DIVINA MARIEL

Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala.

Am I really with the man I love?

Totoo bang nandito na ulit siya?

Ang tagal kong hinintay ang pagkakataon na'to.

Sobrang saya ko.

Sa wakas, magkasama na ulit kami.

"Okay ka lang? Pasensya ka na. Medyo hindi ako nakapag ayos ng apartment." Sabi niya habang inaayos ang mga gamit ko.

Ang gwapo niya talaga.

Pati yung boses niya, nakakaakit.

"Yeah, okay lang. Thank you ha." At nginitian ko siya habang nakaupo ako sa kama niya.

At nginitian niya ako pabalik at bumalik sa pag-aayos ng mga gamit.

Habang nag-aayos siya ay hindi naman mawala sa isip ko ang lahat ng sinabi niya sa akin.

Na my mom was all behind these.

Kaya pala.

Kaya pala nung mga bata palang kami, pilit na niya kaming pinaglalayo.

Lagi niyang sinasabi na ayaw niyang magkaroon ako ng kaibigan dahil masisira lang daw ang kinabukasan ko.

Bullshit!

Siya ang sumira ng buhay ko!

Wala na siyang ibang ginawa kundi kontrolin ang buhay ko.

Kinabukasan ko iniisip niya? That's bullshit! Sarili lang niya iniisip niya!

Dahil kung talagang nag-aalala siya sa'kin, hindi niya ililihim ito sa'kin at lalong hindi niya kami paglalayuin.

I clenched my fist in anger.

Ngayon lang ako nakaramdam ng sobrang galit.

Hindi ko alam kung anong magagawa ko pero ang alam ko lang ay gusto kong malaman ang katotohanan sa kung bakit niya ito ginawa. Ano ba ang plano niya.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" Lumapit si Koykoy sa akin at umupo sa tabi ko habang inaayos ang buhok ko.

Buti nalang nandiyan siya sa tabi ko.

"Yeah. Okay na ako dahil nandito ka na. Pero may gusto lang akong malaman." Sagot ko na nagpataas ng kilay niya.

"Ano yun?" Tanong niya muli sa'kin.

Nilingon ko siya at tinignan sa mata.

"Lahat ba ng kwinento at sinabi mo sa akin, T-totoo yun? Was my mother really behind all of these?"

And by looking at his eyes, I already confirmed the answer.

"Koy, hindi ko alam pero galit ako ngayon. Sobrang galit. Ang sakit ng puso ko." At nagsimula nanaman akong umiyak. Traydor na luha ito.

Niyakap niya ako at pinaramdam niya sa akin na hindi na ako mag-isa. Na kasama ko na siya sa lahat. And that feels so good.

"Don't stress yourself too much about that. Alalahanin mo kalalabas mo lang ng ospital. Kailangan mong kumalma. Please Ina, I don't wanna lose you again." He told me with sincerity.

Hinawakan ko ang magkabilang pisngi niya bago nagsalita.

"There's nothing to worry about. I'm not going anywhere. I love you."   at akmang hahalikan nanaman niya ako ng pigilan ko ito.

"Nakakarami ka na. Nagugutom na ako. Kain muna tayo." Sabi ko at ngumiti. Tumawa naman siya.

"Masusunod, binibini." Wika niya at nagsimula na siyang maglakad papunta sa kusina para magluto.

Teka.

Hindi ko pa pala alam yung totoong pangalan niya.

Hmmm, tanungin ko nalang mamaya.

----
KRYSTAL FORTALEJO

I bursted out in tears the moment he left the apartment.

I'm tired.

So fcking tired.

Pagod na pagod na akong magpanggap na malakas.

Pagod na pagod na magpanggap na walang pakialam.

Pagod na pagod na magpanggap na walang nararamdaman.

Mahal ko siya.

Mahal ko pa rin siya.

At nakakaputangina lang kasi hindi ko gustong mahalin pa siya matapos ang lahat lahat.

"Ang sakit... Sobra... Ayoko na... Pagpahingahin mo naman ako..." Parang tangang nakikiusap ako sa sarili ko.

