Chapter 13

Rhainne Jhammira Alethea Lopez

"I told you don't give her that necklace. Tahimik na ang buhay niya! She's fine! Now look what happened! We don't even know kung may nadagdag ba or may nabawas sa mga nalalaman niya!"- it's a man. I heard his voice was fuming mad. Nadagdag? Nabawas? What are they talking about? Nalaman? What nalaman? The last thing I know before I pass out is my head hurts and katabi ko si Miss Presley sa office ni Ate

There are some things that feel like hallucinations?

"I didn't know that this would happen"- naiiyak na boses nang babae, what are they fighting for?

"You didn't? Come on you're smart. You should've known this! Now look at her she's been asleep for 4 days already"- what? 4days? Sleep? A-ako ba ang pinag usapan nila?

I need to eavesdrop.....

"I didn't know that she would be affected by it. Hindi ko alam na makakaapekto sakanya ang maliliit na bagay"- she said na parang naiiyak base sa boses niya dahil nanginginig ito, nag hahalong takot, pag aalala at konsensya

"I-I'm scared"- turan nang isa pang babae

"It's been days and still...... she's unconscious"- alright thats it

To sum up the happenings. I was been fucking unconscious for 4days

I opened my eyes at agad na lumapit saakin ang tatlong tao na nandito sa isang silid kasama ko, it was Dad, Ate and Prof Alvares. Really? Sila yung nandito? Where's my friend?

"Oh my God you're finally awake. May masakit ba sayo? Did your head still hurt? What did the last thing you know?Do you feel better?"- sunod sunod na tanong ni Ate

"Ryleigh stopped pressuring her kagigising niya lang. I'll call the doctor"- saway naman dito ni Dad

"I-Im fine. Wa-water"- agad naman akong inabutan ng tubig, fuck I feel like natuyo ang lalamunan ko

I looked at them, pag aalala yan ang nakikita ko sa mata nila.

"T-the necklace.....d-do you still want it?"- ate said breaking the silence

"Yes. Naalala ko na kung paanong naging akin yan"- I said that made them shock

"H-how?"

"Since birth nasaakin na yung necklace kaya pala nawala kasi naiwan ko pala here in Philippines"- hindi ko rin alam bakit biglaan akong naging madaldal

The doctor arrived with dad and check up on me, he says that I'm fine and I can go home.

Nandito kami ngayon sa kotse ni Ate siya ang mag hahatid sakin, of course what do you expect from dad. He's a busy man

"Did you know who gave you that necklace?"

"Yes, it's dad"

Silence......

Nanatiling tahimik ang mga tao sa kotse na to after what I said. I didn't know if they are offended by it or what. Minsan ay nararamdaman ko ang pag tingin ni Prof Alvares saakin but I wouldn't mind

Hindi naman masyadong matagal ay nakarating rin agad kami sa bahay. It's Sunday today so I still have time to rest before I go back in school.

I just rang the doorbell, nasa likod ko ang dalawa. After 2 minutes bumukas ito, Amrielle's face was on shock.

"Ulan!!!!!"- rinig kong sigaw nang tao sa loob siguro ay nasilip na nila na ako ito

Tumakbo ang dalawa at niyakap ako.

"Easy, gusto niyo bakong patayin? Ang higpit nang yakap niyo"- sabi ko kaya agad namang bumitaw ang mga to

" Bakit ba namiss ka namin"- Amrielle

"Sakto dating mo niluto ni Amrielle ang favorite mo"- Jenaiah said

What favorite?

"Alin don?"

"All of it, she cooked Mc and Cheese, carbonara, chicken fried steak with sauce and Beef stew"- Jenaiah

"Buti naman nag luto kayo. I'm hungry I didn't eat for 4days"

"Hi po mga Prof pasok po kayo. Welcome po sa home namin"- kakapalan ng muka ni Amrielle yan. Home namin tapos ako lang nababayad ng kuryente at tubig

"Ayaw mo ngang magbigay nang pambayad ng kuryente tapos home namin sasabihin mo"- singit ni Rayla na ngayon ay nasa kitchen piniprepare ang table, nanay namin yan

"Hoy nag babayad ako ah"- depensa naman ni Amrielle

"Oo! Pag tinututukan ka na ng baril. Tigas mo"- rebut naman ni Rayla

"At least nag babayad"- pagtataray ni Amrielle

Kakabalik ko lang nag sasagutan nanaman sila. I'm sure that Jenaiah was stressed with this

"Hindi ka ba nahirapang pigilang mag away yang dalawa?"- tanong ko dito sa katabi ko, no other that Jenaiah

"Hindi naman, hinyaan ko nalang silang mag away. Hindi rin naman nila kayang saktan ang isa't isa"- sagot nito habang pinipigilang tumawa

"Kain na!"- sigaw ni Rayla mula sa kitchen kaya agad naman kaming pumunta

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"We're going home na Ali. Be safe. And thank you sa food"- paalam ni Ate I just nooded at her

Umalis na sila at nag paalam naman ako sa mga kasama ko dito sa bahay na aakyat nako.

