Stranger Next Door

CHAPTER 15

We all suddenly become unhappy for the news that he get.

I don't know if I'm going to believe but all I can do is to stay silent.

"Let's go inside." walang emosyon kong sabi.

I was just sitting at the couch when Harris hugged me.

"Schat, don't ever think that Dennis is the killer. That doesn't mean that he's the last person that Dale talked to, that means he's the killer." he kissed me in my forehead and hold my hands.

"Hindi ko mapigilang hindi isipin, Harris." wala sa sarili kong sabi.

Mayamaya lang, kumain na rin kami ng breakfast. After we eat, Yani and Andrei decided to go to school.

Naiwan naman kami ni Harris and he told me that he missed me that's why he came here.

I was touched by what he said so I started to kiss him. He was about to move his hands but I told him not to.

He agreed and said that we will just do it again if I'm ready. Ipinakita ko sa kanya yung tagong kwarto sa may attic.

"Wow, hindi ko alam na meron palang tagong kwarto dito si Gwen." sabi ni Harris habang tinitingnan ang mga lipsticks na nandoon sa mga salamin.

Nakaupo lang ako sa kama habang pinagmamasdan siyang may kunin na kung ano sa ilalim kama.

Isang baul.

"Gosh, I didn't notice that." wala sa sarili kong sabi. "Hindi ko man lang naisipang tumingin sa ilalim ng kama."

We opened the chest and we saw some stuffs. Some are photo album, dresses and etc.

I tried to get the photo album and I saw a girl.

"That's Gwen." sabi ni Harris habang nakatingin ako sa album.

"She's indeed pretty." mangha kong sabi.

I opened the photo album on the next page. Picture niya, kasama si Keith o Keifer? Well, it's hard to identify since they look exactly like each other.

"That's Keith. I remember, Keifer take that picture." sabi ni Harris.

Sa next pages, puro picture na ni Gwen together with Herlyn and, Marlo.

"Are they really close with each other?" tanong ko, "They seems happy."

Tiningnan rin ni Harris kung ano ang tinitingnan ko.

"Yes, they are." tipid niyang sagot.

Hindi ko na rin naman kinalkal pa ang baul na yon dahil napakaraming laman. Maybe I'll just see those stuffs next time.

Pinatay lang namin ang oras. Mayamaya nakita na rin ko rin si Yani na parating.

Nabahala ako kasi ang dumi ng skirt niya. Puro putik. Her hair is messy.

I tried to hug her but she keep on mumbling Andrei's name..

"Huwag kang matakot, Yani. Anong meron meron kay Andrei? Did he do something wrong to you?" nag aalala kong tanong.

"H-he's dead. And I didn't do anything to save him." she started to cry and hugged her.

Naiyak na rin ako and Harris tapped my back.

"Tell me, who killed him? Did you see who killed him? Kailangan nating ireport sa pulis ang gumawa sa kanya!" I'm crying really hard.

Hindi pa nga ako nakakamove on sa pagkamatay ni Ate Khaytelyn, nawala naman si Andrei.

Andrei is good to me. Like Yani, he is there when the time I needed him the most. I treat him as my brother so why?

"Yani, please speak up. Who killed Andrei?" Nakatingin ako sa kanya pero nakaiwas ang tingin niya sakin.

Nakayuko siya.

Someone press the doorbell.

I look at Harris telling him to open the gate. There, I saw Keith holding something on his hands. A lasagna, just like what he bought when I first met him.

"I bought you a lasagn—what happened to the both of you?" Keith seems worried, when they see both of us crying.

"Keith, we need your help. Yani said that Andrei is already dead. K-kung ganon, hanapin na natin ang bangkay niya." nag aalala kong sabi.

I talk to Yani but she just said, "School."

She's too frightened to the point that she even stutter when she speak.

Pakiramdam ko, nakita ni Yani. Hindi lang siya makapagsalita.

We went to school and we saw NBI there. May nakadikit na rin na Police Line do not cross sa paligid.

I started crying when I saw Andrei's body. Kasabay naman non ang pagdating ng parents niya.

His mother is crying really hard.

"Anaaaaakkkkk!" lalapitan sana ng mama niya ang bangkay ni Andrei pero sinita naman siya ng mga NBI.

I walk towards Andrei's mother and said sorry. She just hugged me.

Matagal bago natapos ang iyakan. I don't know why it suddenly happened. Parang kanina lang kausap ko pa si Andrei. Huling pagkikita ko na pala namin yon.

After that, Keith suggested that we should go home.

My eyes are still swollen. Nakatulala lang ako. Kahit si Yani hindi kumikibo.

Harris prepared dinner for us to eat, pero konti lang ang nakain ko.

Keith said that he could sleep in here to make sure that Yani and I were okay.

It's around eight in the evening when Harris left. He told us that he'll go to the school tomorrow so he need to go home.

Yani said she'll sleep early.

Ako naman, nasa sala lang. I'm sitting on the couch while browsing at the laptop. I'm reading the article about Andrei's death. Keith is on the floor, our sala's clean so you can sit on the floor.

I feel a little sleepy so I decided to turn off my laptop. I told Keith that I'll just go to sleep and take a nap.

He nodded.

Nagising ako ng may maramdaman akong kung ano sa dibdib ko. My eyes is still closed but my whole brain is already alive.

I felt a hand, squeezing my breasts. I tried to stop moaning but I can't help making little moans.

He kissed me, torridly. That's when I saw that it is Keith.

