A/N: Here you go! Kagabi pa dapat ito pero sobrang antok ko na hahahaha. We're approaching summer break so gradually makakapag-update na ako ng konti. Please do bear with me. I don't know how I would juggle my many activities para makapagsulat pero maraming maraming salamat sa mga nananatiling nagbabasa ng mga gawa ko. You don't know how much that means to me. Kayo na nga lang yata ang hindi nang-iiwan sa akin huhuhu. I love you, mi caras! If there's any way I could give back to you, I would. I really would. Hayssss.
P.S. Add me on facebook if you like to chat me up! It's www.facebook.com/heartruiner
Enjoy, caras! Mwaaaaa!
-HR
***
Ninety Six
Rescue Operation: JCLJ Style
Note: The first italicized part is a flashback and it's written in a third person's narration. It isn't of any substance to the chapter. Just a quick bit.
"Clyde! Clyde!"
It was a nightmare. His own brand of nightmare. It's something that never left him even though he had already left the source of it. He's haunted by her every second of every minute every night. She haunts her.
"Elaejiagh..."
He could taste the sweetness of her name in his tongue. She was once his. And now it was all in the past. Everything is now in the past.
Anim na buwan simula nang lumayo siya sa lahat ng bagay na importante sa kanya, hindi pa rin niya kayang kalimutan ang buhay niya. Alam niyang hindi ganoon kadali. Because when he left her kneeling on the ground, calling after him on that one fateful afternoon, he left his heart with her too.
And now he's empty. Void of any emotions at daylight, restless and in grief come night time.
Elaejiagh was the one who cast away his nightmares of his rotten childhood memories before. What's hillarious is that she is now his nightmares during sleep—or at least when he's trying to sleep—because for the better part of those months, he'd like to wallow in his misery of losing her more than anything else that he lost in the process.
Hindi niya na tanda kung kailan nagsimulang maging laman ng mga panaginip niya ang memorya ng araw na iniwan niya si Elaejiagh pagkalabas nila ng Underground. All that he knows is it's there. It has always been there since then. It keeps him awake. It keeps her face clear in his imagination.
And for that he's thankful.
Sa maliit na espasyo ng bago niyang silid sa bahay ng mabuting kaibigan na nagpatira sa kanya, walang kahit na anong bakas si Elaejiagh doon kung hindi ang larawan nito sa frame na nakalagay sa bedside table at ang kinuha niyang anghel na stuff toy na parte ng regalo niya sa dalaga noong kaarawan nito.
Two small things. But it meant a lot to him. Because it means she's there. It means he's with her. Because those small things were the only things that keeps him in check. It keeps him intact. It keeps his hopes intact.
He keeps reminding himself that hope is the last to die. His hope will never die. Someday... in someway... he will return when the time is right and she will be his.
He's not deserving of Elaejiagh. He knows that. Oh he's bloody aware of that. He knows that he should just stay where the bloody hell he was and stay away from her. Hindi siya karapat-dapat. He has hurt her far too much to salvage any of his worth to her.
Pero ayaw makinig ng puso niya. He can't be selfless kahit pa gusto niya at isinisigaw ng isipan niyang iyon ang tamang gawin. Hindi niya kayang bitawan si Elaejiagh. Hindi niya kaya. Kahit lampas na sa limitasyon at nasa dulo na siya ng kanyang hangganan, hindi niya pa rin kaya.
Elaejiagh is his salvation. Elaejiagh is his bliss. Elaejiagh is his universe. Elaejiagh is his happiness. Elaejiagh is his love.
She was the only one who can love him. And she is the only person that he loves. Night and day, through summer or rainy days, even as a broken child or a restless man. He loves her. Nonstop. Everytime.
He isn't deserving of her love. There's a lot of men who can make her happy. There's a whole lot of men who can be who she wants them to be. He should give her up.
He can't. Won't. Never.
He vowed to bring her back to him. In good time. Gagawin niya lahat-lahat. He'll even give up his dreams of becoming a professional basketball player to be someone who's worthy of her and her love. In good time.
Because hope... is the last to die.
(Lhia's POV)
"HUWAAAAT?" sabay-sabay na sigaw nilang tatlo that I cringed in my seat.
"Nag-deposit si Yuri kay Aryann?" gulat na tanong ni B1. Nays, parang nag-uusap lang kami tungkol sa perang pina-bangko ni Yuri kay Aryann tapos biglang naging bata.
Nagkibit ako ng balikat. "Eh 'yun ang natagpuan ng investigator mo eh."
"Ba't ka nag-hire ng tao ko ng walang paalam, B2?"
