#DS3Unscripted #BelayaxPierce #LKCouple #DaggerSeries

CHAPTER 37: BEGINNING

BELAYA'S POV

Anyone can cut the tension in the air with a knife. Pierce and I are on the settee facing each other. Walang kahit na sino sa amin ang nagsasalita. Hindi ko rin magawang lumingon sa mga magulang ko na ngayon ay nakaupo sa sofa at mabibigat ang tingin na binibigay sa amin.

Pierce's siblings are nearby but they're giving us privacy. Ang ilan sa kanila ay nasa kusina habang ang ilan naman ay nakatambay sa may dining kasama si Arctic na pilit nilang inaaliw.

Bakit pakiramdam ko may nagawa akong kasalanan kahit wala naman? It's not like tinago ko sa mga magulang ko ang tungkol kay Pierce. For sure alam nila ang mga kalokohan na ginawa ko dahil wala namang kayang itago sa kanila ang mga kapatid ko.

Huminga ako ng malalim at nag-angat ako ng tingin sa diresyon ng mga magulang ko. "Mom-"

"I heard Cedric Evans was taken care of."

Hindi para sa akin ang tanong ng nanay ko kundi kay Pierce. When he felt that the question is directed to him, he met my mother's eyes before speaking. "Yes, Ma'am."

"I also heard that you didn't let Belaya be in the car with Cedric during the set up."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"But you let my other daughter be in it."

Bumuka ang bibig ko para umangal pero mabilis na nakapagsalita si Pierce. "We didn't approve of using Belaya because she wasn't trained for it. We were well aware of Miss Vodka Lawrence's capabilities in the field so we chose to accept the help she's willing to give us."

Hindi na nagsalita pa ang ina ko at sa halip ay nanatiling nakatingin siya kay Pierce na magalang na nagbaba ng tingin. I never seen him be this courteous.

I raised my eyebrow at him but he just gave me a warning look. Mukhang may kaya palang makatibag sa kasupladuhan ng Lion ko. Kung sabagay. Even lions have something to be afraid of even if they're the king of the jungle.

"We know about Belaya's shenanigans. Hindi lang sa ginawa niyang pagpapanggap noong unang lumapit siya sa ahensiya niyo. She also bribed your sister-in-law, Adelia Asterio-"

"Dawson, Ma'am."

Lahat kami napatingin kay Gun na nakikipaglaro kay Arctic pero mukhang may superhuman hearing pagdating sa asawa niya. May superhuman strength din siguro siya dahil sa kabila ng tensyon sa paligid ay nagawa niyang sumingit sa usapan para itama ang nanay ko.

My mom nodded as if recognizing Gun's braveness. "Very well." She turned to Pierce and continued. "She bribed Adelia Dawson so she can go to the wedding reception. She also asked her brother to investigate you so your path will always cross."

Napasinghap ako dahil hindi ko pa nasasabi ang bagay na iyon kay Pierce. Nanlalaki ang mga mata na tumingin ako sa lalaki pero imbes na pagkainis ang makita ko sa kaniya ay para bang wala lang sa kaniya ang sinabi ng nanay ko.

Umangat ang isang kilay ni Mommy. "You don't look surprised."

"I realized it when we found out that she was faking when she first came to Dagger."

"Pero tinanggap niyo pa rin siya nang malaman niyong totoo na palang may stalker siya?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

He didn't gave her an explanation. He just ended the question as if the answer is not something to be argued with. Sinandal ni Mommy ang siko niya sa sofa at matamang tinignan ang lalaki.

"Belaya's the most hardheaded one among her siblings-"

"Mom! Bakit ako? Si Kuya Ram kaya!"

She continued as if I didn't speak. "When she was four she demanded to have a boyfriend. That's when I know that my husband and I will live our lives having headaches because of her. She always entertained the boys na may crush sa kaniya. She enjoy receiving flowers and chocolates and making all those boys follow her around and fight because of her but she never went beyond that. She's after one thing and that is to have the perfect love story. For awhile the headaches stopped when she found..."

Natigilan si Mommy at napatingin sa akin dahilan para mapabuntong-hininga ako. I looked at Pierce to meet his eyes. "When I met Jackson." I turned to my mother. "He knows."

Something crossed her eyes that is close to relief. "After what happened to Jackson she made us worry. But then she was back in the game again. Half of the time I'm worried about her while the other half was spent on stopping my husband kill any of the assholes that she dated." Humalukipkip si Mommy. "There's a revengeful streak in her and she always try to get even with those men. I know about the scenes that she caused, the women that suffered on her and her best friend's hands, and the cars that she ruined."

