Chapter 9

"Mallory..."

Kumusta na kaya si Sage? Did he managed to escape his father's men?

"Mallory?"

Bumalik ba siya sa pag-aaral? Nagkita ba silang dalawa ni Jasmine?

"Uhm, Mallory?"

Napapitlag na ako nang marahang yugyugin ni Leon ang aking balikat. I gaze at him with a startled look on my face. Nginitian niya ako.

"Kanina ka pa tulala. Ayos ka lang ba?"

I blinked several times before nodding my head. "Uh, yeah. Ayos lang ako." I smiled apologetically at him. "Pasensiya na, pwede na ba tayong umupo? Masakit na kasi ang paa ko."

He threw his head back and laughed. Leon is looking really good tonight. Ang kanyang normal na magulong buhok ay nakaayos. Bagay din sa kanya ang suot niyang tuxedo.

"O, sige. Tara." He guided me through the crowd of dancing students until we reached back our table. Nginitian ko si Sierra na sumisimsim sa kanyang mango juice.

"Gusto mo bang uminom, Mallory?" tanong ni Leon sa akin.

I gently shook my head. "Ayos lang ako."

"Sige, kukuha lang ako saglit ng maiinom ah?" he smiled boyishly before he disappeared into the crowd again.

Siniko kaagad ako ni Sierra. "Anong mayroon sa inyong dalawa ni Leon?"

Kumunot ang aking noo sa sinabi niya. "Huh?"

Tinaasan ako ng kilay ng aking kaibigan. "Ang lagkit niyang makatingin sa iyo, Mallory. Sigurado ka ba talagang magkaibigan lang kayo?"

Ngumiti ako at umiling. "Sira. Magkaibigan lang talaga kami."

"Talaga?" she searched for my eyes.

"Talagang-talaga, Sierra." Mahinahon kong sagot.

She slumped back to her seat. "Alam mo, sobrang galit na galit na talaga sa iyo si Serenity. Ipinagkakalat niya ang tsismis na inagaw mo daw si Leon sa kanya!"

Bumuntong-hininga ako. "Hayaan mo na siya. Gagraduate na tayo in a few weeks. Poproblemahin ko pa ba ang bagay na iyon?"

Humalumbaba si Sierra sa lamesa. "Si Leon ang problemahin mo. Mukhang tinamaan sa iyo, eh. You know what? I think one of his reasons why he didn't fix his relationship with Serenity again is because of you."

Mas lalong kumunot ang aking noo sa sinabi ni Sierra. "Hindi naman siguro." Out of the corner of my eyes, I spotted Serenity and her friends sending sharp looks at me. Ibinagsak ko ang aking tingin sa mga kamay ko. "Magkaibigan lang kami ni Leon. Dalawang taon na kaming magkakilala eh."

Sierra gave me an unconvinced look. She was about to say something when she quickly shut her mouth. I turned my gaze and saw Leon approaching us with a wide grin on his face.

Umupo siya sa aming lamesa at nakipagkuwentuhan. I tried to endulge myself with their conversation pero lumilipad talaga ang utak ko sa kung saan.

Nang dahil sa ginawa ko, ilang buwan akong halos hindi pinapansin ni Mama. She's very disappointed at me. I regret disobeying my own mother pero sa tuwing naiisip ko na hindi man lang ako nakapagpaalam nang maayos kay Sage bago siya umalis ay sumisikip naman ang dibdib ko.

He's only gone for a few months but I missed him so much which sounded so stupid even to my own ears. I've only known him for a short period of time and now I'm acting as if he took something with him that I couldn't stop thinking about him.

May after-party pagkatapos ng aming Senior's Ball pero hindi na ako sumama. Clutching my deep velvet gown, sumakay ako ng tricycle. Gabing-gabi na. Nang makarating ako sa bahay ay sobrang tahimik. Tulog na ata si mama at ang stepfather ko. They are both expecting me to arrive later than midnight but it's only 10 in the evening.

