Chapter 6
Pagkapasok ko naman sa bahay, dumiretsyo naman ako sa sala kung saan nadatnan ko silang lahat na nandoon. Nang makita naman nila ako ay isa isa silang napatayo sa kinauupuan nila, una namang hinanap ng mata ko si Lexus at totoo nga 'yong narinig ko kagabi na isa si Lexus sa mga nag-susuntukan kagabi. Puro pasa ang mukha niya.
Niyakap naman ako ni Mama at tinanong kung saan daw ba ako nanggaling. She already called Eria kung doon ako umuwi pero mas lalo silang nag-alala dahil hindi naman daw ako umuwi doon kagabi. Nang hanapin ko naman ang phone ko ay halos manlaki pa ang mata ko dahil hindi ako pwedeng magkamali na hindi ko hawak 'yon. Or did it just fell off?
"Why Ley? Why haven't you returning our calls?" mom asked.
Napangiwi na lang din naman ako sa tanong niya, "I lost my phone..."
"Leanne!" nagulat naman ako sa pagsigaw niya, or something na ikina-amaze niya, "did you just get hook up?" tanong pa nito.
Mas lalo namang nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. Mabilis naman akong umiling para depensa sa pag-akusa niya sa akin. Napatingin naman ako kay papa na palapit din sa amin.
"Where were you the night, Leanne?" and when calls me on that name, I am screwed.
I bowed my head, bit my lower lip, I don't think I can handle the situation kaya mabilis naman akong nag-isip ng excuse. And I just faked my panic attack. Agad naman nila akong inasikaso, hindi na nila ako tinanong pa nang kung ano ano kundi dinala na nila kaagad ako sa kwarto at doon ako pinakalma.
"I'm sorry, Ley, we didn't mean to ask you... you're father and I just worried about you..." mom said.
I nodded, and look into my father. "Sorry din po..."
"Maybe the other time, huwag ka nang sumama kay Lexus, understand?"
"Yes, Dad..." I sighed and then he left the room, as usual, business is important for this family. Tumingin naman ako kay mama, "can I have the room alone, please?"
She nodded, and kissed my head, "if anything you needed, call us right away, okay?" I follow her until she leaves my room.
I took a deep breathe, thinking of what happened last night. I got a little memory last night and all after I passed out, I don't know what happen, then easily woke up in stranger's car. I hope nothing happened there... he's a good looking guy but I'm off limits with it.
Mayamaya lamang ay may kumatok sa pinto, when I heard Lexus voice, I pleased to come him in. Alam kong napagalitan siya ng parents namin, syempre dahil hindi niya ako kasama umuwi and then he got himself into fistfights.
"Basag ulo ka talaga eh, 'no..." ngisi ko pa.
"You couldn't resist this beauty though." He chuckles, "but that doesn't the reason, did you get to see Siney?"
"Whose Siney?" I asked.
"The ex." Sagot naman nito sa akin, "did you ever get to see her?"
Napataas naman ako ng kilay sa sinabi niya, "why? With that bitch, gusto mo pang makipagkita? She drugged me, Lexus."
"That's why I'm asking!" pasigaw na nitong sabi pero hininaan niya ulit dahil baka marinig pa sa labas. "I knew she'll get us in trouble, hindi dapat kita hinayaan."
I narrowed my eyes, "so, you're saying, he did also drugged you?"
He shook his head and took a sit on the edge of my bed, "I know it's never good but you can't make me good things with this family. I was never good to this family." He stood up, "It's good to see you okay, but I'm not sure of ever going back to this house."
"Lexus!" I shouted but he didn't turned back and left the room. "Shit..."
Past noon nang magising ako, naligo din naman ako saka bumaba. Ang tahimik ng paligid kaya dumiretsyo ako ng dining pero wala naman sila doon. Ang nadatnan ko lang doon ay ang mga maids na naglilinis, nang makita naman nila ako ay pinaupo nila ako sa table para naman kumain. Hindi naman ako makatanggi kaya kumain na lang din ako.
"Where's Mom?" tanong ko naman.
"Nasa yoga class niya, Ley..."
Tumango na lang din naman ako, "si Lexus? Kuya Larry at ate Loira?"
"Si Lexus, hindi ko alam kung saan nagpunta. Si Loira naman, hinatid si Veronica sa school at si Larry, nasa swimming area."
"Sige po, salamat..."
Pagkatapos ko naman kumain ay dumiretsyo naman ako sa swimming area, nadatnan ko naman si Kuya Larry doon na naliligo. Naupo naman ako sa sun lounger, nang mapansin naman niya ang presensya ko ay umahon naman siya sa pool. Kuya Larry got a lean and yet muscled body, sa pagkakaalam ko, modelling talaga ang career ni kuya noon but I don't know why he stopped doing it.
"Hey, little sister." Ngisi pa nito.
I glared at him, hindi ko alam kung bakit iyon ang tawag nila sa akin."Not a little anymore." I just stand corrected.
"Okay," tawa pa nito, inabot naman niya iyong robe saka niya sinuot. "So, how about telling me what happened last night?"
"There's nothing to talk about." Sabi ko kaagad. Ayokong magkwento, hindi ko sigurado kung ano ba talagang nangyari kagabi. "Can we just talk something else, 'wag lang 'yong nangyari kagabi?"
He laughed, "so how about what happened earlier? Did you just faked your panic attack?"
Oh, shello.
I raised my brow to him, "no, how can you say that?"
"Because you were running out of alibis to our parents." Aniya, "and also, I heard that you've been getting better?"
"Who said that?"
