Her Nightmare's Hell

Eighteen

The three of us remained quiet. No words left Veronica's mouth on the other hand, in my peripheral vision, Saira is smiling wickedly. It's as if she planned all of this to happen, but at the same time, she is toying with me and Veronica.

Veronica's eyes averted to Saira, which I followed, and the aura around us became even more intense than earlier. Ano nga ba ang dapat kung malaman tungkol sa sinasabing secret ni Saira? I knew from the beginning ng makilala ko sila ay may iba na akong kutob ngunit 'di ako sigurado sa nararamdaman ko.

The silence around us was disturbed when Saira began to talk.

"Tell her Veronica," utos niya. "Tell her what you found out about that guy she oh-so-love," kahit 'di niya ipakita sa'min, she is intimidating Veronica and I.

"Akala ko ba hindi pa oras para sabihin sa kanya," Veronica gritted.

Saira shrugged her shoulder and sat down on the arm rest of the sofa. Nanatili akong tahimik habang naguusap silang dalawa. 'Di ko masingit-singit ang gusto kong sabihin dahil sa tuwing bubuksan ko ang bunganga ko ay tila umaatras ito.

"What's the use of keeping it a secret from her. Andito na rin siya," she glimpse at me. "It's time for her to know who Zain Kinston really is and who we are," dagdag niya.

I gulped seeing the intimidation in her eyes. Once again, the electric bolt came back striking, not just my spine, but this time my whole body.

They know something about Zain that I don't know? What's the meaning of all this?

"Anong ibig mong sabihin Saira? May kailangan ba akong malaman?" taka kong tanong.

"Your boyfriend-- Lahat ng mga sinasabi niya-- do you believe him?" tanong ni Saira.

D-do I believe him? Of course I believe him. Kaya ko nga siya pinapasok sa buhay ko dahil naniniwala ako sa kanya.

My left eyebrow arched. "Bakit mo natanong?"

"You know, there are things in this world that people keep quiet about," lumingon sa buong bahay si Saira. "Sasabihin nila ang gusto mong marinig at sasabihin nilang 'di sila magsisinungaling. They keep quiet knowing the other person wouldn't know anything about it. Yet--" she brought her eyes back to me. "No matter how much a person stays quiet, there is always somebody there to disrupt that silent."

Tinignan ko siya ng naguguluhan. "Saira sabihin mo na lang sa'kin kung anong tinutukoy mo. Mas lalo akong naguguluhan e!"

"Answer me first," she started. "Do you believe him?"

I gulped the same time I tensed. "O-Oo, I do."

Lumawak ang ngisi niya. "You hesitated."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa comment niya. She's right... Again. "P-Pwede ba Saira? Derechahin mo ako. Ano bang pinagsasabi mo ha?"

"Zain Kinston is no ordinary guy, Alethea," umiba ang expression niya. "His more dangerous than you imagine."

"A-anong sinabi mo?" kinabahan kong tanong.

"May parte sa buhay ni Zain na hindi niya sinasabi sayo, Alethea. Kahit kami nagulat ng malaman namin iyon pero trust us, he is not someone you want to get involve with. His more than what you imagined from the way he talked to you. His a ba--"

"No! No!" I shouted while covering my ears. "Stop saying lies about him! Zain is not the same as you describe him to be!"

"But he is! Paniwalaan mo kami Alethea!" she ranted.

Humakbang ako papalayo sa kanilang dalawa ni Saira. Nakatakip ang tainga ko para 'di na marinig ang sasabihin pa nila ngunit napatingin ako sa harapan ko ng huliin ni Veronica ang wrist ko.

"Pwede ba! Wag ka naman maging ganyan Alethea!" inalog niya ako. "For once, stop f*cking running  away from the truth that people are telling! Don't you ever realize that we are telling you this to get you out of danger? Ha?!" she exclaimed.

Pinilit kong alisin ang hawak ni Veronica sa'kin. "No! Nagsisinungaling kayong dalawa! H-hindi ganun si Zain. His different from what the both of you are sa--"

My words were cut off when my sight diverted to another part of the house. I felt my right cheek prickling.

"I never thought I would slap someone," rinig ko kay Saira.

Gumigilid ang mga luha ko ng binalik ko ang tingin ko kay Saira. Pinagmamasdan niya ang mga palad niyang sumampal sa'kin.

First time kong masampal ng ganun kalakas. Si Saira ang unang sumampal sa'kin.

"But I guess sometimes even fragile people needs some slapping in order for them to realize how stupid and childish they are being," ngumisi siya ng maliit.

Humawak si Veronica sa braso ni Saira. "Saira tama na. I think she gets the idea of what we want to tell her," sumulyap siya sa'kin. "Diba Alethea?"

I bit my lower lips as it trembles, not only from the slap I recieved, but realizing that what they maybe saying is the truth. Yet, here I am trying to convince myself that everything they say are lies hoping the words that comes out of their mouth about Zain is not true.

"Alethea, sasagutin namin kung sino kami pero kailangan mo kaming pagkatiwalaan sa lahat ng lalabas sa mismong bunganga namin," Veronica said calmly.

"Fine, but please give me time," pagkasabi ko nun ay naglakad ako papasok ng kwarto ko.

"Time? Haha, sure go ahead," Saira taunted. "Your time is running out anyway."

Mas tumindi ang takot ko kay Saira pero tuloy-tuloy lang ako sa kwarto.

When I got inside my room, the tears that has been wanting to escape from my eyes raced to roll down my cheeks. My knees became weak making me fall on the ground.

Veronica's POV

Sinundan ko ng tingin si Alethea papunta sa kwarto niya. Nakaramdam ako ng guilt sa nangyayare pero kailangan niyang malaman ang lahat ng 'yon. Sa totoo lang, wala pang kalahati sa kaalam namin ang sinabi namin sa kanya.

So, bakit ganito ang nararamdaman ko ngayon? Bakit pakiramdam ko mali parin ang pagsabi namin sa kanya ng mga iyon? It's for her own good. Yet, the feeling of relief was no where to be found inside of me.

"Hindi ko sinasadya ang saktan siya, Veronica," sabi ni Saira. "Pero kailangan na niyang magising sa kahibangan niya."

Napalingon ako sa kanya. Hanggang ngayon nakatingin parin siya sa mga palad niyang sumampal sa pisngi ni Alethea.

Alam ko naman hindi niya sinasadyang gawin 'yon pero 'di na rin maiiwasang saktan si Alethea. Kanina nga kung 'di sinampal ni Saira si Alethea baka ako na ang mananampal para magising siya sa katotohanan. Subalit hindi ko sinasabing natutuwa ako na ginawa ni Saira iyon.

"I know, Saira," I sighed. "It was your reflex to wake her up from her in denial stage," sabi ko.

Lumingon si Saira sa'kin at ngumiti ng pilit. "Yeah," sabi niya't inalis ang tingin sa'kin. 

Pinagmasdan ko ng mabuti si Saira. I am trying to read her body language to see the reason why she wanted to say the truth. Ngunit nabigo ako because her body is only trembling. I can't read her the way she trembled; if it's guilt or satisfaction. 

When it comes to Saira her body language is hidden. Always. I can never really tell and that goes the same with the way her mind works. 

Ano na naman ba ang binabalak mo, Saira Lim? Sigurado ako kung ano man yang balak mo, gagawin mo ang lahat para gawin 'yon. 

---------------------

a/n: Hello Everyone! :D Belated Merry Christmas xD ahahaha!! Advance Happy New Year ^_^