Chapter 7: Nightmare

Mukha ni Laven Der ang nabungaran ko nang buksan ko ang mga mata ko. He was on my bed, looking at me with a worried expression.

"Lav!" Napabangon ako at niyakap ang pitong taong gulang na kapatid ko. My eyes roam around my room. No fire. No broken window. No guy in black. Thank goodness, it was just a dream.

Lav pushed me away but I didn't let go. "Ate, ano ba! Bitawan mo nga ako!"

I was just happy that it was all a dream. Laven Der is safe and so as Mom and Dad. Masamang panaginip lang pala iyon, thank God.

"I had a bad dream," wika ko, freeing Lav from my tight hug. Pinahid ko ang pawis sa noo ko- why am I sweating as this gayong nakabukas ang aircon? Kung gaano ako kapawisan sa panaginip ko ay gayundin ngayon.

"Yes, that's why I'm here Ate. I heard you scream," sagot ni Lav. I screamed? In my sleep? Damn, that dream felt so real! And I'm sweating like it's real! Mainit ang pakiramdam ko na tila ba nasusunog nga ang salid ko!

"I did?"

"You're calling a name."

"What name?"

"Se-rper? Tunog ganoon." Semper. I was yelling Semper's name in my dream. I guess there's no good in hanging out with him lately. Masama ang panaginip ko. In my dream, the man in black was trying to get something from me. It's the... I blinked few times. Ano nga ba ang nais niyang kunin? Bakit hindi ko maalala? And the guy in black, in my dream I didn't get to see his face. Ang alam ko lang ay itim ang suot niya. At parang totoo ang panaginip ko. Naramdaman ko ang malamig na pawis sa katawan ko.

"Ate? Ayos ka lang ba?" Laven Der cupped my face and made me face him. Ngumiti ako sa kanya upang ipakita na ayos lang ako. "Baba ka na. Kakain na tayo."

Sinulyapan ko ang digital clock sa kwarto ko. Pasado alas otso na kaya marahil ay nasa baba na si Daddy. Una nang nagpaalam si Lav sa akin at sinabi ko namang susunod lang ako pagkatapos kong maghilamos. Nakatulog pala ako pag-uwi ko galing sa simbahan kasama si Semper.

Pagbaba ko ay nasa hapag-kainan na silang lahat. I kissed Dad at pumwesto sa bakanteng upuan. Habang kumakain ako ay napansin ko ang pagsulyap ni Daddy sa akin. It's making me conscious kaya ibinaba ko ang kubyertos at hinarap si Daddy.

"Dad, you can ask."

Ngumiti siya sa akin. "How's school?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Nothing unusual." Except my sudden company with Semper. Ngumiti lang si Daddy sa akin. His clothes were exactly what he was wearing in my dreams. Nagtatrabaho siya bilang premier account manager sa isang malaking real estate company and an investor in the stock market. Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla akong kinabahan dahil sa suot niya. Now that I noticed it, Lav and Mom also wear the same clothes in my dreams. I felt my body shiver on the thought at napansin iyon ni Mommy.

"Violet? Ayos ka lang ba?"

"May problema ba?"

Sinaid ko ang laman ng baso ko. They all looked at me with a worried expression and I gave them an assuring smile. "Wala po."

Hindi naman siguro nangyari o mangyayari ang panaginip ko. Pero kinakabahan pa rin ako. I know I shouldn't ignore it. Binilisan ko na lamang ang pagkain at agad na bumalik sa kwarto ko.

Hindi ko mapigilang isipin na dahil iyon kay Semper. This is the first time that I had a bad dream about my family. Noong bata pa ako ay binangungot ako na hinahabol ako ng malaking baboy- but no nightmare involving my family. When I grew older, dinalaw naman ako ng napakalaking gagamba sa panaginip ko at nagkasleep paralysis pa ako but still, it doesn't involve my family. Ngayon lang sa buong buhay ko.

Oh well, sabi nga nila, there's always a first time. Maybe I was just being paranoid. Iwinaksi ko na lamang sa isipan ko iyon at nagpahinga.

