His Last Chat Was Goodnight

CHAPTER 6: IT'S HER...

                                                                                   ~MAX'S POV~
       At breakfast, may nag-text kay papa. Pagkatapos niya itong binasa, tumingin siya sa aming dalawa tapos kay Demeter.
"Uhmmm, Demeter..." sabi ni papa.
"Po?" tanong ni Demi.
"Dyed hair is not allowed in school." sagot ni papa.
"You need to dye it back." dagdag niya.
"Kailangan mo ring pumunta sa school para kumuha ng books and schedule." dad continued.
"Sasamahan ka nina Max at Sky, and a few guards to look after you." sambit niya. Kami na naman?!

       Sumakay kaming tatlo sa sasakyan ko tapos yung mga guards ay sumakay sa separate na car. We went to the hair salon first. Pinakulayan ni Demi yung buhok niya ng black and it took a long time to do so. Pagkatapos makulayan, hinarap niya kaming magkapatid, and I started to imagine what she looked like without green lenses, but I couldn't. On the ride to the school, kumakanta si Demeter. It was very familiar and I knew it very well. Pure Imagination, galing sa show na Charlie and the Chocolate Factory... Favorite namin ni Syph.
"We didn't know you could sing." sabi ni Sky. Napatigil si Demeter tapos napangiti sa'min.
"It's amazing." dagdag niya.
"Gracias, Sky. (Thank you.)" reply ni Demeter.
She hit the notes so good and so similar to how Persephone sang them. Her voice simply reminded me of her. Yung mga pangako ko na di ko naman natupad. Pure Imagination yung favorite namin kase may meaning sa lyrics niya. Whenever, I'm with her, I'm in a whole new world. A world that only we know, a world that only we can imagine, and a world that only we own. Fuck, I miss her... so much... Nang makarating kami sa school, hindi ako na-komportable kase andaming lalakeng nakatingin kay Demeter. Tama naman yung suot niya; black hoodie, and jeans. Hindi naman makapal yung makeup niya, ok naman yung buhok niya. She was in-between Sky and me. That means, no man can get close to her.

       We went to take her schedule. Nang makuha namin ito, we decided to hang around the school muna. Pumunta kami sa field tapos umupo kaming tatlo sa isang bench.
"May pagkain pala sa sasakyan." sabi ni Sky.
"Kunin ko muna." dagdag niya saka pumunta sa sasakyan. Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Demi. It was really uncomfortable, kase maraming tao ang nakatitig sa'min. She pulled out a book from her bag. Puta, Possesive...
"You like the Possesive series?" tanong ko. Tinitigan niya ako.
"Si. (Yes)" she simply answered and looked back at the book. Dinampot ko yung libro.
"Huyyy!" sambit niya tapos sinubukang abutin yung libro. Tumayo siya.
"Nope. Sit down." sabi ko so she sat down. "Now, keep quiet." dagdag ko, and she did. Talagang gusto niyang makuha yung libro...
"I'm glad you follow daddy's orders." sambit ko sabay ngiti sa kanya. Napatawa siya and she hit me. Talagang ganun ba mga babae kapag tumatawa? Tatamaan ka...
"Akin na nga yan." sabi niya. Binigay ko yung libro sa kanya tapos bigla niyang hinawakan yung kamay ko nang palihim. Tinitigan niya ako sabay ngiti.
"I'm glad you follow baby's orders." sabi niya as she looked at my chain tapos pataas sa mata ko. Damnnn... She's seductive... Medyo natagalan si Sky so Demi and I talked. Inayos niya yung buttons ng polo ko.
"Madaming babaeng kanina pa nag-uusap dahil sayo." sabi niya... Those were the same words Syph told me noon. Nakatanggap ako ng text mula kay Sky. Pinapauwi na raw kami ni papa kase masyadong delikado ang lugar na ito para kay Demeter. May mga kalaban na nakapalibot sa eskwelahan ngayon. I took her by the hand and I leaned close to her ear.
"Uwi na tayo." I whispered, seriously.
She didn't ask any questions and went out with me gladly. On the way out, pinigilan kami ng isang lalake.
"Hi miss." sabi niya kay Demeter.
"Hola." sumbat ni Demeter.
"¿Hablas Español? (Do you speak Spanish?)" tanong ng lalake.
"Si." sagot ni Demi.
"¿Como te llamas? (What is your name?)" tanong ng lalake. I let out a fake cough. Tumingin sa'kin yung lalake.
"¿Que? (What?)" tanong ng lalake na parang iritang-irita.
"Ella es mía. (She is mine.)" I said confidently. Hindi nakasagot yung lalake.
"Lo siento. (Sorry.)" sabi ng lalake saka lumakad palayo. I pulled her hood up as we walked to the car. Nang nasa loob na kami ng sasakyan, armado na kami ni Sky. We wore our sunglasses and drove off.
"Demi, can you please lay down?" Sky asked.
"What for?" tanong ni Demi.
"Just do it, Demi." sabi ko and she did.

