Time After Time

Untitled Part 54

"Bakit mo tinatanong?"

"Kasi ngayong may malay ka na, t'yak pupuntahan ka ng social welfare officer para tanungin tungkol sa nangyari. Hindi ka naman makukulong kasi minor ka tsaka...dismissed na 'yung kaso."

Kaso. Ang naaalala ni Olivia, ang salitang iyon na pinag-uusapan nina Rius...Sir Rius at Tito Ante patungkol kay Micky.

Micky.

Dinampot niya ang stuffed toy, pinagmasdan. She wanted to cry. Because the truth was, she couldn't see Micky's face in her mind anymore. Mukha ni Corey ang nakikita niya.

Micky was Mickey Mouse.

Ang usapan nina Tito Ante tungkol sa kaso....hindi para kay Micky. Para sa kanya. Siya ang may kaso. At siguro, daddy niya at si Tatay Primo ang nag-uusap at sumasama iyon sa panaginip niya.

Micky wasn't real.

Dahil buhay pa ang lolo at lola niya. Buhay pa si Trini.

Walang Micky na nagbigay sa kanya ng yellow mums.

"I--saw Corey coming towards me. Malakas na ang ulan. Kumulog nang malakas, kumidlat..maliwanag na maliwanag. Nagsigawan ang mga tao dahil namatay ang ilaw pati sounds..but there was another flash of light and I ran to Corey... he fell down to the ground..."

"Did he say anything to you?"

Umiling si Olivia. Corey's last words were sacred to her. Hindi iyon para sa teynga ni Marife.

'Forever....in..time.....'

"Bago mo s'ya...saksakin, may sinabi ba s'ya?"

Ganoon na lang ang galit ni Olivia, ibinato niya ang stuffed toy kay Marife, "I didn't kill him! I didn't kill Corey! Stop saying I did!" Mga unan naman ang ibinato niya. Hinaltak na rin niya ang IV line, bumaba siya ng kama, "Get out! Get away from me!"

Dinaluhan siya ni Beth, pilit siyang ibinabalik sa kama, "Shhhh, shhhh, relax, relax--"

"Nooo!" Iyak pa rin niya. "I did not kill him. I love him...I love him so much."

"That's why you killed him." Sabi ni Marife, dinampot nito sa sahig si Mickey Mouse, "Kaya mo mang tanggapin o hindi, 'yun ang totoo, Olivia. And you, you got away with murder, my friend."

"I'm not your friend!"

"Right now, I'm the only friend you got." Isinalpak ni Marife kay Olivia ang stuffed toy, "I'm the only one who doesn't hate you for what you did. Lahat ng tao galit sa 'yo dahil sa ginawa mo kay Corey."

Todo iling si Olivia, "I didn't do anything."

"Hindi mo talaga natatandan?" sabi ni Marife. "Ikaw at si Corey, you made a suicide pact. Gagawin n'yo sa prom night. Together forever. That's your code."

"No. That's not true. Hindi ko alam ang sinasabi mo dahil hindi 'yan ang totoo."

"Nand'yan sa mga sulat mo kay Trini ang totoo, Olivia. Bandang huli siguro, natakot si Corey. Umurong s'ya. Hindi mo matanggap kaya sinaksak mo s'ya."

Parang mauupos na napaupo sa kama si Olivia, "Hindi 'yan ang nangyari. May sorpresa s'ya sa 'kin...kaya s'ya nandun sa prom kahit bawal s'ya dun."
She remembered feeling so terrified and yet mesmerized at the streaks of electricity in the black sky outside. "Then I saw Corey coming to me....something was wrong with Corey...he was...weak...he fell before I could get to him, I fell there was lightning, it was so bright....i didn't kill him. I know I didn't."

Because after that bright light, she was in another time. She met Micky, Trini's son....they were about to discover who killed Trini and probably Corey also...

But that was just a dream.

Napatitig siya kay Marife. Galit at asar lang ba talaga siya sa babae kaya sa panaginip niya--kung panaginip nga iyon--ay ito ang pinagdududahan nila ni Micky?

Hindi niya alam ang totoo.

Pero sigurado siya, hindi niya pinatay si Corey. And she had to prove it.