Pagod na yung mata ko kakaiyak. Pati ang puso ko.

Bakit ba sobrang sakit pa rin matapos ng ilang taon?!

Nanghihinang pumasok ulit ako sa loob ng kwarto ko at nagtalukbong ng kumot at patuloy na umiyak.

Yung pakiramdam na parang dinudurog ka kahit na alam mo namang sa sarili mong durog kana.

Yung pakiramdam na parang sinusugatan yung puso mo ng paulit ulit, walang tigil. Pero wala kang magawa para maibsan yung sakit.

Alam niyo yun?

Maayos na buhay ko eh.

Bakit kailangang guluhin niya ulit?!

Patuloy lang ako sa pag-iyak. Umaasang dalawin ako ng antok para makatulog nalang ulit ako para di ko maramdaman yung sakit kahit panandalian lang.

I know today is Monday but I'm not capable of going to school. Hindi rin lang ako makakapagfocus kaya dito nalang ako. Matutulog.

The moment I was about to close my eyes to sleep, tsaka naman may nag doorbell.

Who the hell might be that ass?!

I hope it's not Ford.

Please.

Ayoko nang makita pa siya. It's too much for me to handle the pain.

Labag man sa loob ko ay tumayo ako para pagbuksan kung sino ang nasa labas.

Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago pagbuksan ito at nagulat ako sa tumambad sa akin.

"Goodmorning Exlabida--, HALA? UMIIYAK KA????"

Napaka ingay punyeta.

Isasara ko na sana ulit yung pintuan nang pigilan niya ito.

"Huuuuy Krsytal teka lang naman!" Inirapan ko nalang siya at hinayaan na pumasok sa apartment ko.

May magagawa pa aba ako?

Siyempre wala.

Wala na rin akong lakas para makipag-matigasan pa sa unggoy na 'to.

"What the fck are you doing here" Walang emosyon kong sabi sa kanya habang dumeretcho sa may sofa.

Nakita ko naman sa peripheral view ko na pumasok na talaga ang walang hiya at dumeretcho na din dito sa sofa.

"Teka ako unang nagtanong exlabidabs. So ako muna sagutin mo. Hehehehe. Umiiyak ka????"

He never really fails to piss me off.

Tinignan ko siya bago nagsalita.

"May mata ka naman. Kung ginagamit mo yan, malamang alam mo na sagot." Pagsusungit ko sa kanya.

Bwisit talaga. Panira, nagmomoment ako e.

"Hehehe oo nga obvious naman, gusto ko lang itanong para masagot mo'ko hehehe." Tss. Muntanga.

"So.. my turn, what the heck are you doing here?" Pagbalik ko ng tanong sa kanya.

Nakita kong napakamot siya ng ulo.

"Ehhh...wala lang?" Pagpapalusot niya.

"Utot mo. Ano nga? Kung nandito ka para mameste, umalis ka nalang." Pagsusungit ko ulit.

Kaya napasabi ko rin siya ng totoo.

"Eto na nga aamin na nga. Krystal naman e!"

Inirapan ko siya for the nth time.

"Nasa school na kasi ako kanina. Tapos nung magsstart na yung klase, wala si brader tsaka si Debena."

Wait.

Pati si Divina, absent?

Hindi pa pala kami nakakapag usap after the meet up.

May kinalaman kaya yung nangyari sa pagkakaabsent din niya?

"Teka, pati si Divina wala din?" I asked again. Just making sure.

"Oo nga. Ulet ulet?? Tapos ayun, iniisip ko kung nagtanan ba sila ni brader tapos naisip ko din na paano ikaw--" Napatigil siya sa pagsasalita at biglang tinakpan yung bibig niya.

Pero I'm sure what I heard was right. It was loud and clear.

"Nagtanan? Si Divina at si Zelo?" I asked again. At nakita kong natataranta ang sagot ni Vendric.

"Uyyy wag ka magselos exlabidabs. Di ko naman sure kung talagang nagtanan! Kaya nga ako pumunta dito eh. Para kamustahin sana si brader at ikaw."

Selos?

Bakit naman ako magseselos?

