Good Girl Gone Bad

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sabi nila, There are no regrets in life, just lessons to learn.

Pero bakit ganoon? Bakit nagsisisi ako sa mga naging desisyon ko? Bakit parang wala naman akong natutunan? Bakit pakiramdam ko kahit tama ang ginawa  ko ay hindi ko magawang sumaya? It's been more than 2 years since the night that Shayne died—at least iyon ang alam nila. Pero ang totoo, she's very much alive. She survived. And here I am, hiding her from everyone, well except for our parents.

Noong ibinalita ko sa kanila iyong nangyari kay Shayne, akala ko itatakwil nila ako. Inihanda ko na rin naman ang sarili ko dahil kung ako ang nasa katayuan nila, hinding hindi ko mapapatawad ang taong naging dahilan kung bakit muntik ng mamatay si Shayne. Naalala ko pa noong dumating sila sa hospital.

"What happened? Where is your sister?" Kalmadong tanong sakin ni Daddy Gabriel habang hawak ang kamay ni Mommy Sophia.

"She's.. She's here." Sabi ko at saka tinuro si Shayne na nasa loob ng ICU. Dahan dahan silang lumapit sa glass window at kitang kita ko kung paano pumatak ang luha sa mga mata ng magulang ko. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what happened. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to protect her. I'm sorry for coming back to your lives. I'm—" pero hindi ko naituloy ang paghingi ko ng tawad dahil naramdaman ko ang biglang pagkayakap sa akin ni Mommy Sophia.

"Shhh. It's not your fault, baby. Don't blame yourself." Her warm hug and words were so comforting na biglang nawala ang takot ko. Takot na baka dahil sa galit nila, mawala ang  pamilyang iniingatan ko.

"And don't ever say that you're sorry for coming back to our lives again." Sabi naman ni Daddy Gabriel at saka ako niyakap din. "Kahit na hindi kami ang biological parents mo, we treat you as our own. We love you as much as we love, Shayne. Please don't ever think that you're an outsider, you are our daughter, Shayne's big sister. And whatever the reason behind this accident, I promise you, I will listen and understand." He reassured me.

At kwinento ko na sa kanila ang nangyari. I didn't say every detail of it but enough for them to understand how Shayne end up in the hospital. I mentioned about the Mafia as well and how I am involved in it. At first, hindi sila makapaniwala, well sino bang maniniwala agad? Who would have thought that the kid who they adopted is the only granddaughter of a mafia leader? That the kid whom everyone thought was an orphan, was not? Alam kong hindi madali tanggapin 'yong nalaman nila pero they didn't say anything bad, like what daddy Gabriel said, he will listen and understand. And he and mom both did. I'm really grateful for having them as my family kasi sa totoo lang, sila na lang 'yong natitirag rason kung bakit kahit papaano, may natitira pang kabutihan sa akin. If I don't have them, the good side of me is long time gone for sure.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Napatingin ako sa lalakeng nagsalita sa tabi ko. Nginitian ko siya. "Don't force yourself to smile. You can be yourself around me." Sabi niya at saka umupo sa buhangin.

I let out a sigh. "How come you know me too well, Jax?" Tanong ko sa kanya at saka naupo na din sa buhangin. Hindi lang siya magaling na assassin, ang galing niya din bumasa ng tao, lalo na ako. Kahit anong pagsisinungaling ko sa totoong nararamdaman ko ay hindi ko siya napapaniwala at alam na alam niya lagi ang totoo kong nararamdaman. Hindi lang 'yon, lagi din siyang nasa tabi ko kapag kailangan ko nang makakausap.

"When I want something, I carefully study all of its features and memorize it as much as possible." Sabi niya habang nakatingin — sa akin. This time siya naman ang ngumiti. It is a genuine smile that he never shows to anyone but me.