THIRD LAP
Muling nagbalik ang lumilipad kong isipan ng marinig ko muling magsalita si MICHAEL.
"Ano nang plano mo?"
"I'll do whatever it takes para lang mapatawad ako ni LEI. I will do everything."
"But we both know that it won't be easy VAUGHN, ako na mismo ang nagsasabi sayo."
"I know, of course i know. But I'll still do everything, just to win her back. Kilala ko si LEI, kilala ko sya higit sa kahit kanino. We've been together for quite a long time. I knew her better than you do, kaya alam ko ang ginagawa ko."
"Hindi na ngayon. Marami ng nagbago mula ng mawala ka, and RAYNE isn't an exception. Hindi na sya yung RAYNE na nakilala mo. Ang totoo, hindi mo na sya kilala. And this time, i knew her better than you do. Kaya hindi ko na sya hahayaang masaktan ulit nang dahil lang sayo, ako na mismo ang pipigil sa kanyang maniwala sayo."
"Labas ka na dito IYEL. This is personal, it's just betwen the two of us, alam ko, at nararamdaman kong mahal nya pa rin ako."
"Matagal ng walang "KAYO" VAUGHN, or should I say ACE RYDER CROSS? Dahil si VAUGHN ay matagal nang patay."
Hindi ko pa rin malaman kung paano ipo-process ang lahat ng narinig ko, parang mas lalo lang sumasakit ang ulo ko. Sapat na ang lahat ng narinig ko, at ayoko ng makarinig pa sa kung ano mang mula sa kanilang dalawa. Kaya't nagdesisyon akong putulin na ang tensyon sa dalawa, at lumabas ng kwartong tila impyerno, at magkunwaring walang narinig. Aalis ako sa bahay na ito at iisiping hindi ito nangyari. "TAMA" bulong ko sa aking sarili.
So I stood up, and walked towards the door and twisted the knob, only to be greeted by two shocked faces. BUSTED!
"Ano bang ginagawa ko dito?" pupungas-pungas kong bati kay MICHAEL.
"RAYNE, kanina ka pa ba gising?"
"Hindi. Kakagising ko lang actually, lumabas agad ako kasi pagmulat ng mata ko natakot ako eh? Pakiramdam ko nasa impyerno na ko. Siguro demonyo yung may-ari nung kwarto, pulang-pula eh?" I laughed crazily at my own joke alone, but they remained serious.
They both look at me. No, stare would fit better. And I tried my f*cking best not to stare back at him. God knows i won't take that.
"What?" I defensively ask. "Tara na nga IYEL, dinala mo ba si ASHTON?"
"Yeah? Wala namang ibang makakapagdala nun dito maliban sakin eh?"
Imbes na sumagot ay mabilis na kong naglakad patungong hagdan pababa. As if kabisado ko naman 'tong lugar na 'to. Pagbaba ko ng hagdan, I saw three narrow hallways. Great! Just great. Alin dito ang tamang daan. Sana hiniram ko yung map ni Dora di ba?
"Oh ano? E di nganga ka? Nagmamarunong ka na naman kasi eh?" pang-aasar ni MICHAEL na nasa likuran ko na pala.
"Yung totoo? Bahay ba 'to? O maze?"
MICHAEL just ignored me and walked on the middle hallway, while I just walked behind him. Wala na kong narinig pa mula kay MICHAEL, hanggang sa tuluyan na kaming makalabas ng bahay. I silently hopped on ASHTON and he ride his Black BMW Sedan. Akala ko hindi na talaga sya magsasalita pa, pero nang i-start ko na ang engine, ay muli syang nagsalita.
"Totoo lahat ng nakita mo, at alam kong narinig mo rin ang lahat. And yes, he's back for good."
As if on cue, lumabas sa gate ang tinutukoy niya. But I gave them no chance of talking to me, dahil mabilis ko ng sinuot ang helmet at pinaharurot palayo si ASHTON sa lugar na iyon.
