I went with the Sanfords to the airport. Hindi lang ako ang sumama sa paghatid sa kanila. Loki and Eresh were there as well as Apollo and Daphne.

They were going away for Gray's medication. Hunter found a psychiatrist. They were hoping that he could help Gray get better. Kaya pansamantala, doon muna ang buong pamilya hanggang sa maging mabuti na ang kalagayan ni Gray.

River cooed while I held him in my arms. I looked at the baby who was busy with my face, particularly on my stubbles. Kanina pa dinadama ng bata ang mukha ko gamit ang maliliit n'yang mga kamay. He was giggling, probably got ticklish with my stubbles pero hindi pa rin naman nilulubayan ang mukha ko.

I smiled at the baby. Hindi ko napigilan na halikan ang pisngi ng bata na mas lumakas ang tawa dahil mas nakiliti yata. Hunter, Artemis, and Gray looked at me with a smile on their face as they watched River giggling nonstop. Kahit si Silver ay nahawa yata sa pagtawa ng kambal at nakitawa na rin.

"Hey," tawag pansin ni Apollo sa kakambal n'ya. "Call me. Tawagan mo 'ko madalas."

Artemis scrunched her nose as she frowned.

"So bossy..." she said. Umirap pa na nagpasimangot na rin kay Apollo.

"Gusto ko lang makasiguro kung maayos kayo ro'n! May mga anak ka na pero nami-misinterpret mo pa rin ako."

"Don't worry, Apollo. I'll take care of them," sabi na ni Hunter nang sasagot pa sana si Artemis. Mukhang nakahalatang mag-aaway pa ang dalawa kung hindi s'ya sisingit.

"Just make sure of that, Hunter."

Natawa si Gray dahil sa seryosong mukha ni Apollo. Lumapit s'ya at umakbay.

"Just chill, Gallagher... You know how reliable my brother is," may pagmamalaki sa mukha ni Gray nang sabihin iyon.

"Mag-ingat kayo ro'n," Daphne said as she hugged Artemis.

"Gray..."Eresh called him. "Focus on your medication, okay?"

He smiled. And I could see it wasn't only me who missed that carefree grin of his.

"Yes, my Queen," he said playfully which made Eresh roll her eyes.

We all know that it was just him being Gray. It was him making fun of the past pero lahat kami ay napatingin kay Loki. Kahit si Gray. Nakitaan ko pa nga ng takot at pag-aalala ang mukha n'ya.

"Sorry, Kuya..." Gray mumbled. Yumuko pa na parang isang batang nakagawa talaga ng kasalanan.

Loki just chuckled. Tinapik n'ya sa balikat si Gray.

"Don't hesitate to call us if you need anything."

"Yeah..." I seconded. I looked at Hunter. "Like what you've told me, we're here, man."

Mahinang tumawa si Hunter bago kinuha na rin sa 'kin si River. Ilang mga bilin pa bago sila naglakad papunta sa private plane.

"Kuya Lucius." Nagpahuli si Gray. "Can I ask for a favor?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Okay lang bang pakibantayan si Rey? Pati pamilya n'ya. Just make sure they're okay."

I couldn't help the sad smile on my lips. Nakitaan ko ng panghihinayang at lungkot ang mga mata ni Gray. I heard what happened but I guess he really loved the woman and even though they weren't together anymore, he wanted to make sure of her safety.

If only... If only Angela and I were like this. Tatanggapin ko kung magkalayo man kami as long as I know that she was alive and safe out there.

But it wasn't. It was just one my 'if onlys' again...

"Sure. Ako nang bahala."

He smiled.

"Thanks, Kuya Lucius."

The plane took off and we all left the airport. I drove my motorcycle back to my place. I was silently praying and hoping as I drove away, hoping that this time, everything would go well with the Sanford brothers.

They already suffered enough. They deserve to be happy and live their life fully. I hope they can all get through with the aftermath of the game. Kasi kahit tapos na ang laro, hindi pa rin naman talaga kami totoong nakakalaya.

I hope my friends can finally live free. I wish to see all of them living happily and finally free of suffering.

I parked my big bike on my spot in the parking lot. I took off my helmet and walked inside the building. I used the elevator and pressed the floor of my unit. Nang makarating doon ang elevator ay lumabas na ako para maglakad papunta sa unit ko pero napatigil din agad ako nang makitang may taong nakatayo sa tapat ng pinto roon.

I exhaled harshly which caught her attention. Ishtar looked at me and stood straight. Naglakad ako palapit sa kanya pero tumigil din ilang mga hakbang pa. I didn't want to be near her, let alone see her.

"Ano na naman ba?" I asked, making sure that she could hear in my tone that I dislike her presence.

"Won't you invite me inside first?" she asked. May alanganing ngiti sa mga labi n'ya.

Inis akong napabuntong-hininga.

"Ishtar, I don't even want to see you and you're expecting me to invite you inside my place?"

"Gusto lang talaga kitang makausap, Lucius," she said almost desperately. "Kahit sandali lang. Just let me talk to you."

"Just go."

I chose to ignore her and walked to my unit. I fished the key in my pocket and almost laughed when I realized that Ishtar could've picked this lock as she did in Angela's mausoleum. I guess she still has respect for me as she waited outside instead of just forcing her way in, huh?

This time, I let out a short chuckle. Yeah... Sa akin nga siguro ay may respeto pa s'ya. But she never respected Angela. She never did.

"You're unfair, Lucius!" she said even before I could open the door to my unit. "You're so unfair, don't you know that?"

I looked at her. Deadpan. Wala rin naman akong makapang emosyon sa dibdib ko. All the care I had for her before has long gone now.

"I am the one who's always been by your side since we were little!" She looked as if she was on the verge of crying. "Ako 'yung palaging nasa tabi mo. I have already loved you so much even if we were just kids. We were happy! We have always been together!"

