Song: The Heart Never Forgets- Leanne Rimes

Confused 

"Yes! We'll be fine! Savannah and I are just going to hang out! We will not do anything that will make you look bad!" pagpupumilit ni Alisha sa kanyang kapatid.

Timothy doesn't look convinced with her. He raised his brow and cocked his head to the side. Sa tingin ko ayaw niya talagang paniwalaan ang kanyang kapatid. That's why I didn't hesitate to butt in.

"Ako ang nag-aya kay Alisha, Timothy." sabi ko. Nabigla naman siya sa sinabi ko. "Gusto ko rin kasing lumabas at makilala pa siya ng husto."

He cleared his throat. Ramdam ko namang tiningnan ako ni Alisha sa gilid ng kanyang mga mata. A small smile appeared on her lips.

"Sana sinabi mo sa akin na gusto mo palang lumabas. Sana pinasyal kita."

I chuckled. "Hindi na. Ayoko rin makaabala. Mukhang busy ka rin kasi sa trabaho, e." I pressed my lips into a thin line. Should I make more excuses? It looks like Timothy's going to give in anytime by now.

"At tsaka, ayos lang rin ako kasama si Alisha. I bet she's a good company."

I saw Alisha shrugged her shoulders confidently. Ngumisi siya at tiningnan ang kapatid.

"Oh, ano, Kuya? Papayagan mo na ba kami? Siya rin naman ang nag-aya, e."

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin nang sabihin niya iyon. Today, we're going to Zachary Dela Merced's house. Sabi ni Alisha wag ko nalang daw sabihin na doon kami pupunta dahil sigurado siyang magagalit si Timothy at baka hindi pa kami payagan.

I only obliged because I felt like that guy knows something about my past. I'm just going to ask. If I don't get any answers, then it's fine by me. At least I know there's someone that I can ask help from.

"Where are you going again?" Timothy asks.

"Sa mall." sabi ko. "Mamamasyal lang at tsaka kakain."

I tried to smile at him to make it look more convincing. Nagpakawala siya ng malalim na hininga at humilig sa kanyang swivel chair.

Sometimes I don't understand why I need to have their approval before I head out. I mean, if I'm really free, I could go out anytime I want. But it seems like they're restricting me from going out and I don't understand why.

"I'm driving." ani Alisha.

"Pwede ko kayong ipa-"

"Hindi na, Timothy. Ayos lang." hindi ko na siya pinatapos pa. Alisha looks happy with my interruption.

Timothy scratched the back of his head before he finally gave in and let us do what we've planned a few nights ago.

I thanked Timothy for letting us. Niyakap ko siya at tsaka sabay na lumabas ng kanyang opisina kasama si Alisha.

She closed the door and she immediately bumped me using her shoulders.

"You were good at convincing him. He must be really in love with you to make him give in to your whims so easily." Alisha said.

Ngumiti nalang ako at hindi nagsalita.

"Don't worry. He's the wrong person for you." she said seriously then she rolled her eyes. Bahagya akong nagulat sa sinabi niya. Nang makita ang ekspresyon ko ay agad niyang kinuha ang kamay ko at tsaka ako nginitian.

"Let's go and let me take you to the right person for you."

I pursed my lips and nod my head. I obliged like a lost puppy. I honestly don't know what we're doing. All I know is we're going to Zachary Dela Merced's house today to return the necklace and hopefully, ask some questions.

I don't know why I feel so anxious while we were on our way. Pilit na sumasagi sa isip ko ang magiging reaksyon ng Ate ko at ni Timothy kapag nalaman nila 'to. Timothy will probably get mad at me for lying.

"I don't understand why they don't want me to meet this person." I told Alisha. "Naalala ko noon, tinanong ko kung sino si Zachary Dela Merced kay Ate... tapos nagalit siya at sinabing wala lang iyong taong iyon. But her face tells me the otherwise. She knows what's with this person and she doesn't want to tell me anything about it."

Alisha sighed. "Is that the reason why she keeps on insisting to return the necklace for you?"

"I guess. She looks so adamant on returning it for me."

She chuckled. Umiling siya at dismayado akong tiningnan.

"She will really do anything para lang hindi mo maalala si Zach."

"What's with him though?"

Ngumiti siya sa akin. "It's not my place to tell. You have your chance to ask him about that today."