All I can feel right now is anger.

Lol Krys, who are you trying to fool.

"Bakit ako magseselos, hindi ko naman kilala yang kaibigan mo." Sagot ko sa kanya.

Dapat lang na hindi niya alam na may past kami ni Ford.

Dahil matagal nang tapos yun. Ayoko nang ungkatin pa.

"Weh?? Eh bakit ka umiiyak? May problema ka ba? Pwede mo ikwento sa'kin. Hehehe."

I looked at him and I see him smiling so wide. How I wish I could be like him.

Parang walang problema, walang stress. Happy go lucky guy.

Sana tulad niya, makangiti rin ako nang wala nang sakit.

"It's none of your business. Ngayon, nakita mo nang wala yung hinahanap mo dito, pwede ka nang umalis." Pagpapalayas ko sa kanya habang tinutulak tulak siya palabas.

"Teka lang naman! Hindi mo ba ako pakakainin? Huhuhu gutom na ako!" Hiyaw niya pero hindi ko pa rin siya tinitigilang itulak

"Sa canteen ng school ka na kumain." Sagot ko

"Teka, ikaw di ka papasok?? Baka hinahanap ka ni Aleksa!"

Hindi ako hahanapin ng mga yun.

Kasama naman siguro niya si Roxie.

"Ako nang bahala sa kanya. Basta umalis ka na nga!" At sinara ko na yung pinto.

Ugh!

Ang sakit sakit na ng ulo ko!

Hindi pa rin ako matahimik.

Bakit absent si Divina?

Totoo kayang magkasama sila ni Ford?

Magkakilala na ba talaga sila?

Anong katangahan naman yan Krystal!

Kinuha nga niyang operator diba? So malamang kilala niya!

Pero diba sabi niya noon, hindi niya kilala si Zaki?

Teka, may sinabi nga ba siya noon?

Aish!

Bakit ako nasasaktan?

Nasasaktan ako pag iniisip ko na magkasama at matagal nang magkakilala si Divina at Ford.

Hindi naman siguro.

Hindi ako mapakali kaya kinuha ko yung phone ko at sinubukang tawagan si Divina.

Pero naalala ko, hindi pa pala kami nakakapag usap matapos ang meet up.

So I think it's much better kung through text ko muna siya kausapin.

To: Divina

Hey, where are you?
I'm sorry about what happened yesterday.

sent.

Please.

Hindi naman siguro sila magkasama ni Ford.

Hindi ko na kaya ang isa pang heartbreak. Utang na loob.

Let me fcking rest!

----

ZELO ANGELO

The moment I left her apartment, I realized something.

That it was never too late.

It's never too late to show to the people you love, how much you regret your past mistakes and to let them feel your love once again.

Mas lumakas ang loob kong patunayan sa kanya na hindi ako susuko.

If winning her heart again will cause pain for me, I don't fcking care. As long as I can win her again.

I am walking down the streets nowhere to go.

Until I have decided to just go back to my apartment.

I look so gross as f.

As soon as I reached my apartment, dumeretcho ako agad sa banyo.

I feel the rushing flow of water against my body.

It was really really fcking good.

After I took a bath, nagbihis ako agad at walang sinayang na oras.

Where do you think I'm going?

To school? Psh. Not at all.

I heard my IphoneX rang so I answered it.

"What. " I spoke as soon as I swiped my IphoneX.

"Good Morning, am I speaking to  Mr. Zelo Angelo?"

Who the fcking hell is this?

"Who tf are you " Deretcho kong tanong.

"No need to curse, sir. Um, this is Dave from Propan Gasoline Station.  I'm calling po to ask you if when will you pay for the full tank?"

Propan what?

Gasoline station?

"What the fck are you talking about Devil?! You're calling the wrong number and you're fucking wasting my time! Now shut up!"

Kailan pa ako nagkautang sa isang gasolinahan?!

Putangina.