I only have one place to go in my mind. Kaya't nang masigurado kong malayo na ko sa kanila, I decided to stop, and picked up my phone on my back pocket and search his number on my contacts, and pushed the call button. It ringed once, twice, thrice, and on the fourth he finally picked it up.
"Wala po si CHRISTOPHER ROMAN SANTOS, kasalukuyan po syang nakabakasyon, he'll just call you back when he arrived. Thank you good day."
At ang hayup, nag iba pa kunyari ng boses, halatang halata naman.
"CHRIS nasaan ka?" i ignored him, and ask.
"RAYNE, saka na tayo mag-usap paalis na yung eroplano e? chursk. chursk.churks. Chappy ka na! Tawagan na lang kita ulit. Bye!"
"T*NGNA MO CHRISTOPHER nasaan ka?" I shouted over the phone.
"Kalma ka lang pwede?"
"Nasaan ka? F*CK U CHRIS, nasaan ka?" i said through gritted teeth.
"Wala ako sa bahay.."
"Antayin mo ko jan."
I was about to cut the call, when he speak again.
"RAYNE, magpapakamatay na ko wala ka ng aabutan, bago ka pa dumating dito patay na ko, kaya wag ka ng tumuloy."
"Siguraduhin mo lang na mamamatay ka, dahil pag naabutan pa kita AKO MISMO ANG PAPATAY SAYO!"
Then I push the end button. I was furious and pissed off, like BIGTIME. I wanna kick the SHIT outta him, wanna bang his F*CKING head on a cemented wall until it burst and bleed him to death. I really wanna kill him right now. All this time, ginago nya ko. T*NGNA. Yung bestfriend ko pa ba talaga dapat ang mang g*go sakin? I trusted him. Hell, i trusted him.
I hopped on ASHTON again and hurriedly went to his house. My palm is itching to hurt that g*dd@mn asshole. When i finally arrived, i parked ASHTON on the side walk of his house, at saka ko derechong pumasok sa gate, walang doorbell doorbell, dahil kilala na ko ng security nya, i didn't knocked either, no need dahil bukas na ang pinto. He knows i'm mad at him. Actually, MAD is an understatement. I saw him on the kitchen, leaning againts his island counter, enjoying his favorite wine. He was about to sip when our eyes met, and probably he saw the anger mirroring in my eyes. He froze. I took advantage of the opportunity and grab the wine glass in his hand and dranks it greedily that some drops spilled on the side of my mouth. I wiped it with the back of my hand and gave him that signatured deadly look. He stared back but he knows he'll never win. So he just passed me and walked just a few step. Now we're standing back to back, I speak up, and was shocked when I heard it was full of hurt.
"CHRIS, bakit? Paano mo nagawa sakin yun?" mariin kong tanong.
"I can't talk to you if you're being like that. Not when you're still hot-headed."
"Bakit CHRIS? Bakiiiiiiiit? Sagutin mo na lang ako." I bursted out. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili kong iharap sya sakin at hawakan sya sa kwelyo ng puting polo na suot nya. Our face just inches apart, and I can feel the heat between us, not what you think though. It's the heat that rages from me because of anger. Dagdagan pa ng frustration dahil iniiwasan nyang sagutin ang tanong ko.
"RAYNE, just please calm down." he calmly said to my face.
"CALM DOWN? How can I F*CKING calm down, when my F*CKING bestfriend, F*CKING betrayed me?" I loosen my grip on his collar and pushed him hard, but he didn't bulged, i then shouted out of frustration. I paced the room while fisting my hair. God! It's killing me.
"I needed to do that. Yes, i lied to you, but I didn't and never will betray you. Not my bestfriend. You should've know that."
"NEVER? WHAT? YOU'LL NEVER BETRAY ME?" I laughed crazily and when I stopped, I gave him that cold look. "You just did CHRIS. You just betrayed me, at kinampihan mo sya. Pare, bakit? Magkano ba ang binayad sayo ng hayup na yun ha? Ganun ba kalaki para kalimutan mo ang halos kalahati ng buhay nating pagsasama, ha?" I'm starting to lose all my control, nararamdaman ko na ang panginginig ng buo kong katawan sa sobrang galit.
