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MACKENNA

ISN'T IT BETTER IF THERE was some kind of device, or even just an app on our phones, that would notify us if something absolutely disastrous was about to happen on our day? Just like when a storm or blizzard is expected to hit the city and we receive an alert, so that we can prepare for a massive hit.

I wish we had something like that to prevent us from getting hurt. From having our loved ones stab us in the back. Shattering us into pieces.

So, I could've at least prepared myself, or I could've thought about the decisions I would've made a lot more times. If I had known that the outcome of my actions would cause a bigger problem, I would have at least changed my hasty decisions.

But unfortunately, there is no such thing...

I don't have a device or an app that will alert me to the fact that the only family I have left in this world is about to rob me in broad daylight and take everything I've saved for eight years in the blink of an eye. Taking all my jewellery, clothes and branded stuff that I bought after working long hours, day and night. The money I saved by receiving tips from my customers after serving them drinks all night.

Nobody had warned me that this nice, ordinary day would suddenly turn into a disaster.

Because, just like our usual morning routines, my sister and I had our usual breakfast of pancakes and coffee while talking about our plans for the day.

"Today's your interview for the office job, right?" Savanna, my elder sister asked, before stabbing her pancake with her fork and she ate a mouthful.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "I'm not expecting to get hired though."

"Why not?" My sister eyed me.

"I don't know," I replied, before taking a sip from my coffee. "Hindi naman ako nakapagtapos sa college. I don't have enough credentials to get hired as an office worker. But I could say that I'm great with MS Word and Excel," I chuckled.

"Geez, stop being so negative. I'm sure they'll gonna hire you, Kenna."

"Yeah?" I asked and Ate Savanna just gave me a reassuring smile while nodding. "Thanks. But still, I don't wanna expect anything."

She groans. "You're so stubborn, you know?"

"I know," I say, and then we both laugh before finishing our breakfast.

We started getting ready for work after we finished eating. Savanna works as a baby sitter at a children's daycare, not far from our apartment, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and then as a waitress in a five-star hotel restaurant after that.

However, I work as a champagne girl at the Ceasars Palace's OMNIA Nightclub, and my shift doesn't begin until 8 p.m., So I usually just stay at home all day, catching some sleep, and wait until the sun sets to get ready for work. But, today is an exception because I have an interview this morning.

I put on the most formal and neat clothes I have among the mountains of dresses, skirts, and sexy clothing piled on my bed. I just applied a little blush and mascara, as well as a touch of baby pink to my lips. I then curled the ends of my hair and was ready to go.

Simple and formal. Perfect!

When I was pleased with my looks and outfit, I went downstairs and was about to say goodbye to Ate Savanna when I noticed her standing by the stairs, pale as white as snow, her eyes were welling up with tears.

Agad ko siyang nilapitan. My heart is thumping so fast. She's not dressed for work, so I already had a hunch why she's crying, but I still asked anyway.

"Ate, what's wrong? Bakit ka umiiyak?"

She shook her head. "I'm okay," she said, between sobs.

"You are far from being okay." I replied. I stared at her, but she kept on diverting her gaze away from me.

"Did you and Foster fight again?" tanong ko, hindi siya sumagot. Hindi makatingin nang diretso si Ate sa mga mata ko. Napabuntong-hininga nalang ako bago siya hilahin para yakapin.

Savanna is all I have. She's my only family in Vegas. I don't have anybody else to rely on but her. I have friends, or should I say colleagues, since I don't even hang out with them on my days off because I'd rather stay at home or go shopping with my sister when she isn't with her boyfriend, Foster.

My mother met my American father while working as a card dealer at a five-star hotel in Las Vegas, where she became pregnant on their first night together. That's Savanna. Mom became pregnant again barely two years after Savanna was born. And that's me. Mom and Dad never married. They both despised the thought of getting married and being tied to someone for the rest of their lives.

I couldn't understand why they didn't marry back then. They are both in love with one another, and they have children together. And then, one day, Dad decided to pack all of his stuff and leave. He walked away from us without even saying goodbye. I thought that was the worst thing I would ever feel. Pero hindi pala... Dahil wala pang isang linggo, Mom haad also left.

Then I reached a conclusion. Perhaps they really didn't want to marry because they didn't want to settle down and have kids. They hated the idea on being tied to anybody, including me and Savanna.

Savanna and I survived. Barely. But we both have each other, and we both turned out fine. Mahirap, pero kinaya namin nang magkasama. Kaya kahit na tutol ako sa mga nangyayari sakaniya at sa boyfriend niya, wala akong magawa kung hindi ang hayaan si ate sa mga desisyon niya. Dahil natatakot na baka pati siya ay umalis at iwanan nalang ako bigla.

"Just go, Kenna. I'll be fine."

"But—"

"No more buts. You have an interview in half an hour. You have to leave now and get your butt out of here!" She shooed me away, pushing me to the front door.

"I'm worried about you." I said, I'm already outside after getting pushed by Savanna.

"Wala kang dapat ipag-alala." She let out a sigh. "I know you only have me, Kenna, but we both know that time will come, and we have to separate ways and live our own lives." She grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently when I started tearing up. Just the thought of not having my sister breaks my heart into pieces.

"You are a strong and independent woman, Kenna. You are a fighter, and you know that." I shook my head, disagreeing with her. "I love you and we were each other's anchor, for life. But I don't want you to spend your whole life taking care of me and worrying about me. What I want is for you to live your own life."

"Why are you saying all of these?" Tears started cascading down my cheeks, and Savanna wiped all of my tears away. I hate how I'm feeling right now. I hate that she's saying all of this to me, as if she's going to leave soon. I stared at her eyes and saw how her eyes were starting to get moist with tears.

"Stop crying. You're such a cry baby,"

"I'm not a cry baby!"

"Yes, you are." she chuckled. "You are my cry baby."

Lumabi ako at tinawanan lang ako ni ate. Pinunasan niya 'yong mga bakas ng luha sa pisngi ko bago niya ako ulit pagtabuyan paalis.

"Good luck! Now go get that job, okay?" I nodded my head. I give Savanna one last hug and tell her that I'm buying Chinese take-out for our lunch. I decided to take a sick leave from work so I could accompany her all day.

At least, that's what I thought...

Because, after my interview, I hurried home to feed her her favorite comfort meal, but instead, I was greeted with an empty house. Literally.

Our apartment is almost completely empty. Almost completely wiped out. Savanna didn't only leave with her belongings, but also with everything I owned.

And the only thing that she left was a handwritten letter, saying that she's sorry and don't even bother looking for her.

W H A T Y A S E Y