Heaven's Will

16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Naalimpungatan ako. I opened my eyes and saw the blinding rays of the sun illuminating my room.

Umaga na pala. I sighed. Naalala ko ang nangyari kagabi sa bar.

I almost got raped. Buti nalang nandon si Kenneth.

At the thought of his name ay nagflashback sakin ang sinabi niya kagabi.

"I'll be here when you wake up."

My eyebrows shot up. Tinupad nya kaya yun? Is he still here? Tatayo na sana ko ng kama ng makita kong may malaking katawan na nakahiga sa sahig.

He's still sound asleep. I smiled. Binantayan nya ko buong gabi.

Dumapa ako sa kama at tinitigan siya matulog.

Ang amo ng mukha nya. Kapag tulog nga lang, haha. My phone vibrated from my bedside table.

I tried reaching for it ng hindi tumatayo sa kama kasi tinatamad ako.

But what happened next was unexpected. I lost my balance, and fell on him.

Fuck.

"Ouch!" I said, ang sakit ng bagsak ko.

"Oww..." Sabi naman nya at nagising na rin. He opened his eyes and fixed them at me.

"G-goodmorning." Nauutal kong bati.

He frowned. May problema ba?

"You do realize that we're in an awkward position, right?"

"Awkward posi-oooohh. Right. U-ugh, sorry." narealize kong nakadagan nga pala ako sa kanya.

Just then, the door to my room opened.

"Cy, narinig ko yung galabog mula dito are you ok- WTF?!!!" Gulat na sigaw ni Kuya.

Bigla akong napatayo. "Kuya, it's not what you think.." My cheeks are burning right now.

Nagpalipat lipat samin ang tingin nya. Tinaasan lang siya ng kilay ni Kenneth.

"It's not what I think it is?! Then what was that, Cyrelle Audrey?!"

"K-kuya ano kasi-"

"ANO?!" He shouted at me. Napayuko nalang ako. He turned to Kenneth.

"What do you have to say? Magkaibigan tayo, oo pero dude-"

Kenneth cut him off. "GAGO! She fell out of bed at nahulog sakin. Dumi mo mag-isip!"

"So, nothing happened?"

"KUYA!" Saway ko ngunit pinandilatan niya lang ako. Nakakahiya!

"What?! Naninigurado lang ako. Naabutan ko kayo sa iisang kwarto at sa ganoong posisyon."

"Shut up, man. Nothing happened." Binato siya ni Kenneth ng unan.

"Fine. Edi wala. Pero bakit dito ka natulog sa bahay? At sa kwarto ni Cyrelle to be specific?"

I rolled my eyes. Kuya will always be Kuya.

"I just couldn't leave her after what happened last night..."

"WHAT?! I THOUGHT NOTHING HAPPENED BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU LAST NIGHT?!" Nakasigaw na naman na tanong niya.

"Ano ba pre. Hindi nga yon."

"Then what?! Explain yourse-"

"Multik siyang marape kagabi."

Natigagal si Kuya at tumingin sakin, tapos kay Kenneth uli.

"Wh-what?"

Kenneth sighed. "Last night, nasa bar ako. I saw her, and followed her. I swear, you don't want me to elaborate what I saw."

"Kuya, he s-saved me." I explained.

Tahimik parin si Kuya.

"I slept here sa bahay nyo kasi wala siyang kasama. I stayed in the guestroom but she had a nightmare. She woke up crying, and I just couldn't leave her after that."

Nilapitan ako ni Kuya at biglang niyakap. "God.. oh, god. I'm sorry Cy, I didn't know."

Hinaplos nya yung buhok ko. Worry and guilt were written all over his face. "For f**k's sake, I didn't know. God, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Kuya."

Nilingon nya si Kenneth. "Thanks, dude."

Tinanguan siya nito. "Alis na ko, it's already nine fifteen am. May practice ng 11 sa auditorium Cy, don't forget."

Tumango ako. "Pahiramin muna kita ng damit." Kuya told him.

Tapos ay lumabas na sila ng kwarto. I took a bath, baka malate ako eh. After nun ay nagbihis na ako ng school uniform.

Dumungaw ako sa bintana. Wala na yung kotse ni Kenneth.

I grabbed my phone and sent him a message.

Thank you. See you later.

Nagreply naman siya agad.

How many times do you have to say 'thank you' to me?

Napangiti ako and typed in my reply. After that ay nilagay ko na ito sa bag at bumaba na.

Kuya was waiting for me downstairs. He prepared breakfast. He still has that guilty expression on his face.

He offered me an apologetic smile. "Petit déjeuner. Bon appétit!" He spoke in french.

Nginitian ko siya. "Sabay ka na Kuya."

"Non." (no)

Kadalasan, nagfefrench lang kami kapag si Daddy ang kausap, siya kasi half french, si Mama filipina.

"Dali na Kuya."

Umupo siya tabi ko. "Hahatid kita papuntang school ngayon."

"Non! Je vais bien!" (No. I'm fine!)

"Wag ng makulit. I need to make sure you're safe. Inuusig na ako ng kunsensya ko." Di ako sumagot.

" S'il vous plaît." (please)

"Okay."

"Good." Hinatid nya nga ako, kaya lang we took the cab kasi di pa nya nakukuha yung car niya sa bar.

"Sige na Cy, pumasok ka na. Prends soins de toi." (take care)

I waved. Pumasok na ko sa room, konti palang ang tao, nadatnan ko si Ji na mukhang namomroblema parin.

Nakaupo siya sa seat nya at halatang malalim ang iniisip. I approached her.

"Ji, are you okay?"

When she saw me niyakap niya ako agad. "Cyrelle, sorry! Dahil sakin multik ng may masamang nangyari sayo. Sorry! Sorry talaga.." Naiiyak na sabi niya.

I patted her back. "Hey, hey. Calm down, okay na ko. Gusto sana kta makasama today pero may practice kami. Dumaan lang ako dto to make sure you're okay."

"Medyo kumalma na ko. Alalang alala si Mommy last night. Wag na daw ako magbabar uli."

"Uhm, Ji. Pano mo nga pala nalaman yung tungkol sa multik ng mangyari kagabi? Did Kuya call you?"

She shook her head. "Kenneth talked to me kanina. He was angry at me for what happened. He was blaming me."

"Ha? Wala namang may kasalanan nito."

Umiling siya. "Kasalanan ko Cy. Tama naman siya. Do you know what else he said?"

My brows furrowed. "What?"

"Hindi daw niya ako mapapatawad kung may masamang nangyari sayo."