"Ekskyushmi, B1, nagpaalam ako sa'yo. Baka hindi mo lang napansin o naalala dahil busy ka much kay Clyde."
"Hmf!"
Ang charot neto ni B1.
"Eh pa'no 'yun?" nagugulumihanang tanong ni peke. "Yuri balked out of the responsibility with their child tapos dine-deny pa niyang anak niya 'yon. Kailangan nating tulungan si Aryann!"
Tumaas ang kilay ko. Of all people, I never EVER expected na kay Jhem manggagaling 'yan after ng naging nakaraan ni Mico kay Aryann. Sinapian ang bruha. "Tulungan?"
"Yeah. Like... raise the child?"
Nagpapatawa ka ba, peke?
"Aryann is a Delta. Umaraw o bumagyo may maipapakain siya sa anak niya dahil isa siyang Delta. Emerald's Delta. Pagtatawanan niya lang 'yang alok mo."
"Edi mas lalo nga natin siyang kailangang tulungan, B2." Panegunda ni Jiagh sa sinabi ni Jhem kanina.
Napakunot lang ako ng noo and cocked my head sideway as if asking them. Finally tumayo si Ate Cris mula sa couch na inuupuan nila ni B1 at tumango-tango na tila ba iniintindi niya ang sitwasyon.
"May punto si Sis, bunso."
"Eh? How so?"
"Sabi mo parte siya ng Emerald? It means candidate rin siya. Hindi kasal si Aryann. Wala sa rules ng Emerald na matatanggal ka as bachelorette kahit magkaroon ka pa ng isang dosenang anak. Basta hindi ka kasal, ang Emerald ang mag-a-arrange ng kasal para sa'yo. What if they make her marry someone na bayolente? Or cold-hearted at puro business lang ang alam?"
Napasinghap si peke at tumayo rin. "Kawawa 'yung bata! Gosh, she at least needs her father!"
What? Okay, hindi ko naiintindihan. "Anong gusto n'yong gawin ko?"
"Anong mo? Natin!"
Hindi ko naiintindihan!
"We should have Yuri and Aryann together." Sabi ni B1 na nakaupo lang sa armchair at naka-dekwatro. "At least we should plan for them to reconcile para sa kapakanan ng bata. Of course, kung okay lang naman sa'yo, B2."
I rolled my eyes. As if naman pipigilan kong magkaroon ng jowa si Yuri. "Oh by all means, be cupid. Out ako d'yan."
"Oy oy oy. Walang ganu'n, peke. Kasama ka."
"Vhaket?"
"Kasi ipapakain ko sa'yo 'yang lamesa mo b2 kapag nagpakipot ka."
Sabi ko nga.
"Kpayn. Ano ba kasi talagang balak n'yo? Maging cupid? Nuber naman mga dre, lumang style na 'yan. Tsaka kailan pa ba natin naging style 'yang mag-matchmake?"
Jhem sighed tapos naupo ulit pero ngayon sa armrest na ng couch. "It would be nice kung magkakabalikan sina Yuri at Aryann." She said with a little pout. Nako. Kapag nakita ni Mico 'yan makakatanggap ako ng libo-libong death threats dahil nag-pout ang syota niya. Tsk. "We owe a lot to Aryann. Kung wala siya no'n hindi tayo makakalabas ng ligtas sa gang war four years ago."
It silenced us for a good ten minutes.
Jhem was right though. Malaki ang utang na loob ko both kina Yuri at Aryann. Aryann was the very reason we're here. Kung wala siya sa eksena no'n at kung hindi siya nakahingi ng tulong, who knows what will happen to us?
Yuri... si Yuri naman... well how do I put Yuri? May utang na loob ako kay Yuri dahil tinulungan niya akong maka-recover from that damn trauma I had post-gang war. He's with me through every journey. All because he loves me. As a best friend of course. Hindi niya lang 'yon nare-realize but that's really how he felt.
Malaki ang pagkakaiba ng pagmamahal ng isang best friend sa pagmamahal sa isang tao in a romantic manner. When you love someone romantically, the feeling is intense. Hindi lang friendly. May iba sa atmosphere na hindi nangyayari o nararamdaman when you love someone in a friendly manner.
Hindi naman natin masisisi si Yuri. He was a womanizer after all. Anong alam niya sa pagmamahal?
But then having a baby unplanned... that is a disaster. Man.
"Siguro dapat i-analyze muna natin ang sitwasyon bago tayo mag-plano." Pagbasag ni Ate Cris sa katahimikan. "Bunso, alam mo kung saan nakatira si Aryann?"
Tumango ako at kinuha ang kapirasong papel na nakaipit sa isa sa mga folder na nasa drawer ng desk ko. "I have her address sa District Three."