Expelling a heavy breath, I risked ruining my rented gown by following the dirt path towards the thick woods. Kahit na madilim ay pamilyar pa rin sa akin ang daanan. Naririnig ko ang mga kuliglig at ibang maliliit na hayop na naghahanap ng pagkain tuwing gabi.

I bit my lower lips and lengthen my strides. Muntik pa akong madapa dahil sa heels ko kaya tinanggal ko muna ito.

When the Monterio's mansion came into view, my heart sunk deeper. Ever since Sage left, hindi na rin ako bumalik pa sa mansion. As always, I am captivated by its beauty under the moonlight. Mas lalo kong binilisan ang lakad ko. Ihinagis ko ang heels ko sa loob ng kanilang bakuran at inakyat ang di kataasang pader.

I maybe crazy for doing this in a long gown but I couldn't help myself. Pinulot kong muli ang aking sapatos nang makatalon na ako pababa. The dried leaves crunched gently under my weight. Dumiretso ako sa kwarto ni Sage.

Inilapag ko ulit ang aking sapatos sa tabi at binuksan ang bintana. The stuffy air told me that no one has ever been in this room for a long time. The window sills started gathering dusts. Hindi ko alam kung nandito pa ba si Don Monterio. His workers on the farm and plantation must've come here every now and then.

Leaning against the window, I tried to imagine Sage facing his laptop with his cute eyebrows furrowing in concentration. I smiled to myself. Nababaliw na talaga ako.

Umupo ako sa kanyang bintana at hinayaang nakalutang ang mga paa ko sa ere. Tanaw ko ang dagat mula dito.

I sighed. I'm going insane, Sage.

---

"Congrats ulit, Mallory!" tinapik ni Leon ang aking balikat. Nginitian ko siya nang malawak.

"Salamat, Leon. Gusto mong pumunta sa bahay? Magpapakain daw si Mama..." I smiled shyly at him.

He adjusted his graduation cap before answering. "Oo naman. Teka sandali, picture muna tayo." He scanned the surroundings and dragged one of his classmates to take a picture of both of us.

Leon leaned closer and wrapped his arms around my shoulder. Napatingin ako sa kanyang kamay pero wala na akong sinabi. I smiled when the phone clicked. After three shots ay kumalas na din ako kay Leon.

"Tara na, tawagin ko lang si Sierra." wika ko. I received a few congratulations from the teachers and some of my classmates. Ang iba'y taga-ibang section na hindi ko pa kilala. Smiling gratefully at each one of them, nahanap na rin ng mata ko si Sierra.

"Sierra!"

Nag-angat siya ng tingin at ngumiti nang malawak. She attacked me with a big bear hug. "Congrats, Mallory!"

I laughed. "Salamat. Tara na sa bahay."

When we arrived, there are a couple of people milling around. Most of them are also teachers na kaibigan ni Mama sa community college kung saan siya nagtuturo. May nag-iikot din ng lechon sa bakuran.

Nang makapasok na kami ni Sierra at nang ilan ko pang mga classmates ay binati ako ng mga amiga ni Mama. Ngitian ko sila at nagpasalamat. Kanina pa ako kating-kati sa aking toga at gusto ko na talagang magbihis.

Iniwan ko muna sila Sierra sa patio. I was about to head to my room when I caught something from the corner of my eyes. Napahinto kaagad ako at nanigas. My throat constricted. I couldn't believe my eyes...

"Mallory!" my mother beamed from the kitchen, wiping her hands. May kausap siyang isang babae.

Hindi ko inalis ang aking tingin doon. "Mama..."

She smiled at me. "You deserve it, anak."

Nangilid ang mga luha kong niyakap si Mama sa tiyan bago ako tumakbo papunta sa baby grand piano na ngayo'y nakaupo na sa gitna ng aming sala. I ran the hands over the smooth keys, trying to fight back my emotions.

I fell in love with the piano at the age of six years old. My mother plays a digital keyboard sa tuwing stressed siya sa kanyang trabaho. When I showed interest in playing the piano, she enrolled me in a formal piano lesson and my life revolved around this magical music instrument since then.

