Chapter 27
I couldn't manage to smile when some of the faculty members greeted me for passing the last semester. Ito na ang huling araw ko sa campus bago magbakasyon. And ever since that day I saw the fortune teller, I wasn't able to see Sage or Aaric or Sierra.
They all disappeared.
Tried as I might, the Monterio's men refused to let me in the mansion. Alam ko ding walang tao sa kanilang mansiyon pero pabalik-pabalik ako. I was hoping I could talk to Sage and know what's going on.
Two months. Two painful months. Hindi ko na alam kung anong dapat kong isipin sa bigla niyang pagkawala.
Matamlay akong pumasok sa faculty room at inilapag ang lunch box na ipinahanda sa akin ni Mama. If she noticed my crashed spirits of suddenly losing Sage, she didn't say anything about it. In fact, she had been careful not to mention Sage in any conversation and pretended that he didn't exists in the first place.
Hindi ko na hinintay pa si Mama. Umuwi na kaagad ako sa bahay. Hindi na rin ako nag-abalang sumakay pa ng tricycle. I decided to walk all the way home. Pinagmamasdan ko ang kanilang malawak na lupain. My heart clenched inside of my chest painfully.
Sage, where are you?
I bit my lower lips to fight the tears from streaming down my face. God knows how many nights I've spent crying because I just lost him again and I didn't even know the reason why. Umalis ba sila ng kaniyang pamilya? Ayaw na ba niya sa akin? Why did he and his cousin dropped their remaining subjects? Why is Sierra also gone?
Pakiramdam ko ay may nangyayaring hindi ko alam. I was left behind, alone in this remote village. Hindi ko na alam kung anong dapat isipin sa bigla nilang pagkawalang tatlo.
I was wiping my tears as I walked the familiar path that leads to our house when I came into a sudden halt. A familiar tall figure occupied our front porch. I squinted my eyes to get a better look. My heart hammered inside of my chest.
"Sage!" I cried as I ran towards him.
Inangat niya ang aking tingin sa akin. In two months we haven't seen each other, his hair is longer and he looks like he lost some weight as well. The bright look in his eyes is gone. I stumbled to his direction and threw my arms around his neck when I finally reached him.
Niyakap niya din ako pabalik. Mas mahigpit sa aking yakap sa kaniya at ibinaon niya ang kaniyang mukha sa aking leeg.
"God, Mal..." he murmured, clutching on my shirt tightly.
"A-Anong nangyari?" mangiyak-ngiyak kong tanong sa kaniya. Ayaw ko mang kumalas sa aking yakap ay gusto kong makita ang kaniyang mukha. He quickly wiped the tears that rolled down my cheeks. "Sage, bakit ka nawala?"
"It's a long story, Mal." He swallowed. "But we need to get away from here before my parents finds me. We need to run away."
Namilog ang aking mga mata sa kaniyang sinabi. "Run away?" I echoed.
"Yes. Yes, please, baby, run away with me. I know I'm asking for too much but we are running out of time. My parents are forcing me to go to Italy to study business and it would tear me apart, being away from you..."
Dahan-dahan ko siyang itinulak palayo. My mind is still processing what he just said. Run away with him? Now?
"Mal..." kinuha niya ang aking mga kamay. He gave me a pleading look. "I know this is very difficult on your part." Sage swallowed. The sadness in his eyes glinted in the early afternoon light. "Tumakas lamang ako sa Makati. It took me a while before I had the chance to get here and be with you again. I want to be with you, Mal. I don't care about the fucking brewery. Let them manage it on their own. I'm going to run away with you."
"Pero Sage..." nanliit ang aking boses. "Did you even think about the workers in the farm? May mga pamilya sila. Kung aalis ka kasama ako, sino ang mangangalaga sa kanila? It would be really hard if they lose their job and—"
"Call me selfish but I don't care..." he hung his head in anguish. "I'm not thinking straight, yes. But all I wanted is to run away with you..."
I pursed my lips. After a few agonizing seconds, I peered at him. "Kailan?" nanginginig ang mga labi kong tanong.
His face lit up. "Tonight!" he said. "Tonight, Mal, please... My father would soon send his men here. I can't stay in your house any longer. We'll just meet at the terminal."
