When Devils Collide

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sa malawak na spasyo ng bahay ni Don Alfonso Lazaro, there I am sneaking in the middle of the night. I'm walking in tip-toe, trying not to make a sound while looking for my way out. I've been practicing to get out of this cage for more than a month now and hoping to perfectly execute my plan tonight.

Just for tonight! Please lang, makisama ka sa akin ngayon Pagkakataon. Let me go this time. Kahit saglit lang!

I carefully walked through the living room to get to the garage. Perfect. Pero hindi pa ito ang daan palabas. Nahirapan pa akong kapain yung susi ng garage kung saan minsan nakita kong nilagay ng maid.

Hindi ako sneaky person lalo na kung dito sa bahay. As a matter of fact, first time ko 'tong gagawin. Well, sort of. Sana lang maging successful.

"I know it's somewhere... here." Finally, nahanap ko rin. With so much care, I unlocked the garage's door. Carefully opened it, walked inside the garage, and closed it. Doon sa garage, may maliit na glass window. Sumilip muna ako dun to check kung may mga guards. Meron nga pero mangilan ngilan na lang sila. At isa na sa kanila ay nakabantay sa bintana ng kwarto ko. That's why it's not wise to use that window to escape.

Sa ganitong oras, isang exit ang walang bantay—ang exit ng basement. At ang door papuntang basement ay nandito sa garage.

Dali-dali ko namang pinuntahan yung door ng basement. Pagpihit ko ng door knob, bumukas ito.

"Yes!" Hindi ko mapigilan ma-excite! The maid must've forgotten to lock it.

~~~

Pulang pula yung mukha ni Daddy nun. Magkasalubong yung mga makakapal niyang kilay. Bumabakas yung mga ugat sa kanyang leeg whenever he clench his teeth. Matigas ang mukha. Punong puno ng emosyon yung mga mata niya, pero isa lang ang nangibabaw sakin—galit.

Kakauwi lang namin from school at dumeretso kami sa office niya dito sa bahay.

I got into trouble at school—na naman. It was noon time ng mangyari yun. I had this higher level schoolmate na akala mo kung sino. Nabalian siya ng buto. Ngayon palang sasabihin ko na, wala akong kasalanan! I'm innocent. I just defended myself that leads to that incident. Yun nangyari sa kanya, kasalanan niya na yun! Can't they see that it was an accident?

I tried my very best to explain myself in front of the school principal, guidance counselor and our adviser. Obviously, hindi pa man ako nagsasalita, alam ko na ang hatol nila sakin. Expulsion.

Prior to that incident, may ilang schoolmates and classmates akong palaging naabsent due to different reasons. Merong dahil sa pamamaga ng ilong, body pain, or kung ano man yung mga sinasabi nila. Again, not my fault! But still, ako parin daw yung dahilan. Cruel world.

So I got it. This is another 'I'm sorry but you have to leave the school' scenario. Oo, alam ko na. Alam na alam ko na. Ganun naman talaga eh, kahit ano pang sabihin ko, hindi naman nila ako papaniwalaan. But that doesn't mean na hindi ko na idi-defend yung sarili ko. Kahit pa alam kong kickout din ang ending nito.

But in the end, they demanded to talk to my father. I repeat, demanded! Instead of just kicking me out, they wanted to talk to my father first.

This is not the first time that my school demands to see my father. Pero alam naman natin ang sagot dyan—you just gonna have to deal with my guardian, Leo. You want to see my father? You gonna have to make the whole world beg the Lord for that. Because it ain't gonna happen. Hindi darating yun. Or so I thought.

On that day, my father actually came to the school. For the first time in my entire school life, he actually bothered to see my school principal.