Alliston
"What did you say?" Literal na napaawang yung labi ko sa sinabi ni Kyeroh. Palingon-lingon pa ito na para bang may hinahanap.
"Damn it, Alliston!" Gigil na bulong nito na madiin yung kapit sa braso ko. "Why did you go here? I clearly told you that you shouldn't come here!"
Tiningnan ko lang sya ng masama. Why is he always making empty promises? Ang sabi nya makikipaghiwalay na sya sa asawa nya. So why are they still throwing a gender-reveal party for that baby?
He clearly told me that his wife is less than a month pregnant. That's impossible! Earliest yata to know the gender of the baby is atleast eight weeks.
Liar! Why do you always lie to me, Kyeroh?
"Do you already have the divorce papers? I can ask my lawyer to prepare it for you." Pilit kong in-steady yung boses ko.
Ito naman ay tila lalo lang nagalit sa sinabi ko. "Get out of here, Alli! Magtataka si Rachel pag nakita kang nandito. If anything happens to her, magagalit sila Papa."
I lightly bit my lower lip nang maramdaman ko yung mas madiin pang pagpisil nito sa braso ko. Kulang na lang siguro yung kaladkarin ako nito palabas ng bakuran nila.
"I came here with my parents, Kyeroh. Chill yourself."
His face loses its colors. "Are you really nuts? This is an intimate family gathering for my family not yours."
"Why not? Malapit na din namang maging isa yung family natin di ba? So it's only okay to bring them here. They're old friends naman and obviously your parents are welcoming mine like the way they used to." I gave him a sweet smile. "Tell them that you will be divorcing Rachel now. This is the perfect opportunity. Lalo pa at kumpleto lahat tayo dito."
To my surprise ay inalis nito yung kamay nitong nakakapit sa braso ko. I grimaced seeing my swollen skin na nagsisimula nang mag-iba yung kulay.
"No, Alliston." Umiling ito. "I won't divorce Rachel. We should stop this affair. Let's call it off."
I gave out a low laugh. Is this a joke? And when did he learned to crack a rotten joke like this? He loves me. Lagi nyang sinasabi iyon. Breaking up with me is impossible. I am perfect. I am everything.
"I am serious, Alli. Tigilan na natin ito." Pinal na sabi nya. "Huwag na huwag mo na ulit guguluhin yung pamilya ko. Tantanan mo na kami."
"Ano bang sinasabi mo? This is no longer funny. Nakakapik-"
"Seryoso ako."
That's when his words truly sinks in. He wants out.
"Why?" That's all the word that came out of my mouth gayung ang dami kong gustong sabihin. Ang dami kong gustong itanong.
What have I done wrong this time?
"Look, Alli. What we had is good while it lasts. But we can no longer get it going. You're starting to ask for more. You're starting to pressure me. You're acting so possessive now. You're becoming too m-"
"I am starting to ask for more?" napatawa ako ng sarkastiko dito habang hindi makapaniwala na tiningnan ko ito. "No, Kyeroh. I didn't ask anything from you."
Pesteng luha ito! Nung isang gabi pa ako nagiging iyakin dahil sa lintik na Louella na yan! She just showed up and everything's starting to fall into pieces.
"You keep on promising me things you never mean. Puro ka pangako! Puro ka sabi ng ganito ganyan but you never even keeping up with it. You're always lying! You're always making me feel bad whenever I can't have enough time for you dahil sa paglalaro ko ng Tennis and when I decided to retire, what did you do huh!?" Hinampas ko ng malakas yung dibdib nya na ikinaubo nya ng bahagya. "You got your wife pregnant?"
"Don't turn the tables on me, Alliston!" Gigil din na mahinang sigaw nito habang dinuduro ako. "I asked you to marry me before but you decline it! I got no choice but to wed the woman my parents want me to marry!"
I stared at him. That's true. Noon pa man ay niyaya nya akong magpakasal para matakasan nito yung kasal nito sa anak ng kasosyo ng Dad nya. I was busy in Tennis cup that time and I can't just give up everything back then. Isang championship na lang at makukuha ko na yung Golden Slam. Every athlete is dying to win such so how can I just give up? Ang tagal kong pinaghirapan yun. I trained nonstop just to be where I am now.
What kind of a love will hindrance his love's growth as a person? If he truly loves me, he'll find ways to stop the wedding. He will seek thousand plans to get away with it. But instead, he blamed it to me. He kept on telling me it's all my fault gayung ito yung walang backbone to defy his parents.
"You told me you won't consume your marriage, Kyeroh. What happened? Is that my fault too?"
