Chapter 27: I'm Back

My jaw dropped as well as Megan’s. Bumalik sa gunita ko ang mga ginawa ni Miss Venna sa akin. Ang mga pangaral niya sa akin na minsan ay labis na kinaiinisan ko. She’s always worried every time I got small scores. She voted for me during my face-offs. She always give me her personalized notes and reviewers. She told me I’m too young to be stressed over the Capital’s problem. And I was such a bitch and told her not mend with my business.

Papa’s words were right. “After all, she missed you so much. She cares for you in her own way. Mahal na mahal ka niya at alam kong ramdam mo naman iyon.” Ma’am Venna really cares for me in her own way at oo, ramdam ko nga ang pagmamahal na iyon.

Naniningkit ang mga matang napatingin ako kay Dr. Luther. “I still don’t trust you. Paano kung niloloko mo lang pala kami? We can’t trust people theses days.”

“Dear, dear, dear. Just like you I hate Moran,” sagot niya. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Megan at tila tinitimbang kung dapat ba namin siyang paniwalaan. “I know about your little stunt, and that was brave for you dear.”

“We all saw Hilary Moran and Miss Venna, paano naman kami maniniwala sa’yo?” tanong ni Megan.

“Dear, you two has trust issues right? Gaya ng sinabi ko sa inyo, I hate Moran so I supported Hilary’s decision of leaving him. Come, I’ll show you something at may office.

Naghihinala man ay sumunod kami ni Megan sa kanya. Just in case may gawin siyang hindi maganda, we’re ready to use Armstrong’s combat skills na natutunan namin. His office is wide at gawa sa transparent glass. Matatanaw namin sa labas ang mga doctor na abala sa kani-kanilang ginagawa.

“That’s my crew who helps me take care of the girls,” sabi niya at binuksan ang kanyang drawer at naglabas ng lumang album doon. Panay ang sulyap ko sa labas at nag-aalala ako dahil baka makita kami ng ibang doktor at napansin naman iyon ni Dr. Luther. “Don’t worry dear, this is a one-way glass. Tayo lang ang nakakakita sa kanila, samantalang hindi nila tayo nakikita.” He handed me some photographs. “Here. I also got soft copies of those images in my computer.”

Isa-isang tiningnan namin ni Megan ang mga larawan. These were taken during their time at the academy na kung tawagin pa noon ay CLC. I saw Dr. Luther at ganoon pa rin nga nag hitsura niy ngayon. Puto, he really maintained his youthful glow.

“Hindi ganoon katalino si Hilary noon, she’s rank last but because Moran has laid eyes on her, she made it on the Royals. It was soon when the Moran’s took over the highest elite position, dethroning the Grandes peo lingid sa kaalaman namin iyon. Sila na pala ang namumuno sa Capital at minamanipula ang mga Grande. Alam niya ang ginagawa ni Moran but she has no other choice but to marry him. I don’t know what exactly happened but one day she came to me telling me to change her face and identity. That’s all I can say for now.”

Huminga ako nang malalim. Some things fit perfectly now at may mga kasagutan na sa mga tanong na ilang beses kong hinanap ang sagot.

“But still, I don’t think the idea of surgery is helpful to these girls,” buo ang boses na wika ni Megan.

Mahinang tinapik siya ni Doctor Luther sa balikat. “Dear, if you’re mad because Thea copied your face I totally understand you. But to defend my side, I just want to end her misery. The girl’s insecure and depressed. She wanted a face like yours, and I, I who’s capable of doing so just helped her.”

Tumunog ang intercom na nasa loob ng office niya. He glanced at his wristwatch before he fixed his tie. “I think you two should go, I have a patient to attend to.”

***

I twirled my fingers at the hem of my shirt. Ilang beses akong nagbuga ng hangin at kinalma ang sarili. I’m few steps away from Miss Venna who’s busy checking the class’ quiz. Pag-alis namin ni Megan kanina sa Research Lab ay bumalik na kami sa Academy. She told me to clear everything but here I am, full of hesitation and shyness.

