ANASTACIA

FIFTEEN MINUTES after their heart-to-heart talk, Zack went down with Desmond and met us in the living room. Tapos na ang one-on-one sessions niya sa 'min. Nasabi na niya malamang ang mga huling habilin niya. Wait, that sounded so wrong. Better siguro kung "pabaon" para 'di pangit pakinggan. He's not dying. He's just going somewhere.

Zack put his hands together once and rubbed his palms together. "It's time for the farewell toast! May inihanda akong vintage wine para sa occasion na 'to. I hope everyone's okay with a little bit of drinking tonight."

"Wow! Talaga, Sir?"

"I'm in as long as I don't get too drunk to drive."

"I don't drink, but tonight will be an exemption."

"Kung ano ang trip n'yo, sasakyan ko."

"Literal na parting shot 'to." Pumunta siya sa kitchen, binuksan ang cabinet at bumalik sa sala na may dala-dalang wine bottle. Itinaas niya 'yon para ipakita sa 'min. "Do you all drink wine? Oh, first time? Don't worry, this is better than alcohol."

I had already tried wine, but only during special occasions like Christmas or New Year's eve. Tonight, I would make an exemption. Hindi ko palalampasin ang pagkakataon na 'to. This could be the last time we would make a toast . . . until we'd see each other again in the future.

"Let's have a toast in the balcony?" Zack jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the stairs. "Wine is best partnered with an exquisite view outside. Hindi gano'n ka-memorable ang scenery na tanaw mula sa balcony, pero pagtiyagaan na natin. Masarap naman ang sariwang simoy ng hangin do'n. Shall we?"

Sabay-sabay kaming tumayo at akmang pupunta na sa hagdanan. Magkahalong excitement at lungkot ang naramdaman ko. This toast meant that we're getting close to saying goodbye to him.

"Cole? Des?" Zack called the boys. "Can you help me with the glasses and the ice?"

"Sure, Sir! No problem."

Sinabayan ng dalawa si Zack sa kitchen habang kami ni Beatrice ay umakyat na sa hagdanan. From up here, we still heard the boys talking and walking around downstairs.

"Cole, pwede mo bang kunin 'yong wineglasses sa cabinet?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Inilalabas ko lang ang mga 'yan kapag may special occasion. This might be the last time I'm going to use them anyway."

"'Yong nasa taas ba o 'yong nasa baba?"

"'Yong nasa baba. Mag-ingat ka sa paghawak, ha? Mamahalin ang mga 'yan. Ipababayad ko sa 'yo kapag may nabasag."

"Sir naman!"

"Joke lang! O, Des, pakisuyo 'yong ice cubes sa chiller. Some wines are best enjoyed with ice."

"Sige, Sir."

I left the door to the balcony open so the boys would not have a hard time pushing it outward. Umupo na agad si Beatrice habang lumapit ako sa balustrade, humawak sa rail nito at lumanghap ng sariwang hangin. How refreshing!

Then I felt shivers down my spine. Parang may nakamasid sa 'kin. Inilibot ko ang aking mga mata sa paligid. Wala namang ibang tao na nakatingin sa direksyon ko. When I turned around, do'n ko napansin na nakatutok sa 'kin ang tingin ni Beatrice. She quickly looked away when our eyes briefly met, pero ramdam kong may meaning ang pagtitig niya. May gusto 'yong ipahiwatig na 'di ko alam kung ano.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!"

My head turned to the balcony door as I heard Zack's voice followed by fast footfalls. Cole and Desmond walked carefully behind him. Wine bottle ang hawak ni Zack, tray of wineglasses na may yelo na ang kay Cole, habang bucket of ice ang kay Desmond.

I took my seat near the balustrade as Cole carefully placed the tray of wineglasses on the table. Desmond placed the ice bucket on the tableside. Umupo na si Cole sa tabi ko habang sa pagitan namin ni Beatrice pumuwesto si Desmond. Nakapuwesto nang paikot ang mga upuan sa mesa. Only one chair was vacant, the one between Cole and Beatrice.

Uupo na sana si Zack nang mapakapa siya sa kanyang bulsa. He placed the wine bottle on the table as his hands touched the sides and back of his pants.

"Teka, saan ko ba nailagay ang phone ko?" tanong niya, patuloy sa pagkapa. "I thought of taking a groupie as a remembrance tonight."

"Naiwan n'yo sa dining table, Sir. Sa kaliwa ng fruit basket, malapit sa side ng fridge," sagot ni Desmond. "Inilagay n'yo ro'n bago n'yo kinuha ang wine bottle mula sa cabinet."

