One Person, Three Identities [COMPLETED]

Chapter 24

JARED ASHTON

Okay.

Anong meron at ganyan na lang bangayan yang dalawa? Did I miss something?

Mukha rin namang walang alam si Kyle kung bakit ganyan na lang kainit ang ulo sa kanya ni Xenia. On the other hand, I think Xandra knows.

~~

Nang matapos kaming kumain ay agad na tumayo si Xandra. Actually, kanina pa tapos kumain yan, hinihintay niya na lang talaga kaming matapos. Masabihan nga, ang konti kasi ng kinain. Masyadong nagpapa-sexy sa akin.

We're on our way papunta sa entertainment room ng bahay. Which is, fully soundproofed, by the way.

Umupo kami sa bandang gitna ng kwarto. Walang upuan pero may malaking round carpet na nakalatag na kasya naman sa aming lahat.

"Ako na ang unang magtatanong." I declared as we sat down.

"Shoot." – Xandra.

ALEXANDRA HENRIETTE

"Are you the Phoenix?" I kind of not saw that coming, I thought he'd ask about earlier immediately.

"I thought you knew that already." I commented. Well, given the timing na nagsisulputan tong mga kaibigan ko, I thought I gave a very big hint.

"So, kayo nga?" Luke asked, more like confirming.

"Ano sa tingin mo?" Pamimilosopo ni Vivianne.

Ito talagang babaeng 'to, once na uminit ang ulo ang hirap palamigin. Ang sarap niyang isali sa Ice Bucket Challenge.

"Yes." I said interrupting Kyle at baka magka-world war na naman. Nakaka-stress sila ah.

"Could you tell us your codenames? We know Phoenix's member codenames but not which of you is who." Luke requested calmly.

"Darell." – Ako.

"Gladly." He said as he stood in front of our friends and faced Jared's.

"Well, it's quite obvious that Suzako no Miko—or Miko—is Alexandra because she is the one who gathered all of us and made us find & realized our real selves. She is the heart, brain and soul of the group." Darell said as he motioned for me.

"Hotohori is Austin, he's the second-in-command of the group. He takes Suzako's place when needed and performs with all his might." Said as he went beside Austin and then went to Vivianne.

"Nuriko is Xenia. Well, she has brutal strength that sometimes she cannot control and before I forget, she kind of like a man by heart. Tasuki is me, I'll just tell you what they describe me officially, 'like a raging fire whenever he gets serious.' Just as they say, 'don't judge the book by its cover', just because I'm smiling at you doesn't mean I'm nice." He said then gave them a grin.

"Chichiri is Naomi, as you all know, she is bubbly and full of energy, but there is a reason why." Scarlette smiled at them, shyly.

"Mitsukake is Kurt. He's the doctor of the group. He knows almost all the survival stuff but that doesn't make him any less when it comes to fighting."

He then moved next to Charlotte, "And lastly but definitely not the least, Chiriko is Charlotte. She's like the spinal cord of the group, she's in-charge of what is need to be known by every member, especially Alexandra's instructions."

Darell faced Jared's group again and said, "Kung alam niyo yung palabas na Fushigi Yuugi, doon namin kinuha yung mga codename namin."

"I know that anime series, which leads me to my follow up question, bakit may kulang o sadyang hindi niyo lang talaga pinili ang 'Tamahome'?" tanong ulit ni Luke.

Darell looked at me, asking for permission if he could answer the question or am I going to answer that question. I motioned for him to sit down.

"Meron, before." Simpleng sagot ko, hoping na 'di na sila mag-tanong about dun.

"Next question then, bakit lahat ata kayo ay biglang nag-iba ang aura nang makita niyo yung mga transferee? Follow up question, kilala niyo ba sila?" Tanong ulit ni Luke na siya namang tinanguan ng mga kaibigan niya.

"Yes, we know them. One of them was my boyfriend. That is my ex's gang." I answered na siyang ikinalaki ng mga mata nila. Is my answer that shocking?

"Which of them is your ex?" Kyle asked.

