"You could have saved a life if you were not focusing into that game," sabi sa akin ni Teresa habang iritable siyang naglilinis ng kaniyang kuwarto.

"Hindi ko naman kasi alam, Teresa."

She looked at me, completely pissed off. "I know. You didn't know anything just after they began screaming that Lucas is dead!"

"It wasn't my fault," mariin kong sambit sa kaniya.

But Teresa just shook her head as she continued cleaning her room. Halos maluha na siya pero nagagawa niya itong pigilan lalo na at nasa harapan ko siya.

"Ano pa nga bang magagawa ko. Patay na si Lucas. Nalunod siya sa pool and you're just here busy playing that stupid mobile game," she sneezed. "You could have saved him."

Nasapo ko ang aking noo dahil naiinis ako sa tuwing inuulit niya ang mga katagang iyon. She's blaming me for her nephew's death and it's not even my fault at the first place.

Yes, I know how to resuscitate a drowning person. But nobody came to ask for help. I'm just one house away from my nephew's house but nobody called for me.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ba ipaiintindi kay Teresa ang lahat. Hindi ko malaman ang gagawin. I don't know what to do about her.

Mula nang samahan niya ang kapatid niyang si Lucille sa ospital ay hindi na siya mapakali sa tuwing nakikita niya ako. There's always a hint of distrust in her eyes.

Like I am a ne'er-do-well in this house next door.

"Fine. Kung ako ang may kasalanan, then I'll take it. Pero ito lang ang masasabi ko, Teresa. If I knew what just happened, I would immediately come and help them. Pero wala akong narinig na humihingi ng tulong," ani ko.

Isinara ko na ang pintuan ng kaniyang kuwarto at naglakad ako palabas ng bahay. Tumingin ako sa bahay ng hipag ko at nakita ko ang mga lalaking umaasikaso sa gaganaping burol ng pamangkin kong si Lucas.

I slowly shook my head as I decided to come back inside.

It wasn't my fault. And I'm not going to blame myself for his death.