"Mom," lukot ang mukha na angal ko. "Bakit pakiramdam ko sinisiraan mo ko?"

"Pinapaalam ko lang sa kaniya kung anong pinapasok niya."

"Ma'am excuse me for saying this but it's not needed." He was staring directly at my mother. "I know the mayhem she can cause. Those men deserved it. I have no plans to tame her chaos. I love her the way she is."

Pakiramdam ko ay nalusaw ang buong pagkatao ko sa sinabi niya. Hulog na nga ako lalo pa akong nahuhulog sa kaniya.

"I also know about the cars. I witnessed it one time and I joined her the second time." Pierce looked at my hands and a smile curved his lips. "She has claws but there's always a reason why she use them. She won't use them on me because I won't give her a reason to."

Pakiramdam ko nag-init ang magkabila ko na pisngi dahil ibang senaryo ang pumasok sa isip ko. The only reason that he'll be marked with my nails. When I'm underneath him and.... Get a grip Belaya! Your parents are here!

"Our decision may have been disrespectful to you as parents but it was never my intention."

"We know," my mother said. "Ang sabi ni Vodka at Cross ay halos araw-araw ka raw tumatawag sa kanila mula nang madakip si Evans. You've been asking them about my husband and I at kung kailan kami uuwi. Tinanong mo rin sa kanila kung may posibilidad ba na makapunta ka sa kung saang bansa man na nandoon kami."

Gulat na napatingin ako kay Pierce. Hindi ko alam ang bagay na iyon.

"So why? Do you want to ask permission for you two to live together? I think you already came up with a decision, didn't you?"

Pierce look at me with his eyes that are shining only for me. He said I was the brightest star but what he don't know is that he's more than that to me. He's a cosmic miracle... he's a constellation that fate drew for me. He was made for me.

"I want to keep her."

Natigilan ang ina ko habang ang ama ko naman ay humaba ang nguso.

"I want her fiery spirit, the glint in her eyes when she's being mischievous, I want her laugh and her smile, I want to see her passion for the things she love, her brightness whenever she's happy, her stubbornness, her strength, and I want the way she love." He was still smiling when he turned to my parents. "I don't want to waste anymore second without her."

Sa pagkakataon na ito ay ang ama ko ang siyang nagsalita. "So you're not asking for permission?"

"I want to give you my promise that there's no way that I would let go of her. I want to give you my promise that I will take care of her every moment of her life. I will marry her and put a ring on her finger where it will stay until we're old and gray. I want to give you my promise but what I won't do is ask for permission."

Pakiramdam ko kahit ang tibok ng puso ng mga tao sa paligid namin ay tumigil dahil sa biglang pagbalot ng katahimikan sa paligid.

"You... you won't ask for permission?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Daddy.

"If you don't want me for her, Sir, then I'm just going to prove to you that I deserve to be with her. But I can't let her go. I will not let her go. I will selfishly keep her with me but I will never stop trying to make you see that I could make her happy. I'll win you over even if that's the last battle I'll have in this life. I'll do it for her."

"Ataw niyo po sa Daddy to?"

Hindi na nagawang pigilan ni Gun si Arctic nang lahat kami ay mapatingin sa bata na nakatayo na malapit sa amin.

"Strong po ang Daddy to Tita Star will always be safe. Detewtiv po si Daddy taya di matatalapit ang bad guys kay Tita Star. Mabait din po si Daddy di niya aawayin si Tita. Chiss din po ni Daddy tapag may ouchie siya. Sata po mayaman tami. Mabibilan po ni Daddy ng maraming ice cweam si Tita Star." Tumingin sa akin ang bata. "May friend po ato sa scwool dalawa na po ang Mommy niya. Tasi umalis ang Mommy niya tapos po sad Daddy niya. Lagi daw po maluntot tasi mag-isa lang po siya dati. Ayaw to po sad si Daddy. Pagtatama niya po itaw lagi siya smile. Otay lang po ato maging Mommy din itaw."

Kaagad nangilid ang luha sa mga mata ko. Hindi ko mapaliwanag pero pakiramdam ko inilagay ang mundo sa kamay ko. Like it's a gift that was made specially for me.

"Lesson po namin yesterday is about love. Sabi po ni teacher love daw po tapag happy itaw when you see a person. Love din daw pa when you always smile sa taniya. When you do things together that's love din po. When you protect each other love din po. A chiss is love and hug as well."

"T-That's right, Arc," I said with a wobbly voice.

