Stranger Next Door

CHAPTER 16

I disagree on her reasons. Masyado siyang nagpapadala sa takot.

"Why are you being so coward, Herlyn? Don't you think being able not to speak will help you save your parents?" I'm looking intently to her.

"Yes." she confidently answered. "For almost five years that I stayed silent, my family remained safe. That's what I'm going to do until my last breath, Bella. I will never speak."

She left me dumbfounded.

Bigla namang bumalik sa katinuan ang isip ko ng dumating ang waiter. He's asking me if we're finished and I just nodded.

Sinubukan kong habulin si Herlyn. Buti naman at nahabol ko siya.

"Herlyn." I grab her arms.

Nakita kong nagpupumiglas siya per mas lalo ko lang diniinan ang hawak ko.

"Can you please have mercy on us?" I'm too desperate to know her answer but she still didn't speak.

"Sorry, Bella. Ayoko ng makadamay pa rito." then she left me.

I took a deep breath and stopped myself from crying. I went directly into the SSG Office to tell Harris that Herlyn knew something about the murderer.

"Oh, hey. So, Harris' girlfriend is here." ilang akong ngumiti ng makita nila ako sa SSG President.

So everybody knows about our relationship.

"Are you looking for him?" tanong naman nung isang member ng SSG nila.

I nodded.

"Sorry to say girl, but Harris didn't go to school. Akala nga namin, magkasama kayo. Hindi naman yun nag aabsent ng hindi nagsasabi samin."

Nabahala ako sa sinabi ng co-SSG niya.

"Wala ba siyang sinabi kung may pupuntahan siya? He never texted me. Basta huling pag uusap namin, pupunta siya ng school." I sighed, "I'm waiting for his texts or chats but I didn't received one."

"Baka may nilakad lang." sagot naman nung isa.

I was about to leave but the other student on the SSG called my name.

"Bella."

Kaagad naman akong napalingon.

"Yes?"

"Alam mo bang yung tinitirhan mo ngayon ay dating bahay ni Gwen nung buhay pa siya?" she asked.

"Yes. They told me." ilang kong sagot.

They look bothered but I manage to stay calm.

"Hindi ba nagpaparamdam sayo si Gwen? Alam mo kasi, pagkatapos mamatay ni Gwen hindi na pinabili pa ang bahay na yon. Walang tumatagal. Nakakagulat lang na nakatagal ka, kahit maraming negatibong pinagsasasabi sa bahay na yon."

"I sometimes dream of her." sagot ko, "But Gwen is not the kind of ghosts you think. As you can see, I'm still alive," yumuko lang ako saka lumabas na ng office nila.

Nakasalubong ko naman si Yani habang pabalik ako ng room.

Para siyang balisa.

"Where you going? Pauwi ka na?" tanong ko pero tumango lang siya.

I wanted to ask her why she's being too silent but I don't have the courage to speak.

Maybe she's been traumatized of Andrei's death. I will just wait for her to tell me the whole story.

"Ayaw mo bang bumisita muna tayo sa burol ni Andrei? Baka hanapin tayo nina Tita." sabi ko sa kanya.

"Pagod na kasi ako, Bella. Bukas na lang siguro." I don't know why I suddenly hugged her.

She didn't speak. Niyakap ko lang siya kasi alam kong kailangan niya ako.

"I know you need some comfort. Kahit hindi mo sabihin, alam kong mabigat ang pinagdadaanan mo. I will wait for you until you're ready," kumalas ako sa yakap saka nginitian siya.

She smiled back, but her smile faded when she saw Keith walking towards us.

"Bella." napalingon ako ng tinawag niya ako.

His hair is messy. He looks so tired. Para bang hindi siya natulog ng ilang araw.

"I know you're mad at me. I want to say sorry for what happened. Huwag kang mag alala, hindi kita guguluhin. Gusto ko lang talagang mag sorry." then he left.

It's not easy to forgive him that fast. Maghihintay na lang siguro ako ng tamang panahon para mapatawad siya.

For now, I'll just focus on investigating about their deaths. Ayokong may isa na namang masundan.

When we reached home, we were just silent. Yani cook some dinner for us. Caldereta.

While I am looking at her, I realized how preoccupied she is.

Well, all of us are out of focus. Kahit ang mismong school hindi na rin alam ang gagawin. Unti unti ng nalalagasan ng estudyante ang school nila.

Not just only students, the bright one, the talented one, and the popular one. Their loss is really a big deal for the school.

Since Yani is too busy on cooking I decided to go to the underground room in the attic. Natandaan ko yung baul na nakita ni Harris.

Since I saw that photo album already, I decided to find other stuffs. The book caught my attention.

Agad ko yong kinuha, at nalaman kong diary pala.

I don't know that Gwen likes to do some journal stuff. When I checked the book, it is thick.