***

Bangon-higa ang ginawa ko sa kwarto ko. It's almost eleven in the evening pero gising pa rin ako at iniisip ang kakaiba kong panaginip. Kahit anong pilit ko ay hindi ko magawang iwaksi iyon sa isipan. Maybe Semper's presence is not good for me kung kaya't anu-ano na lamang ang mga napapanaginipan ko.

I reached for my phone and logged in on facebook. Inilagay ko ang pangalang Semper Galvez sa search tab ngunit walang account na lumabas. I tried Twitter, Instagram and other social networking sites pero wala pa rin. Sinong millenial ba ang walang social networking site ngayon? Like hello, pinsan ko ngang six months old, ginawan na ng Facebook! Or maybe meron siyang social networking sites accounts pero gumagamit siya ng fake name. I tossed my phone in frustration.

Maybe Semper is not one of us who cannot last a day without visiting one (if not all) of our social media accounts. Pwede na iba ang hilig niya. But how would I know kung ano ang hilig niya? Sinulyapan ko ang cellphone ko at agad ko iyong kinuha. I think the best person to ask is Nikki.

I dialled her number and waited. Ilang ring lamang ay narinig ko na ang sagot niya. "Hindi ko ito inaasahan Violet, usually ay tulog ka na sa oras na ito."

Sumandal ako at hindi na lamang pinansin ang sinabi niya. She didn't even bother to say hello. "Hello ang inaasahan kong sasabihin mo."

I heard her laughter. "So, what life and death situation made you call at this hour?"

Parang pinagsisihan ko ang pagtawag ko. It would seem weird for her to know that I called to ask her about Semper. "Eh..." Naririnig ko ang malakas na musika. She must be somewhere like... in a club? "Are you in a club?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"At Thursday night?" Alright, no issue on ages. She's eighteen, I'm eighteen. The difference is that I've never been to a club. Not even once. And I'm not interested to be in a club.

"No quizzes or homework. My class will be by one tomorrow kaya okay lang," sagot. "Bakit ka tumawag?"

"Promise me that you will not think that I have a thing with the person I'm about to ask," wika ko.

"I promise."

"I want to ask some things about Semper." Okay, I said it. No turning back.

"Oh, my Geeee! May gusto ka ba sa kanya? Ito na ba ang hashtag road to forget Daven and hashtag team Semper?" Great. She just broke her promise.

"I'm hanging up."

"Sandali! Ito naman joke lang. What do you want to know?" Narinig ko pa ang bahagyang pagtawa niya.

"Where does he lives? Ano ang pinagkakaabalahan niya? Tell me anything you know about him."

"You know what? I have a good idea. Why don't you come here at Dowby's and ask him yourself?" She said, and from her voice I can imagine her wide grin.

"NO!"

"Okay, just look at him from a distance. Observe him, how about that?" tanong ni Nikki.

"NO WAY!"

So, this is how it feels to be in a club. Similar to what you see on television, it was noisy, and people were wasted. Some were dirty dancing on the dance floor, others were chatting, and most people are drinking.

"Are you fine with that juice?" Tanong ng kasama ni Nikki. Pinakilala niya ako dito pero dahil maingay doon ay hindi ko masyadong narinig ang pangalan niya. I smiled and nodded before I sip on the juice.

Unfortunately, after my big NO WAY, I found myself took a cab at nagpahatid sa Dowby's. Habang nag-uusap kami ay namataan pala ni Nikki si Semper. She said he was comfortably sitting there, watching people around. Pwede naman akong tumanggi ngunit ayaw ko. Gusto kong itanong sa kanya kung bakit hanggang sa panaginip ay ginugulo niya ako. But when I arrived there, there was no Semper.

"Nikks, did you trick me?"

"Hindi ah!"

I was close to believing her but no matter how I look around, no sign of Semper. Sabi ni Nikki ay hindi niya ito hiniwalayan ng tingin ngunit nang dumating ako ay nawala ito. That or maybe she's lying.

"Do you want to dance?"

Bigla akong napatayo nang maramdaman ko ang pagbulong ng kasama nina Nikki. I felt his lips touched my ears at nagdulot iyon ng kakaibang sensasyon. More of "nakakadiri" than any other sensations.