"Thank you, Des! Maaasahan ko talaga ang sharp memory mo. Kailangan ko na yatang uminom ng memory enhancing supplements. Wala muna kayong gagalawin, okay? Wait for me."

Zack excused himself to go downstairs. Nanahimik kaming apat sa balcony. We had nothing in common except being friends with Zack and being schoolmates, kaya we had nothing to talk about. We waited for about five minutes until we heard his footfalls getting closer and louder.

"Sorry for making you wait," he said, holding up his phone. Lumapit na siya sa mesa at umupo sa vacant seat. He held the wine bottle on one hand and a bottle corker on the other. He was about to open the bottle when Cole got his attention.

"Sir, let me do the honors."

"You sure?"

Cole nodded, standing.

As Zack handed the bottle over to Cole, he started giving each of us a wineglass with ice already in it. Maingat na hinila ni Cole ang corker. Unti-unting lumabas mula sa bibig ng bote ang cork hanggang sa—

Pop!

Tumalsik ang cork at bumuhos mula sa bottle ang wine foam sa mesa. Natalsikan pa nga ang mga sapatos ko. We dragged our chairs backwards para 'di na kami matamaan.

"Sorry! Sorry!" paulit-ulit na sabi ni Cole. "Hindi ko natantiya ang pag-pop ng wine bottle."

The table was in a mess! Mabuti't agad kong natanggal ang phone kong nakapatong do'n. Kung 'di, baka nabasa na at lumagkit na ang screen.

"Kukuha ako ng basahan para punasan 'yan." Bababa na sana si Cole. "Sir, saan nakalagay—"

Pero pinigilan siya ni Zack gamit ang kamay nito. "Lumipat na lang tayo sa sala para hindi na natin problemahin. Medyo sticky na niyan ang mesa dahil sa natapon na wine."

"Pero Sir—"

"Remember that you are my guests tonight. Your convenience is my priority. Let me clean the mess after the party, okay? Paki-transfer na lang ang lahat ng dala natin sa living room. Mag-ingat kayo sa pagbaba."

Nauna na kami ni Beatrice na tumayo at bumaba sa sala. We followed the seating arrangement we had in the balcony. Sumunod si Cole na ibinalik sa tray ang mga wineglass at dinala ulit ang mga 'yon pagbaba, habang si Desmond ay bitbit pa rin ang bucket of ice. Pumunta agad sa kitchen si Cole para maghugas ng kamay habang inalis na ni Desmond ang mga wineglass sa tray at i-d-in-istribute sa amin. He then took the tray to the kitchen.

Hinintay muna ni Zack na makabalik si Cole sa tabi naming dalawa bago tumayo habang hawak ang wine bottle. Sana'y wala nang mishaps. Ayaw kong masira ang moment na 'to para sa kanya.

"As your host, let me pour you wine," Zack said before turning to the person seated to his right. "Bea, my glass, if you may?"

Beatrice obliged. Maingat niyang hinawakan at bahagya niyang iniangat ang wineglass ni Zack habang nilalagyan 'yon ng wine. Our host went about it in a counter-clockwise manner. Inuna na niya ang kanyang glass, sunod kina Beatrice at Desmond, pagkatapos ay sa 'kin. Pinakahuli niyang nilagyan ang kay Cole.

"Wala naman sigurong lason ang wine na 'to?" pabirong tanong ni Cole nang halos mapuno ang wineglass niya. I nudged him on the arm. Hindi magandang joke 'yon.

"Let's find out?" Zack jested as he placed the wine bottle on the table. He took his phone out and signaled us to strike a pose. "For now, let's take a groupie. Say wine!"

"Wine!"

An idea popped into my head. Naalala ko 'yong sinabi ni Zack kanina habang magkausap kami.

Tap!

There he took our last photo together. If I had known, I would have widened my smile.

Zack raised his glass, his eyes casting a glance at each of us. Ito na pala ang una at huling toast niya para sa 'min. "To greater heights? Cheers!"

We raised our glasses all together, bumping them into each other and therefore making a clinking noise. "Cheers!"

I smelled the wine before taking a sip from my glass. Matapang ang lasa. May kaunting pait, pero mas lamang ang tamis kapag natikman na. I hadn't have this taste before.

Ibinaba ko ang aking glass at napahawak sa dibdib ko. My eyebrows furrowed as my eyes stared at the glass. Iinom pa sana si Cole nang mapansin ang weird expression sa mukha ko.

"Stacy? Are you okay?" he asked. Napatingin na rin sa 'kin ang iba pa naming kasama. Maging sila'y napahinto sa pag-inom at nagbato ng nagtatakang tingin sa 'kin.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I took a deep breath. Palalim nang palalim ang bawat hininga ko, parang kakapusin na.

