Ludic Selcouth #3: Dancing Keys

Key #15

"Hurry! Baka malate tayo!" Kerry squeaked while Juls is trying to braid my hair. Nakita ko sa salamin na sinamaan sya ng tingin ni Juliana.

"Can you wait? Hindi ako masyadong magaling magbraid!"

"Huwag mo masyadong higpitan! Mas bagay kay Ava yung medyo maluwag!" I just sighed while listening to them. Mahigit isang oras nalang ata ay magsisimula na ang concert pero hindi pa rin kami tapos magbihis. Siguradong traffic pa at marami nang tao sa arena.

"There, done!" I stared at my reflection on the mirror. My long hair is loosely braided into two section, umaabot na ang dulo non sa hips ko. I stood up and checked my clothes. I'm just wearing a knee-ripped mom jeans and a brown puffy long sleeve crop top. I'm also wearing a high-heeled dark brown boots.

"Damn, you always look like a princess! A princess on a knee-ripped jeans!" Kerry laughed and circled around me while spraying me with perfume. I covered my nose and coughed.

"Sorry." aniya at tumigil na sa pagwiwisik sakin ng pabango.

"Tara na!" hinila na nila ako palabas ng kuwarto at dire-diretso kaming lumabas. I stared at Kerry's hand that's holding my wrist. The wrist that I slashed.. I breathed deeply and briefly closed my eyes.

I need to stop thinking about those things.

They both did the talking while we're inside Juls' car. I'm sitting on the passenger seat while Kerry is on the backseat.

"C'mon, Ava! Madaldal ka kaya! Wala bang nanligaw sayo sa London?" I frozed with her question. I remember the man on the play who tried to molest me.. Mahigpit kong naikuyom ang kamay at nagbilang sa isip ko.

No bad thoughts.. I don't need those right now..

"I.. uh.." I can't form the words..

They must have sensed the change on my aura because they both went silent.

"I'm sorry, don't answer that.. I was insensitive.." bawi ni Kerry. I forced myself to calm down and removed the bad memories on my mind.

They have been so patient with me.. I need to atleast get along.. kahit ngayong gabi lang..

"Do you guys.. know what happened to me back then?" halos hindi ko marinig ang sarili kong boses nang itanong ko 'yon sakanila. I didn't immediately heard an answer from them. The air around us is getting heavy and I can feel their uneasiness.

"Can you be honest with me tonight? Just tonight.." gusto ko lang malaman kung lahat ba ng nangyari sakin ay nabalitaan nila. I said I don't care, but deep inside me, I still want to know what they thought of me when they watched the news..

"We know what happened on the competition and to the ruined theater play.. There were more rumours circulating about you but we didn't read it any further because it was taken down. Ang sabi.." Juliana paused and glanced at me.

"Ang sabi, you were bullied on your university and to your theater rehearsals. But we weren't sure because there are no articles supporting that statement.." I inhaled deeply and nodded. It was taken down..

They deleted the news and the media went silent. Right, ofcourse. One of the actress who was involved on the bullying is a daughter of a dignitary. They will do anything to not stain their names. Kahit pa may maagrabyado silang ibang tao.

My parents, who believed that I just made up everything, didn't do anything to give me the justice that I needed. Biglang parang wala nalang yung lahat ng paghihirap na naranasan ko sa lugar na 'yon.

"Any other news about me? May iba pa ba?" I looked at Kerry and she just shook her head.

So they don't know.. they don't know that I tried to cut off my hands, that I tried to kill myself.