"I did what is best for you. Ginawa ko ang lahat ng yun para rin sa kapakanan mo LEI."
FLASHBACK~
3 YEARS AGO
THURSDAY
12th of FEBRUARY, 2009.
2:35 am
I received a call in the middle of the night. WTH? I blurted out before scurrying to get my phone on the bed side table. I peeked through my right eye to look who da hell calls me in the middle of my peaceful sleep. Only to see VAUGHN flashed through the screen. PUSA TALAGA! Si VAUGHN lang pala.
"WHAT?" iretable kong bulyaw sa kabilang linya.
"P-pare, i need your help." i heard him stutter. WTH is happening?
"Ano na naman yan? Kailangan ba talagang sa ganito kaaga yan sabihin? Hindi ba makahintay hanggang mamaya?"
"CHRIS, natalo ko sa karera yung pera ng grupo. Pare hindi ko na alam yung gagawin ko!"
Napabalikwas ako sa sobrang pagkabigla at saka sumandal sa head rest ng aking kama. I badly needed a grip now.
"Ano?? G*GO ka ba? Bakit mo isinugal ang pera ng grupo?" galit kong tanong sa kanya.
"Pinilit nila ko, they pointed a gun at me, they leave me no choice but to join the race."
"At paano naman nila nalaman na dala mo ang pera? Man, you f*cked up. You really f*cked up this time. They will f*cking kill you pag nalaman nila."
"Hindi ko rin alam, i'm on my way to the hideout nung hinarang nila ko at tutukan ng baril. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko pare." I heard the frustration in his voice.
This is a mess. VAUGHN f*cked up. Sa tagal na namin sa grupo, ngayon lang sya pumalpak. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang totoong nangyari, but obviously i'm not buying his alibi. Kahit kelan, walang humarang kay VAUGHN, dahil kilala syang isa sa mga notorious dealer ng grupo. And yes, we deal drugs. We deal, but we don't use. I was 18 when I stumbbled and fall in this mess. F*cked up family, f*cked up girlfriends, f*cked up life. Di pa ko napapamanahan ng magandangang kapalaran nang makilala ko si ANTON, ang mastermind ng grupo. I was a mess that time, and he gave me an irresistable offer. MONEY, POWER, WOMENS, AND MORE MONEY. I admit, nasilaw ako sa mga sinabi nya, kaya isang araw i just saw myself dealing a g*dd@mn drugs. Dun ko nakilala si VAUGHN. His story is awfully different from mine, that it makes me realized that i'm still blessed. Matagal na syang ulila, nagpalipat-lipat sa mga kamaganak nya, na walang ibang ginawa kundi ang saktan at alilain sya. They treated him like a dog, but he keep himself strong to survived. Until he met ANTON, and brings hope in him. And there, we became a very good friends. I invited him once on a party that i've thrown, and there he met my bestfriend. Up until now, we still deal drugs, kahit pa may career na kong marangal, i never tried to escaped. I wouldn't dare. I knew ANTON too much, and he can ruin a life, in just a blink of an eye. Pero nananatiling sikreto ang trabaho naming ito sa mga taong malalapit samin, para na rin sa kapakanan nila. Isa na dun si LEI. We both treasured LEI too much to let her get involved on our own mess. Lingid sa kaalaman ni LEI na ang business na tinutukoy ni VAUGHN ay ang droga, at hindi rin totoong nasa ibang bansa si VAUGHN. Dahil sa tuwing bibigyan sya ng trabaho ni ANTON ay nagpapaalam syang may conference o meeting with a client sa ibang bansa, but the truth is, he's just here. Dealing drugs secretly. He didn't mean to lie to her, but he knows he has no choice but to keep it from her, siguro dahil ayaw nyang madamay pa si LEI sa mga katarantaduhan nya, o siguro dahil natatakot lang syang baka iwan sya ni LEI sa oras na malaman nya ito. He loves her too much to risk, kaya pinili na lang nyang itago ito.
"Nasaan ka?" basag ko sa katahimikang namuo sa pagitan naming dalawa.
