A/N: Baka po nagtaka yung ibang nakabasa na ng CHAPTER 9 kasi biglang nawala...dinelete ko po kasi ang gulo eh... tama naman yung format pagineedit ko pero pagnasave na nawawala yung format ng text.... sorry po sa mga errors... gawa po siguro ng mahinang connection...

Anyways, salamat sa patuloy na pagbabasa ng storyang ito. Salamat kahit yung iba silent readers lang. At kahit mas lalong sumakit ang ulo ko pinilit kong iedit at ireupdate ang chapter na to...ganyan kayo kalakas sa akin...haha

Keep supporting and Keep reading readers... Thank you sa mga nagcocomment, naaappreciate ko kahit papaano...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JC’s POV

Hey there, John Carl Lacson here, JC for short. This was my first POV… All of you know me by my name and my relationship with my brother, Xander. Now, I want to introduce who really I am… Well, I’m the second oldest brother in the family next to Xander.. I have two younger sisters. I’m a quiet, serious, sometimes funny and I was a less talk more act person. I think first what was going to be the effect before I made my decisions and do some actions. We have a band named POWERFUL 5 or the P5. I’m the lead vocalist, my brother Xander was the bass guitarist, Katsumi was the rhythm guitarist, Seth was the lead guitarist and Lexter was our drummer. Dixon was not part of the band because he doesn’t want to be part of it. Ewan ko ba sa kanya. Marunong naman siyang mag-gitara pero lagi niya lang sinasabi:

“I love music, but I’m not fit to play with it.”

Well, actually, Dixon was in a band when we were in first year high school. But later on, umalis siya sa banda without telling anyone kung bakit? And after that, he never touches any instruments nor play with it. Maybe you’ll ask him sometime because it’s not my story to tell…

“Hey.”-Dixon

Speaking of Dixon, here he comes. I’m wondering why he is coming to me.

“Hey, whats up couz?”

“Just want to ask you something.”-Dixon

“What?”

“When we are buying some foods for Venisse and Drache in the canteen, I saw you and Craise were talking.  I’m wondering what was the talk all about?”-Dixon

Oh. Should I tell him? Nagdadalawang isip ako kung sasabihin ko ba o hindi. I can’t tell him because I made my promise to Craise that I won’t tell anyone. I want to tell him because I know that I can trust Dixon. He was a quiet person and I know he’ll never ruin my trust in him.

“We were talking about Venisse.”

“What’s about Venisse?”-Dixon

“Couz, I want to tell you this because I know I can trust you, di ba?”

“Yes, you can trust me. I think what you’ll going to say to me is so important.”-Dixon

“Yes. Craise and I talk about Venisse. I asked kung ano bang sakit ni Venisse. Then she said, it was an EPT. An Emotionally and Psychological Trauma. Natrauma si Venisse when she was 10 years old. She and Craise were new friends at that time. Hindi sinabi lahat ni Craise pero, one of her family member, is so violent to Venisse and she was threatened and physically and emotionally hurt. And no one believes in her and she’s being emotionally neglected by her family and they were not staying together with her. Binibisita parin naman daw siya ng parents niya pero parang wala daw pakealam sa kanya. She was so depressed everytime na naaalala niya daw yung traumatic incident  na yon. Pinagamot na daw siya at kahit papaano eh nalabanan niya ang traumang iyon pero after 2 years from that incident bumalik na naman daw dahil may ipinadalang sulat sa kanya yung taong naging sanhi ng pagakakarroon niya ng trauma. Niresetahan na raw siya ng gamot. At kaya bumabalik ulit yung trauma niya ngayon dahil uuwi raw yung taong may gawa kay Venisse nito. And worst, that’s one month after this deal from being slave to them.”-mahabang explanation ko sa kanya.

“What I’m thinking right now is, if ipinagpatuloy nila Kats and kuya ang plano nilang saktan si Venisse, maaaring makaapekto ito sa kanya. Paano niya haharapin ang isang taong nagdulot sa kanya ng matinding trauma kung may isang taong muling mananakit sa kanya? Hindi marunong magtiwala si Venisse. Base yan sa nakikita ko sa kanya. Pero hindi ba’t tayo ang pumapasok sa mundo niya ngayon? Kukunin natin ang tiwala niya tapos after that, sisirain natin? Papaano siya matututong tumanggap ng ibang tao kung yung mga tatanggapin niya katulad din ng unang nanakit sa kanya?”-pagpapatuloy ko.