She wiggled her brows at me. I bit my lip and didn't ask any more questions. I focused my attention to the surroundings outside. It's been days since I last went out. Bukod sa hindi pinapayagan, hindi ko rin alam kung saan pupwedeng pumunta. 

As much as I wanted to explore more, ayoko namang gawing dahilan iyon para mag-away kami ni Timothy. He's been really strict. Maybe he was just trying to protect me... 

"We're here." Alisha announced. 

Agad akong napalingon sa bahay kung saan ipinarada ni Alisha ang kanyang sasakyan. It's a pretty big house. I wonder how many people lives here. It is also such a quiet neighborhood. It must be really peaceful to live here. 

"Will you join me?" I asked her. Ngumiti siya sa akin at tsaka umiling. 

"No, it's better if I let you talk to him alone. He needs that." 

Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ko. Gusto ko sanang magtanong pero hindi ko na tinuloy dahil nagmamadali rin kami. Kahit anong oras pupwedeng tumawag si Timothy sa akin at hindi ko alam ang irarason kung sakaling tanungin niya kami kung nasaan kami. 

I let out a sigh as I open the shotgun door. Alisha smiled reassuringly at me as I close the door. 

"Savannah!" she called as I was about to walk towards the house. Lumapit ako sakanya. "I'm just going to park this car away from here. If you need something, just call me." 

Tumango ako at ngumiti sakanya. "Okay..." 

"And another thing, I hope you'll try your best to understand. Please try to remember him..." 

My mouth parted. I still couldn't understand what's happening and why she's so keen about making me meet him. Ano ba ang kinalaman ni Zachary Dela Merced sa buhay ko? Is he a big part of my life? 

But why does his name doesn't ring any bell whenever she tries to mention it to me? 

Maybe he's just someone I've been with for a short time. I don't know... but let's find out.

Tumango akong muli at tsaka nagtungo na sa bahay na tinutukoy niya. I walked towards their porch until I reached the door. I let out a sigh before I decided to press the door bell. 

I anxiously focused my gaze on my feet. Hindi ko alam kung handa na ba akong makilala ang taong tinutukoy ni Alisha sa akin. I don't know how I'll feel. 

It took them a while before they finally opened the door. I immediately raised my gaze and made an eye contact to a man who is really unknown to me. 

I slowly smiled at him. 

"Hi," I greeted. 

He didn't say anything. He just stared at me like he's seeing a ghost in front of him. I even raised a brow at him to at least make him move but he didn't. He's just staring at me. 

Am I at the wrong address? 

I was becoming hesitant if I should continue this or not when he finally spoke. 

"Sam..." he whispered. I was just about to react when he surprised me by crashing me into a tight hug. 

He's hugging me like he knows me too well and we've shared a lot of memories together. But I suddenly felt so scared and I don't know why. He's a total stranger to me and I wasn't expecting him to welcome me with this. 

Hindi ko na napigilan pa ang sarili at tinulak siya palayo. I don't know this man. He doesn't seem familiar at all, and it's hard to trust him right away even though Alisha keeps on telling me that he's a big part of my memory. 

"I'm sorry?" I apologized. I checked the paper that I used to write down the address that Alisha told me. Kahit na kasama ko naman siyang magpunta rito, gusto ko lang ring makasigurado. 

"But... am I at the right address?" I continued. 

His forehead continued to crease. Hindi siya nagsalita at nagugulohan lang akong tiningnan. 

I took his silence as my opportunity to speak again. "Is this Mr. Zachary Edward Dela Merced's house? The jeweler?"

"Sam, you know I'm not a jeweler." he tries to laugh even though it's evident that he's still so confused. 

Sam again?! Why does everyone keeps on calling me by that name? I don't know who is she! Nung una si Manang Emily, tapos si Alisha, ngayon naman siya? Nagugulohan na talaga ako. 

Siguro mali 'tong ginagawa kong 'to. Maybe that Sam somehow resembles my name or what... I don't know! I am so confused! 

"I'm sorry? But I don't know who's Sam..." I tried to sound as calm as possible. I bit my lip and tore my eyes away from this strange man. His forehead creased again because of what I just said. 

This is wrong. I shouldn't be here. Maybe he's not the person we were looking for. Maybe we should try again next time. 

"Never mind that... You know what? I'm probably at the wrong address. I'm so sorry for intruding." I tried to smile a little. I moved my feet backward and was so ready to leave this place when he suddenly spoke. 

