Chapter 6
1766 Words
Chapter 6
PIGIL na pigil ni Desire na kumustahin si Midnight ng mga sumunod na araw. Kasalukuyan silang nagpapasukat ng damit para sa kasal ng Ate niya at ni Gian. Mabilisan ang preparasyon. Money makes everything so possible to be accomplished in no time. Hindi na bago iyon. Sa panahon ngayon talagang pera ang nagsasalita at kumikilos sa lahat ng bagay.
She doesn't even know why her father was in a hurry. Hindi naman buntis ang kanyang ate para madaliin ang lahat.
She was holding her phone and her fingers were itching to chat with Midnight. He was online. Naka-move on na kaya ito pagkatapos ng dalawang araw, matapos na mabangga?
Who knows. Kung oo man, nagpapasalamat siya. Magiging masaya siya para roon.
“Hi!”
A message popped up with a profile pic. Napamulagat ang dalaga dahil hindi siya makapaniwala sa nakita. Naroon na luminga pa siya sa paligid dahil baka may malisyosong nakatingin sa kanyang smartphone.
And there was her mother behind her, looking at her phone.
“Mom,” ngumiti siya sa ina, hindi alam kung paano itatago ang aparato.
She didn't want to act guilty but her hand voluntarily flipped the phone.
“I didn't mean to interfere with your privacy, but was that your Ate's ex?” tanong ni Jimena sa kanya.
She looked at her father who was quite standing away from them. Halata ang saya sa mukha ni Salvatore, bagay na hindi niya nakita noong engagement na ipinanakasa ni Midnight. She wouldn't forget that look on her father's face that night they came and witnessed that proposal.
Dumating ang hari at walang nakahuma na kahit sino nang duru-duruin ni Salvatore si Midnight, at ipaalala ang alitan ng ama no'n at ng ama niya. Nang sumigaw ang kanyang ama na magsiuwi ang lahat ay parang mga damong pinag-grass cutter ang nga bisita, kanya-kanyang pulasan papaalis, nahawi at nawala na parang mga bula.
“Uhm, yes, Mom,” medyo alanganin na sagot ni Desire sa ina pero hindi ganoon kahalata.
“Baka magalit ang Daddy mo na nakikipag-komunikasyon ka sa anak ng kaaway niya.”
“Mom, he just sent me a chat today. He never did before. Baka naman need niya ng kaunting simpatya kahit paano. For all you know, kahit paano ay kilala ko naman siya,” dahilan naman niya pero kamuntik siyang mapangiwi dahil ang smartphone niya ay buma-vibrate.
Nang sulyapan niya iyon ay tumatawag na si Midnight sa kanya.
“I understand that but your Dad will not. Be careful making friends with that man. Your Dad will not love it, anak. Wala ka rin naman magagawa kapag pinigil ka na niya.”
Tumango na lang siya. Sa loob-loob niya ay napabuntong hininga siya.
Hindi na niya nasagot pa ang tawag kahit na tumalikod na si Jemena. She just composed a message as her reply to Midnight. It was quick.
“‘musta? Nandito si Ate, nagpapasukat ng gown. I'm telling you not to hurt you, okay. Somehow you will find out soon, too. It's better to let you know now.”
“Hindi si Abby ang hanap ko. I need someone to talk to. Available ka, Sire?”
Napatda siya. Bumilis ang kabog ng kanyang dibdib, at halos mahawakan pa nga niya iyon. She faked a cough. This man is trying to move on. Sino naman siya para ipagkait dito iyon? Ipagdadamot ba niya ang tulong dito kahit na simpleng kausap lang naman ang gusto nito?
Oh, come on. Who is she fooling anyway? It's not just because of a simple help. She wants to get closer to Midnight. Nasisilip niya ang pagkakataon na ito para matupad iyon. Yeah. And how about her father?
She glanced at her father. She is not Abby. She is kind but if she's on the right side, she is willing to fight, even if fighting means fighting with her father. Hindi naman iyon laban sa punto na aawayin niya ang kanyang ama. She only has to make him understand that he will not make her life in the future. Siya naman ang may sariling buhay. Ayaw niyang matulad sa Ate niya, na magpapatali sa lalaking halos hindi na nakakausap, pero sa isang iglap ay pakakasalan. It will never make Desire happy, but she believes that Abby really didn't love Midnight. Ang taong mahal ay ipinaglalaban, ganoon lang kasimple ang lahat para sa kanya.
“Through chat, we can talk. I can't leave right now. Mamaya pa ang pasok ko.”
“Perhaps you can leave earlier and meet me?”
Medyo lumaki ulit ang mga mata niya. Wow. This man really needs someone to talk to. Just like the old days when she was acting like the bridge when the two had misunderstandings. Ganoon na lang siguro talaga ang kanyang papel, ‘The Great Bridge of China’, este Manila pala.
“Look, I can no longer be the bridge today, Kuya Nyt. This is marriage. This is not just a simple misunderstanding between you and my Ate.”
He was typing a message. Ang tagal bago iyon nag-send, tapos ang message lang naman nito sa kanya ay,
“Okay.”
Halos maitirik ni Desire ang mga mata pero nasundan naman iyon ng bagong salita.
“I don't need a bridge today, Sire. I need someone to talk to, a special girl and not just a nobody.”