"Lagi itaw po happy when you see me and you always smile at me. You eat ice cweam with me and you gave me gifts po. Pinagtanggol mo din po ato tay James. When Daddy was away and I had a nightmare you gave me a chiss and you hug me until I fell asleep. That means you love me Tita Star right?"

Pinunasan ko ang pisngi ko nang sa pagkagulat ko ay naglandaas doon ang luha ko. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Arctic at lumapit siya sa akin para punasan iyon.

"You don't love me Tita?"

"I do. I love you a lot," I whispered to him.

Lumiwanag ang mukha niya. "Love to din po itaw. Tasi di to po alam tung love ato ni Mommy. Otay lang po basta love niyo to ni Daddy."

He's breaking my heart at the same time he's making me fall in love more with him. Kita ko ang pag-igting ng panga ni Pierce pero muli kong ibinalik ang mga mata ko sa bata. "Your Mommy loves you too, Arctic. I'm sure of that. She just doesn't know how to show you yet."

"How do you know po?"

"Because it's not hard to love you."

Charlotte will always be his mother. I can't change that. I grew up in a family where I was loved but I also know not all family is the same. But Charlotte is still a mother. Ginagamit niya ang anak niya, oo. But her desperation is not just about money. It's about creating a perfect family that she wanted.

It's not a justification of the things she did but still I don't think she hates her son. What she hate is her failure.

"Ang unfair!" Napatingin ako kay daddy na siyang nagsalita. Nakangusong tinuro niya kami. "Masyadong malakas ang kakampi. Anong laban natin sa cute na 'yan?"

"Triton," my mom said with a warning in her tone.

"Balak ko pa ngang magpakipot. Ang mga magulang nga natin ang dami pang arte. Pinahirapan pa tayo para lang ma-realize natin na wala na tayong balak pakawalan ang isa't isa. They're ruining the plan! Gusto ko rin magamit ang acting skills ko."

"Ikaw lang ang may plano ako wala."

My dad made his own version of a tantrum. Parang wala lang iyon kay mommy na sanay na sanay na sa mga trip ng ama ko.

Tinuro ako ni Daddy. "Ang usapan hihintayin mo munang makapag-asawa ang ate mo."

"Dad, ang usapan kapag nagkaro'n ng boyfriend si Ate saka lang ako mag-bo-boyfriend. And mom said we'll talk when I'm eighteen. Saka hello? Di ba po muntik na akong ikasal dati?" Natigilan siya dahil parang normal na lang sa akin ang isang bagay na hindi ko magawang pag-usapan dati. I decided to ignore that and I looked at Pierce. "Don't worry he also gave Jackson grief before."

Pierce's eyes twinkled but he just nodded.

"Dawn, Angel! Ang bata ko pa para magkaro'n ng apo!" palahaw ni Daddy. Iminuwestra niya ang katawan niya. "Hindi bagay sa akin."

"Malaki ang pool ng bahay na 'to. Don't force me to make you clean it."

Iyon ang laging parusa ni Mommy sa aming magkakapatid. Iyon din ang ginagawa niya sa mga subordinate niya dati. Minsan pinagbubungkal niya pa ng lupa at pinagtatanim ng mga puno. As the former head, a title that she share with my father, of the highest rank organization in the country ay walang nakakatanggi sa mga trip niya.

"Pero di na po itaw bata." Tinuro ni Arctic ang sarili niya. "Ato po bata pa. Itaw po old na."

Malakas na napasinghap si Daddy habang si Pierce naman ay nanlaki ang mga mata. Mom just stared at Arc while I'm trying to stop myself from laughing.

"Hindi pa ako matanda!" sinapo ni Daddy ang dibdib niya. "Parang aatakihin ata ako dahil sa batang bulol na 'to."

"May ouchie ta po? Gusto mo po chiss? Pwede din pong hug tasi pwede din po iyon sa ouchie."

Bago pa makapagsalita si Daddy ay lumapit si Arctic sa ama ko na natigilan nang bigla na lang yumakap ang bata sa kaniya. Parang bolang nawalan ng hangin si Daddy pero kay Arctic napako ang mga mata ko. There's a tiny mischievous smile on his lips that is familiar to me because I've seen it on his father and his uncles. Napatingin ako kay Pierce at alam kong iisa ang nasa isip namin.

Arctic is a Dawson. Nanalaytay sa kaniya ang dugo na meron si Pierce at ng mga kapatid niya. Bukod pa ro'n ay laging nakapaligid sa kaniya ang mga Tito niya na karamihan ay puro kalokohan ang trip.

Napangisi ako. Arctic is playing my father and I'm living for it.