"You went out of the country when I needed you. What do you expect!?" Tila nawiweirduhan ito sakin. Is it my fault too? Can't he control himself?
"Rachel was there to comfort me when I needed you. Pabagsak yung negosyo ko noon, Alli. I told you I need you but you still insisted to help your friends over me! Puro ka Grant! Kelangan ako ni Grant. Railey picked me up dahil nagtatalo daw sina Leigh at Van. Kelangan ko pumunta ng Pilipinas dahil kelangan ako ni Hariette. Damn it, Alliston! Hindi lang mga kaibigan mo yung may kailangan sayo!"
Was helping people around me a bad thing? Mas inuuna ko nga ba yung mga kaibigan ko kesa dito?
"I came back, Kyeroh." Pinunasan ko yung mga luha ko because I can no longer see his face clearly. "I came back for you but you were already busy with her. Isang gabi lang yung hindi kita napuntahan. Isang gabi lang. My friends hadn't seen me for months. It's so rare for them to ask me for help. How can I say No to them?"
"But that was the night I needed you most, Alliston."
Napailing na lang ako habang pinipilit kalmahin yung sarili ko. It's futile para magturuan pa kung sino yung may kasalanan. It's easy to say it's all my fault para matapos ba lang. Hindi din naman nito iaadmit yung fault nito.
Tumingala ako para pigilan yung sunod-sunod na pagtulo ng luha ko. Why am I hurting? Binigay ko naman lahat ng gusto nya. I swallowed my pride.
When will be it enough? When will all the efforts and the sacrifices I've done will be enough for all of them? Pagod na ako but I never said I'm tired because even if it drains me, I still give and give. I pour and pour. I just want them to be happy even if in the end, it exhausts me.
I do everything. Lahat ng gusto nila. Lahat ng sabihin nila. Kahit ayaw ko, I am still doing it. I just don't want to be left alone. I just don't want to be not chosen. I just don't want to be a loser.
Only the best gets everything, Alli. You can't be just a second best. Give everything even if it kills you. You can't be a nobody. No one cares for a nobody. No one cries for them. No one loves them. Be the best. Just the best.
"Do you really want out? Am I not enough? I can give you more, Kyeroh."
Umiling lang ito. Tiningnan pa ako nito ng masama na para bang kasalanan ko pa na nagmumukha itong masama ngayon.
"Suck up your tears, Alliston. Move on."
Move on? Ganon na lang? Is that how easy for him to dump me?
"I hate you!" It meant to be a shout pero naging halos pabulong na lang iyon para mapigilan ko yung sarili ko na mapahagulgol pa. That will be too pathetic.
I closed my eyes to stop myself from feeling. I need to shut myself to stop the pain inflicting in my system.
"Gago ka!"
Bago ko pa maintindihan kung anong nangyayari sa paligid ay may mga kamay na ang humatak sakin palayo. Mom? What's going on?
There's my father hitting Kyeroh on his jaw. Fucks! Are we doomed?
Agad na umikot yung paningin ko sa paligid. Everyone is present. My parents. His parents. Rachel. And that grey-eyed monster. She's the only one smiling. If it doesn't concern me, baka inabutan ko pa ito ng popcorn tutal naman ay tila nag-eenjoy ito sa nangyayari. Did she plan all of it?
"Hayup kang lalaki ka! How dare you to defile my daughter!" Galit na galit na sigaw pa ni Daddy na hinablot sa kwelyo nito si Kyeroh at sinuntok ulit.
Napasinghap na lang ako ng suntukin nito pabalik si Daddy.
"Dad!" Agad akong humarang. Di hamak kasi na mas matangkad si Kyeroh dito at mas malaki pa yung katawan. Baka mabugbog si Daddy pag nagkataon. The worst part is that we are inside their backyard.
"How dare you!?" Hindi makapaniwalang sumbat ko kay Kyeroh. Putok yung gilid ng labi nito at nagdudugo. It hadn't occured to me na kaya nitong pagbuhatan ng kamay yung tatay ko. That's still my father though.
"Minsan talaga kung sino pa yung may kasalanan sila pa yung galit." Kaswal na naglakad palapit dito si Louella na para bang in-enjoy pa nito yung nangyayaring drama sa harapan nito.
"Fuck you, bitch!" Kyeroh hissed na masama yung tingin kay Louella. "You really don't know how to keep your words. I thought we had a deal?"
Bargain? Between them? May deal sina Louella at Kyeroh?
"Oh, don't be mad. I keep my part of the bargain naman di ba?"