Puto, bakit ba minsan ang kapal ng mukha ko tapos sa ganitong bagay ay napakamahiyain ko? Kay Ma’am Venna ko ba ‘to namana or kay Papa?

Matapos ang ilang sandaling pakikipagtalo sa sarili k ay nagawa kong humakbang at tumayo sa harap ni Ma’am Venna. Nag-angat siya ng tingin at sumeryoso ang kanyang mukha ng makita ang kaseryosohan ko.

Puto, looking at her now there’s no hint that I’m her daughter kung sakaling totoo man. Hello? Ang ganda-ganda ni Ma’am Venna, ang talino pa... Ako? Sakto lang.

“Yes Sunny?”

“C-can we talk?”

Her eyes scanned me for a while bago niya niligpit ang ilang mga gamit. “I sensed it’s something important. How about at my office?”

Tumango ako at tahimik na sumunod sa kanya sa offfice niya. A lot of things run in my head at the moment. Nagpractice ako ng mga pwedeng sabihin at nag-isip kung paano sisimulan ang mga gusto kong itanong.

She offered me a seat when we reached her office at hindi na ako nagpaligoy-ligoy pa. “Papa disappeared after leaving me a message. Sabi niya kailangan kong kausapin si Hilary Moran dahil...” I smiled awkwardly at ilang beses na kumurap dahil pusangina, nagbabadyang pumatak ang mga luha ko. “D-dahil namimiss na raw ako ng mama ko.”

She remained silent as she bit her lower lip kaya nagpatuloy ako. “He told me my mom cares for me in her own way so I decided to visit her at the elite ward... Alam niyo po bang ang sakit sa pakiramdam nang ipinagtabuyan niya ako. It bothered me a lot kahit pa iniisip kong ganoon lang siguro siya kasama.” Tuluyan nang pumatak ang mga luha ko kaya agad ko iyong pinunasan. “Then I met Doctor Luther and he told me s-something. I don’t know if I should believe it but--”

Bigla na lamang siyang tumayo at lumuhod sa harapan ko kasabay ng pagyakap sa akin nang mahigpit. I was stunned on my seat at mas lalo lamang nag-unahan sa pag-agos ang mga luha ko. Ma’am Venna sobbed like a kid as she pressed herself to me for a tight hug.

“Pasensya ka na kung hindi ako naging ina sa’yo,” wika niya sa garalgal na boses. I leaned forward and hugged her back tightly. “Naging duwag ako but that’s the only way I can think to protect you.”

Mas lalo lamang akong napaiyak. Puto, hindi pa nga bumabalik sa normal ang mga mata ko dahil sa kaiiyak sa resulta ng face-off tapos walang hanggang iyakan na naman. Mabubuka ko pa kaya ang mga mata ko bukas?

“Natatakot ako para sa’yo so I made this decision. I endured everything para lang makasama kita and this is the only way I came up with. Elpidio has a bad temper so he always hit me. I was a battered wife at sa katunayan ay hindi lang ako. Kahit sina Marie at Curie o kahit sinong hawak sa leeg ni Elipidio. His guards, his loyal comrades, everyone. Tayo, sinasaktan niya tayong dalawa kaya ibinigay kita sa papa mo.”

Now I was really clarified. Lumaki nga talaga ako a poder ni Moran.

“Why do I don’t have memories of it?” tanong ko.

“Elpidio altered some of your memories as a kid at siguro ay dahil na rin sa trauma sa sinapit natin sa kanya noon,” sagot niya. “Noong ibinigay kita kay Mozart, noon niya ninakaw ang android ni Trapezoid. His robotic team made clones but none was as perfect as Trap’s robot. Aburidong-aburido si Elpidio noong mga panahong iyon at inis na inis dahil hindi magawa nang maayos ng team ang mga clones. Palagi niya akong binubugbog noon. Then I fake my death. Kunwaring nag-suicide ako pero ang totoo ay umalis ako sa poder niya. I came across an old friend, Marvin Luther who just started his profession as Plastic surgeon. Elpidio who doesn’t want spotlight on him at ayaw niyang malaman ng Capital ang nangyari sa akin so he used a clone to pretend as Hilary.” She pulled away from our hug and smiled bitterly.