"Loira," he shrugged, "I don't know if it's true, just only yourself can tell that." Ngiti pa niya sa akin, "so, Ley, tell me what happen last night? Oh, I promise, it won't get out."
I took a deep sighed, "getting better is so understatement. Yes, kuya, I've been trying to get out of my shell, so the party last night was one of the few steps to get on it."
"And then?" he asked, oh, he doesn't care my introduction.
"Lexus and I, separate that night, it was idea after all but I need to stand on my feet. But when I meet his ex, she drugged me out using alcohol and the moment, getting Lexus himself into fistfights and that's when..."
He stopped for a moment, "you got a panic attack, do you? Real one?" halata namang nagulat siya sa nangyari pero siguro lagi siyang magugulat sa mangyayari sa akin. We've never seen each other for years kaya siguro naninibago din kami sa isa't isa.
"But that's not the point, kuya." Sabi ko naman.
"And what it is? Something that we should care about? Are you pregnant?" he accused, with his eyes straight looking at me.
"No!" I shouted but then he laughed, "kuya I'm not! The thing is, someone helped me."
"Oh, that must be good, right?"
I shrugged off my shoulder and then I got him confused, "I passed out, after that, I woke up in someone else's car. But hey, he looks like a nice person though, he was just helping me out and he was the one who drive me back home."
"Do you know him?"
I shook my head, "no but I think he has my phone."
"Then we got to call it!" he suggested but I shrugged off, "okay, I'll be right back."
Saglit lang din naman ay bumalik si Kuya Larry na nakabihis na siya.
"So, tara na..."
"Did we just ah..." I sighed, giving up. "Okay, go."
Kuya Larrione called my phone number. We tried few times bago may sumagot dito. Akala ko malalagot na talaga ako buti na lang talaga. Kuya did the talking, taga nood lang ako. Hindi ko alam kung anong pinag-uusapan nila, oo at tanong lang naman ang sinasabi ni kuya. When the call ended, tumayo na ito.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"We'll get your phone, he's at The Brew, we can meet him there."
I have no choice kundi ang sumama na din, and after all phone ko naman ang nawawala. He uses one of father's car, nagulat pa ako dahil ayaw ni papa pagamitan iyong sasakyan niya but I guess, something changes. Pinahiram muna kay kuya Larry until they found a car na bagay kay kuya. Yes, just like that.
We drove off, hindi na rin naman ako nagtanong kung sino iyong nakatawagan ni kuya pero siguro 'yong tumulong din sa akin iyon kagabi. Mabilis lang din naman at nakarating din kami doon, we won't wait na naman daw dahil nandoon na daw ang nakakuha ng phone ko.
"There he is!" nang ituro naman ni kuya iyong lalaking nakatalikod from our direction. Hinatak na rin naman ako nito papasok sa loob and when we reach the table, and found the guy who has my phone, I was shocked to see who is it. "Are you Mr. Lazaros?"
"Yes, you must Larrione and you're..." he look at me, "yes, Leanne, right?"
"Can I have my phone? As in, now?" I said.
"Oh, I see." Kinuha naman niya iyong phone from his bag at binigay sa akin iyong phone ko. "Here..."
"Thanks!" saka ko kinuha 'yong phone sa kamay niya. "Maybe, I should go now..."
"How about share the table with me for more minutes, do you mind?"
Larrione and I look at each other, but he shrugged off, pero ang sama ko naman siguro kung aalis na lang ako bigla diba? Siya na nga 'tong nagbalik ng phone ko, parang walang kwenta ko pang magpapasalamat sa kanya.
"How are you Leanne?"
"Oh, just call me Ley, it's better." Ngiwi ko pa, "and I'm okay, thanks to you..."
He smiles, "it's my pleasure..."
"It's her first time, really." Sabi naman ni kuya Larry, "so, she doesn't know how to mingle anyone at a party."
"Kuya, shut up." I glared at him.
"What about your other brother? Found him?" he asked, I nodded. "Good..." for a moment, it was a silence between the three of us until he start another topic. "Do you need a job? Sorry for asking."
"Actually, I am..."
He nodded, "we met before, if you don't remember, at the train?" I knew it. "yes, that look, I remember that, you slip off your resume from your folder, you already left the train when I found it but I knew someone who can give you a job..."
"No one would like me on their company..."
"How can you say that little sister?" Larry said, oh shello, in this very awkward situation, calling me little sister is worse. "You are good, why won't they have you?"
"Yes, I agree..." he said, "they don't care about if you are home schooled, with or without experience, as long as you can do the job, you are on it." Medyo scam ang dating but we've across in so many times but show always good intention. "It just if you're interested..."
"I will think of that."
"I hope you make good choices, Ley..." when he says my name, it doesn't give me cringy feeling. It feels like normal. "Oh, wait, I should take this." he excused himself to answer the phone call.
Nag-usap naman kaming dalawa ni kuya sa offer no'ng guy, and ito na naman ako sa hesitation stage. Bumalik din naman kaagad siya sa kinauupuan niya pero kinuha na niya 'yong gamit niya, "hey guys, I need to go back to my boss, sorry for that, thanks for the time and I hope you think of what I offered, okay?"
I nodded, "okay, thank you..." before he left, I called him once again, "what's your name, again?"
"Harvin Lazaros, but whatever you want to call me, it's fine..." he smiles, "take care, see you later."
I waved, "see you, thank you!"
My brother patted my shoulder, "that's an improvement little sister." He smirked, "better go for it or maybe it goes to someone..."
Napakunot noo na lang ako, I don't know whose he's referring to, the job or Harvin? Maybe both? But maybe, his good intentions will bring the best of me.
"Kuya, wait!" I followed him outside.
It's a good thing I met him. He must be really a good person.