Bahagyang naningkit ang mga mata ng nanay ko na alam kong nababasa ang nasa isip ko. Alam ko rin na nakikita niya kung ano ang ginagawa ng anak ni Pierce.

"Ayaw mo po sa Daddy to?" tanong ni Arctic.

"Hindi naman sa gano'n. But you see your Tita Star is my baby daughter. As a father it's not that easy to let go of her. She'll be fifty and she will still be my baby."

My heart warmed at that. There's no better father that I could ever ask for. He's the father that will braid my hair if I ask him to, he never complained when I wanted to play tea party, he even acted as a fairy godmother when I wanted to be Cinderella and he became a merman when I wanted to be Little mermaid. He always make the best pancake and I always look forward to his bedtime stories. He's a man that could probably neutralize multiple men coming to attack him but to me he's just my daddy.

"Tahit po fifty na si Tita Star pogi pa rin po itaw. Pag po naging mommy to si Tita Star itaw po magiging idol to para lagi rin po atong pogi."

Nagliwanag ang mukha ni Daddy at niyakap niya si Arctic bago masayang-masaya na nag-thumbs up. "Okay na ko. Kailan ba ang kasal?"

"Pwedeng bukas na kung kayang gawin ng wedding organizer ang pangarap kong kasal sa isang araw, Dad."

Napangiwi siya at tumingin siya kay Pierce. "Good luck. Bata pa lang 'yan pinangako niya na sa sarili niya na siya ang magiging Princess Diana ng Pilipinas. Don't worry. I started saving for her wedding since she was four."

"It's okay, Sir."

"You have a son. Hindi ka pwedeng ma-bankrupt dahil sa anak ko na duda akong may balak magtipid. Let us help."

Alam kong nakikita ni Pierce na hindi papayag ang ama ko na hindi tumulong para sa kasal kaya tumango na lang siya bilang sagot. Saka kasal agad? Wala pa ngang proposal.

"Hindi naman gano'n kagastos ang gusto kong kasal," nakasimangot na sabi ko. "Hindi naman kailangan lahat ng gusto ko masunod."

"Kitten."

Namula ang mukha ko nang makita kong mapataas ang kilay ni Mommy sa tawag sa akin ni Pierce. "W-What?"

"Don't worry about it."

The way he said it I know he's telling me to do whatever I want. I know for some it's impractical but I set my mind to my dream wedding since I was a young girl.

But for some reason... while looking at him I know that it wouldn't matter. Nothing else matter but to have my forever with him. But I also know that he's the kind of person that will always give me what I wish to have.

"Belaya."

Pilit na inalis ko kay Pierce ang atensyon ko at tumingin ako kay mommy na siyang nagsalita. "Yes, Mom?"

For awhile she didn't say anything. She just stared at me with her strikingly beautiful eyes that carries so much knowledge beyond what I can understand. Eyes of a mother that held so much strength and yet it broke that one moment that she saw my own breaking. Now I can see them all healed while she looks at me because I know she can see that I am too.

"I always knew."

"What is it Mom?"

"That we never need to teach you what our parents taught us. Hindi na namin kailangang ituro sa'yo kung paanong hindi bitawan ang taong mahal mo. You always knew that. But you're stubborn and hardheaded. I blame your father for that."

"Sakit mo namang magsalita, Angel," nakangusong sabi ni Daddy. "Para ka ng others. Akala mo naman hindi ka na in love sa charming qualities ko-"

"But I guess it's alright since you found someone that won't change you for who you are because you're special that way. Matigas ang ulo mo pero iyon ay dahil alam mo ang gusto mo. Pinaninindigan mo lahat ng desisyon mo. You'll rather carry all the burden than let those that you love suffer because of you and your pain. You hurt but then you shrug it of and then the next moment you're smiling again." Kumurba ang ngiti sa mga labi niya na alam kong bihirang tao lang ang nakakakita. She's so much like Pierce. "I think you found a person that will see the bullshit behind those pretense. Someone that you will allow to carry the burdens with you... fight for you, and someone you trusted with all your heart because you know they will do the same. Just like your father did with me."

Lumambot ang ekpresyon ni Daddy at nakangiting pinagmasdan niya si Mommy. There's love in his eyes na lagi kong nakikita sa kaniya kapag nakatingin siya sa ina ko.

When he speak, I know every drop of it was lace with truth. "Because when you find that person you'll know... life will begin with her."

I looked away from them only to see that Pierce's eyes are already on me. I know we're thinking of the same thing; that we both agree.

Life began when we found each other.