"N-no. Ayos lang ako." I move myself away from him. I figured out to myself that night out isn't my thing. I hate everything here- including this guy. Mukhang desidido talaga ito sa balak niyang pakikipagsayaw sa akin. He moved closer again, bumping his knees on my leg.

"Maganda ang pakiramdam kapag nasa gitna tayo." His breath smells like alcohol and cigarettes. I hate cigarettes. And I think I'll hate him too.

"Okay lang talaga ako. Hindi ako mahilig sumayaw." That was supposed to mean I don't want to dance with him.

His arms snake at the back of the chair that I'm sitting. "Sige na."

Sa pagkakataong ito ay nagawa kong tumayo at in-excuse ang sarili ko. Nikki is busy with her boyfriend kaya ang lalaking nasa tabi ko ang sinabihan ko. "CR lang ako." Hindi ko na hinintay ang sagot niya at agad na tumayo upang lumayo sa kanya. Now, I regret coming here. Sana ay nanatili na lamang ako sa bahay kahit na maburyo ako sa kakaisip sa masamang panaginip ko. This guy is just another nightmare, or he could be worst!

Pumasok ako sa banyo ngunit hindi ako nagtagal doon dahil may naririnig akong kalabog sa kabilang cubicle. Then a moan. A moan? And cussing. Weird. Ano kaya ang nangyayari sa kabila?

I'm planning on heading home kaysa sa bumalik sa pwesto namin kanina. Baka mamaya masapak ko pa ang kasama nina Nikki. Maybe I'll just call her when I got home. Binuksan ko ang pinto at muntikan na akong mapatalon sa gulat nang bumungad sa akin ang mukha ni Semper. Actually, not his face. It's his chest because he is taller than me and I'm not in my high heels. Even if I haven't look at his face, I knew immediately that it's Semper. Sino ba ang kilala kong palagi na lamang akong ginugulat sa may pinto? Si Semper.

Sino ang kilala kong itim ang palaging sinusuot from head to foot? Si Semper.

Sino ang may kakayahang magdulot sa akin ng biglang kaba gaya ng nararamdaman ko ngayon? Definitely Semper.

When I looked at his face, he was wearing a cap, with its brim facing backward. He was wearing a black shirt, black short pants and black rubber shoes. Saglit na nagtagal ang mata ko sa binti niya. Legs not hairy? Check. Broad shoulders beneath his shirt? Obviously check. Non-scandalous abs? That I don't know.

"Are you done assessing me?" tanong niya.

"What?!" There's no way that I will admit that I assessed him. May natitira pa akong hiya sa katawan kaya hangga't kaya pa, I will deny to death. "I'm not assessing you."

"My turn."

"Ano?" Gulat na tanong ko. Before I know it, naglandas na ang kanyang mga mata sa kabuoan ko. He first looked at me on my feet. My black doll shoes got no problem. Then to my jeans. Naging conscious tuloy ako. These jeans is what I wore the other day at hindi pa iyon nalalabhan. Hindi naman madumi or what, I wore it for just two hours the other day (who cares? Everyone uses their clothes not only once or twice before they wash it.) Hindi ko alam kung imahinasyon ko lamang iyon ngunit parang nagtagal ang paningin niya sa balakang ko. My shirt was a plain V-neck white shirt. I was comfortable with what I'm wearing until Semper appears. His eyes were now on my face at pakiramdam ko ay namula ako. Thanks to the lights of the club, I was able to conceal it.

Bigla na lamang niya akong hinila at muntikan na akong napasubsob sa dibdib niya. "Ano ba-" Napatigil ako nang may lumabas sa pinto na kinatatayuan ko. So, he pulled me because someone will pass, nakalimutan kong nakatayo pala ako sa pintuan. It was a girl... followed by a boy. What?! Hindi ko alam na co-ed pala ang CR na iyon. The sign on the door says it's for the ladies.

Patuloy akong hinila ni Semper paalis doon sa pintuan ng banyo. Sinubukan kong makawala mula sa pagkakahawak niya habang dumadaan kami sa gitna ngunit nabigo ako. Dinala niya ako sa labas ng bar at doon lamang ako binitawan.

"Ano ba ang kailangan mo sa akin?" Naiinis kong tanong sa kanya. How dare him drag me here?

