Tumayo ang isang lalaki sa kinauupuan niya at bumuntong-hininga. Lumakad siya papunta sa glass window ng opisina niya saka ibinulsa ang mga kamay niya.
He frowned without noticing it, and his eyes were serious like he's looking at something, more than the setting sun's view in front of him.
Nagulat siya and he immediately snapped out of his deep thought nang biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng opisina niya.
Paglingon niya nakita niyang pumasok ang isang mestisang babae na nakasuot ng black sleeveless shirt at jeans. Dire-diretsong lumakad papunta sa kanya ang babae na hindi man lang pinapansin ang secretary na pilit siyang pinipigilan.
"Ma'am! Ma'am hindi po kayo pwedeng pumasok sabi ni Sir Ward!" sabi ng empleyado sa kanya.
"Pwede ba? Get out of my way!" she said, shooting her a death glare.
Nagkatinginan sila ng lalaking nakatayo sa harap ng glass window. Nang magtagpo ang mga mata nila, time seemed to stop for the both of them.
Bumuntong hininga ang lalaki and he looked away. Tumingin siya sa secretary niya saka niya ito sinabihan. "It's fine. You can leave us alone now."
Natigilan ang sekretarya niya sandali, pero sa huli ay sinunod din niya ang gusto ng kanyang amo at tumango. Iniwan ang dalawa kasama ang nakakabinging katahimikan.
"What are you doing here?" tanong ng lalaki sa babae.
The girl frowned and walked slowly towards him.
"Kent, let's talk," she said, bitting her lower lip, hoping that the man before her would finally speak to her after a few weeks of avoiding her.
Ibinalik ng lalaki ang tingin niya sa labas ng bintana sulkly. The face of his fiancé's crying and hurt expression that night when he last saw her was the only thing that he could think of right now.
"Wag mo akong hawakan gamit ang nakakadiri mong mga kamay!"
And of course, that stare full of ire that she had given him when he tried to stop her from going away.
"Ang sabi ko wag mo akong tatawaging babe hayop ka!"
Ang boses ng babaeng nakatakda dapat niyang pakasalan ay paulit-ulit din niyang naririnig na sumisigaw sa isipan niya.
Yumuko siya at napapikit sa tindi ng halu-halong emosyon na nararamdaman niya. Inis, galit, lungkot- hindi na niya maintindihan kung ano ba talaga ang meron sa dibdib niya.
He just felt so terrible that he wanted to have another bottle of liquor in his hand to forget everything for just a little while.
"Please, just give me a second here," dagdag ng babaeng kasama niya.
"Ano pa bang pag-uusapan natin, Riza?" he asked her, trying to be calm and not yell at her.
Kumunot lalo ang noo ng babae at nagsimula ng mamuo ang mga luha sa gilid ng mga mata niya. This feeling of hurt she'd been carrying inside her ever since, starts resurfacing.
"Kent..." bulong niya na may bahid ng pagmamakaawa.
She walked towards the man and hugged him from behind. The man didn't even react on her stunt. His face was straight, emotionless and still looking at the deep orange skyline outside.
"Wala na si Lexie," she said, tears pouring down her eyes. "She's gone. Hindi na siya babalik. We're already free. Pwede na tayong magsama ulit, right?"
The man's back stiffened with the words her words.
Ang pagsabi lamang ng kaisipang hindi na niya makikita kahit kailan ang fiancé niya was enough to make him feel like he was being crushed, making it hard for him to breath, and feel like he's being stabbed over and over inside.
Humarap siya bigla sa babaeng nakayakap sa kanya at hinawakan ang mga braso nito ng madiin, anger evident in his eyes.
"Anong sabi mo?" he asked and he shook her with gritted teeth. "Hindi na babalik si Lexie? How can you say that, huh?"
The guy leaned his scowling face to the girl who's staring at her in awe. "You know that can't happen! She has to come back! I have to find her or else-"
"Or else ano?" sinigawan siya ng babae. "Ano Kent? You have to find her or else mawawalan na kayo ng napaka-yamang pamilya na makakasosyo?"
The man's teeth clenched. He looked away but his grip on the girl's shoulders was still there, digging on her flesh.
Hindi naman iyon ang gusto niyang sabihin.
He was about to say 'I don't know what to do with my life anymore' pero alam din niya sa sarili niyang tama din ang sinabi ng babaeng kaharap niya.
"Pera lang naman ang habol mo kay Lexie kaya mo siya pakakasalan di ba?" she yelled to spell out the thoughts she'd been hiding inside her heart long before things turn out this way.
She started sobbing even though she tries her best to stop herself.