"I . . . I can't breathe," I muttered.

"What?!"

Then my body collapsed on the floor.

"STACY! STACY!"

"Call an ambulance!" Zack yelled as he rushed to my side. Hindi totally nakasara ang mga mata ko kaya kita ko ang kanilang mga kilos. He knelt beside me and cradled my body. Cole squeezed my hand so tight. Desmond stood frozen, holding a phone which almost slipped through his fingers. Beatrice sat frozen in her seat, her mouth opened wide.

I opened my eyes and smiled at their worried faces.

"IT'S A PRANK!" I exclaimed. They all gave me a wide-eye stare. Tumayo na ako, inayos ang aking damit, bumalik sa puwesto ko. They didn't budge an inch as if they were frozen in time. "Hoy! Nag-a-acting lang ako, 'no? Sineryoso n'yo talaga?"

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Fuck you, Stacy!"

"Akala mo ba nakatatawa ang trip mong 'yan, ha?"

"Muntikan na akong atakihin sa puso!"

"Calm down, okay!" I raised both of my hands. Halos isumpa nila ako sa aking trip. "Nabanggit kasi ni Sir Zack kanina na mami-miss niya ang performance ko sa stage kaya naisip kong bigyan siya ng huling pasilip."

"That's not and will never be funny!" Zack replied, returning to his seat. His hand on his chest. "Akala ko, talagang nalason ka na."

"Sayang yata ang effort ko. Hindi n'yo man na-appreciate," kunwari'y nalulungkot kong sagot.

"Huwag mo nang gagawin ulit 'yon, ha?" seryosong sabi ni Cole. There's something in the way he looked at me and spoke to me that was kinda scary. "Never ever do that again."

"Hindi ko na uulitin!" I raised my right hand to make the promise. May isasagot pa sana ako, pero naisip kong mag-shut up na lang. Ayaw ko nang humaba pa ang argument namin. "Promise!"

We resumed sipping from our wineglasses. Grabe yata ang impact ng acting ko kaya natahimik ang lahat. Nasira ko yata ang mood.

But the silence didn't last that long. Zack put his glass on the table and addressed us all.

"Let's have a sharing moment, shall we?" he said. "I will share my memorable moment with each of you. You will share what's yours with me. Cool?"

I gave him a thumbs up while the others gave him a simple nod. May intimate moments kami together, kaya siyempre, hindi ko pwedeng i-share ang mga 'yon. Maybe I should share something from our counseling sessions?

"Shall we start with—" Zack paused as he cleared his throat. "Sorry, let's start with—"

His right hand touched his neck while his head tilted from one side to another. He began to suck in long breaths. Parang nahihirapan siyang huminga.

"Uy, si Sir! Ginagaya ang acting ko kanina," biro ko.

But Zack's face was getting paler by the second and his mouth was moving as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't. Dalawang kamay na ipinanghawak niya sa kanyang leeg. Oh, my God! He was clawing his neck with his nails! If this was just an act, he was overdoing it!

"Sir? Are you okay? SIR?!"

Zack collapsed on the floor and pulled the collar of his shirt down. Halos lumabas na ang mga ugat niya sa leeg. Pawisan na rin ang kanyang mukha. His right arm was outstretched as if it was reaching for something in the air.

"SIR? SIR!"

What the fuck was happening here?!

"ACK!" Zack's right hand, shaped like a claw, froze mid-air and fell limp a second later. Natahimik sa living room at buong bahay. Wala ni isa sa 'min ang kumilos. We were shocked by what we had just witnessed.

"Sir? Sir?" I called, nudging his body.

Zack was no longer responding. His eyes were still open, his mouth went wide, and his body was limp.

"No, no, no!" I repeatedly shook my head as I looked at his lifeless face. "Sir, sabihin n'yo na prank lang 'to! Oo na, sige na! Napabilib n'yo na kami! Mas magaling na kayo sa 'kin! Tama na ang acting n'yo!"

"Stacy . . ." Cole embraced me from behind, gently pulling me away from Zack's body.

"Sir, gising! Huwag muna kayong matulog! Hindi pa tapos ang party n'yo!"

Tears were already streaming down my cheeks and my voice was starting to crack. Prank lang 'to, 'di ba? Um-acting lang siya, 'di ba? My hand was reaching out for Zack's body, but Cole tried to pull me away.

"SIR! SIR!"

Lumapit si Desmond sa katawan ni Zack at hinawakan ang pulso nito. He raised his gaze at me and slowly shook his head.

"NO!"

That night, we lost Zack. I didn't know how or who. But surely, one of us in the house did it. One of us killed Zack.

-30-

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