"Ako ang dapat magtanong niyan." Semper has this aura which will make you wonder about him. He is scary, cold and mysterious.

"Ano?"

"Sabi ni Nikki na may kailangan ka daw sa akin," wika niya. Oh God, I'm controlling my feet not to find its way back inside and kick Nikki. Hindi man lamang niya sinabi sa akin na sinabi niya kay Semper na may mga kailangan akong malaman tungkol sa kanya.

"Wala akong kailangan sa'yo."

"That's lying."

"Wala nga!"

"Liar."

Oo na. Ako na ang sinungaling. "So, as you."

"What did I lie about?"

Okay ano nga ba? Bakit hindi ko yata pinag-iisipan ang mga pinagsasabi ko kay Semper? "A-about you."

"Anong tungkol sa akin?"

"Kung ano ka."

Still, there were no emotions in his eyes. "I didn't lie about it. I chose not to say what I am."

"Pagsisinungaling pa din 'yun," sagot ko sa kanya. Okay, I'm not making any sense but I'm not losing this talk with him. No way.

"No, it's not." Sumandal siya sa isang kotse na naroon. I looked around trying to find someone who can help me sakaling may gawing masama si Semper sa akin.

"Nanaginip ako," wika ko. Panaginip lamang iyon ngunit pakiramdam ko ay totoo kaya kailangan kong malaman kung may kinalaman nga ba siya doon.

"Tell me about it." He crossed his arms as he waits. Nagdadalawang isip pa rin ako ngunit sa huli ay nagpasya akong sabihin sa kanya iyon.

"Nasusunog ang bahay namin. Pinatay ang pamilya ko. And I saw you. You kicked my window and... and..." Unti-unti namang lumalabo ang alaala ko tungkol sa panaginip ko.

"And?"

"H-hindi ko na maalala..." That was frustrating. Binagabag ako ng panaginip na iyon kaya imposibleng malimutan ko iyon ng ganun-ganun lang. Well, madalas naman sa mga panaginip ko ay nakakalimutan ko. Some people dream and forget about it the moment they woke up.

"Nakita mo ako sa panaginip mo?" His eyes became darker than the usual. Hinablot niya ako sa braso at inulit ang tanong niya. "Sigurado ka bang nakita mo ako sa panaginip mo?"

Bahagya akong nagulat sa reaksyon niya. What was that in his eyes? Anger? Surprise?

"H-hindi ako sigurado kung ikaw iyon. He was wearing all black and... and..." Damn, wala na akong maalala.

"Hindi kita binisita sa panaginip mo," sagot niya, still naintaining that dark look in his eyes. Umakyat ang kamay niya sa balikat ko, where he pressed. "Ano ang naalala mo tungkol sa lalaki?"

Sinubukan kong alisin ang kamay niya ngunit hindi ko magawa. I just felt his fingers dug into my shoulders. Pakiramdam ko ay magmamarka doon ang kamay niya. "Wala akong maalala! Bitawan mo nga ako, nasasaktan ako!"

His gaze dropped on the ground as he pressed his skin in between his eyes. I could tell that he was thinking about something that could be a problem.

"Hindi ako dumalaw sa panaginip mo," wika niya, making each word clear. Ngayon tuloy ay nagtataka ako kung kaya ba niyang gawin iyon. I stared at him while that question lingers on my mind. "I can."

Hindi na ako nagtaka. His 'I can' was the answer that was on my mind- or maybe my face. Ang alam ko lamang ay napaatras ako, not sure kung matatakot ba ako o hindi. Isang bagay lamang ang sigurado. Semper is definitely not human. He just read my mind!

"Someone followed me here." He said in a low voice. Mukhang sarili niya ang kinakausap niya at hindi ako. He took a heavy sigh at mukhang may kinakaharap siyang problema. He pinched the bridge of his nose like he was thinking hard while I remain standing with my mouth gaped open. Hindi pa rin ako tuluyang nakahuma sa pagsagot niya sa katanungang nasa isipan ko lamang. I doubt if he can still say that he read my face dahil madilim doon. There's no way he can see my face clearly.

"Go home," he said and walked away.

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