#DaggerSeries #LiaxGun #DS2Unstrung

CHAPTER 1: EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE

LIA'S POV

I sighed in relief when the cold air of the tour bus touched my skin. The humidity outside is terrible. Hindi pa nakatulong ang dami ng tao na nakapaligid sa akin kanina pagkatapos ng concert. I love air conditioning. I don't care what they say, for me it's the best invention ever made.

Sumalampak ako ng upo sa mahabang sofa na naroon sa loob ng bus. I have a luxury entertainer coach. It has a kitchen, a small dining table, two couch at each side of the bus, a bath, six bunk beds, and one room that I use. It's bigger than our old one.

Maganda naman ang dati naming entertainer coach though it can get cramped, what with the people traveling with me on my music tours. Still, the old one was not cheap and I was just thinking of getting another one when I received our current coach as a gift.

Nagkaroon kasi kami ng music tour two months ago. We were expected to be in the grand stadium at an expected time. Iyon nga lang nahuli kami dahil nasiraan kami habang gamit ang lumang bus. We got delayed for about half an hour. Sa kalahating oras na iyon ay nag-iintay na pala ang mga panauhing pandangal namin. We thought we're just performing for rich families, but when we got there, there are bodyguards all over the place and one of their spokespersons went to us to berate us.

Turns out, we made the son of the president wait.

We told them what happened, carry on with the event, and despite the difficulties the concert was actually fun and the crowd was responsive too. The staff even said that the president's son looked like as if he enjoyed the show.

We learned that he really did when he sent us the luxury entertainer coach that we have now. And some other things.

"Water?"

Tinanguhan ko ang manager ko na si Maddison Alonso na kaagad lumapit sa fridge. Pagkaraan ay naglakad siya pabalik sa akin at inabot sa akin ang bote ng Lofoten water. She's been with me for three years now. Except for the my team I don't think I have any relationship that lasted that long.

Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa bote ng tubig dahil sa naisip. Because it made me remember that I once had a relationship that was more important than the rest. One that lasted longer than anyone... and one that I didn't know will reach its end.

"May nagpaabot ng regalo kanina."

Ginapangan ako ng lamig habang may kung anong kaba na bumundol sa dibdib ko. Hindi sa kung ano pa man kundi sa takot. Pero kung gaano kabilis na yumakap sa akin ang mga emosyon na iyon ay ganoon din naglaho ang mga iyon nang makita ko ang hawak ni Maddison.

Jeez. It's just flowers. "Kanino galing?"

Imbis na sagutin ako ng babae ay ibinigay niya sa akin ang bouquet. Nalukot ang ilong na pinagmasdan ko ang mga bulaklak. Mukhang mamahalin. Maganda ang pagkaka-assemble no'n at mukhang hindi rin mumurahin ang ginamit na materyales na nakabalot do'n.

I sighed when my eyes found a small card with a name written in elegant script. "Again? Hindi kaya maubos na ang mga bulaklak sa mundo kakapadala niya? I don't even like roses."

"Tell that to him. Alam mo naman ang karamihan sa mga lalaki. It's hard for them to absorb the thought of being rejected kaya akala nila nadadaan sa pagiging persistent lahat."

Pinaikot ko ang mga mata ko at ibinaba ko ang hawak bago ko muling inabot ang tubig ko at uminom. I don't have time for this. "He kept on emailing me."

"Sumagot ka ba?"

"The fact that I'm ignoring him should be enough answer for him don't you think?"

"Katulad nga ng sabi ko, iba silang specie kaya dapat iba rin ang approach. Lalo na anak siya ng presidente. Malamang sa hindi sanay iyon na nakukuha ang gusto niya." Umangat ang sulok ng labi ng babae. "Haba ng hair mo 'te ah."

"Hindi ako flattered."

"Of course you're not. You're Lia Asterio. The woman that can touch a lot of hearts but her heart herself is unreachable." Humalukipkip siya habang bahagyang naniningkit ang mga matang pinagmasdan ako. "But you're twenty-five-" Tumingin siya sa hawak na cellphone. "Tomorrow you'll be twenty-six, Lia. Shouldn't you have fun? Women your age are probably dating left and right."

"I don't date."

"You did before."

Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ng babae na para bang maging siya ay nagulat sa sariling tinuran. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin at sa halip ay sumandal ako sa kinauupuan at ipinako sa kisame ng bus ang mga mata ko.

I told her about him one night that I went out drinking with her. It was raining the whole day and it ruined the plans I set every year for that day. She asked about the tattoo on my foot that I got when I was nineteen. It's an X with small flowers wrapped around it as if it's growing around the letter.

I told her the story that I rarely tell anyone. Mga memorya na gusto ko ng ibaon sa limot dahil nasasaktan lang ako kapag naaalala ko. But on the day of my birthday, I let the memories come back. Just one day that I climb up that mountain again. Just one day that I can think of everything. Just one day that I can let myself miss what I had with him.

Just one day and then... I go back to pretending to the world that my life is perfect. That I am perfectly contented with what I have. I wish I could lie to my heart just as good as I am lying to the world.

"Everybody say heyo!"

