CRIME (The Owners Series #1)

Chapter 18

THIS DARK CHAMBER FEELS ALWAYS HOME. When I'm crying from the bully's way back grade 2, this room used to love my dirty pieces. They told me that I'm ugly with my braces on, my lips were to big, my chin is 5 inches, my jaws of a monster. 

I fall apart and he's dotty.

Their echoes stop when he came. They became silent and he kissed my scars. I've became comfortable with my roommate. He told me that it is fine to be unique, to be different, and be me. 

My mother helped him when he's a kid but didn't stay on our side. He chose to have his own place, manage to build his own and I'm so proud of him. His soft mattress that I used to sleep on when weekend come. 

Soft dimmed light filed the room. I chuckled. He still remembers. 

But then something changed on this dark chamber. My eye met the wall counterpart of the bed. A perfect illustration of a woman in the bath. An art. 

My eyes wondered who's this girl is, yet it felt familiar. The place, room and the pigment. My feet touch the floor as I walk towards that corner. Fingertips felt the roughed texture of the painting. 

Suddenly my ears heard the sound of breaking glass somewhere. I run outside of the room. My footsteps on the stairs, felt the cold floor. 

"Ilabas mo si Zandra diyan! Walangya siya! Pati trabaho namin papakialaman niya pa!"

"Ma'am, p-pwede po ba wag kayong mag iskandalo dito, n-nakakahiya po kasi. Wala po dito si Ma'am Zandra-"

"Sinungaling ka! Ilabas mo siya! Wag ka ngang humarang sa dinadaanan ko!"

Sigawan nila. Kilalang kilala ko kung sino ang babaeng iyon. Sumilip ako sa binatana at tama nga ang hinala ko. Si Ms. Maris, kasama ang limang guro. Hindi ko maisip kung paano niya nalaman ang lugar na 'to. 

"Ayun siya!" Sigaw ng isang guro. 

Bumaling lahat ang mga tingin nila sa pwesto ko. Nagtapat ang tinginan namin ni Ms. Maris. Nanlilisik ito sa galit, kulang nalang maging kutsilyo ito para patayin ako. 

"Bumaba ka dito! Wag kang magtago!" 

Saka siya pumulot ng malaking bato, sa unang bato niya ay dumaplis, ngunit sa susunod ay tumama ito sa salamin dahilan para mapayuko ako sa takot. 

Mabilis akong bumaba. Isa, dalawang tapak ko hagdan ng biglang matapilok ako sa kakamadali. Dumausdos ang katawan ko sa dulo ng hagdan, tumama sa likod ko, balakang at braso. Ramdam ko ang pagtunog ng ugat sa bukong-bukong ko.

My body was thrown on the dry cold floor. Slowly pain crept in on my bone. I bit my lips, when I tried to stand but just jointed on pain. My legs were weak from falling down.

"Ahh." I whimpered.

Magically, someone held my waist and lifted me. Immediately shifted my gaze on that person.  This does not surprise me when I saw Finnian holding me softly on his wide arms.