"Bitch!" Akmang sasapakin din sana nito si Louella pero kalmanteng sinipa lang ito niyon sa likod ng tuhod at pinilipit yung braso.
Damn! How can he easily hurt the people around him? Kahit galit ako kay Louella, hindi ko naman magagawang manakit ng pisikal.
"I keep my words, Kyeroh." Tumawa pa ito nang mapaluhod si Kyeroh sa damuhan. "I kept your secret. It was well-hidden."
I froze when Louella's grey eyes bore into me. "It's Alli's secrets I divulge. Not yours. Kasalanan ko ba na pareho pala kayo ng itinatagong sikreto? You should have bargained me to keep her secrets as well, hmm?"
Cunning bitch!
"Oh, Look!" Itinuro nito yung asawa ni Kyeroh na nakatingin lang samin habang umiiyak.
She looks truly kind and innocent.
"Rachel, Love.. N-no!" Malakas na sigaw ni Kyeroh na halatang natataranta lalo pa at tumalikod na si Rachel at tumakbo na palayo.
"Oops, we're not yet done with the drama, Kyeroh babe. Bakit nagmamadali ka yata? Remember those times you're begging me to have time with you? I am now giving you time, asshole. Be grateful." Kumindat dito si Louella bago may kinapa sa bulsa. May inilabas itong maliit na flashdrive na ikinabit nito sa phone nito. "I've got a gift for you too para fair since you've been nice to me to surrender the possession I am asking from you. Mabait naman ako minsan."
Dahil lahat kami ay tahimik na nakatingin na dito, we can clearly hear the audible sounds coming from her phone. If yung boses mula doon ang pagbabasehan, it's clear to assume what's going on sa pinipilit nitong ipanood nito kay Kyeroh.
A sex video. Is that Rachel and Kyeroh's dad?
"Recording the deed really runs in the blood no?" A sinister smile formed Louella's lips.
I can clearly saw how Kyeroh's face loses it's color. Bago unti-unting dumilim na para bang handa na itong pumatay.
"That's right, babe." Ngumiti si Louella bago sinulyapan yung mga magulang ni Kyeroh na halatang gulat na gulat din. Lalo na yung Daddy nito na para bang mababaliw na din. "Do you really think you'll be having a kid? Who knows if that's yours or your Dad's?"
Fucks, Louella! What are you doing? How can you get a lot of this kind of information? Who are your allies? If I'll go against you, I need to rebuild my team too.
"Is this the family you want to belong to, Alliston? What do you want me to do with them? We can ruin them at your own call."
"Why are you doing this?"
Nagkibit-balikat lang ito. "I am just bored, Alli bear. I don't do favors. I should get the same amount I've exerted to help you. And getting this info?" Inangat nito yung phone nito. "It's really so hard to infiltrate and dig their dirtiest and nastiest secret. So be ready. Pay me. I'll tell you how."
"Let go of me, Louella. I'll kill him." Malakas na nagpumiglas si Kyeroh mula sa pagkakahawak nito.
Kinilabutan talaga ako sa ngiting iyon ni Louella na para bang hindi ito man lang nagsisisi sa ginagawa nitong pagsira sa pamilya ng ex-boyfriend nito. Tila sinusulsulan pa nga nito si Kyeroh habang bumubulong dito. Hindi ba sya natatakot na ipapatay na lang sya ng pamilya ni Kyeroh?
A sadistic, fearless, merciless bitch. Just like what everyone else told me. She's Louella, the trickster.
"I just need to make it clear, guys. This isn't only what I am holding against you. So you should all think carefully before messing up with me or Alliston." Mahinang banta pa nito. She winks at me with a knowing smile.
"If you ruin my name nor Alliston's image, I'll make sure you'll all be sorry. No one wants a mad Louella. Believe me." She snaps her finger. "In a snap of a finger," She nods, "Just like that. Everything you've all worked hard for will turn into ashes."
Pagkasabi nito niyon ay binitawan nito si Kyeroh na ngayon ay sinusugod yung Daddy nito. Bago pa magkagulo sa bakuran ng mga ito ay niyakap na ako agad ni Daddy at hinatak palabas. Kasunod namin si Mommy at Ate Louella.
But instead of riding my parent's car ay hinatak ko si Louella papunta sa sasakyan ko.
"Drive for me. I want to run away. I can't stay here. My parents will soon kill me for bringing shame in their name. Please?"
"I don't do favors, Alli bear. If you ask me to drive for you now, you will be indebted to me ag-"
"I'll pay you." I cut her off. "Whatever it is, I'll pay you. So drive for me."
*****