"Wait!" I stopped from my attempt of getting away. I turn to him again. "I'm Zachary Dela Merced."

My mouth parted. I look over at the paper that I'm holding again. It suddenly felt strange that his voice sounds a little familiar but when I look at him, he's completely a stranger to me. I don't really know who he is, except for the fact that Ate Isabella told me he's a jeweler. 

I walked towards him again. He was really careful about getting close to me again. Siguro naramdaman niyang hindi ako naging komportable sa naging reaksyon niya kanina. 

"Uh... someone told me that you lend jewelries to people. And it happens that I'm probably one of those people." I tried to smile. I gulped before I started rummaging through my bag. "And uh... I'm returning this,"

Kinuha ko ang box kung saan ko panandaliang nilagay ang kwintas na nakita ko habang nag-aayos ako ng gamit. Ate Isabella told me I borrowed this from him. I believed her because she probably knows a lot of things about me that I probably forgotten. 

Every thing that she says to me, I always believe her. 

She's my sister, and I don't think she will ever lie to me about what I've missed even though she's distant and cold towards me. 

She's probably there to help me remember. 

"I figured that I probably borrowed that a long time ago and I wasn't able to return it." iniabot ko sakanya ang box. Bakas parin sa mukha niya ang pagkalito. 

He's trying to be calm but on the inside I can feel that he's so confused. He reached for the box and he immediately opened it. 

Nagulat siya nang makita ang kwintas na iyon. Did I borrow that for too long that it made him miss this necklace? 

"I'm sorry that it took me a long time before I return it. Uh... I can pay for the charges if you want to?" 

I feel bad for not returning it on the right date. But it's not my fault, though. I was involved in a car accident. Maybe he'll try and consider that. 

Hindi ko na nagawa pang kumuha ng pera sa aking wallet dahil pinigilan niya ako. I was taken a back when he gently rubbed his thumb on my forearm. I don't really feel comfortable with this. 

He looks taken a back with what he did so he removed his hand on my forearm and tried to stand properly again. 

"No need." he said simply. 

"Oh..." was the only thing I managed to say. 

Tumango ako. Nanatili lang kaming nakatitig sa isa't isa. He's looking at me like with full of longing and sadness. Habang ako, walang emosyon ko siyang tinititigan. 

He is really the guy on the magazine. Hindi nalalayo ang mukha niya sa lalaking iyon. 

"Are you sure you don't know me?" he asked. His tone sounds really desperate but at the same time, it sounds really sad. 

He looks confused and devastated and I admire him for trying to keep calm even though I can feel that there's a lot of emotion that going through inside his body. 

I shake my head and I felt bad. 

I promise... I tried to remember even just a little memory with him but there's nothing. He's still a complete stranger to me. 

"I don't remember meeting you before, I'm sorry. Someone just told me that I borrowed that necklace from you but I don't remember when... or how." I bit my lip. I am so desperate to bring my memory back. Pero kapag ginawa ko 'yun at pinilit ang sarili ko, may magiging kapalit. 

Maybe I should start by taking one step at a time. It seems like he knows something about me that Ate Isabella or Timothy failed to tell me before. 

"But if you do know me... then maybe you can tell something about me? I'm sort of trying to patch things up but I don't know how and I-"

I was interrupted when someone appeared behind him. 

"Zach! What took you so long! May kwento pa kami!" the guy stopped when he sees me. 

Gaya ng reaksyon ni Zach nang makita niya ako kanina, ganon rin ang reaksyon niya. His mouth is parted and his eyes are wide! 

"What the fuck!? Samantha!" sigaw nito at tsaka nagtungo sa akin upang yakapin ako. 

I was taken a back. I look at Zach to ask him for help. Bakit ba ganito nila ako salubungin? Talaga bang malaki silang parte ng memorya ko? Pero bakit wala akong maalala ni isa? 

Nakuha naman ni Zach ang tingin ko kaya niya hinila ang lalaking nakayakap sa akin paalis. I let out an exaggerated sigh. I pressed my lips into a thin line and tried to catch my breathing. 

"That was... I wasn't expecting that..." sabi ko. 

"Are you okay?" Zach asked. 

"Yeah... it's just that... that terrified me a little." I admitted. The guy looks confused and told me that I wasn't terrified at him before. 

And again, he addressed me with the name 'Sam' and again... I tried to explain that I'm not her and I don't really know who she is.

Para hindi na nila ako tawagin pa sa pangalan na iyon ay nagpakilala ako. I told them my real name. 