"Tara. Puntahan natin."
Nanlaki ang mata ko. "Ngayon na? As in ngayon na talaga?"
"Yeaaahhh?"
Luh. My goodness gracious! Seryoso sila.
ooOoo
Huminto ang kotse sa tapat ng puting pintuan gaya nung description ni Manong guard na pinagtanungan namin nang makapasok kami sa Subdivision kung saan dating nakatira si Kent. I wonder kung nandito pa rin ang bahay niya o ibinenta na niya para may maipalamon sa Misis niyang mukhang linta.
Anyway lumabas kaming apat mula sa kotse ni Ate Nice. Jhem took the liberty to knock on the door na agad ring bumukas.
At tumambad ang horrified na si Aryann. Tsk-tsk. Poor little one.
"Haluuuu! Long time, no see, Aryann! Kamustasa kamatis, kabagis?" hyper na pagbati ni peke.
"E-Err..."
See?
"I... I don't understand. What are you guys doing here? Paano n'yo nalaman ang address ko?"
And as if on cue, lahat sila tumingin sa akin. Wala na, nilaglag na ako. Mga adik 'tong mga 'to. Nanglalaglag. "Internet. Peysbuk. You know... those sort of things." Palusot ko na apparently eh lumusot.
"Hindi kay... Yuri?"
"Ni ayaw nga umamin nung gagong 'yun na may anak kayo paano ko siya kukuhanan ng impormasyon?"
Her cheeks flush, probably in embarassment na may kahalong surprise dahil alam naming may anak siya. "A-Ano... p-pasok kayo."
Ibinuka niya ng mas maigi ang pintuan para makapasok kami at iginiya kami sa sala. And that's where we saw it. More like her.
Agad na nagtakbuhan 'yung tatlo sa batang nakasalampak sa carpet at naglalaro habang nanonood ng MTV. They fussed around the kid. God. Kawawang bata.
"Ang cute-cute na baby! Hindi dapat Lia ang pangalan niya!" - Jhem
"Aw she can already draw! Not really a lot like Lhia! Hindi nga makapag-drawing ng stick figure 'yan ng maayos!" - Ate Cris
"She's so beautiful! Paano mo ba naisip na ipangalan kay B2 'tong kawawang bata?" - Jiagh
Tumingin sa akin si Aryann na nag-aalangan at parang takot na takot sa reaksyon ko. Amf. "Laglagan 'to? Laglagan?"
"Nagsasabi lang ng totoo." sabay-sabay nilang sabi nang bumaling sa'kin. "Baka lumaking abnormal 'yung bata."
Lichi lang.
Surprisingly, Aryann chuckled. "I really missed your banters, guys." Yeah, yeah, glad someone's having fun sa pangungutya sa akin ng mga KAIBIGAN ko. Kaibigan ko nga ba talaga 'tong mga 'to? Minsan kasi parang hindi. "Anyway, kukuha lang ako ng maiinom. Upo muna kayo."
Reluctantly, I sat on one of her couches habang yung tatlo tuloy lang sa panggugulo nila sa kapayapaan ng anak ni Aryann. But looking closely though, parang babaeng version ng pina-batang Yuri 'yang anak nila. How come kaya niyang i-deny 'yan? Nakaka-gago rin minsan 'yang si Yuri eh.
A moment later bumalik si Aryann dala ang tray ng apat na juice. Ipinatong niya 'yon sa coffee table na may mga nakakalat na color pens at drawing book na obviously eh para do'n sa bata. Okay, I should stop calling her bata. "Her name is Lia?"
Aryann smiled fondly towards her child. "You can call her Iya kung naguguluhan ka o naiilang. She calls herself Iya."
Iya... wala pang tumawag sa'kin no'n dati. Pwede pala 'yon? Bakit Rad sila ng Rad?
"So Yuri knows about this kid?"
Narinig kong suminghap si Aryann na katabi ko lang. Nang tumingin ako sa kanya, diretso ang tingin niya sa anak niya. Tumango siya, probably sensing I'm looking at her. "Nang malaman kong buntis ako... tinawagan ko kaagad ang manager niya."
Napakunot ako ng noo. Tapos nagkatinginan kami ni peke. Nakakunot rin siya ng noo. "Uh... imposible 'yon, Aryann. Si Lhia ang manager ni Yuri."
She seems surprised by that nang bumaling siya sa'kin. "True?"
Tumango ako. "Mula noon manager na ako ni Yuri. Si Jhem ang manager ng banda nina Yuri. So if you really contacted a manager, it's either you reach me or her. None of us have talked to you since we left this District."
