"I'm scared. I'm scared for our daughter, Federick!"
"It's better if we home-school her."
"No! It's not enough! I-It's our fault..if..if we didn't--"
"Shut up! I told you not to bring it up again, Yvonne!"
Marahang dinilat ang mata, ilang saglit lang ay naaninag ko na ang magulang ko na kapwa nakaupo sa couch. Umiiyak si mommy habang si daddy ay namumula na sa galit.
Seriously? They're fighting here?
"M-Mom...Dad..." nanghihinang tawag pansin sa kanila
Mabilis pa sa alas-kuwarto ang pagtayo ni mommy sa kinauupuan, mabilis rin niyang tinuyo ang luha at lumapit sa akin. She looked at me with a teary eyes. "Anak...Savannah.." she said then she sobbed. Hinaplos niya ang pisngi ko. "Thank god you're finally awake..."
I tried to lift my body up but dad was alarmed then stop beside mom. "Savannah, don't move, you're newly operated." His voice was serious and cold but his eyes are telling how worried he was.
I feel aroused, seeing them sick worried for me. Kailangan ko pa pala masaksak bago nila ako maisip at turingin na anak.
"What...what do you feel now? May masakit ba? I'll call your doctor in charge if there's something." Dad said, compassionated.
Hinaplos ni mommy ang pisngi ko. A cheerful aura she has. "You want orange? Apple? Banana? Pomkan? I'll peel it for you, anak..."
Halos maduling na ako sa kakapalit-palit tingin ko sa kanilang dalawa. Hindi ako sanay na umaasta silang ganto sakin pero natutuwa pa din ako, sana araw-araw na lang ako masaksak.
"Dad...Mom..." tawag pansin ko sa dalawa na kapwa nakaupo na sa couch. Halos sabay silang napabaling sa akin. "I have a new friend, ipapakilala ko siya sa inyo."
Mom was amused. "Oh, really?" Siniko niya si daddy. "She has new friend, don't act up, Federick."
Nakangiting binalingan si Dad, inaantay ang kanyang sasabihin o magiging reaksyon.
Tumikhim ito. "Then, if you finally okay dalhin mo siya sa bahay at ipakilala mo sa amin. Anong paborito niyang pagkain para maluto ng maid natin."
My lips parted. "Talaga po?!" Sabay silang tumango na may ngiti sa labi. Napaisip tuloy ako kung ano ang paborito niyang pagkain. "Hindi ko pa po alam ang paborito niya, pero tatanungin ko nalang siya." I giggled exitingly
"We'll wait for your new friend." Mom said, sinasabayan ang tuwa ko.
Napunta ang atensyon namin nang bumukas ang pinto ng kuwarto, isa 'yon sa kasambahay namin. I confusingly stare at my bag she's holding. Yumukod ito sa magulang ko. "Eto na po ang gamit niya."
I'm about to say something but Dad talked first. "Is her all books in here?"
Magalang na tumango ang kasambahay. "Mauna na po ako."
Tahimik lang akong nakikinig sa kanila, naguguluhan. Ilang saglit lang ay tumayo si Dad sa kinauupuan niya dala ang bag ko, may pindot 'to sa gilid ng kama at lumabas doon ang isang kahoy na lamesa, may pinindot ulit 'to upang umangat ang hinihigaan ng likuran ko.
I almost jump in shock when Dad slammed my general mathematic book with my notebook and pen. Naguguluhang napalingon kay dad. "What...is the meaning of this?"
"Your teacher informed me that your score in her activity is higher than your classmate. Are you now lacking?"
I was frightened when he's mood suddenly change, the usual him, the strict and heartless father. I mentally laughed, agad akong sinampal nang katotohanan ha?
"Then, whoever it is congrats, they deserved it." Gano'n na lang ang pagtamlay ko
Dad slammed the table. "You're the only one deserving! What nonsense are you saying?!" He fuming mad said.
I intentionally stare at him, with both dismay and agitated. Hindi na ako nagulat nang hinablot niya ang damit ko gamit ang dalawang kamay, puno nang galit ang kanyang mata.
"Why you looking at me like that?! How dare you?! We're doing our best just to give you a better life, and then you gaving me headache with your grades?! Paano ka magsusurgeon--"
"She'll be a nurse, not a surgeon."
My emotion sudden mixed up when Lawson show up and interfire without fear or anything. Marahan ngunit may riin ang pagtanggal niya sa kamay ni daddy na nakahawak sa damit ko.
