"FEEL AT home, honey. My name is Trixie." nakangiting ani nung babaeng nagligtas kay Lexi kanina lamang. Ngunit tulad kanina, walang sinabi si Lexi at nanatiling nakatulala, nakatingin sa kawalan. Bumuntong hininga iyong babae at lumuhod para magkasing lebel na ang kanilang mga mukha. "You don't need to keep it all to yourself, you know. You can pour it all out to me, cry as much as you want."

Lexi looked at the woman's eyes as the woman stretched her arms for her. Lexi couldn't help herself but to cry. Yinakap siya ng babae. She stayed by her side and hugged her until she stopped crying. It was something only her parents would do for her. And it's hard to accept that they're gone now, forever.

"I-is it wrong f-for mommy a-and d-daddy to live?" nakayukong tanong ni Lexi nang umalis ang babae sa pagkakayakap nito.

"No dear, of course not. What makes you think that so?"

"Isn't it t-the police and militaries w-who killed them? Mommy said they o-only arrest and punish bad p-people. Is mommy and d-daddy that b-bad t-that they need t-to kill them?"

"I don't know yet, but I'll promise to tell you once I figured out everything, so don't worry. Okay?"

Bago pa man makasagot si Lexi ay umalingawngaw sa buong bahay ang tili ng isang batang babae. "Mommy! You're home!" anito at gamit ang maliliit na paa ay tumakbo papunta sa direksyon nila Lexi.

Kung titingnan ay mukhang magkaedad lang sila ni Lexi, magkasingtangkad lang din kasi sila. The little girl looked at her with a puzzled look, then shifts looks again at the woman that Lexi assumes to be the girl's mom since she just called her mommy just now. "Who is she, mommy?" inosenteng tanong nito.

"Her name is Lexi, honey. And she'll be joining us starting from now on." nakangiting sagot ni Trixie sa anak. "Well then, wait for us in the dining table, okay? I'll get Lexi cleaned up and you two can play after we eat."

"Okay!" puno ng enerhiyang sagot nung bata at tumakbo papunta sa isang babaeng nakaunipormeng pangkatulong, which Lexi assumes to be that girl's babysitter. With this beautiful mansion and lots of maids and body guards shattered around the place, she would say Trixie Laveret was so extremely rich.

Well it was obvious from the way she and her daughter talks and dress, anyways.

Pagkatapos linisan at bihisan si Lexi ng isa sa mga katulong ay tumungo na sila sa dining room. And yes, her eyes were widen from what she saw. The shiny chandeliers on the ceiling, beneath is the long gold table with matching chairs where can only be seen in TVs. This place is no longer a mansion, it's a palace!

Lexi wished her parents could see these, too.

"Lexi! Sit beside me!" nakangiting ani Ayara kay Lexi dahilan para makarekober si Lexi sa pagkamangha. Dahil hindi alam ang gagawin ay tumango na lamang ito at nakayukong umupo sa katabi ni Ayara.

"Now that we're complete, shall we eat?" nakangiting ani ni Trixie, at katulad kanina, puno ng enerhiyang tumango si Ayara. Lexi don't know why, but she felt uncomfortable being with these two. It was the first time she's having dinner without her parents, not to mention she was with complete strangers.

Tumaas ng tingin si Lexi doon sa babaeng lumigtas sakanya. There's still a lot of things she wanted to ask her. Because even right now, Lexi's still denying the fact that her parents were already gone.

Maybe her parents weren't really dead. Maybe someone took them to the hospital and they survived. Or maybe these were all just a dream, no, a nightmare. Maybe when she woke up from this nightmare, everything is fine again, she's back in her parents arms again. Maybe.

But... why does this nightmare felt so real?

Or was her life the nightmare itself?

"Lexi, why aren't you eating?" nagaalalang tanong ni Trixie dahilan para bumalik sa huwisyo si Lexi. "Are you not feeling well? Do you want to sleep?"

"N-no, I'm fine. I-i'll eat n-now. Thanks." nakayuko at nagpipigil ng mga luhang sagot ni Lexi.

"Alright then. Tell me if something's bothering you." sabi ni Trixie bago lumipat ang tingin sa anak nito. "How's school, honey?" tanong nito dahilan para nakasimangot na tumigil sa pagkain si Ayara. Nagsimula na ding kumain si Lexi, and damn, the food was delicious!

"Don't even ask about it, mom. Coleen's been boasting about her having lots of friends on me just because I don't have one. She freaking loves making fun of me. If only friends can be brought." nakasimangot na sagot ni Ayara dahilan para matawa ang ina nito.

"Friendship can't be brought by money, Chelsea. You can be friends with Lexi, you know." anito at nakangiting tumingin kay Lexi, who was now confused as fuck after hearing her name. She's enjoying her food so much that she forgot about her surroundings. "You'll be joining school together soon, after all."

Huh? Joining school together?

"What? Really? Omg, I would love to be friends with you, Lexi! Coleen would get so jealous if she founds out I've got a cool friend." masayang sabi ni Ayara while Lexi, on the other hand, still don't know what the fuck is going on.

"I SLEEP on the room next door. If you ever need something, don't hesitate to come and tell me." Trixie told Lexi after helping her get ready for bed. Pagkatapos kasing kumain nila Lexi ay nagtoothbrush ito gamit ang toothbrush na binigay ni Trixie at napagdesisyonang magpahinga na muna.

Pinatay ni Trixie ang lamp na nasa side table, she was about to leave when Lexi stopped her. "Where do dead people go after they die?"

"Up in there, honey, in Heaven. With God." nakangiting sagot nito.

"Is mommy and daddy there as well?"

"Yes."

"When I die, will I go there too?"

"Yes, if you're a good girl, that is."

"Am I a good girl?"

"Yes, uh.. why-"

"Why did you save me, then?" nakayuko at umiiyak na tanong ni Lexi dahilan para magulat si Trixie.

"What do you mean 'why', honey? Of course, I would save you-"

"You shouldn't have!" sigaw ni Lexi, patuloy parin ang pagagos ng mga luha sa kanyang mga mata. "Y-you... y-you should've let m-me die, at least I would be w-with t-them. I w-wanted to be with t-them. I don't wanna l-live without t-them-"

Niyakap ni Trixie ang tumatangis na si Lexi. "Please don't say that. Your parents are happy because you get to live." halata sa boses nito na pati siya ay umiiyak na din.

"Uhm..." boses iyon ni Ayara. Kumalas na pagkakayakap si Trixie, pinunasan ang kaniyang mga luha at hinarap ang anak.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Can I sleep with Lexi? I knew she was sad. We're friends, right? And friends never let each other down." nagaalalang sabi ni Ayara, and Lexi couldn't help herself but to cry more. All her life, her parent was her only friend and family. But these two accepted her, even though they barely knew each other.