Di ko rin alam dapat kong gawin eh. Ano ba dapat? Should I hugged her? Ni hindi ko nga alam pano siya papasalamatan, maybe I'll just cook for her breakfast tomorrow and leave a note there

It's really hard expressing yourself though, for me lang ah.

Hindi ko nga alam pano nagagawa nang iba na mag sabi ng mga ganong bagay. Gosh how can they say those sweet words.

How can I start being sweet talker when I can't even say thank you.

I should stop overthinking dahil baka mahimatay nanaman ako at magising after 4days, so weird.

..........

Nagising ako, dahil sa ingay sa baba. Ano nanamang ginagawa ng tatlo? Bakit ang ingay nila?

Fuck 10 na ng gabi, ganon ba kahaba ang tulog ko? Grabe naman yon

Nag ayos lang ako ng sarili at bumaba na rin. So I'm right dito nga nang gagaling ang ingay kanina na gumising saakin.

"What's happening here? We're partying for you!!!! Since you're backkk"- Amrielle said na halatang tipsy na

Mga lasinggera.

Wala talagang pinipiling oras tong mga taong to

"If you're hungry may food sa table. It's for you hindi kana namin ginising kanina"- Rayla said muka namang siya na lang ang normal sakanilang tatlo hindi ata yon uminom

Umiling iling nalang ako saka pumunta sa kitchen. I want mango shake. I open the fridge to look for mango, lucky me merong mango. Kumuha lang ako ng ice and condensed milk at inilagay ko na ito sa blender kasama ang mango. Hindi ko rin alam sa cravings ko basta gusto ko neto.

Walang basagan ng trip sa buhay

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Maaga ako nagising dahil I'm gonna cook for breakfast. Wala trip ko lang. If Nanang was here aasarin nanaman ako non na nagluto na ulit ako.

After 1hr natapos nako mag luto nalagay ko na rin sa lagayan ang food for Ate papasalamat ko na rin sakanya yon. Bumaba na rin ang tatlo at nag niningning ang mata sa nakikita nila

"Andaming food ah"

"Sipag mo mag luto ngayon"

"Mukang masarap"

Comment ng tatlo nang makita nila ang nasa hapag kainan. Well I just cooked strawberry sheet pancake, waffle, omelette, sunny side up, muffins, vegetables salad, coffee, orange juice and just cut a fruits like banana, mango, apple, strawberry, orange, watermelon, avocado and grapes

Binubusog ko talaga sila ngayon ng medyo healthy na food baka kasi magkasakit sila kakaaya nila mag bar.

After we ate breakfast agad rin kaming pumasok sa kanya kanya naming kwarto para mag ayos. I just wear our uniform it's a maroon pencil skirt, a white top with necktie na pinatungan ng Blazer na maroon with the logo of GEU.

Mahirap gumalaw pero okay narin naman. We look formal in this kind of outfit although it's allowed to wear our washday clothes but only once a week. Iba iba rin kasing klase yung uniform namin. One of those is yung suot ko ngayon then yung isa naman which is yung sinusuot namin tuwing monday is, a blue slacks, with white top shirt and a blue blazer with the logo of course na pinapartneran ng white shoes. Then tomorrow its a black slack with white long sleeve na pinapatungan ng black vest and on thursday and friday naman its our wash daw we just wear whatever we want.

"Ulan bilisan mo na diyan malelate na tayo!"- rinig kong sigaw ni Amrielle kaya naman dali dali kong kinuha ang bag ko at susi at bumaba na

Bago ko makalimutan kinuha ko na rin yung food na ibibigay ko kay Ate.

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Hindi naman kami nag tagal sa byahe at agad nakarating. I was standing here in Ate's office, nag dadalawang isip ako kung kakatok ba ako o iiwan ko nalang sa pinto ang dala ko.

Maybe should I knock? or maybe don't?

"Hey, what are you doing here"- Prof Alvares said while smiling at me

Nagulat ako.....

"Is that for Ryleigh? Wala siya sa office niya ngayon she's in the meeting right now with the shareholders"- nakangiti niya parin sabi, ngayon ko lang napansin may dimple rin pala siya. Bigla kong naisip how come na may dimple ako eh wala sa family namin ang may dimple except saakin si Yana naman wala ring dimple. So weird

"Hey Ali, nakatulala ka kasi"- she said that made me back to my senses. Gosh what I was thinking maybe coincidence lang na ako lang may dimple samin kagaya netong nasa harap ko. How could I hate her?

"Ah eh Is it okay if ikaw nalang po ang magbigay sakanya Prof Alvares?"

"Okay, sure"- she smiled at me. Her smile is making my heart melt. How could I be so mean to her when she's so soft at me?