Reading is my hobby. I want to know every single detail about Gwen kaya hindi ko to papalampasin ang kada page ng diary na to.

I started reading at the first page. In my estimation, I guess she was 14 years old when she started writing.

Dear Diary,

Ito yung first time na magsusulat ako dito. Bagong lipat lang kami. Nakaclose ko kaagad yung magkambal na si Keifer at Keith. Waaahhh, ang cute nila. Pero mas naattract ako kay Keifer kasi medyo may pagkabadboy. Parang sa mga drama lang, hehe. Magsusulat ulit ako bukas! Babye!

Love,

Gwynette Salvador :)

Hindi ko mapigilang matawa pagkatapos kong mabasa ang unang entry ni Gwen sa diary niya. Eversince, talagang kay Keifer na siya na attract. Well, kahit naman ako bet ko yung mga lalaking may pagka badboy.

Okay sana kasi si Keith. Cheerful guy. Pero siya yung uri ng tao na parang nasa loob ang kulo. He always smile but you will be curious of what he is inside.

Dinala ko yung journal ni Gwen habang palabas ako ng attic. In the first look, you will think of it as a book.

Nakita ko naman si Yani na tapos ng magluto. She looks so stressed. Hindi niya na nagagawang biru biruin ako kagaya ng dati. I miss the old talkative her.

"Yani." I called her name as I saw her eating the food she cooked.

Nilingon naman niya ako na parang nabigla.

"Are you hiding something from me?" her reaction suddenly changed.

Bigla siyang napayuko sa tinanong ko.

"Ano namang itatago ko sayo?" she tried to laugh but I can sense her nervousness.

Nagiging mailap siya. Iniiwasan niya ang mga tanong ko.

I sighed and we just continue eating when my phone rang.

Sabrina, my classmate is calling me.

"Bella, nakita mo ba yung post na article?"

Napakunot naman ang noo ko.

"Why? What happened?" taka kong tanong.

"S-si Harris." she seems shocked.

Bigla akong kinabahan. Malakas ang pakiramdam ko na para bang may masamang nangyari, but I'm still convincing myself that ai hope it's not a bad news.

"Bad news ba yan? You're making me nervous right now, Sab."

"Bella." she started to whine like a child.

Ang lakas lakas ng hikbi niya kaya nababahala ako sa paiyak iyak niyang ganyan.

"Wala na si Harris."

The time suddenly stopped. Para akong nanigas sa kinauupuan ko. I don't know what I'm going to do. It seems like, the world gets destroyed.

Harris is my everything.

I don't know why I love him, but he's the man I wanted to marry. Once again, I felt happy because he made me fall in love again. He inspires me on everything.

"Nakita yung bangkay niya sa CR ng boys. Ngayon ngayon lang nakita paglinis ng janitor. Marami ng NBI doon ngayon at—"

"Where is his body right now?" that's the first thing I asked, "S-saan nila dinala ang bangkay ni Harris?"

"Ang alam ko nasa dati lang, kung saan dinala si Ate Khaytelyn. Sabi nila—" I suddenly stopped the call.

My eyes is like a faucet, tears are falling. Wala sa sariling kinuha ko ang jacket ko. It's evening so I know it is cold outside.

"Saan ka pupunta?" Yani also stand up and folowed me.

Dali dali akong nagpara ng taxi. Si Yani, nakasunod pa rin sakin.

I can't help it, I'm sobbing.

"What happened?" Yani asked, but I can't manage to speak.

Hikbi lang ako ng hikbi.

"Bella. Sabihin mo sakin kung anong nangyari." sabi niya pero hindi pa rin talaga ako nagsasalita.

We finally reached the place where they bring Harris corpse.

Pabigat ng pabigat ang hakbang ko. Hindi ko kaya na makita ang pinakamamahal kong lalaki na nasa morgue. Lying and lifeless.

"Where is Mr. Harrison Villar?" halos manginig ang tuhod ko habang nagtatanong ako sa nurse.

The nurse told me which room he is. I almost run and I froze when I finally reached his room.

Halos ayokong buksan ang morgue. Nanginginig ang kamay ko. Nanlalamig na hindi ko maintindihan. Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko bang tingnan siya.

I love Harris so much, and I can't imagine my life without him.

I have lots of plans to do with him. Tho we don't know each other that much, I know in my heart that he's the one. He's the best of all my exes. He stayed by my side. But why? Why did he suddenly left me?

"Kung hindi ka pa handang makita siya, pwede namang bukas na lang." Yani tried to grab my wrist but I shooked my head.

"No. I want to see him." I took a deep breath then I opened the door knob slowly.

There, I saw Harris body. Doon na ako umiyak ng umiyak. I hugged him and told him to wake up.

"Harris, wake up please." naiiyak kong sabi. "I thought you're going to help me but why did you left so early? You said you'll never leave."

"Bella, tama na." Yani is hugging me right now.