Napatingin kami ni Maddison sa pintuan nang marinig namin ang malakas na boses. Napailing ako nang makita ko ang nasa thirties na lalaki na ngayon ay pulang-pula na ang mukha. He's my guitarist, Miguel. Akay-akay siya ng di hamak na mas maliit sa kaniya na pianist namin na si Elias.

"Sinong nagpainom diyan? Alam niyo namang makaamoy lang ng alak 'yan lasing na kaagad ang isang iyan," sabi ko kay Elias.

"Tanungin mo si Sam. Napag-utusan lang akong maging tripod nitong si Miggy boy."

"Say hey hey yo!" sigaw ng lalaking pinag-uusapan namin. Namumungay ang mga matang tumingin siya sa akin. "Lia, my man!"

"I'm not a man."

"Lia, my girl!"

"I'm not your girl."

"Lia, our queen!" Akmang kokontrahin ko siya ulit pero may kung anong ibinato siya na plastic na bote sa direksyon ko. "Masarap 'yan! Lasang sprite! Tinirhan kita kasi alam mo na, ikaw ang the best sa lahat!"

Salubong ang kilay na ibinaba ko sa isang tabi ang bote. Hindi ko na kailangan alamin ang laman no'n para matiyak na iyon ang dahilan kung bakit parang jellyfish si Miguel sa panlalambot.

"Itulog mo na lang 'yan." sabi ni Maddison.

"Maddy, my girl!"

"I'm not your girl."

Pinigilan kong mapangisi sa pagtataray ni Maddison. Three years ago she's the cutest and innocent newbie of the team. I guess spending time with a bunch of men toughen her up. Kasi kung hindi nga naman niya titibayan ang sarili niya baka noon pa siya nawalan ng trabaho. Mababait ang miyembro ng musical team ko pero hindi ibig sabihin no'n hindi sila sakit sa ulo.

"Bakit kasi pinainom ni Sam 'yan?" tanong ko nang kaladkarin na ni Elias ang lalaki papunta sa isa sa bunk beds.

"Oy paninirang puri iyan. Wala akong ginawang masama."

Mula sa pintuan ay sumilip ang tinutukoy ko. May bitbit siyang malaking sako at ipinasok niya iyon sa loob ng bus. Sam is the conductor, arranger, and musical director of the team.

"Regalo iyan nang isa sa fans mo. Galing pang leyte. Ayon, napagkamalang iced tea ni Miggy." Ibinaba niya ang puting sako sa paanan ko. "Speaking of gifts, inipon kanina iyan ni Art. Ipinabibigay sa'yo."

Art or Arthur is the bassist. "Kung may pagkain sa inyo na."

Inangat niya ang dalawang daliri at umakto na para bang sumasaludo bago sinundan ang dalawa nang naunang mga lalaki.

I looked at the sack. I always receive a lot of gifts during events like this. I am grateful for them kaya kahit hindi madali ay sinisiguro ko na magagawa kong kunan ng larawan lahat para i-post sa social media page ko at mapasalamatan sila. It's the least that I can do for their effort and support.

Minsan tinutulungan ako ni Maddy na gawin iyon. Pero gano'n pa man sinisiguro ko na ako ang gagawa ng mensahe na ipopost niya sa page. It's not like coming up with a message that probably will just take a couple of minutes would kill me no matter how busy I am.

Maddy and our team always tried to tell me that it's not my fault if I fail to notice some of my fans. Iisa lang din kasi ako kumpara sa kanila na sumusuporta sa akin. But I don't want them to feel ignored. Kaya dahil hindi posible na masagot ko lahat ng mga mensahe nila lalo na at araw-araw ay nadadagdagan ang mga iyon ay gumawa kami ng paraan para maiwasan na maramdaman ng mga tao na left out sila. I hired a team aside from Maddy that will handle my social media accounts. Unless it's a sensitive topic or an issue they have with me, they are allowed to answer the messages of my supporters. Even if it's just a simple thank you.

"I'll move this-" Akmang bubuhatin ng babae ang malaking lalagyan nang mabitawan niya iyon marahil sa bigat. The sack tipped sideways, some of the contents falling from it.

Isa-isang ipinasok ulit ni Maddison ang mga iyon sa sako pero natigilan siya nang maabot ang isang bagay.

It was like air was sucked out of the room when I saw what she's holding. A small black box. Something that's been haunting me for a while now.

"Lia..."

"O-Open it."

"Lia we really should talk to the police-"

"We already did." I whispered. My insides turning into ice as I looked at the box. "Open it."

Kita ang panginginig sa mga kamay niya nang dahan-dahan niyang buksan ang kahon. Fear spread its web as it tries to strangle me with its poison when the familiar tune echoed around us. It's a slower version of the original song. It almost sounds solemn... as if trying to mask the hidden message of what appears as an innocent promise.

Noon pa man ay alam ko na ang kanta. I heard the song countless of times. But now with this box that carried only the tune, the lyrics don't need to be said for me to hear the words. Dahil sa loob ng matagal na panahon ay patuloy akong sinusundan no'n. For awhile now... it's been injecting my world with fear.

Every breath you take...

I'll be watching you. 

__________________End of Chapter 1.