"Tell me! Kung hindi naman siya mayaman hindi mo naman kailangang magpakasal sa kanya, 'di ba?"
The girl hugged his man and wrapped her arms around his neck habang patuloy pa din ang pag-iyak niya.
"Of all people na pwedeng maipagkasundo sayo, bakit si Lexie pa?" at humigpit ang yakap ng babae sa kanya. "Why?"
"Kung hindi lang siya mayaman, sa akin ka pa din dapat hanggang ngayon di ba? Dapat ikaw pa din ang boyfriend ko. Ako dapat ang fiancé mo ngayon at hindi siya, tama ba?"
Sa mga sinabi ng babaeng kaharap niya, nanlambot ang tuhod ng lalaki and he stared at the ceiling in defeat.
"She's gone now. Umalis na siya, Kent. Pwede ka na ulit bumalik sa akin. Ibalik na natin yung dati," tinignan ng babae ang muka ng lalaki and her hand cupped his cheek. "Dapat nga masaya na tayo 'di ba? Cause we're finally free at hindi na tayo nagtatago sa likuran niya, pero bakit ka pa rin ganyan? Wag ka nang makunsensya kung nasaktan mo man siya, this was going to happen anyway kasi tayo naman talaga ang nagmamahalan!"
The man didn't respond. He didn't really know exactly what had happened. He's too damn confused at the moment but now, his heart definitely knows what it truly wants since that night. He pulled away from her ex-girlfriend's hug.
With his action, the girl's lips quivered, her eyes grew big and she felt shivers went up her spine. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand to stop her from crying even more. Her tears flowed like an endless stream, dahil sa alam na niya kung ano ang ipinapahiwatig ng lalaking kaharap niya.
"Oh, my God, Kent. D-don't tell me... m-mahal mo na si, Lexie?" nanginginig na tanong niya.
The man turned his back away from the woman.
"Don't ask that kind of question," he told her in a low voice. He pocketed his hands and he turned his back to her, facing the stunning view of the city in front of him.
"BAKIT? DAHIL BA HINDI MO KAYANG SABIHIN ANG OO!" The girl yelled to him.
For a couple of seconds, no one dared to move.
Silence, once again, surrounded the office, and the two people inside are slowly engulfed by the heavy atmosphere both of them have created.
"How can you do this to me, Kent?" the girl collapsed on her knees and she cried her eyes out. "Ang sabi mo ako lang di ba? Ang sabi mo akin lang ang puso mo! Ang sabi mo magpapanggap ka lang sa harap niya! Why? Paano mo nagawang kalimutan ako? How can you forget about me even though I'm always beside you kahit na kasama mo pa siya?"
For five years they've been together, she cherished every single moment of it. Long before Kent met Lexie, they were happy to be with each other. But when things started to get rough and out of their hands, things had never been the same between them.
He unconsciously fell in love with another girl without him knowing, only finding it out when it was already too late. Loving two different women at the same time was the biggest mistake of his life.
"I'm sorry, Riza," he whispered and looked back at the girl he used to love.
Kinuha niya ang coat na nakapatong sa lamesa niya and he headed out the door.
"Where are you going?" asked the girl who was on her knees, wearily.
The man paused and spoke without turning. "I'm going to find her."
Namuti ang kamao ng babae na nakapatong sa mga hita niya and she bit her lip. "No!"
She stood up, caught him and grabbed his wrist to stop him.
"Stay with me! Kent, Please!" she begged with her face drenched in tears.
She's not used to all of this. Sharing and begging for love. Naranasan niya lang ang lahat ng ito when Lexie, her best friend, came to her life.
She always stands out more than her. Maybe, because she has everything. She's prettier, smarter, kinder, and way so much wealthier than her family.
Tuwing nasa iisang kuwarto lang sila at maraming tao, palaging ang kaibigan niya ang napapansin, leaving her in the shadows of her best, well , former friend.
Ayos lang naman iyon sa ka nya. She still wants to be friends with her dahil alam niyang she's always alone. Is it pity that she felt kaya pinili niyang kaibiganin ang anak mayaman na iyon? She's not sure either. Pero nag-iba ang lahat nang magising na lang siya isang araw na ang boyfriend niya na si Kent pala ang fiancé ni Lexie. She felt hurt and even betrayed. Gusto niyang sisihin ang bestfriend niya but she can't dahil alam niyang wala naman siyang kinalaman dito ,ni hindi nga niya kilala si Kent. Lalong hindi din niya alam na siya ang girlfriend nito.
She wants him back but she can't dahil alam niyang mahalaga para kay Kent ang utos ng tatay niya. Either way she kept silent at hindi man lang binanggit sa best friend niya ang tungkol dito. Hoping that Kent would fight for her, na aatras si Kent sa engagement nila to be with her. But it didn't happen, and now, everything is like a nightmare.