“You’re right cous, pero papaano natin pipigilan sina Xander and Kats sa plan nila? Hindi naman natin pwedeng sabihin sa kanila. Kapag nalaman naman ni Venisse na alam na nating lahat, mas lalong maiinis yon sa atin dahil aakalain niyang we’re pittying her. And I don’t want to ruin Craise trust. I don’t want her to get mad at me also.”-Dixon

“I knew it! Tell me Dix, you’re inlove with Craise am I right?”

“Yes. I think I’m in love with her. She’s different among the other girls I met before. Kaya nga noong una palang, I really don’t want to tolerate Katsumi’s plan.”-Dixon

“Then we should talk to them.”

Nagulat naman kami ni Dixon ng biglang may magsalita sa likuran namin. At pagtingin namin, it was Seth standing at the door.

“Kanina ka pa ba diyan?”

“Yes, and I heard what’s all your talking about. Simula kay Venisse hanggang kay Craise. Thank me dahil ako ang nakarinig at hindi sila Katsumi and Lester.”-Seth

“And I agree with you too. Kahit ako, noong una palang, ayoko na yung binabalak nila. Kahit naman ganyan si Venisse, we can’t avoid the fact that she’s also a girl. And the fact that you’ll break a girls heart is just like hurting your mother or sister right away.”-pagpapatuloy niya.

“Yeah you’re right Seth, but we can’t tell them about sa sakit ni Venisse. Do you have other plans?”-Dixon

“Sorry, but  I don’t have. You only have two options left. It’s either you go and talk to them, or let them continue their evil plan.”-Seth

“Tama si Seth. Kailangan na nating sabihin kina kuya ang lahat.”

“Pero papaano kapag nalaman nila Craise na alam na nating lahat yung karamdaman ni Venisse?”-Dixon

“Then we should accept kung ano man ang maging decision nila. Kung magalit man sila, wala tayong magagawa kung hindi ang tanggapin yon.”-Seth

“Nasaan na nga pala yung tatlo?”

“They’re not here. Malamang baka nasa airport na yung tatlong yun.”-Seth

“Airport? Ano namang gagawin nila doon?”

“Your mom called Xander habang nasa bar kami kanina. Tapos sabi ng mommy mo, nasa airport sila together with Maggs and Carmie.” -Seth

“WHAT?! Anong ginagawa nila dito sa Pilipinas? Paano kapag nalaman ni Dad kung nasaan kami ni kuya? Hindi ba magagalit si Dad kay Mom?!”

“Hey JC… I’m not your mom kaya hindi ko masasagot lahat ng katanungan mong iyan.” -Seth

“Sorry… Nag-aalala lang naman ako sa kanila… Nag-aalala lang rin ako kay kuya.”

Nag-uusap lang kami ng biglang may nagdoorbell…

*Ding-dong….

“I’ll open it.”-Dixon

Nakaupo lang kaming dalawa ni Seth sa sofa ng biglang…

“Kuya JC!...”

It was Maggs and Carmie. They run towards me and hug me tightly.

“Hey wait, I can’t breathe… you two are embracingme like there’s no tomorrow. Nawala lang kami ng Kuya Xander niyo for 2 weeks pero parang ang lalaki niyo na ha. Lalo na ikaw Maggs, dumoble yata ang laki mo. Hahaha.”

“Kuya you’re so mean. Buti pa si Kuya Drache sabi I’m sexy… di ba kuya?”-Maggs

“Ha? Oo naman, you’re sexy just like our mom kaya. Hehe.”-Kuya Drache

“So your telling me kuya that I’m also big?”-Maggs

“So you’re telling me Margarrette that I’m also big?”-Mommy Carla

“Not exactly mommy. Hehe.”-Maggs

Atsaka na nagtawanan ang lahat.

“Kuya, you know I miss you so much. Did you miss me too?”-Carmie

“Of course baby I miss you too.”-Me and I hug Carmie tightly

“Eh ako kuya? Namiss mo rin ba ako?”-Maggs

“Siyempre ikaw pa? Eh baby din kita eh.”-and I also hug Maggs.

“How about me? Did you miss me anak?”-Mommy

“Of course mom… Namiss kita atsaka yung masarap mong luto.”-I stand up and hug my mom tightly.

“Sali naman ako diyan! Namiss ko rin kayo eh.”-KuyaDrache atsaka kami niyakap ng mahigpit.

“Wow… buti pa kayo happy family… Kami rin pwede pahug?”-Lester

“Of course kuya Lester…”-Carmie

“Oh GROUP HUG!!!”-Lester

Atsaka na kaming lahat naggroup hug.

“What about me? Haven’t you missed me?”

