No One Will Know (PUBLISHED)

XXIII. Preparing For The End

So, I looked at him.

If... If what I thought was right, he has feelings for me. Kahit kaunti. I'd hold on to that. I needed to hold on to that because I had nothing.

"I..." I croaked. "I'm—"

But I wasn't able to finish what I was saying when I felt a piercing sensation on my shoulder. My eyes were wide-open upon the realization that I just got shot.

Fuck!

He's really gonna kill me!

"Andres!" gulat na sigaw ni Nathan. "Shit!"

"Tell us who you are," Andres demanded.

But I couldn't move! I couldn't say a word! I was too stunned by the fact that I just got shot! It was as if I was just realizing the gravity of the situation I was in! That this was beyond serious! That they were willing to have me killed if it means evading the sins they committed in the past!

"Stop! You'll kill her!"

"I don't care."

Fuck! What do I do?!

"Move," Andres commanded.

Nathan stood still. "Andres, stop this."

"Are you really gonna trust this over me?" Nathan clenched his jaw. "Know where your loyalty lies, Nathan. Move."

Nanatiling nakatayo lamang si Nathan. His eyes quickly darted from me. But he wasn't doing anything. He looked torn. He looked confused. He looked... innocent.

"Nathan—" pagtawag ko.

"Shut your mouth," Andres said. "You're lying from the beginning. There's no Ary Fuentes. I don't know who you are, but you messed with the wrong people."

"Andres..." Nathan said. "Just leave her to me," he continued, trying to convince Andres who seemed to have lost it. He seemed so mad. He looked like he was about to murder me.

"If... If she's really lying... I'll take care of it," he said, looking at Andres, convincing him. "Like I did with Corinne, remember?"

Who was Corinne? And what did Nathan do?

Fuck, I couldn't die! Not when I still didn't know what happened that night! And who really were responsible for everything that followed!

For a second, Andres seemed convinced. But that only lasted for a second. He looked like he's decided to end me tonight. And nothing Nathan says could make him think otherwise.

Umiling si Andres. "Move, or I'll shoot you both."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Shit! Would he really shoot Nathan? Pero kakampi niya ito! And as far as I was concerned, he's the one who's been cleaning all their mess!

Was I wrong?

Was Nathan really innocent? Was he really just caught in the middle of it all? Like how I was right now? Fucking caught, and now, in the danger of dying without even attaining that justice that I badly wanted.

Nathan looked at him, his jaw clenched in anger that I'd never seen him have before. In a split second, he changed. Ibang-iba sa Nathan na nakikita ko dati... And I didn't know what to believe. Was this the real him? Was he just pretending all along?

"I'm tired of getting my hands dirty," Nathan said, fury burning in his eyes. I couldn't breathe. I was so afraid. I didn't know what they'd do!

Andres' face was void of any emotion. And it scared me. He's like the devil... he looked so dangerous. My entire system was shouting for me to leave, to run far away from him... But I couldn't move. And I couldn't leave Nathan with him! Lalo na ngayon at hindi na ako sigurado kung sino ang totoo sa hindi! Kung sino ang kaaway sa kakampi!

I was losing my mind!

"Then let's end your misery," Andres said.

Nathan wasn't backing down. He was looking at Andres like he knew what he was doing. I didn't know what was happening!

"If I die... If Ary dies..." he said, throwing me a quick glance. I saw his jaw clenched when he saw my bleeding arm. "The video will leak."

I saw how Andres' face contorted in anger.

"And you know who will be in a lot of trouble if that gets out... Vice," Nathan hissed.

Shit!

Unti-unting umiling si Andres. "You wouldn't."

"Try me," Nathan taunted. "I'm tired of cleaning after your mess. I'm not your fucking errand boy," he said, his eyes still on Andres, taunting him, mocking him. Gusto kong itanong kung ano ang meron sa video na iyon para makaramdam ng ganitong klase ng takot si Andres. Dahil ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagbabago ng sitwasyon nang marinig niya ang tungkol doon.

"Kill me," Nathan said. "Harvey is dead. Thomas is dead. I'll be dead. Who will die next, Vice? Because my guess is just as good as yours," he continued. I felt like they were talking about something that only the two of them knew...

Was it Blake?

Siya ba?

Hindi ko na alam!

"You're lying," Andres said. "There's no video."

"There is," Nathan replied. "But take the chance. I don't care. I'm done with your games."

Umiling si Andres. "No. And move."

Umigting ang panga ni Nathan. He knew. And I knew. I wasn't gonna survive this day. At kung hindi man ngayon, alam ko na hindi na ako magtatagal pa. Looking at Andres, I knew that he wouldn't stop until I was still breathing. I knew that he'd make it his personal mission to make sure that I'd be dead.

This needed to end tonight.

I wasn't sure about tomorrow anymore.

Nang hindi gumalaw si Nathan, mabilis siyang hinawi ni Andres. I froze at the realization that the gun was right in front of me! Na isang galaw niya lang, tapos na ang buong pagkatao ko!

I wanted to move.

I wanted to get out of the way!

But I was frozen in fear!

My entire body was convulsing in fear as I tried to prepare myself for the inevitable. Gusto kong ipikit ang mga mata ko para hintayin na lang ang pagtatapos ng buhay ko.

Pamela was right; death was the only end for me.

And I was about to get it.

I closed my eyes, preparing for the end of it all.