Ah, s**t! Why does this man talk to her this way? Lumalambot ang kanyang puso. Hindi siya handa sa ganito.
Huminga muna ang dalaga nang malalim. She has to calm herself. She has to tighten her grip. Hindi siya pu-pwedeng madala sa ganitong mga salita ni Midnight. Totoo naman na hindi lang siya nobody. Matagal na rin naman sila na magkakilala, bata pa nga siya noon, ‘di ba?
“I'll see you later then. Maaga akong papasok. I'll send you a message. Are you okay with that?”
“Okay na okay,” with a winking emoji.
Napatda siyang muli pero itinikhim na lang niya iyon, saka niya itinago ang smartphone. She intentionally looked at her sister, who was smiling ear to ear. Nakikipagharutan iyon kay Gian. Parati naman ganoon ang Ate niya sa mga lalaki, kahit hindi kay Gian. Kaya madalas noon na mag-away ang dalawa ni Midnight dahil one of the boys daw ang kanyang kapatid.
Desire didn't take it like that because she had witnessed so many things. Hindi pagiging one of the boys ang pakikipaghalikan sa kung sinu-sinong lalaki na kakilala, na pagkatapos na hindi matipuhan ay hindi na papansinin. Abegail was really a bit itchy. She only doesn't want to say it often because she's still her sister after all. Hindi na rin niya isinusumbong iyon kay Midnight noon, kahit na alam niyang masama ang ginagawa ni Abby. First thing, baka hindi sa kanya maniwala ang lalaki at lumabas pang sinisiraan niya ang kanyang Ate. Second, she didn't want to act as the villain in her sister's love story.
Perhaps, heaven still loves Midnight that's why this thing happened. Baka sadyang pinaghiwalay ng Diyos ang dalawa para maiiwas si Midnight sa mga kalokohan ng kanyang nakatatandang kapatid. Abby was a cheater, still flirting though she was already committed. That's the truth. Masama man na sabihin, makati ang Ate niya. Hindi nga niya alam kung anong naghihintay na buhay sa dalawa ni Gian. Ang nakakahiya ay kung hindi ito tumigil sa gawain na masama. Nakakahiya sa mga magulang ni Gian. Nakakahiya ang kanyang ama, ang kanyang mga magulang. Parang nagsubo ang kanyang Daddy ng isang masamang babae kay Gian.
Well, that's their problem and not hers. She just hopes that her elder sister will not put their parents in shame. Abby must mature now. Marriage is not flirting anymore. It's sacred.
DESIRE's heart was accelerating. She couldn't leave the vanity mirror, checking her face from time to time. She doesn't want to look like a corpse in front of Midnight because of too much foundation. She has to look pretty and not scary.
Muli niyang tinapik ang mga pisngi para sa blush on, hanggang sa siya ay mapabuntong hininga.
Mag-uusap lang kayo. Kalma.
It's a normal thing for them to talk. Why is she acting so strange about it? Was it all because he was already single? Yes, he is single but not ready to mingle.
She now decided to leave the mirror and grabbed her key. There's no need to make an effort to look pretty. Walang ibang maganda para kay Midnight, si Abby lang.
Nang makababa siya ay nakita niya na papalabas na sa gate ang sasakyan ng kanyang mga magulang. Siya naman ay tumuloy na rin sa paglabas ng bahay. Papasok naman ang Ate Abby niya sa pinto, inihatid malamang si Gian sa sasakyan no'n.
“Ang aga mo,” puna ni Abby sa kanya.
“I just want to leave early. Wala ka bang lakad, Ate?”
“I prefer to stay here. Nakakapagod ang preparasyon sa kasal,” kibit-balikat nito sa kanya.
“So, this is really happening now,” Desire said, pinatatalon ang kapatid, “Wala na bang atrasan?”
“And what? Who can ever defy Salvatore?” Naiiling na tanong nito sa kanya, hilaw ang ngisi.
“Well,” nagkibit na lang din siya, “I guess you will make a good wife because of that.”
Napahagikhik siya sa sariling tinuran dahil hindi nakaimik si Abby. Tuluyan niyang nilayasan ang kapatid at dumiretso siya sa garahe.
“Be sure to lock the doors, Ate. Marami pa naman gustong nakawin ka!” Biro pa niya kay Abegail.
Maraming gustong tikman ito. Iyon ang tamang salita, at gusto rin naman nitong magpatikim, malamang. Titig pa lang naman kasi ng babae ay nang-aakit na. Kahit kapag magkasama sila, nakikita niya kung kanino interesado si Abby. Her gaze is different when she likes a guy. Para itong nang-aakit na hindi niya maunawaan.
When she was finally inside her car, she checked her phone. There was a chat from Midnight.
“Papunta ka na ba? I'll send you my exact location, sweetheart.”
Oh, sweetheart.
She read The next message. Attached to it was a Google map.
“Here at my pub.”
“What?!” Bulalas niya at nanlaki pa ang mga mata. Anong pub? Bakit siya sa pub pupunta?
The hell, she'll never talk to him inside a pub! Ano siya, bali? Midnight is a very dangerous guy. Ayaw niyang magsolo sila sa ganoong lugar na sila lang dalawa. She's not that desperate to go to a certain place he owns and see him!
Baka ratratin siya ni Salvatore ng machine gun.
- Writer