"25th." tipid nyang sagot, ngunit alam kong kinakabahan na sya sa mga panahong ito.
"Pumunta ka dito, mag-iisip ako ng paraan, mag-usap tayo." then I hung up.
I paced the room back and forth trying to find a way out for VAUGH. Man this is hard. I have 3 plans on my mind. And don't wanna do the Plan C as much as possible. Though it would be the best plan, i still don't want him to do that, I don't wanna drag LEI on his mess. Not my bestfriend. I stopped when I heard my phone rang. I picked it up.
"What?" pertaining to my security guard downstairs.
"Sir, VAUGHN wanted to see you. Should I let him?"
"Let him in."
Then I hung up. I should be taking my peaceful nap right at this moment, but instead i'm stressing myself out. CHRIST! I suddenly heard a knocked on my door, and burst VAUGHN. He looked troubled of course, and I saw a glimpse of bruises on his right arm.
"Anong nangyare jan?" looking a his bruise.
"Wala 'to, compared sa kahaharapin ko pag nalaman ni ANTON ang lahat."
I sighed.
"Pare, tatlo lang ang naiisip kong paraan para malusutan mo yan."
He didn't respond, probably waiting for me to continue. He sit on the couch and fisted his hair.
"Plan A, babalikan naten ang grupong yun, at babawiin ang pera."
"Alam mong imposible yan, para na rin tayong nagpakamatay sa pagdalaw sa teritoryo nila."
"Yeah, and that makes me think of Plan B, which is.. you will try your luck, and face ANTON, say sorry, explain everything, i'm sure he'll listen."
"F*ck it ROMAN." he furiously stands up and pace the room. "He never listens, you know he doesn't. At hindi tayo exception dun."
"That's why I said, TRY YOUR LUCK."
"T*NGN* pare, ano? Ipapapatay mo ba ko?"
"We don't have much choice."
"What is Plan C? Patayin ko ang sarili ko?"
"Yes. Sort of."
He lose control and punch me straight. It f*cking hurts that I can't help myself but reciprocate. Until we roll over each other punching, making our lips bleed. I pushed him away from me, and tried to stand, I reached for my bedside table for a grip.
"F*ck U VAUGHN!" and I spit the blood in my mouth.
While he stay laying on my bedroom carpet, arm on his forehead, trying to calm himself. And when I didn't get any response from him, i continued.
"Ang Plan C, ay palabasin na patay ka na. We need to make up an accident, hindi ko pa alam kung paano, but that's the point."
"Si LEI? Paano si LEI?" narinig ko ang paghugot nya ng hininga, i know he's just hiding back his tears.
"Kaya hangga't maari, ayokong gawin ang Plan C VAUGHN. Ayoko ring magsinungaling kay LEI, at mas ayokong makita syang magluksa sayo, gayong alam kong buhay ka pa. Hindi ko sya kakayaning saktan pare." I sit on the edge of my bed and fisted my hair. Frustration is building up inside of me. I'm in between LEI and VAUGHN, in between of LYING and SAVING. Gustong-gusto kong tulungan si VAUGHN, pero paano naman si LEI?
"Pare, mapapatawad mo ba ko kung pipiliin ko ang Plan C?"
I knew it. I have no choice, I have to do this para na din kay LEI, alam kong masasaktan ko sya sa pagsisinungaling ko, pero magpapasalamat sya pag nalaman nyang buhay pa si VAUGHN at niligtas ko ito kapalit ng pagsisinungaling sa kanya. Balang araw aayusin din namin 'to, ipapaliwanang namin sayo lahat LEI, pero sa ngayon patawad, pero kailangan naming magsinungaling sayo. Para na din sa kapakanan mo.
END OF FLASHBACK~~
Upon hearing the story, LEI left the house. I didn't see any reaction from her though, at alam ko kung saan sya pupunta ngayon.
JOSE ABAD AVE.
12mn.
Ngayon ang laban nila ni VAUGHN. No, ACE RYDER na nga pala, he chaged his name already, it's ACE RYDER CROSS VS. RAYNE ANALEIGH WALKER.