"Kung makapagtanong kayo tungkol sa ex ni Xandra, parang wala ako na present at future niya ah." Pagpaparinig ni Jared. Tsk. Jealous much.

"Masyado ka namang seloso, ex naman na eh." – Kyle.

"EJ." Sagot ko sa tanong ni Kyle. Natigilan naman ang dalawa sa bangayan nila, psh.

"Kaya pala ang lagkit ng tingin sayo ng g*gong yon!" Sige lang Jared, mura pa.

"OA." Mahinang sambit ko pero mukhang narinig nila kasi tumingin silang lahat sa akin na halatang nagpipigil ng tawa habang si Jared naman ay ang talim ng tingin sa akin.

"Huwag mo kong tignan ng ganyan, Jared." Pagbabanta ko sa kanya. Napanguso naman siya at nanahimik na lang.

"You can ask me one last question." Sabi ko dahil baka itanong pa nila kung bakit ako nagka-amnesia.

Ayoko pa, and besides, hindi ko rin naman alam. Ang tanging sinabi ng parents ko sa akin ay naaksidente, I didn't bother knowing the whole story dahil mukhang ayaw din nilang malaman ko, hoping that one day kusa kong maalala and not through the pressure.

"What happened that made you two broke up?" Tanong ni Kyle kaya sa kanya naman nabaling ang atensyon ni Jared at sinamaan siya ng tingin.

"It's okay if you don't tell us—" – Jared

"Tumahimik ka nga dude. Ayaw mo lang malaman ang love story nila Alexandra at nung EJ eh." Pang-aasar ni Kyle kay Jared. Loko talaga, kung 'di lang awkward na tumawa sa sitwasyong 'to, for sure humagalpak na ako.

"Jared's right, Alexa. Masyado nang personal ang bagay na yon so—" Halata ang pag-aalala sa mga mata at boses ni Scarlette. Nginitian ko lang siya.

"No. it's okay. Wala na rin naman sa akin yun. Halos dalawang taon na rin naman ang lumipas. Nakamove on na ako." I said, reassuring her that I'm fine.

Wala na rin naman silang magagawa dahil nakapagdesisyon na ako. Naghintay muna ako ng ilang sandali bago sinimulang sagutin ang tanong ni Kyle.

"I'll make the story short. I met him when I was in first year high. We then became friends." I started. Halatang gusto talaga nilang malaman habang ang mga kaibigan ko naman at matiim na nakatingin sa akin at binabantayan ang bawat kilos ko.

"He then started courting me after a few months and we became a couple after a few more months. Then that time came, when suddenly he started ignoring me. Hindi niya ako tinatawagan like he always does. So, I started texting and calling him but I didn't receive anything in return."

Naramdaman kong may humawak sa kamay ko kaya napatingin ako kay Jared. Katabi ko nga pala 'tong mokong na 'to. Nginitian niya ako, para siguro i-comfort ako. I smiled back.

"Then one day, nang yayain ako nila Vivianne para magliwaliw sa mall dahil ilang araw na rin nilang napapansin na wala akong kibo, napadaan kami sa arcade section. There I saw him and a girl kissing at the corner of the arcade." Lalong himigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Jared sa kamay ko.

"Pagkatapos ng nakita ko sa mall ay nagpaiwan ako dahil gusto ko siyang makausap. Vivianne and the others left me, hesitantly. Sakto namang kararating ni EJ sa parking lot na siya lang mag-isa, I knew that was my only chance. Bago pa siya makapasok sa kotse niya ay agad ko siyang hinarang and hugged him then I asked why he wasn't talking to me." I paused a little para huminga. Nakakapagod kaya magsalita.

"He simply said that there was nothing wrong to every question I asked. I was happy 'cause I thought I did something wrong but it didn't last long when I heard the next thing he said. He told me we're done. Well, long story short, I asked him why then he told me that everything was just a bet and that he never really thinks of me being his girlfriend."

"I was hurt like any girl who had their heart broken would be, but not anymore."