I was just looking at her. Mukhang hindi na s'ya nakatiis. She didn't even care if the people in the unit beside mine could hear her outburst.

"Then all of a sudden, that woman came and I was ignored! Nabalewala ako nang makilala mo si Angela!"

I frowned.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I am your Queen and you are my King! You were supposed to protect me! You were supposed to be with me! You were supposed to choose me!" She sobbed. "Ako dapat 'yung minahal mo."

"Naririnig mo ba ang sinasabi mo, Ishtar?" hindi makapaniwala kong tanong. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing from her.

Pero mukhang kahit ako ay hindi n'ya naririnig dahil nagpatuloy lang s'ya.

"I am the Queen, right? Pero bakit bigla akong naisantabi? Sandali mo lang namang nakasama 'yung babaeng 'yon, kailan mo lang s'ya nakilala yet you fell in love with her already! Samantalang ako 'yung laging nasa tabi mo at matagal nang nagmamahal sa 'yo!"

I didn't know what to say so I just looked at her. There was so much pain in her eyes as if I betrayed her.

"It was so unfair." She sobbed. "Ako 'yung habangbuhay na nagmamahal sa 'yo pero ako pa 'yung naging masama."

I couldn't find the words to say. Pinanood ko lang s'yang nakatingin lang din sa 'kin. Hindi nawawala ang sakit na nakikita ko sa mga mata n'ya. And the more I look at her, the more my chest tightened.

"Unbelievable..." I mumbled after a while.

Ishtar looked at me. There was hope in her eyes as she nodded.

"Yes, it is! It is so unbelievable how you suddenly fell for that woman when I'm the one—"

"It's unbelievable how selfish you are."

It was no use. Every time I see Ishtar, anger and pain always consume me. Kaya nga pilit ko s'yang nilalayuan at baka makagawa ako ng kasalanan. That's why I didn't want to look or talk with her.

But I guess Ishtar really likes to see me suffering. Sa bawat pagkakataong kakausapin n'ya ako, sa bawat pagkakataong sinasabi n'ya ang mga dahilan n'ya kung bakit n'ya nagawa ang bagay na 'yon ay mas lalo lang lumalala ang galit ko sa kanya. Mas lalo lang kasing hindi ko 'yon maiintindihan.

"It's unbelievable how someone innocent died because of those reasons. It's unbelievable how she's gone now because of your selfishness."

Natigilan si Ishtar. The hope I just saw in her eyes earlier vanished. Tears pooled in her eyes.

"You're not getting my point, Lucius..."

"What point? Na makasarili ka? Na gusto mo na sa 'yo lahat ng atensyon? Na gusto mo lahat nakukuha mo? And when you couldn't get something, you will get rid of anything or anyone in your way?"

Her tears fell down pero wala man lang akong maramdamang kahit ano. Before, I would do everything to make her stop crying. I would do everything to cheer her up and protect her.

Pero hindi na ngayon. I regret everything I did for her before.

"That's your point, Ishtar. Iyon ang nakikita kong punto mo. You're a greedy, selfish, and narcissistic person."

She cried. Kitang-kita ko ang sakit sa luhaan n'yang mga mata dahil sa sinabi ko.

"I thought you said you're regretting what you did," I said. "Pero mukhang hindi mo alam kung paano talaga magsisi sa kasalanan mo."

"I already said I'm sorry!"

"Mababalik ba ng sorry mo ang buhat ni Angela?" I asked. "And you want me to accept your apology because you said sorry?"

Walang laman ang naging tawa ko. She flinched when she saw the way I looked at her.

"You're like this and yet you wonder why I can't love you?"

I glared at her as I gritted my teeth. Kanina ko pa sinusubukang pigilang humulagpos ang galit ko. Walang pipigil sa 'kin ngayong kung sakali mang may magawa akong pagsisisihan ko pagkatapos.

"Cut me some slack, will you? Don't ever show your face in front of me again."

Thinking she might force her way in once I'm inside my unit, I decided to just go somewhere again. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako pupunta. Anywhere. Basta malayo sa lugar na 'to. Malayo kay Ishtar.

I rode my bike again. Nagmaneho lang ako kahit wala talaga akong maisip na lugar na pupuntahan. I just wanted to cool my head off. Ayoko na munang bumalik sa unit ko.

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa manibela at mas binilisan pa ang pagpapatakbo ng motor.

Fuck it. I never wanted to be that kind of person who was full of anger. I wanted to be that calm person my friends know me of. Pero ang hirap. Ang hirap maging kalmado sa tuwing nakikita ko si Ishtar.

I already lost myself. That Lucius was long gone.

I just parked my big bike on the side of the road when I realized I was having a hard time calming myself. I took off my helmet. Nanginginig ang mga kamay at kalamnan ko sa galit.

I took several deep breaths trying to empty my mind. Pero bumabalik na naman ako sa araw na 'yon. That day I wished I had just gone home sooner. Hindi sana mangyayari 'yon.

A bitter chuckle escaped from me. I never had been late again ever since that day. Pero wala na rin namang magagawa kahit pa maaga na ako sa lahat ng nagiging usapan. It wouldn't bring Angela back.

I looked up when I sensed a presence. Dumeretso ang tingin ko sa taong nakatayo ilang hakbang ang layo sa 'kin.

At first, it looked like she was trying to see my face fully. But when I looked up and she could see my face clearly, her eyes widened.

I heard a small gasp from her. She pointed at me as if she couldn't believe I was there.

"Ikaw 'yon!" hindi makapaniwala n'yang sabi. "Ikaw 'yung lalaking nagbayad ng isang libo nu'ng wala akong pamasahe sa bus!"