“The clones are stupid, just like me before kaya walang naghinala. And after few month of the successful surgery, I was able to live freely as Venna Ruiz. Pagkalipas ng ilang taon ay nagpasya akong punan ang kakulangan sa sarili ko at iyon ay ang kaalaman. I’m still the stupid Hilary as I am before until I met Marie’s son, your brother. Ipinaunawa niya sa akin ang kahalagahan ng kaalaman at lahat so I made it on the Royals.” She wiped away her tears and smiled. “I hated Jean-Claude before, knowing he’s Marie and Mozart’s son but then I see the goodness in him. He was the son I never had.”

Inalalayan ko siyang tumayo at pinaupo sa upuan. “Pasensya na po kung minsan ay hindi ko maintindihan ang paraan ng pagdidisiplina ninyo sa akin.”

She smiled sweetly and caressed my cheek. “No problem Sunny, you got that attitude from me.” Pareho kaming natawa. Now my questions about my attitude were answered. “But we have to remain this way Sunny. Hindi ko alam kung alam ni Elpidio ang tungkol sa pagkatao ko. So far he didn’t do anything but sooner or later he will find out,” nababahalang wika niya.

“Paano kung magsumbong si Doctor Luther?”

“Hindi ko alam kung kakampi ko ba si Luther pero kung may balak man siyang magsumbong, he must have done it before. Luther hates Elpidio as a person. Isa pa ay isa lang ang gusto niya and that’s to fulfill everyone’s wish to be pretty.” She leaned forward and planted a kiss on my forehead. “For now I’ll be your Teacher and you’re my student. Sorry if we have to be this way for now.”

A/N: Natawa ako kasi puno ng “who’s Venna Ruiz?” ang previous chapter gayong halos lahat ng chapter, nandoon si Ma’am Venna lol (Siguro dahil walang Ma’am noh?) Also, I’ve been throwing hints since RFYL that’s why some of you suspected Miss Venna as Bunny yiiiiee

***

I never had this wonderful sleep before. Ang sarap ng tulog ko dahil kahit papaano ay naibsan ang bigat na dinadala ng dibdib ko. Everything is clear to me now. I thought before that Ma’am Venna just like to pick with me since I’m not that academically outstanding student but she’s just being a mother by being my best critic yet the strongest supporter.

Bumangon ako at naligo. The others already left (as usual) so I was alone. Megan knows everything yet she didn’t say a word about it last night. Napansin lang niya ang kasiyahan ko but she refused to ask for the details. I can trust her when it comes to keeping secret. She maybe my most hated girl at the academy (well, aside from Brenda) but she’s the most trustworthy one.

Nang makapaghanda ako ay magaan ang pakiramdam na pumunta ako sa classroom. I pushed the door open ngunit gaya ng madalas na nakagawian ay wala pa rin doon si Ma’am Venna. Yup, maybe I also got my tardiness from her.

Pagpasok ko ay puno ng bulungan ang buong classroom. I thought they’re talking about me ngunit lahat sila ay nakatalikod sa akin at nakaharap sa whiteboard. Their murmurs filled the classroom. Eh? Anong meron? I recalled schedules of activities but I cannot think of anything.

Maybe the announcement of the new Royals list? Pero bukas pa iyon.

Out of curiosity, I squeezed myself in the middle of the crowd. Ilang beses akong nasiko sa mukha ngunit ininda ko iyon hanggang sa marating ko ang harap ng white board. And what I saw is something that surprised me to the core.

On the white board were the handwritten words along with a penis graffiti.

“I’m back Bitches!”

#

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