"Aalis kana ba? Did you forgot that I'm your professor at this time?"- she said that made me look back at her. I was about to....not until she tell that. Hindi talaga ako matandain sa mga ganyang bagay or wala lang talaga sa interes ko na kabisaduhin ang schedule

"Are you? I didn't know. May gamit ka po bang dala?"- I suddenly asked I don't really know what comes into my mind at nagawa kong sabihin iyon. I shouldn't be here, hindi dapat ako lumalapit sakanya.

"Kukunin ko palang. If you want sabay na tayo pumunta sa room niyo"- I just nooded at her, sumunod nalang ako sa office niya hindi na rin ako nag abalang pumasok at hinintay na lang siya sa labas hindi naman siya nag tagal at lumabas rin

Wala naman siyang dala except her laptop and one book na I insist to hold.

"It's really nice to talk to you once again"- she said to me pero bakas ang pangungulila at lungkot sa tono nito. Ano bang meron?

"I've been wanting to approach you since you came back pero wala akong lakas na lumapit at kausapin ka dahil ramdam ko ang pag iwas mo"- dagdag niya pero hindi naalis ang tonong malungkot at pangungulila na ngayon ay bakas sa kanyang mata

"You know, you really changed a lot sabagay bata ka pa non, your eye's are cold as ice. I hope you're happy, cause I'm happy that you are back to us Ali"

....

I'm happy that you are back to us Ali

you are back to as Ali

Ali

Ali

Ali

It's been 1 week since that encounter but my minds keep echoing that name Ali. It's familiar......very familiar.

1 week na ang nakakalipas hindi nag bago ang turing niya mas lalong napapadalas ang pag ngiti nito pero nasa mata niya parin ang pangungulila at lungkot. Who's she longing for?

Lagi niya na rin akong kinakausap at madalas rin namin siyang nakakasabay kumain tuwing lunch sa cafeteria. I could say that my friends like her. She's jolly and always bring a positive vibe no wonder why my friends like her. Well even though she's been like that we still treat her as our Prof but she insisted na pag outside daw ng school tawagin nalang siyang Ate Allisha. My friends call her that....

"Wala pa ba si Ate Allisha?"- Amrielle said na parang naiinip na. Sa aming lahat siya ang pinaka natutuwa don, close sila.

"Your word Amrielle we're inside of the University"- sometimes I still have to remind them about that

"Wala namang nakarinig tayo lang. Busy ba siya? What if puntahan ko na sa office niya? Sabi niya ililibre niya ko ng lunch eh"- Amrielle again. Hindi naman halatang gustong gusto niya yon no?

"Go if you want to know kasi wala samin ang sagot sa katanungan mo"- I said in monotone voice

"Nagiging robot ka nanaman!"- sigaw niya bago tuluyang umalis

Robot? Ako? Bitch talaga

"HAHAHAHA bat kasi monotone nanaman"- Rayla said at lumapit sa tabi ko

"Shut up. Bumili na kayo ng food don. Magugutom lang tayo if we're going to wait for Amrielle and your Ate to comeback"

"Bakit ba ang bitter mo nanaman?!"- Rayla said at na pumunta sa counter.

Bitter?

I'm not ampalaya to be bitter

I'm sweet but a psycho...... Joke

......

"Oh ayan na prinsesa"- Rayla said at inilapag ang hawak niyang foods

Nakabalik na siya pero si Amrielle hindi pa. Tagal naman non

"I'll rate the mango shake as 10/10 it really taste good"- Jenaiah said habang iniinom yung shake niya, gaya gaya.

"Hoy yung phone mo may tumatawag ata"- Rayla said

Malapit kasi sakanya yung phone ko kay nakikita niya

"Who is it?"

"Si Amrielle"

"Answer it"- I boredly said

Wala ako sa wisyo ngayon para sumagot ng tawag. Besides I'm busy eating

"Oh"

"What?!"

"Wait we're coming"- at binaba niya na ang call

"Let's go guys. Bilisan niyo"- Natatarantang sabi nito

"Teka nga ano bang meron"- same Jenaiah same

"Basta I don't have time to explain it. Let's go sumunod nalang kayo saakin. Lalong lalo kana Ulan"- seryosong sabi nito

Nagtataka man sumunod nalang ako. Syempre hindi ko iniwan food ko don no

"Oh anong gagawin natin dito sa tapat ng opisina ni Prof Alvares?"- Jenaiah said in confusion

Oo nga naman. Bakit dito kami dinala ni Rayla. Naliligaw ata to

Hindi siya sumagot sa halip ay binuksan niya ito at pumasok. Luh kapal ng muka natin ah

"Bilisan niyong dalawa!"- inis na sabi  nito

"Ikaw na mauna"

Ramdam ko na gusto ni Jenaiah sabihin na mauna na ako but I said it already kaya nauna na siya

Katahimikan

Katahimikan ang namumutawi sa loob ng silid na ito.

We're all in shock.

Who wouldn't

"What happened?"- may sarili atang utak ang bibig ko dahil kung ano ano nanaman lumalas dito

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