Napalunok siya. "B-But... she seems to be handling all Yuri's activities and schedules so I assumed—"
"It's probably Suzy. Handler siya na in-assign ko kay Yuri. If she dismissed you it must have been by instinct. Siguro akala niya you're pulling some stunt for Yuri to notice you."
"No, it's not like that. Kay Yuri mismo nanggaling ang dismissal, Lhia. Your handler obviously conveyed my message to Yuri and he denied Lia."
Nakita kong tumaas ang kilay ni Jiagh na nakikinig sa usapan but at the same time ay nakikipaglaro rin kay Iya. "Why? It doesn't sound like Yuri. Responsableng tao 'yon."
"He hates me." then yumuko si Aryann at nag-focus sa nilalaro niyang daliri sa lap niya. "I lied to him. I told him I just discarded my virginity because it's in the way, that it didn't matter. Then I lied about me being on the pill. It's... it's... complicated."
"Why on earth would you do that?" naguguluhang tanong ni B1. "I mean kung may nangyari sa inyo tapos hindi siya gumamit ng proteksyon it just simply means na alam niya ang consequence no'n. Maybe he's even hoping to impregnate you somehow. Why would you lie?"
Her head shot up and I saw the unshed tears. Hindi pa rin nagbabago si Aryann. Iyakin pa rin siya. She still wears her emotions on her sleeve so often that's why she always ends up hurting. "You know Yuri, he's the ultimate playboy. Natakot ako na baka i-dispatya niya ako kagaya ng ginagawa niya sa ibang babae. Inunahan ko siya. Hindi ko sinasadya 'yon, I acted on impulse. I just don't want him to hurt me, humiliate me. And it ends up so messed up."
"Sinabi mo ba sa kanya 'yan?"
Umiling-iling siya, like my question is a horrendous thing to say. "Hindi. Ilang beses kong sinubukan, ilang beses ko nang ipinagpilitan pero kahit nang makita niya si Lia hindi pa rin siya natauhan. Hindi ko siya kailangan, Lhia. Kaya kong palakihin ang anak ko ng wala siya. Hindi ko na siya kailangan."
Natahimik kami ng ilang sandali. Pinanood ko yung tatlo na magtinginan na parang gumagawa sila ng plano sa mata palang. Oh crap.
"You took performing arts, right?" Ate Cris began questioning.
Tumango si Aryann at ngumiti, relieved na nabago ang topic. "Yeah. I like singing but... I think I'm more useful in the kitchen."
"Huh?" sabay-sabay naming react.
"Performing arts is one of my brother's result of manipulation. He's in that line kaya gusto niyang subukan ko rin. Though I can sing, mas gusto kong gumawa ng cupcakes and chocolates. I like baking sweet stuffs more than singing. Actually I'm planning to put on a sweets shop. Ang problema lang ayokong gamitin ang pera ng pamilya ko. I really want to be detached from my family. It feels like they're always clouding my decisions."
Nakita ko yung palihim na ngisi nung tatlo. Oh hell. Ang ganda ng intuition nitong si Aryann. Tumumpak pa sa banga.
"You know, Lhia and Jiagh are putting up a sweets shop." and of course, Jhem is more than happy to break that news.
"R-Really?" then Aryann looked at me na parang hinihingi ang approval ko.
Pabuntong hiningang tumingin ako kay Jiagh. Tango lang siya ng tango. Hala ka dong. Hanuber.
"I have only the space as for now. Hindi pa namin naaasikaso yung iba dahil sa trabaho sa kompanya. B1 and I have contemplated on hiring a helper or a manager na pwedeng mag-manage lahat-lahat ng 'yon. But we need someone we can trust so the preparation for the shop is still on hiatus."
"And guess what?" salo ni B1 na super excited. "If you want we can give you that position! I mean pwedeng ikaw na ang master patiessiere at ikaw na rin ang nagra-run ng business!"
Aryann's mouth dropped into a perfect O. Tapos suminghap siya. "God! B-But what if nag-fail yung business?"
"It's fine." ngumiti ako sa kanya. "Business is trial and error. We'll help you plan for something kapag nag-fail 'yan. But we will make sure it won't."
"Pero sa District Eight yung—"
"One of us is more than happy to accomodate you and pretty pretty Iya on our home!" putol ni Jhem sa iba pang pagtutol ni Aryann.
And for what it's worth, yung luhang kanina pa niya pinipigilang tumulo eh bumagsak na. Pabuntong hininga ko siyang niyakap. She hugged back while murmuring her thanks. The next thing I knew yumakap na rin si B1 tapos sumunod si Ate Cris, tapos sunod si peke na talon ng talon sa excitement that Aryann ended up laughing.
Man... this whole thing sounded like a rescue operation. Only in a weird way.