Kumalas ito sa pagkakayakap nya. "You know what? I'll just tell you a story para naman matuwa ka."

"What story?"

Sumandal ito sa headboard ng kama nya. She did the same. Tapos ay inakbayan sya nito.

"I'll you the story of how you were made," her dad said with a wink.

"What? Eww dad. No!"

"What?" kunwari'y malungkot na tanong nito. "It's a good story."

"No way!"

Patay-malisya lang ang daddy nya at nagsimula itong magkwento.

"I think we were in the car back then—"