        Nakauwi kami nang walang nangyari. It was already night time. Demeter was safe and sound. Pinapunta ko siya sa kwarto niya para mag-usap kami kina papa.
"Bakit antagal niyong umuwi?" galit na tanong ni papa.
"Kakukuha ko lang po..." I tried to explain.
"Kakukuha kakukuha, Hell knows kung ano ang maaaring mangyari kay Demeter kapag nalaman nila na..." Sky didn't let dad finish it.
"Dad, walang ginawang mali si kuya." sambit ni Sky.
"Anong wala?" tanong ni papa.
"He's the reason your mom is dead!" sigaw niya. The thought of my mother dying because of me, crushed me. I insisted but she still took the bullet for me. Tears started to build up in my eyes.
"Buhay pa sana ang nanay mo kung di dahil sa katangahan ng kapatid mo!" dagdag niya.
"Walang kasalanan si kuya!" Sky defended. Nakatayo lang ako doon, frozen from pain. My dad doesn't want me and it's clear. Ako pa rin yung sinisisi niya sa pagkamatay ni mama.
"I'm not letting another woman die just because of your brother's stupidity!" sigaw ni papa. Fuck, I can't take it anymore.
"Mom took the bullet for me, dad." sabi ko.
"Kung sinunod mo yung plano, hindi sana yun mangyayari!" sigaw niya sa'kin.
"For the last time, it wasn't my fault, dad." nataasan ko ng boses si papa.
"Tinataasan mo na ako ng boses ha!" sigaw ni papa and he slapped me.
"Dad!" sigaw ni Sky as he held dad.
Tinitigan ako ni papa, once he realized kung ano yung ginawa niya.
"Max..." sabi niya but I wasn't having it. I went up to my room.

      Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras na nagsisigawan sina papa at si Sky sa baba. Sky did his best defending me but dad... well, he couldn't change. The maids tried to call me down for dinner but I ignored them. Para akong bata na umiiyak.
'Mom, I wish you were here.'
Hanggang sa may kumatok.
"Sino yan?" tanong ko.
"Max, ako to." sabi ng nasa likod ng pintuan. It was Demeter...
"Can I come in?" tanong niya. I stood up and opened the door for her. May hawak siyang tray ng pagkain at nilagay ito sa lamesa ko
    
"¿Como estas? (How are you?)" tanong niya.
"Bien. (Fine)" sagot ko.
"No you're not." sambit niya and I just lost it. Tears ran down my cheeks. Nakakahiya. Umiiyak ako sa harap ng isang babae.
"Nakita ko lahat ng nangyari kanina." sabi niya.
"Lo siento. (Sorry)" dagdag niya. Nag-usap kami ng medyo matagal at magaling pala siyang magpatawa.

"Can you come with me tomorrow?" tanong niya.
"For what?" tanong ko.
"I have to buy some books kase may klase na ako next week." sagot niya.
"With what happened kanina, I'm sure na si Sky na ang kasama mo." sabi ko sa kanya.

     She sighed tapos tinignan niya yung pagkain.
"Di ka pa kumain." sabi niya tapos inilapit yung mesa sa'kin.
"Kumain ka na." dagdag niya tapos iniabot sakin yung kutsara at tinidor.
"Kakain ako under one condition." sambit ng magaling kong bunganga.
"What is it?" tanong niya.
"Remove your lenses." seryosong sagot ko.
"Por favor. (Please.)" dagdag ko. As soon as she removed her lenses, I saw her. With the same black hair and chestnut eyes, it was her... The resemblance was uncanny. Hindi ako nakapagsalita tapos bigla niyang sinuot ulit yung mga lenses. Hindi ako makagalaw, I was frozen. She looked like her. Infact, it was her...

"Max..." sabi niya.
"Max..." sabi niya ulit.
"Oh ayan nakita mo na." dagdag niya. Napatango nalang ako. Hindi ako makapagsalita eh. I was in shock.
Tatayo na sana siya kaso hinawakan ko yung kamay niya.
"Persephone?" tanong ko. Her face dropped.
"W-what do you mean?" tanong niya na parang kinakabahan.
"Sino ka ba?" tanong ko. Hindi siya nakasagot.
"Let go of me, M-max." sabi niya as she tried to free from my grip.
"Sagutin mo muna yung tanong ko." seryosong sabi ko sa kanya.
"Me llamo Demeter." sagot niya and binitawan ko yung kamay niya.
"Gracias." galit na dagdag niya tapos lumapit sa pintuan.

"Hasta mañana, Max. (See you tomorrow.)"-"Buenas noches. (Goodnight)" sabi niya without looking at me and then went out of my room.

        Hasta mañana, Demeter. Buenas noches.