"It's Dave sir. But sir, I'm not calling the wrong number. If you have already forgotten, well let me refresh your memory. You came here with your blue weigo car and you asked for a full tank. Then the moment that we asked for your payment, you gave us a letter instead with your name and contact number in it. Ang sabi mo pa "utang muna". So I think you don't have the right to be mad because definitely ikaw ang may utang dito, Sir. "

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK.

VENDRIC?!?!?!?!!!!!

Pinatay ko na agad ang tawag at agad na tinawagan ang gagong unggoy.

"BRADE--"

"WHAT THE FCK ARE YOU THINKING HUH?! GUSTO MO BANG GILITAN KITA SA LEEG NGAYON?! I AM IN THE FCKING MOOD TO DO THAT!"

Bulyaw ko sa kanya.

I am pissed!! Really really fcking pissed! Dammit!

"Woah brader!! Chill! Anong pinagsasasabi mo? Anong ginawa ko?"

Playing innocent huh??!

"Acting like you know nothing eh?! Who the hell gives my number to a gasoline station to pay for a fcking full tank debt?!"

Sagot!!

"Ahhh.. ehh.. Hehehehe. S-sorry na brader"

"I won't accept that! Pumunta ka sa gasulinahan na yon and pay for that! And tell them that it was you who have a debt and not me!"

Tumataas ang dugo ko sa unggoy na ito.

"Brader naman huhu. Oo sige na babayaran ko na yun wag ka na magalit huhuhuhu. Sasabihin ko naman sayo dapat eh. Nakalimutan ko lang huhuhu"

Shit ass.

"Don't make anymore excuses and go straight to that gasoline station! Or I'll kill you!" And I ended the call.

Was I too much?

Well, he deserves it.

Mali ang timing niya.

He shouldn't be pissing me while I'm already pissed.

But before I leave my place, I tried to contact Perez.

"Good Morning Mr. Angelo" He greeted as he answer my call.

"Where are you right now." I asked.

"Here at the station. Why--"

"Good. I'll meet you in an hour." I cut him off.

I need to know who the fck are these people trying to mess with me.

Hindi talaga nila ako titigilan?

Then so be it.

The game is on mofos.

Sumakay na ako sa MonsterX ko at dumeretcho na sa police station.

After almost an hour, nakarating na rin ako sa station.

Pagkapasok ko doon ay hinanap ko agad si Perez at ang sabi nila ay nasa loob siya ng office niya so dumeretcho na ako dun.

Tumambad sa akin si Perez na nakaupo sa swivel chair niya habang nakataas ang dalawang paa sa table while drinking his coffee.

Typical grown fat ass.

"Mr. Angelo! It's good to see you again iho. Have a seat please."

I didn't mind his greetings and just went straight to the point.

"I haven't received any updates since the last time we spoke to each other. Are you really having a serious investigation regarding the case or you just fck around and drink coffee in this goddamn office?!"

He just sipped his coffee and gestured me to calm down.

"Relax, boy. You have nothing to worry about. Malapit lapit na tayo. We've already known the location of the ladies who drugged you."

And with that, hindi ko napigilan na kwelyuhan siya.

"C'mon. Tell me! Tell me where the fck are these bitches!"

He choked as if he's about to lose his breath.

Kaya binitawan ko na siya.

He catched his breath before speaking

"I won't tell you where the ladies are. Not until you calm the fck down!" He raised his voice on me. Well, it's the first time someone raised a voice on me.

And somehow I feel frightened. His authoritative voice left me goosebumps but of course, hindi ko yun pinahalata.

"Yesterday evening." Panimula ko.

"While I was at the bar drinking, a guy came to me. And because I drank too much, I was already drunk and my sight is blurry that I didn't saw his whole face. But there's one thing he said to me."

He looked at me with curiosity.

"What is it?"

"He gave me a warning. Hindi raw lahat ng nakikita ko ay totoo. At hindi lahat ng mahal ko ay mahal rin ako. He also said that mag iingat daw ako. I don't know if I will trust this asshole but he somehow has a point. Maybe there is a traitor? Someone's stabbing me behind my back. "

And once I've known him/her, I will make them regret this.

