Unbind the Strings

Ten

"Anong color bagay sa'kin, love?" I tried not to smile and looked at him.

"Ako. Ako ang bagay sayo." I said while giving him a teasing look.

"Gusto mo bang ipasok kita sa fitting room now na?" pag babanta niya.

"Gago! HAHAHAHA. Lahat naman bagay sa'yo, try mo 'tong tan, nakakaputi." i gave him the tan colored long sleeve polo.

He went inside the fitting room when his phone vibrated. I didn't check who messaged him, I tried to call him but he won't respond kaya sumilip nalang ako sa loob ng fitting room.

He was almost done removing his shirt when I noticed a big scar on the side of his waist. Ano kayang nangyare 'don? Paano niya nakuha 'yon.

"Manyak!" he screamed while covering his body when he saw me peeping through the curtain of the fitting room.

"Mama mo manyak." I rolled my eyes on him.

"Susumbong kita kay Mommy. Hindi ka na pasado 'don. Hmp."

"Hindi naman talaga. May ibang pasado na sakanya para sayo."

"Ikaw lang para sa'kin 'wag kang mag isip ng kung anu-ano." he said before wiping the curtain to get out. 

"Oh phone mo, kaya kita sinilip kasi may nag text." I handed him his phone.

Hindi parin maalis sa isip ko 'yung nakita kong peklat. Saan niya nakuha 'yon? Hindi siya mukhang ordinary na peklat. Mukhang malalim.

"Selos kaagad ampupu. Wala 'yon, 'yung umutang lang sa'kin nagtext. Wala pa raw siyang pambayad." he said before fixing the polo he fitted.

"Yaman ha, pautang naman." siniko ko siya para mang asar.

"Kung ikaw lang din naman uutang, 'di na kita pagbabayarin." he said.

"Wow, galante. How can I pay you back then?"

Ngumuso siya habang nakatingin sa'kin.

"Anong kiss? Asa ka naman. Hindi na ako uutang sayo."

"Tanga talaga amputa." napakamot siya ng ulo. "Tingnan mo kasi 'yung tinuturo ng nguso ko."

"What? Where?" Tumingin ako sa paligid at sinundan ang nguso niya.

"Candy corner?" I asked him while raising my brows.

"Opo." he smiled widely like a child.

"Hay nako, parang bata. Tara na nga."

We went to the candy corner and he picked his favorite cotton candy that turns into bubblegum after a few times of chewing it.

"Ano pang gusto mo?" I asked him while getting some money in my wallet.

"Ikaw po." natawa si Ate na nagtitinda sa sinabi ni Jay.

"Alam mo ang landi mo talaga." I gave him the pack of the gum and he accepted it right away.

"Sayo lang lalandi." he chuckled before opening the candy pack.

"Dapat lang."

We decided to go home already so we went to the parking lot and entered his car. Kanina ko pa siya gustong tanungin tungkol don sa nakita kong peklat sa may bewang niya pero nahihiya ako.

"Uh, Jay?" I was about to ask him my question when his phone rang. 

"Wait lang, Cal." he signaled me to wait.

"Uh, yes hello...Yes. I am Keane Jayden Torvas, bakit po?" he said on the phone. "Come again? Okay I'm coming. Make sure to lock him there, okay? 'Wag niyong hayaang makatakas 'yang tarantadong 'yan." he sounded mad. Sino kaya ang kausap niya?

"Uh, Cali, do you mind if we stop by the police station? I just need to see someone. "

"Sure. Is everything okay?" I asked him.

"Yes. What's your question a while ago? May sasabihin ka, 'di ba?" he was glancing at me while driving.

"Sorry kung itatanong ko 'to but I wanna know what happened to the scar at the bottom part of your waist?" I sounded soft and concerned.

"Ah eto." he pointed out the scar. "Nasaksak, Cali."

"What the fuck? Sino gumawa niyan sayo? Nahuli na ba?" my brows furrowed while looking at him.

"The investigator called. Sumuko na 'yung gumawa sa'kin nito. That's the reason why we're dropping by the police station."

"What happened? Paano ka nasaksak?"

"It was already late that time. Nasiraan si mommy on the way home so she called me to fetch her. While I was on my way to her, I heard her screaming. So I ran to her and there was this guy na parang lasing, he smelled like liquor. He was harassing my mom so I pulled him and asked him what's wrong..." pagkekwento niya sa'kin.

"He told me na 'wag daw ako mag tapang tapangan kase may kutsilyo raw siya. I told him to stay away from my mom kase baka 'di ko alam kung anong pwede kong magawa sakanya...I pulled my mom away from him but he won't stop. He even threatened me na sasaksakin niya ako pag di pa ako umalis..." he sounded serious this time.

"I was about to punch him when he stabbed me with his knife...he ran away after that...We reported it to the police pero we can't find him. Sumuko na raw ngayon lang. Sira ulo siya."

"Buti naman nahuli na 'yung gagong 'yun! He is rude, ha!"

We made it to the police station and Jay left the car first. I followed him inside. He was talking to the investigators and I was patiently waiting behind him.

"Where is he? I wanna see him." Jay told the police. The police went to call the man and escorted him outside.

"Sir, eto na po si Alvarez."

"Daddy..." sabi ko habang pinipigilang tumulo ang aking luha.

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