Napakalas kaming lahat sa group hug at napangiti ako sa Nakikita ko ngayon. Is this for real? Kasi kung hindi, I don’t want to wake-up anymore because there’s an angel infront of me. She’s standing and having her sweetest smile.

“Of course I missed  you so much… Mitch…”-then I walk towards her and hug her tightly.

“I miss you babe…”-Mitch

Yes you’re right. Mitch is my beautiful and sweet girlfriend. She’s Michellin Clarkson. Humiwalay na kami sa pagkakayakap.

“Ano nga palang ginagawa mo dito?”

“Sumama ako kay tita Carla. Namimiss na kasi kita eh.”-Mitch

“Paano yung pag-aaral mo sa States? Sina tito at tita? Okay lang ba sa kanila na nandito ka?”

“Babe, don’t worry, tinulungan na ako ni tita Carla na ayusin ang lahat ng yan.” -Mitch

“Ha? Papaano?”

“Well, dito ko na ipagpapatuloy ang pag-aaral ko, and ipinaalam narin namin ito kina Mommy at Daddy wherein pumayag naman sila. Bibisita nalang daw sila dito when they are not busy sa business.”-Mitch

“Oh… Well, I’m glad you’re also here.”

… Well, I’m glad you’re also here.”

“Thank your mom for letting me go with them.”-Mitch

“Thanks mom. You’re the best.”

“Basta para sa mga anak ko, I’ll do all to make you happy.”-Mommy

“Ahhmm… sige po tita, baka kailangan na naming umalis for you to have… you know, family bonding.”-Kats

“Mabuti pa nga kuya Kats.”-Maggs

“Hi Barbara Margarrette. Namiss din kita.”-Kats while having his teasing smile.

“Ugh, I really hate you kuya Labo! And I don’t miss you by the way.”-Maggs

“Hey, baka mag-away pa kayo diyan.”-KuyaDrache

“Oo nga, sige na mga brad, baka mag kaworld war 3 pa dito… And mom, ihahatid ko narin po si Mitch sa condo ko. Baka po kasi pagod na ito. Bukas ko nalang po siya hahanapan ng bagong condo.”

“Sige mga anak, mag-iingat kayo.”-Mommy

“Sige bro, papagstay ko nalang sina mom sa condo ko.”-Kuya Drache

“Sige kuya, Mom, Maggs and Carmie… good night narin. See you all tomorrow.”

“Good night po tita, Xander. Bye Maggs and Carmie.”-Mitch

“Good night kuya JC and Ate Mitch…”Maggs/Carmie

Lumabas na kami ni Mitch sa condo ni Dixon. Magkakatabi lang naman kaming lahat ng condo kaya pinauna ko na yung tatlo. Andito na kami ni Mitch sa harap ng condo ko ng bigla akong tawagin ni Seth.

“Oh, Bro.”

“Mitch, pwede bang makausap sandali si JC?”-Seth

“Sure. Babe, akin na yung susi para makapasok na ako sa condo mo.”-Mitch

Binigay ko naman yung key atsaka na siya pumasok.

“Anong pag-uusapan natin bro?”

“Regarding dun sa naudlot nating pag-uusap kanina. Isa lang ang masasabi ko. Kung balak niyong sabihin ang tungkol kay Venisse, sabihin niyo na. Wag niyo ng patagalin pa dahil kapag tumagal pa yan, baka may masaktan pa sila.”-Seth

“Tomorrow sa University, kakausapin ko sila about kay Venisse. Pero I need you there to explain to them. Alam mo naman yung dalawa, masyadong makikitid ang utak.”

“Sige.”-Seth and he entered to his condo.

Pumasok narin ako sa condo ko at nakita ko naman si Mitch sa kabilang kwarto na inaayos ang mga gamit niya. May dalawa kasing kwarto yung mga condong kinuha namin. Pumasok ako sa kwarto ni Mitch.

“Kumportable ka ba?”

“Oo naman. Ano nga palang pinag-usapan niyo ni Seth?”-Mitch

“Babe, anong gagawin o mararamdaman mo kung malaman mong pinaglalaruan lang pala kita?”

“Syempre masasaktan ako ng sobra-sobra. Baka kamuhian kita at magpapakalayo-layo ako, yung malayong malayo sayo para makalimutan ka pati yung sakit na ginawa mo. Bakit mo naman naitanong? Niloloko mo lang ba ako?”-Mitch with a serious tone

“No. Syempre hindi ko gagawin sayo yon. You know how much I love you and I would rather die than hurting you.”