Their relationship had been found out and they were caught while they were making love. The worst of all, her man is already in love with her best friend and no longer to her.
"Please, wag mo akong iwan. Wag kang umalis," she whispered, her cheaks soaked in her tears. "Don't go! Please..."
She was hoping that he's just kidding na hindi totoong hindi na niya siya mahal.
Pero ng alisin ng lalaki ang pagkakakapit ng kamay ng babae sa braso niya- mas masakit pa sa malakas na sampal ang naramdaman niya and it tore her heart open.
Kent walked out the door, leaving Riza alone in her anguish.
-------
~All my life I've been good but now
Oooh, What the hell?
All I want is to mess around
And I- I don't really care about
If you love m-!~
I slammed my alarm clock (phone na naka-alarm lang, actually) shut.
Tumagilid ako ng higa at tinalukbungan ang sarili ko ng kumot.
Hay, Diyos Por Santo inaantok pa ako!
I almost started snoring again when my TEN other alarm clocks started ringing all at once at bumulusok ang nakakasulasok na tunog sa buong kuwarto ko.
ERUQOSFKLKNLDKNECJRALKSNCDEAGVBADFLER!
"AAHHH! NAMAN, OH!" I yelled at tumayo ako na masama agad ang timpla, saka ko kinuha at pinatay isa-isa ang mga nakakainis na alarm clocks na nakapalibot sa kama ko.
"KAINIS! SINO BA KASING NAKA-ISIP NITO? " hinagis ko ang panghuling alarm clock on my bed makalipas ang ilang minuta bago sumagi ang paningin ko sa manika kong si Coco na kasalukuyang nasu-suffocate sa isang malaking unan.
I bit my lip when I realized na ako pala ang may pakana ng ka-dramahang ito. I did it on purpose kasi hirap talaga akong gumising sa umaga. Ang dahilan kung bakit kelangan ko talagang magising sa oras ay ang TRABAHO KO!
Bilang door-to-door delivery boy ng newspaper at gatas, kailangan mas maaga pa akong gumising sa Diyos. Dapat ko kasing matapos ko agad ang trabaho ko bago pa magising ang mga tao.
I ran a hand on my long hair. Yung totoong buhok ko na mahaba na may waves and curls sa dulo.
I took a deep breath at pumasok sa banyo.
When I got inside, I started undressing myself, pero natigilan ako nang makita ko mula sa salamin ang engagement ring ko na ibinigay sa akin ni Kent which was now hanging on my neck as a necklace.
I sighed.
Bakit nga ba hindi ko magawang itapon ito?
My fingertips touched the expensive jewelry as I keep staring at it from the mirror.
Bakit? Bakit kahit gaano pa kasakit ang nararamdaman ko pagnaaalala ko ang dinanas ko sa lalaking iyon di ko pa din siya maialis kahit sandali lang sa isip ko?
My hold on the ring tightened when I felt that bolt of pain coming to me again, forming a lump on my throat. Kaya bago pa tuluyang tumulo ang mga luha ko sa mata- I shooed all the thoughts away at hinilamusan ko ang muka ko gamit ang kamay ko.
BAWAL NGA UMIYAK ULIT LEXIE DI BA? Rule number one mo yan so don't you dare cry! Isa pa, kailangan mo na ngang kalimutan lahat di ba? How can you forget everything if you're acting like this? STOP IT. STOP FALLING ALL OVER THE PLACE AGAIN.
I sniffed and finish undressing saka ako lumubog sa tub to take a bath.
------
My job today went smoothly. Halos madilim pa kasi ang paligid at hindi pa sumisikat ang araw nang matapos kong iwan ang mga bote ng gatas at dyaryo sa tapat ng gate ng isang malaking bahay. I checked my wrist watch, ang sabi 5:30 am. I smiled and I dusted my hands and my blue jacket.
Grabe, sobrang aga pa din. Makatulog nga ulit pagbalik sa bahay.
Isinuot ko ang hood ng jacket ko over my black cap at sumakay ulit ako sa bike ko saka nagpedal pabalik. The road was still empty and still dark. Halos walang katao-tao. Paano, tulog pa din kasi ang karamihan ng mga ganitong oras kaya mukang abandonado ang lugar na ito.
A few meters away from the front of my apartment, merong anim na lalaki ang humarang sa daan ko.
They were all bald. In fact, nakakatakot silang tignan cause they all look like gym instructors slash weightlifters slash wrestlers sa laki ng mga muscles nila sa katawan.