I offered my hand to Zach and he immediately accepted it. Umakto akong walang naramdaman pero nang hawakan niya ang kamay ko ay para bang may kakaiba akong naramdaman. I just don't know how I'll explain that feeling. 

I turn to the guy who hugged me a while ago. "You are?"

"Ryan." he answered simply. 

"Oh... okay..."

Pagkatapos noon ay may panibago namang pumasok sa eksena. He introduced himself as Tony. Kahit siya nagulat nang sabihin na Savannah ang pangalan ko. 

I suddenly wonder... is Savannah my real name? 

Niloloko lang ba ako nila Ate Isabella at Timothy? 

I don't know who to believe anymore. The world is such a cruel place. There are people who are probably lying to you and you don't know if you should still believe them. 

Siguro hindi muna ako dapat magtiwala ng ganon kabilis. I'll try to understand things on my own. Iba ang sinasabi nila sa sinasabi sa akin nila Ate Isabella at hindi ko alam kung sino ba ang dapat kong paniwalaan.

Ang kapatid ko ba o ang mga taong ito na kakakilala ko lang? 

A part of me wants to believe these people. They seem like a nice person. Ramdam kong hindi nila kayang gumawa ng masama sa akin. 

But I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Pilit kong sinasabi sa sarili ko na kapatid ko si Ate Isabella at siya ang dapat kong paniwalaan at hindi ang mga taong 'to. 

"Uhmm..." I started. "If you don't mind me asking... do you know me?"

Damn. I probably look pitiful because of the way I sound. I bit my lip and focused my gaze on my foot. "Because if you do... can you please tell me who I am? I don't know what really happened or what's happening, and why I got this memory loss..."

"Memory loss?" Zach asked. 

I tried to explain to them what my doctor told me. I saw Zach clenching his jaw while he's looking at me. His chest was rising up and down while staring at me, halatang nagpipigil ng emosyon. 

Ryan must've noticed it so he tried calling him pero hindi inalis ni Zach ang tingin sa akin. 

"Temporary or..." 

"I don't know. But my doctor told me that I should at least try and remember things, but I can't. Every time I try to do that, my head keeps on aching."

They asked me if I remember someone from my family or a boyfriend... sinabi ko sakanila kung sino ang kinakasama ko ngayon. Nakita ko ang pagpapabago ng ekspresyon nila. Halatang hindi nila inaasahan ang naging sagot ko. 

I suddenly saw anger in Zach's eyes. I felt scared. 

"But I actually don't feel like he's really my boyfriend before." I told them the truth. 

Minsan kapag lumalapit sa akin si Timothy, wala akong maramdaman na kakaiba. Diba kahit naman makalimot ang utak mo, alam mo parin kung sino ang nasa puso mo? Pero kung si Timothy talaga ang nandoon, bakit wala akong maramdaman? 

Bakit kahit na subukan ko o kahit na pilitin ko ang sarili ko na may maramdaman sakanya, wala talaga? 

"Who told you these things?" Zach asked, he sounds really mad. 

"My-" hindi ko na naituloy pa ang sasabihin ko dahil narinig ko nang tinatawag ang pangalan ko. I immediately turn to see who it is. 

"Savannah!"

Oh, shit. How did they find out? 

She'll probably get mad at me. I'm in big trouble. 

"Oh, shit. I need to get going. Thank you for... letting me stay for a while. I'll see you around." I smiled at them for the last time before I went to Ate Isabella. 

I apologetically look at her. "I'm sorry..."

"What the fuck are you doing? Get in!" she said coldly, her voice sounds like venom. 

Bago ako sumakay ay hinanap ko si Alisha. She's nowhere to be found. Where did she go? 

Nang sumakay ako ng sasakyan ay agad itong umandar upang makaalis na sa lugar na iyon. 

"What the fuck are you trying to do huh? Did Alisha wooed you that's why you joined her? Ganyan ka na ba kabilis mauto ha? Ang tanga mo!"

"I was just-" 

"Hindi ka na nahiya kay Timothy!"

"Ate, gusto ko lang-"

"Tumigil ka! Kahit ano pang paliwanag mo, walang maniniwala sa'yo." 

I clenched my jaw. Ilang beses na akong nagpipigil sa pagtrato niya sa akin ng ganito. Pero ngayon sumosobra na. I will not let her treat me this way anymore. This is too much.