Ibinaba ko ang aking tingin sa sahig. I'm going to be reckless, once again. I know I would hurt Mama with my decision but I couldn't see myself being away from Sage. Two months without him almost killed me. Ano pa kaya kung hindi ko na talaga siya makita ng ilang taon?
"Go..." I said quietly. "Ako na ang bahala dito. I need to take care of some things first..."
"Baby..." aniya at hinila ako sa isang mahigpit na yakap. "Thank you for even considering this. I know it's not an easy choice for you Mal but goddamit, I just couldn't live without you by my side..."
Hindi ako sumagot. Hinayaan ko lamang siyang siilin ako ng halik bago siya umalis. I watched him disappeared in the woods, probably to hide from the lingering men in the village. I stepped inside my room and quickly gathered my things. Hindi ko alam kung mahaharap ko ba si Mama. Talagang kinakabahan ako.
With trembling hands, I managed to shoved all of my clothes in one traveling bag. Dinala ko din ang ilan sa aking mga libro. My mind is running a thousand things at a time. Halos hindi na ako makahinga nang maayos.
I swung the backpack over my shoulder and clutched my books as I stepped outside of the room. Saktong pagsarado ko ng pintuan ay ang pagbukas din ng front door. I froze on the ground as I saw my mother entering the house. Nakangiti siya pero agad iyong napalis nang makita niya ako at ang aking malaking backpack.
She furrowed her eyebrows at me. "Where are you going, young lady?" she said, placing her bag on the sofa and watching me carefully.
"I..." I swallowed hard, not knowing what to say.
Pinagmasdan niya ako nang ilang segundo bago pumasok sa kaniyang isipan ang totoong dahilan kung bakit ako may malaking bag. "It's Sage, isn't it?" she gasped.
"Ma—"
"Are you trying to run away with him, Mallory?" may bakas ng galit ang kaniyang boses.
"Mama, pakinggan mo muna ako..." I pleaded.
"Ano?" tumaas ang kaniyang boses at pinaningkitan ako ng mata. I swallowed hard and lowered my gaze to the floor.
"Mahal ko po siya, Mama..."
"Nonsense!" she yelled. "You still have one year left in college, Mallory. You are so close... so close to achieving your dream! At itatapon mo lang lahat ng dahil sa lalaking iyan?"
"Ma, please..."
"No! I won't let my daughter eloped with some guy who couldn't even handle himself. Anong ipapakain niya sa iyo, Mallory? Mahihirapan lang kayong dalawa."
"I just want to be with Sage..." hikbi ko.
Umiling-iling siya at nilapitan ako. Pilit niyang inagaw ang bag na hawak ko. "Mallory, anak... hindi tama itong desisyon mo. I won't let you make the wrong decision just because you are blinded by love. It only lead to catastrophe. Trust me, darling, I know what I am saying..."
Umiling-iling ako at umatras mula sa kaniya. My lips trembled. "I love him so bad, Ma... I love him so bad..."
A pained look bled on her face. "Mallory, please..."
"I don't care if we live in the streets. This may sound really idiotic to you and me, but as long as I'm with Sage I know I'm going to be fine, Mama. I couldn't find anyone like him in my entire life, I know that for sure. You and Papa eloped when you are still younger, right?"
"It's a different story—"
"What difference does it make?" pinalis ko ang tumakas na luha mula sa aking mga mata. "You loved Papa so much that you also ran away with him. Siguro naman ay naiintindihan mo ang ginagawa ko ngayon. I love Sage so much and I only wanted to be with him."
"Hindi mo kilala ang mga Monterio, Mallory! They will search every part of the world to find the two of you! Are you going to spend the rest of your life, trying to hide from them? Do you really want to live as a street rat when you are so close to getting your degree?"
I sobbed loudly. Wala akong maisagot sa kaniya. All I know that time is that I really wanted to be with Sage. I don't even care if I'm going to make the wrong decision.
"I'm sorry, Ma..." I said through my tears. She was about to take a step towards me but I quickly turned away and sprinted towards the door.
"Mallory!" I heard her call my name but I didn't even bother to turn around. I dropped my books and ran as fast as I could. Away from my mother.
I shut my eyes close as I continue to run, tears streaming down my face.
"I'm sorry, Ma... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." paulit-ulit kong wika sa aking isipan habang tumatakbo palayo.