Ang nakakatawa lang ay yung naka-suit sila ng color white na parang konting galaw na lang nila puputok na sa kanila yung mga suot nila.
I bit my lip to restrain myself from laughing. Umubo ako kaunti para itago ang pigil kong tawa saka nagsalita, "Excuse me po. Padaan."
Pero hindi sila kumilos. Instead they looked at me with their criticizing eyes na parang sinusukat ang IQ ko the way I look. I rose an eyebrow.
Anong problema ng mga ito?
Nakaramdam ako ng konting kaba when they all crossed their arms on their chest at the same time at pinalibutan ako. My eyes grew big and my sweat dropped.
HALA! What's happening here?
I got off my bike at tinignan silang nakapaikot sa akin.
"Ikaw ba si Xander?" sigaw nung isang mukang bouncer sa muka ko.
My eyes automatically closed at montik na akong mahimatay. Ang baho kasi ng hininga niya, eh. Mukang di pa nagto-toothbrush.
"Sagot agad! DALI!" he growled.
Napatalon ako sa gulat and I distanced my face from his.
"B-ba-bakit?" I asked him, tapos tinignan ko din yung mga kasama niyang nakatingin sa akin."A-ano bang kailangan niyo? Sino kayo?"
I saw them nodded their heads together at hinawakan ako nung isa sa braso ng mahigpit.
"Sumama ka sa amin," he blew out at sinimula akong hatakin papunta doon sa mukang mamahaling kotse sa likuran nila.
"H-ha?"
Teka?! Hindi ko nga sila kilala tapos sasama ako sa kanila?! No way!
I stopped and looked at these men before me.
Hindi kaya tauhan ito nila Daddy?
I shook my head.
Hindi siguro. Bakit tatanungin pa nila ako kung ako si Xander? Parang anong konek?
Nagsalubong ang kilay ko. I stared at the man who was dragging me papunta sa kotse and tried to pull my hand off his grip.
"Bitawan mo nga ako!" I growled. "Ayokong sumama!"
Mas hinigpitan nung lalaki yung hawak niya and I felt like my arm was being crushed.
ARRRAAAYYY!
The rest of the six men followed us papunta sa kotse. My heart started beating fast dahil sa kaba sa pwedeng mangyari.
Hindi pwede ito! Baka kung anong gawin sa akin ng mga taong ito paghinayaan ko silang isama ako. I have to get away!
Nang mapansin kong lumuwag ang kapit niya sa braso ko ng salbaheng goon, sinamantala ko ang pagkakataon para tumakbo papalayo ng mabilis.
"HOY! BUMALIK KA DITO!" sigaw nung may hawak sa akin kani-kanina lang, but I ran faster when they started going after me.
AAAHHH! Ano ito? Bakit may mga ganito? Ano bang kailangan sa akin ng mga taong ito!
Then everything that happened last night flashed back inside my head.
-------
He let go of my arm at nag-cross siya ng braso niya. "Hindi mo ba kilala yung nabugbog mo kanina?"
I swayed my head no.
"Si Ban Kazuya iyon," he said very seriously. "Si Ban ang second in command at kanang kamay ng boss ng Deadlock, one of the most notorious at most feared gangs dito sa lugar na ito. At sa lupang tinatapakan mo ngayon- sila ang hari. At sa tindi ng ginawa mo sa kanya- siguradong babalikan ka ng mga iyon and they'll skin you alive lalo na't ang alam nila kakampi kita."
-------
Napasinghapa ako at napalingon sa mga taong mukang gangsters na humahabol sa akin ngayon.
"BUMALIK KA DITO! BUWISIT KA!" sigaw nila sa akin at mas lalong nanlaki ang mga mata ko.
W-wag niyong sabihing mga taga-Deadlock ito at ngayon- gagantihan na nila ako?!!! HIIIINNNDDDDDIIIIIIII!!!!
Mas binilisan ko pa ang takbo. Ilang minuto kaming naghabulan at ngayon- di ko na alam kung saan sulok na ba ako ng bansang Pilipinas napunta.
"BUGOK! TUMIGIL KA NA SA KAKATAKBO! TANGENA MO PAGOD NA PAGOD NA KAMI KAKAHABOL SAYO!" sigaw nung isa habang hingal na hingal na.
Ako din- kanina pa ako naghahabol ng hininga but I can't afford to be caught. Kailangan kong mailigtas ang sarili ko. I took a left turn nang makarating ako sa isang intersection pero para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig nang makita kong dead end pala ang nalikuan ko.
Oh, crap!
Wala nang choice. Inakyat ko na yung mataas na pader sa harapan ko. Feeling ko lang ako si spiderman na wagas kung magpaka-action star.