Hindi ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko. The person who serves as my second mother dided. The man who I love the most died.

Ilang oras kaming nandoon ni Yani sa Morgue. I don't want to leave him here, kaso kailangang magsara.

Nakakalungkot isipin na walang pamilya niyang bibisita sa kanya but I'm sure, now they know about Harris death.

Kinabukasan pagpasok namin, as expected they talk about Harris death. Kapag naman may namamatay, para silang mga bubuyog. Bulong ng bulong.

"Sab." I called her.

Magtatanong sana ako ng info sa kanya. I was able to sit beside her but her friend, Iya speak.

"Huwag ka ngang lumalapit kay Sab. Baka mamaya, mahawa yan ng sumpa mo. Lahat pa naman ng lumalapit sayo, namamatay." saka sila nagtawanan.

Hindi ko alam kung paano magrereact. Doon ko narealize na bukod pala sa pagkamatay ni Harris, ako yung pinag uusapan.

I can hear their laughs. Because I was embarrassed, I just run away.

I was in a deep crying when I felt something hugging me. Parang kuryente na dumaloy sa buong katawan ko ang haplos na yun.

All of a sudden, I remember Harris. I remember all of my moments with him.

—

"Sayang! Kung nag Mass Com sana ako magkaklase tayo." Harris laughed, while checking those forms that I need to fill up.

"It's okay, Mr. President. Magkikita pa rin naman tayo dito sa school. If we have vacant time, we can hang out." I smiled.

"So you're giving me a nickname, huh?" tinawanan ako ni Harris. "What is it? Mr. President?"

"Why? What do you want me to call you?" I'm waiting for his answer.

"Call me yours." My heart skipped a beat, I don't know what I'm going to answer.

—

"Wow! I miss seeing this!" I'm just looking at those fireworks, for now, I temporarily forgot our miserable life in US.

It feels like, I become a child again.

"You like it?" Harris asked.

"Yes, I do." I answered without looking at him.

"You like me?"

"Yes, of course." I answered again, I turned my gaze into him when I realized what he just asked. "Wait, wh----"

He sealed my mouth with a kiss. He is not my first kiss after all so it doesn't matter but, I don't know how to react. What I feel right now is not only wanting to be kissed, but some things that I can't even understand. That kiss is passionate. It's like a drug, I'm truly addicted.

—

"Harris." I called his name and he faced me. "Do you even know that everytime I see you, you makes my heart flutter?"

My eyes widened after I realized what I said. What the hell was that?

"I mean, it's about----" I stopped talking when he suddenly kissed me.

We kiss each other like their has no tommorow. The kiss deepened, and his hands are moving anywhere.

I felt something strange when he kissed my neck. I don't know if I'm going to push him away because I'm also aroused.

I let him unzip the back of the dress I'm wearing. I'm not wearing a bra, so my breasts has already been exposed.

He suck my pinkish n*****s and I bite my lip because of the sensation he's giving.

That night, I let him own me.

—

He kissed my forehead, both my cheeks, then my nose, my chin and my lips.

I kiss him back, then he hold my nape. We're feeling each other's kiss. I forgot what I'm thinking, temporarily.

The kiss deepened, and he started to unzip my dress. My breasts exposed when he unhooked my bra.

He take off his shirt and now I can see his abs revealing. He also remove his pants and now, he's only wearing boxers. I let him remove my panty, and see him while he is removing hos boxers. He kiss me again like there's no end.

I let him squeeze my breasts, and kissy neck. I feel aroused right now.

PHis head starts to get down into my femininity, and eat is as fck. I tried to stop myself from moaning but I can't help it.

I want more.

He suck it, and lick my c******s and because of so much sensation, I almost pull out his hair. My nails even left some scratches on his back.

When he's done eating, he slowly entered his manhood into mine, making me moan out loud.

"H-harris." I even stuttered, when he starts entering in and out his c**k.

For the second time, I let Harrison Villar own me.

—

"I miss you, Harris." I started sobbing. "I miss you so much."

I can't stop myself from crying really hard. Kahit pa ikamatay ko, okay lang.

Gusto kong malaman kung sino ang walanghiyang pumatay sa kanila.

There are lots of innocent people who died. Iniiwasan na ako ng mga tao dahil iniisip nilang may sumpa ako.

Sooner or later, Yani will avoid me, too.

Magiging mag isa na lang talaga ako. If ever that happens, maiintindihan ko si Yani. Sa huli naman, mas gugustuhin kong mabuhay siya.

Tama na rin siguro na naging mabuting kaibigan sakin si Yani. She did a lot for me. She even forgot her personal life because all this time, she thinks about me. Ayokong dumating sa punto na mawala rin siya.

Yani is special to me. Ayokong mawala siya. Ayoko.

"Bella." I heard a voice, it's from Keith. "Can we talk?"