“Alam ko naman eh, pero bakit ba ganyan yung tanong mo sakin?”-Mitch

“Kasi… there’s this one girl na kakaiba sa lahat. She’s so brave and strong. But inside her, she’s so weak. And she doesn’t know how to trust others. Maybe she knew, but she can’t give her full trust to someone. And there’s this guy na gustong mapalapit sa kanya. He wants to capture the girl’s heart and make her fall in love with him. But the guy has a plan. That is to get the girl’s trust, capture her heart and in the end, break her heart. But I’m concerned about the girl because she has this condition, that if she felt being broke, it will make her hard for trusting anyone anymore. What should I do now?”

“Hmm, then stop the guy from his plan. Don’t let this girl to be hurt. Because girls are meant to be loved, not to be hurt. At kaming mga babae, kapag nasaktan, masyadong malalim ang maidudulot na sugat. Maaaring gumaling ito agad, but you can’t erase the fact na may peklat na naiwan na kahit taon pa ang tumagal, naroon at naroon parin yon na nagpapaalala sa sugat ng kahapon.”-Mitch

“Sino ba itong girl na sinasabi mo? Parang napakaspecial niya yata at parang ayaw mong masaktan? At sino naman yung lalaking gustong manakit sa kanya? Siraulo ba siya para saktan ang isang babae na walang ginagawa kundi ang maging matapang kahit na sa totoo eh napakahina niya naman?”-pagpapatuloy ni Mitch

“Eh kasi… si Kuya Drache yung guy… At yung babae, si Venisse. Yung babaeng sinabi ko sayong nakatalo sa amin sa race.”

“Woah… That’s ridiculous! Xander would do that to this Venisse girl you are talking about?”-Mitch

“Actually, it’s not his plan. It’s Katsumi’s plan.”

“That Katsumi boy? How dare him to think something like this? Hindi niya ba naisip na masakit ang gagawin nila? At bakit naman pumayag ang kuya mo sa planong ito?!” -Mitch

“You know my brother. Hindi pa natatalo yan sa kahit anong laban. And when we lost in our last race, we have a deal to fulfill. That is to be Venisse and Craise’ Slaves. We are going to be slaves for two girls in a month. Kaya nga pumayag si kuya sa plano ni Kats para mapaghigantihan si Venisse. But me, Dixon and Seth are against with that plan. And inaalala rin namin ang kalagayan ni Venisse. May pinagdadaanan siya ngayon at ayaw na naming dagdagan pa ang sakit na nararamdaman niya.”

“Kawawa naman siya. You know, I’m interested to meet that Venisse you are talking about. I want to be friends with her.”-Mitch

“Well, goodluck sa binabalak mo. Cause you know, she’s not an ordinary girl na makukuha mo agad ang loob. It’s hard to gain her trust, knowing that you’re my girlfriend? Her enemy’s brother’s girlfriend? Good luck sayo babe.”

“I’ll be her friend. Just watch and learn. Good night babe.”-Mitch, then she kiss my cheek and push me lightly out of her room.

“Oh well, this gonna be a long night.”-Me and I enter my room.

Drache’s [Short] POV

“Mom, buti pinayagan kayo ni Dad na pumunta ng Pilipinas? Alam niya ba kung nasaan ako?”

“Well, alam niyang pupuntahan kita, but I make sure na hindi ka niya matutunton.”-Mommy

“Bakit nga po pala ninyo sinama sina Maggs and Carmie?”

“Ang gulo kasi nila eh. Gusto nilang sumama kasi namimiss na daw nila kayo ni JC. Knowing yung mga kapatid niyo, hindi talaga magpapaawat yan.” -Mom

“Eh hanggang kelan po kayo dito?”

“Siguro mga 1 week lang. Dinala ko lang talaga itong mga kapatid niyo para bisitahin kayo. At may aasikasuhin lang ako dito sa Pilipinas.”-Mom

“Ano naman po yung aasikasuhin niyo?”

“Ahmmm…wala lang… something about business… ah sige matulog kana. Matutulog narin kame ng mga kapatid mo.” -Mom

“Sige Mom… good night…”

“Good night anak…”-Mom

Haay… This was so tiring day. Humiga na ako sa kama ko and started to close my eyes when I remembered what mom said earlier…

“May aasikasuhin lang ako dito sa Pilipinas.”

“May aasikasuhin lang ako dito sa Pilipinas.”

“May aasikasuhin lang ako dito sa Pilipinas.”

“May aasikasuhin lang ako dito sa Pilipinas.”

Ano naman kayang aasikasuhin ni Mommy dito sa Pinas? Is this really about business? Or about ME? I can’t keep thinking about it until I fall asleep…