Chapter 41
Mabilis kong naipunch ang passcode ng unit ko and I went in. I closed my door and I leaned my forehead on it.
What now?
I turned around, sat down on the floor and leaned my back against the wall. I looked around my empty unit. That's what I do every time I get to this place.
I stood up and went to the bathroom to remove my contact lens and wore my glasses. I got out and went to my glass wall and looked at the city below.
I don't want them to know kasi natatakot ako sa magiging reactions nila. Ngayon lang ako nagkoroon ng real friends, friends who accepted me for what and who I am and not for where I came from.
I dialed a number on my spare cellphone and waited for her to answer it.
"yes?"
"mom?"
"hey honey, what's up?"
"I..I think I'll come home" I said and my voice cracked.
"honey, what's wrong? What about your friends?" I heard shuffling then: "hello? Anak? Ano'ng problema?"
"dad"
"gusto mo ba'ng sunduin kita jan?"
"no" sabi ko as a tear rolled down my cheeks, "I miss you guys"
"oh honey, we miss you too" sabi ni mom.
"come home then" sabi ni dad.
"but are you sure you want to leave your friends? You seem happy with them" sabi ni dad.
" si lolo kasi, he is intervening with my life again. He's putting my friends in danger, at nandamay pa siya ng isang pamilya para lang bumalik ako sa kanya."
"no baby, you should come home to us. Masyado ka ng pinipilit ng lolo mo" said dad.
"I'll talk to her honey" said mom
"But honey, please think first before you act, iiwan mo ang mga friends mo, kung kelan ka na naging masaya? What happened ba?" Dad asked.
"I know dad," sabi ko while massaging my right temple, "but.. Naglihim ako sa kanila. I'm afraid if..if they'll push me away"
"Do u think they will do that?" Asked mom
"Mmmm, I..don't know"
"Honey, you took the risk when you went there, maybe you take a risk again?" Said mom
"Hey, ayaw niyo lang ata na umuwi ah" I said
"Gaga" said mom, or more like -ga-geh, "of course we want you to come home, we just don't want you to regret it"
"Gusto mo ba talagang umalis jan anak?" Asked dad
"Nnnno"
"Then stay honey, come home when you really, really want to come home, okay?"
She's right, no, they're right! I'll tale the risk. Baliw ang mga classmates ko but they are real people, they bully you, but they don't judge you. Sabi nga ni Allen, they are unique.
"thanks mom, I'll call you again, I gotta go" I said
"okay honey, you take care. We love you"
"I love you too"
I dropped the call.
One more person to talk to.
"hello uncle? Please search for Collin Santiago"
"got it, hold on." He said and I heard him typing, "Collin Santiago, 14 years ol-"
"14? But she's first year"
"let me finish honey, 14 years old, a resident of Germany, adopted child and.."
"and?"
"she works for your grandpa"
"Please give me her number" I said and he did.
--
"what do you want?" I asked the girl in front of me who looks so different from the last time I saw her. Mukang disguise nga lang niya yung curly hair and braces niya noon.
"you know what? I'm really surprised. This is not part of my plan pero magaling talaga ang mga friends mo no?" she said
Sa isang empty restaurant kami nagmeet, I paid the owner para hindi na siya magpapasok ng iba.
"ano ba ang kailangan mo?"
Uminom siya ng tubig and she leaned back.
"go back to your grandfather. Yun lang ang mission ko"
"may usapan kami!"
"kailan pa tumupad sa usapan ang lolo mo? just like you, ang usapan niyo, bibisita ka lang sa mama mo for a day, but you disappeared."
"bakit sina Crizel?"
"because Bryce is one of your friends and Crizel had been a part of his life, sakto nga eh, that family owes your lolo, big time, kaya madali namin silang tinakot."
I sighed, poor Crizel.
"Fine, let them go" I said to her, "hayaan niyo na ang pamilya nila. Sabihin mo kay lolo na babalik ako. Just get away from my friends and everyone who is related to me. Naiintindihan mo?"
Tumawa siya ng mahina, "this is so easy, okay. Done."
I stood up and turned around.
"and oh, by the way, your friends are looking for you. They went to your other condo, magaling ka din talaga ano? Just like your lolo"
"shut up" sabi ko then I got out from the restaurant and went to my car.
"san tayo?" asked uncle.
"sa airport, please ready the private plane uncle"
"sure thing"
Uncle ang tawag ko sa butler ko. He's been with me since the day I was born.
I am Allexandria Louie Johnson, I faked my identity just to get away from my lolo who is so overprotective.
My grandfather is Alex Johnson, the CEO of Johnson Corp., one of the most successful and leading corporations in the USA and I am the sole heir to his position and all his wealth since he disowned his daughter, my mom, when she married my Filipino father.
He was one of the mafia bosses in the USA kaya madami siyang connections at nahanap niya ako. But thankfully, he retired from being a mafia nung 10 years old ako.
I am half American half Filipino. My hair is brown, not black, I just dyed it every Sunday. My eyes are brown, I just covered it with a black contact lens.
A month ago, I escaped from my lolo's grip with the help of my mom and I came here in the Philippines, this city is Uncle's city.
My plan was just to stay away for a week pero nung nakilala ko sina Nathaniel, my friends, I stayed. I stayed because I was happy.
Everytime na uuwi ako, I drop off my phone and things to my other condo where Uncle will be waiting for me and take me to my other unit. Nung nalaman ko yung tungkol sa tracker, I asked Uncle to get me a spare cellphone similar to mine with the same sim number and get me a new unit.
But I will not leave them yet. Kakausapin ko lang si lolo. I told Bryce na hindi ko siya iiwan, hindi ko sila iiwan. Babalik din ako, I know they will forgive me because I am their friend.
And besides, I am the Class 3F princess.
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