Nang matawid ko ang pader- pinaulanan pa lalo nila ako ng mura at napilitang sundaan ako. I frowned and closed my eyes.
Kelan ba sila susuko? Ako kasi ayoko na, eh!
Halos wala na akong lakas but I kept on running with them following my tracks.
Hanggang sa napatid ako and I went stumbling on the ground. Montik na akong masubsob sa semento pero buti na lang naiharang ko yung braso ko at yung kanang tuhod ko ang tumama ng malakas pagkabagsak ko.
AAAWWWW! Ang sakit!
Mangiyak-ngiyak akong humarap sa kanila habang nakaupo sa sahig at sa pangalawang pagkakataon- inikutan ulit nila ako.
I was sweating and panting, dahil sa pagtakbo habang nakatingin sa mga umuusok sa galit nilang mga muka. Pero yung atensyon ko- nasa tuhod ko na pakiramdam ko dumudugo na.
HHHHAAAYYY! ANOO BAA YAANNN?
"Sasama ka ba sa amin ng kusa o magkakadurog-durog muna yang mga buto mo sa katawan?" tanong niya sa akin.
I forced a laugh. "Para namang hahayaan kong gawin niyo sa akin iyan?"
Yeah, right. Ang yabang ko lang. Siyempre takot ako ano. Tinatago ko lang.
Unang humakbang yung apat- yung dalawa bangko muna. At dahan-dahan silang lumakad papalapit sa akin, parang ready na ready agad sa suntukan. Mga taong laking kalsada talaga.
I bit my lip at umusog ako paatras habang nakaupo pa din sa mamasa-masang kalsada.
Holy macaroni! Ano nang gagawin ko?
Lalabanan ko ba talaga sila? I know what I'm capable of. Pero, hindi ko talaga kayang makipagsuntukan ng ganito! At yung last night na nabugbog kong lalaki- hindi ko sinasadya iyon! HINDI TALAGA!
Pero kung saka-sakaling lalabanan ko nga talaga sila, how will I manage kung may injury ang tuhod ko? Anim sila at isa lang ako! Paano pagnapabagsak nila ako? Ibig sabihin katapusan ko na nga talaga pagnagkataon! Lugi ako! LUGI!
"Wag kang malikot diyan," one said with a stupid grin on his face habang pinapatunog ang mga daliri niyan sa kamay. "Mabilis lang ito. Lalamugin ka lang namin para hindi ka na manlaban."
My eyes grew big. I was supposed to say no and yell at them again but I stopped when something caught my eye. May kung anong bagay na biglang lumitaw mula sa- I don't know exactly where. Basta bigla na lang may sumulpot na kung ano and it went flying over our heads in slow mo.
The roaring of a motorcycle's engine filled our ears and the thing landed with a loud thud on the concrete ground. I blinked at napansin kong nakalingon na pala ako sa likuran ko. Nakaupo pa din ako sa kalsada, and I am currently staring at a BMW Silver Motorbike na may sakay na lalaki.
He was wearing his helmet and a silver branded head phone around his neck, tapos naka black jeans with combat boots and black coat over a gray shirt.
Nakita ko yung anim na mga lalaki who were after me na napa-atras with their mouths hanging open, eyes huge and they look terrified as they look back the man in the motorbike.
Huh? What's wrong?
Nilingon ko ulit yung lalaking nakaitim and I saw him slowly taking-off his helmet.
Nayon, it's my mouth's turn to hang open. Pati utak ko nag-hang din nang makita ko ang mukha nung lalaki and saw his very- very familiar face.
No, freaking way.
He turned off the engine and he flawlessly got off his bike.
Ipinatong niya ang helmet niya sa upuan nito then, then walked towards us... slowly... smoothly... and effortlessly...
Pagkatapos- nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya when he looked in our direction.
Unexplainably, the atmosphere suddenly became heavy and cold. Yung tipong kahit anong babanga sa kanya, otomatikong magigiba.
Malamang dahil sa tindi ng attitude at aura na meron ang lalaking ito na pati na din ang mga gangsters na di hamak na mas malaki pa sa kanya ang katawan were also stupefied under his presence and sudden appearance.
Napaatras silang anim.
"S-si... Si G-gian!" nauutal na sabi nung isa.
Their eyes were all huge at halata sa kanila na they were troubled about the situation they were in.
Kahit ako din, eh. Gulantang.
"What..." he said in a low and cold voice as he continues walking towards us.
"the fuck..." his footsteps echoed in the silent and almost empty street.
"Are you doing..." and his eyes were stuck on the six men in front of me. "In my territory?"