Kinagat ko ang aking pang-ibabang labi. The only genuine piano I got to play with is the one from our school's music room, in my piano class, and the Monterio's Steinway & Son grand piano.

"Secondhand lang ito, but I hope you like it..." nilapitan ako ni mama at nginitian.

"Oo naman po!" I exclaimed, hungrily scanning the smooth edges of the piano lid. I tried tuning it at first and was glad to find out that there are no out-of-tune keys kahit na may previous owner ito.

Masaya kaming nananghalian sa bahay. Panay ang tanong nila kung anong kurso ang kukunin ko sa college. Some even suggested to proceed my career as a pianist. Nginitian ko lamang sila.

While we're eating, a black car pulled in front of the house. Dahil sa patio inilagay ang dalawang malalaking lamesa ay halos lahat napalingon sa pagdating ng magarang kotse.

My heart thrummed inside of my chest. I know this car.

A man in black suit climbed out. He moved the dark glasses on top of his head and scanned the surroundings. Tumaas ang kilay ni Mama at tiningnan ako.

To my disappointment, siya lang mag-isa ang lumabas at wala nang iba.

"Mallory Rose Castillo?" tanong niya nang tumayo ako at nilapitan siya.

Tumango ako. "Ako po yun."

"You have a phone call from Christian, Ma'am."

My heart leaped in joy. Iniabot niya sa akin ang iphone na hawak. My fingers are shaky when I pressed the device against my ear. Rinig ko kaagad ang kanyang paghinga sa kabilang linya.

"Mal..."

I closed my eyes, hearing his voice for the first time in months pulled all the emotional strings inside of me.

"Sage! Hi!" I tried to act cheery but my voice betrayed me. Basag ang aking boses at nanginginig ang mga labi ko. Lumayo kaagad ako sa patio nang maramdaman kong halos lahat sila ay nakikinig na sa pakikipag-usap ko kay Sage.

"I heard you just graduated as valedictorian." Simula niya.

Hindi ko mapigilang hindi mapangiti. "Sino namang nagsabi sa iyo?"

He snorted on the other line, like I'd expected him to do. God, I missed him so much! "I have connections, Mal..."

Kumusta ka na? Ayos ka lang ba? It's been seven months! Kailan ka babalik ulit dito?

Marami akong gustong sabihin sa kanya pero ang tanging lumabas lamang sa bibig ko ay, "Talaga?"

I can imagine him rolling his eyes at me right now. I blinked back the tears from forming in my eyes. Nakatayo lang ang kanilang tauhan sa kotse at tumatanggi nang paulit-ulit siyang niyaya ni mama na kumain.

"Congrats, Mallory."

I bit my lower lips hard. Pakiramdam ko ay magdurugo na ito. "Salamat, Sage." Huminga ako nang malalim. "Are you doing fine, Sage? Inutusan mo ang isa sa mga tauhan niyo para lang magpunta dito. Does that mean that they finally caught you?"

He chuckled deeply on the other line. His voice is deep, enticing, and sonorous. Para siyang tumatawa sa aking tabi imbes na milya-milya ang layo naming dalawa.

"What do you think it is?"

"Eh si Jasmine?" I blurted out. "Nagkita na ba kayo?"

"Yes." He answered.

My shoulders slumped. "T-That's great..."

"Mmm-hmm."

I shifted my weight uncomfortably on the ground. "Sige Sage, ibababa ko na ito. Kawawa naman si Kuya, kanina pa siya nakatayo." Hilaw akong humalakhak. "Bye—"

"Hey wait!"

"Huh?"

"Uh..." he paused and then expelled a heavy breath. "Nevermind."

"Okay." Mahina kong sagot.

"I haven't realized I missed your childish face as soon as I heard your voice." He blurted out. My eyes widen. "Goodbye, Mallory." I could feel my cheeks burning.

He was the one who ended the call. Pinagmasdan ko lang na lumabas ang duration ng tawag sa screen bago ko ito nanlulumong ibinalik sa kanyang naghihintay na tauhan.

He nodded at me and climbed inside the car, leaving without another word.

That was the last time Sage called me for a long time.