Daddy got furious as he glance at Lawson. "Who the hell are you to put yourself in and make decision to this family?!" His voice thundered, mom get herself up and place in dad's back.
Lawson didn't flinch either defend himself, he only look straight into my parents eyes.
Nang tumawag si mommy ng security, agad namang nagdatingan ang mga ito. Gumilid ang magulang ko para makuha na nila si Lawson ang dapat pakikisali ko ay hindi natuloy nang naging mabilis ang pagkawala niya mula sa mga security guard. Sumugod ang dalawa sa kanya ngunit masyadong mabilis ang galaw ni Lawson sa mga 'to, nasalagan niya ang ilang galaw ng mga 'to pero hindi ito nakuntento at isa isang pinatulog ito gamit lamang ang kamay niya.
G-Gano'n siya kagaling? Hindi ko ma-imagine na may tinatago siyang galing sa pakikipaglaban.
Marahang binaling ang leeg at pinatunog ang mga daliri. Isang madilim na ekspresyon ang tinapon niya sa magulang ko. "Your daughter was stabbed by unknown man, she was stabbed. Heard it right?" Matigas na tanong ni Lawson sa magulang ko
I bit my lower lip. "Lawson..."
"I thought after this happened, you got your lesson learned now but you still abused your own daughter, you abuse her even so she was stabbed. Mas masahol kapa sa sumaksak sa kanya, mas masakit pa ang ginawa mo." Naging matunog ang paghakbang niya palapit sa puwesto ko. "She's wounded and fragile right now but still scolding her being second on her class? Where's your heart, Mr. Escobar? I'm gonna stab and crash it hardly as I can, para malaman mo kung gaano mo nasasaktan ang anak mo."
"Bakit ka nagmamagaling sa pagpapalaki ko sa anak ko?! Sino kaba para pakialaman ako sa pagiging tatay ko?!"
Huminga ako ng malalim tyaka tinapunan ng tingin ang magulang. "He's the one I am talking about earlier, the friend I wanted to formally introduce."
Napaurong ako ng kaonti nang umupo siya sa gilid ng kama ko. He scoffs. "Now, we're friends." He teasingly whispered to me.
"Pakiulit nga 'yung iyak mo no'ng sinugod mo ako sa ospital." I whispered back
Nakauwang ang labi nang bumaling ito sakin. He touched the tip of my nose. "Savannah?"
Nginitian ko siya. "Hmm bakit?"
"You didn't see or heard me cry, okay?"
Natawa ako. "Okay."
"I...I thought it's a girl! Why you befriending a boy?! They can't trust to be with! They...they will take advantage of you!" Dad said, full of resentful.
Lawson mockingly laughed. "Like you?"
My dad was taken back. "What nonsense are you saying?!"
"It's not nonsense, it's bullshit, sir. You were talking about how boys can do to your daughter, but here you are doing all hurtful things to your daughter. Aren't you ashame, sir? Even a little?" He sounded disgusted
"All I know, all things I did for her is for her own good too! You don't know anything about us, so don't ever interfere to our family problem!"
Hindi ko na nakayanan at nakisali na rin. "My own good?" Napunta ang atensyon nila sakin. Pagak akong natawa. "You making me laugh, dad. Hindi ko na kaya ang masasakit na salita pero nagsimula ka nang saktan ako. Are you happy being proud of me to my high grades? Of course you are but...how about me? Did you ever ask if am I okay? If am I tired? No! You never did that! Because of your fucking selfishness!"
He walked towards mine furiously, he almost slap me but Lawson catch his hand. "Not too fast."
Marahas na binawi ni daddy ang kamay niya at sinamaan ako nang tingin. "Did this man brainwashed you?! You're disrespectful, you've changed!"
Nakipaglaban ako nang tingin sa kanya. Dinuro ko ang sarili. "You've changed me! You disrespect me first! I can't just stand and do nothing! I love the two of you but..." my sobs sudden start. "I have limits too. I'm tired of living with you, i'll move out." I firmly decided
Halos magkasabayan na natigilan ang magulang ko.
"W-What...you're not moving out!" Naghihisterikal na ani mom
I firmly looked at them as my tears continuously fell to my cheeks. "I can't take this no more, and moving out is the only I wanted from the first place."
I don't want to be away from them, but it's bad for my mental, this is too much for me. Sa araw-araw, hindi man lang ako napapahinga pagdating sa kanila, imbis pagmamahal at pagaalaga ang matanggap, kabaliktaran lang.
So, I'll move out. That's final. Like what Lawson lectured me to choose myself once, I'll do it now.
I'm gonna choose myself, this time.