The Sacred Rule of Love - (PUBLISHED 2019)

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

All my dad talked about nung nag-meet kami for breakfast eh yung child custody case niya na bago. Sinabi niya na magmi-meet daw yung client niya at yung asawa sa court today at baka hindi na naman daw siya makauwi on time for dinner. He asked me a little bit about my day sa school, but just like always, he seemed not interested. Kapag may kinalaman na doon sa paintings ko, he just ignores me or says something that makes it sound like na nakikinig siya. I knew he wasn’t after nung mabanggit ko na nakuha ko yung curator spot, dahil wala siyang nasabi sa akin kahit ‘Congratulations’ man lang.

I was at the garden all morning trying to paint by myself. Nung medyo napagod na ako, I tried to make notes doon sa notebook ko para iplano yung curator event. I guess it’s better to start early than wait last minute. Alex didn’t show himself up all morning dahil nung natapos yung huling conversation namin, he said he needed to talk to his archangel. It seemed pretty urgent, kaya umalis siya.

Uhaw na uhaw na ako nun kaya pumasok ako sa loob ng bahay para mag-timpla ng juice. Ang tahimik talaga nun sa bahay namin. I realized it’s too big para sa aming dalawa ni Daddy. Hindi ko alam kung bakit malaking bahay pa talaga ang kailangang bilihin niya.

Kaka-stir ko doon sa baso ko, I heard a popping sound, and my juice started shaking on its own.  At first I thought it was me who was doing it, pero na-realize ko afterwards that it was something else. Or rather, someone.

“Miss!”

Na-drop ko yung baso ko nung makita ko kung sino yung tumawag sa akin. Nabasag at nag-spill all over the floor yung juice. Nahanap niya ako?!?

I hid behind the bar in the middle of our house, “Anong ginagawa mo? Bakit ka nandito?”

Sinubukan niya akong habulin which caused me to run din around our bar area. Naghahabulan kaming dalawa roon na parang mga tanga. But I didn’t want him to catch on to me. Is he dangerous?

“Miss, ako nga pala si Wally. Please huwag kang matakot sa akin!”

Takbo pa rin ako ng takbo nun, “Please lang, Wally, iwanan mo ako! Hindi ba multo ka? Ikaw yung lalaki sa party!!!”

“Kailangan ko ng tulong mo Miss…”

Saglit lang, I felt that weird rush sa spine ko and sudden sweet smell. I knew na dumating si Alex so I felt at ease. Kaso pagtingin ko, nawala na sa harapan ko yung multo na Wally daw ang pangalan.

Alex showed up sa harapan ko and he looked pretty serious, “There’s a ghost in here.” Unang lumabas sa bibig niya bago niya nakita yung basag na bote doon sa sahig naming, “Are you okay? May sugat ka ba?”

I shook my head at him.

He turned his back at me at nagsimula na siyang maglakad, kind of shielding me kay Wally, “Come out. I already know you’re here…”

The way he said it made it sound like he was in control. I just stared at him in so much awe at nasa harapan ko siya at hinaharangan niya ako. He looked like he was protecting me from that Wally guy.

Soon enough, lumabas yung Wally na ghost daw. He was a few feet away from us at nakatayo siya malapit doon sa glass door doon sa kusina namin, “Hello po. It’s an honor para makaharap ko po kayo, Mr. Angel-sir.”

Humiwalay ng kaunti sa akin si Alex at humarap kay Wally. Magkasalubong yung kilay niya and he tilted his head to the right, “Anong kailangan mo kay Zoe?”

Parang natakot yung lalaki sa kanya. He looked like he was a little bit younger than me, but not by much. Nanginginig pa siya nun sa kinatatayuan niya.

“Magpapatulong lang po sana ako sa kanya…” sagot nung Wally kay Alex, “First time ko po kasi makakilala ng tao na nakikita ako kaya pinuntahan ko siya…”