"Hmm, there's a possibility that yes, there might be a traitor in your group. But thing is, who do you think it may be? Or pwede din kasing palabas lang yan ng mastermind? Maybe he wants you to doubt all of your loved ones para hindi mo siya ma-trace? If you know what I'm trying to say. Kaya nasasayo yan. Tingin mo ba may nangtatraydor sayo? "

And with that he left me startled.

Is there really a traitor?

Pero based sa mga kaibigan ko, wala akong nakikitang motibo nila para traydurin ako.

Yes I may be a fcking asshole to them but I know they won't be to the point na tatraydurin nila ako. Am I right?

"Pag-aralan mo ang bawat kilos ng mga taong nakapaligid sa'yo. I'm sorry to tell you this but at this time of the investigation, mukhang sarili mo lang muna ang mapagkakatiwalaan mo. Wag kang basta basta magtitiwala hangga't wala pa tayong lead."

As much as I wanted to curse and punch him in the face, he was fcking right.

Sarili ko lang ang dapat kong pagkatiwalaan.

"You don't need to tell me what I'm supposed to do. You're not a boss." I told him. And he just smirked at me.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"And one more thing." I added

"After that guy, a bitch came to me."

Then he wear his annoying smirk. Ugh! Makes me want to choke him to death!

"Don't give me that look dumbass or I'll kill you." He just laughed.

"She told me that if I want informations, she can provide me that. But nothing's for free. Then she gave me this card. She really looks so familiar. Di'ko lang maalala kung isa ba siya sa mga babaeng yun."

I gave him the card.

At address lang ang nakalagay doon. No name, no number to contact.

Tinitigan niyang maigi ang card.

"I think that this is planned." Saad ni Perez.

Gago. Malamang.

"Are you fcking kidding me right now Perez?! Of course it's planned. Bobo ka ba" He's annoying as f.

"What I meant is, yung pagpunta nilang dalawa sa bar. Magkasabwat yung dalawang yun for sure. Do you remember what they look like? Kahit simple features lang nila? Para maisketch at mahanap natin sila."

Then I told him all I remembered.

The guy was about 6 ft tall. Fair skinned and has a tattoo on his neck.

The girl was about 5ft tall. Tan skinned and her hair is short in blonde.

"That's all I remembered." I said.

He nodded as he jotted down his notes.

"Okay. Thank you Mr. Angelo. Will call you if there is a progress in the case."

Sht. I almost forgot!

"Where the hell are those bitches? I thought you had the address?"

He nodded.

"Yes we do. But hindi namin pwedeng sabihin sa'yo dahil hindi kita mapagkakatiwalaan. Lalo na sa kinikilos mo. But you don't have to worry about anything. We are scheduled to go there this Wednesday. You can come if you want."

Bullshit!

Nakakainis!

Maghihintay pa ako ng isa pang araw?!

Ugh.

*phone rings*

Unregistered number?

I answered it.

"Hey there little fella. How are you doin'."

Who is tf is this?!

He is using some alters in his voice.

"Who are you." I said calmly but with authority.

"Oops. Where's the fun if I'll tell you this early? Haha! Let's just say that, I'm your worst nightmare."

I clenched my fist in anger.

"Magtago tago kana. Dahil malapit na kitang makilala. At pag nalaman ko na kung sino ka. Hinding hindi ako magdadalawang isip na patayin ka. Mark my words you fcking dumb ass."

And I hear him laugh. Too loud and it's so annoying.

"Very well, Angelo. Calm your ass. Wala pa naman akong ginagawa sa love of your life mo e. Hahahaha!"

Nasuntok ko ang pader nang marinig ko ang sinabi ng gagong ito.

"Don't. you. fcking. lay. your. hands. on. her. you piece of shit!"

I said with full rage and anger.

Kung nakakamatay lang ang salita, malamang nakahandusay na siya.

"Easy easy. I won't do any harm. Not yet. Hahahaha! Ciao, little fella."

Subukan niya lang saktan si Faye. He will meet his darkest nightmare.

----

Surprise! Hahahaha. Di nyo inexpect na may ud ulit ano? Hahahaha. Sorry sa mga nadisappoint ko hehehe.

Lovelots!