Agad agad akong napaupo sa couch at niyakap ang sarili ko.

"What do you think are you doing Keith?" I was about to stand up when he grab my hands and cornered me on the couch.

"Come on, Bella. I know you like it." His eyes is full of hunger, he's like an animal who's craving for food. "I want to know what you tastes like."

"You are not my boyfriend, Keith. I'm just going to give myself to my boyfriend." nagpupumiglas ako pero masyado siyang malakas.

I can't help but to cry.

"Please Keith, let me go." I'm begging while crying.

"No. You're mine, Bella. Whether you like it or not, you're mine." he began kissing my neck.

Hikbi lang ako ng hikbi habang niraramdaman ang paghalik niya sa leeg ko.

Someone, help me.

He was about to unbutton my shirt when I heard a punch.

I opened my eyes and there, I saw Harris. Nakahawak ngayon si Keith sa pisngi niya na parang nasuntok.

"Anong ginagawa mo, pre?!" lumapit sakin si Harris saka ako niyakap.

I'm still crying but he just hugged me.

"Ikaw ang ano ang ginagawa? Bakit ba nangingialam ka?!" Keith was about to punch Harris but I suddenly speak.

"Enough! Harris is my boyfriend so please, stop!" I'm crying right now, I don't know if it is the right time to say but I guess I should do this, "We're already in a relationship."

Parang hindi makapaniwala si Keith sa sinabi ko.

Harris is hugging me right now, hindi naman kumibo si Keith at umalis na lang.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and I just nodded.

Pinagtimpla niya ako ng coffee. Tulala pa rin ako at iniisip ang nangyari.

I know that he likes me but do he like me that much to the point that he almost forgot that I am his friend? He almost raped me.

Kung sakali mang natuloy yon, hindi ko siya mapapatawad.

"Schat, are you okay? Do you want me to report him to the police station?" he asked, holding my face and wiping my tears.

Umiling na lang ako.

Sinubukan kong pakalmahin ang sarili ko. When I'm already okay, I told Harris that he can leave but he refused. Dito na lang daw siya matutulog.

Baka daw bumalik si Keith, mas mabuti ng nandito siya.

The next morning, there were classes. Though I don't want to study, I need to go to school. Buti na lang at merong notes si Yani kaya kumopya ako sa kanya ng mga notes na hindi ko nakopya.

Everyone is talking about Andrei's death.

Ngayon ngayon lang ay lumabas ang article. Another victim of Murderer X. Yun ang ipinangalan sa kanya dahil lahat ng pinapatay niya, minamarkahan niya ng x.

The first victim is Dale, next is Yvonne, then Ate Khaytelyn, then Andrei.

Napapansin kong habang patagal ng patagal, palapit ng palapit sa akin ang taong namamatay.

Hindi naka focus ang lahat sa klase. They are being too emotional. Andrei seems to be genius in our section. Tahimik lang siyang tao pero napakatalino naman.

Everything felt sad for his sudden loss.

"Hindi ko alam kung bakit sunod sunod na ang mga namamatay sa school natin. Parang kagaya nung issue kay Gwen." one of my classmates speak, "Tanda niyo, una yung mga suitors niya ang namamatay. Hanggang sa naging kaibigan niya na. Hindi kaya, nauulit kay Bella ang nangyari kay Gwen noon?"

Natahimik ako.

What are they talking about? So meaning, may ganito ng nangyari dati?

"Pero wala naman yatang connection si Dale at Yvonne kay Bella." sabi naman nung isa, si Sabrina.

"Anong wala? Meron. Sabi ng kaibigan ni Yvonne, may gusto si Yvonne kay Bella. Saka si Dale, nakita ko yan noon na sinalubong si Bella sa hallway saka binigyan ng flowers." sagot naman nung isa.

That gave me goosebumps.

Yani didn't tell me about this.

Speaking of Yani, tulala lang siya buong maghapon. Naninibago ako kasi lagi namang maingay to. She's acting weird. Hindi ko alam kung may gumugulo ba sa isipan niya.

"Sabrina." I called her name, and luckily, nilingon niya naman ako. "What do you mean that what happened to Gwen is happening to me again?"

"Hindi sayo nakwento nila Yani o kahit ni Harris at Keith man lang?" takang tanong ni Sabrina.

Umiling naman ako.

"Kasi noon, gaya mo sikat din si Gwen sa campus kasi sobrang ganda niya talaga. Madaming nanliligaw sa kanya. Kasali nga ron sina Dale at Yvonne pero yung dalawang yon, hindi na naglakas loob na manligaw sa kanya." pagpapaliwanag niya. "Lagi kasing bantay sarado ni Keith at Keifer nung mga panahong yon."

Nakatitig lang ako sa kanya. Gusto ko pa siyang magkwento.

"Nagulat na lang kami isang araw ng may matagpuang schoolmate namin na patay. Yung mga yun, may marka din na x sa katawan."

I couldn't speak. So that mean, the murderer until now is still alive.

"Una si Erron, yung lalaking kaklase pala ni Gwen nung highschool na nagbalak ligawan siya. Nakita yung bangkay niya sa may wishing well ng school."

"That was creepy." kabado kong sagot.

"Oo, creepy talaga kasi walang kaaway yon. Tapos, sumunod si Reynald, yung professor na binigyan si Gwen ng flat 1 kasi may gusto pala siya. Natagpuan na lang siyang patay sa office niya." halata rin kay Sabrina ang takot, "Basta maraming sumunod non, kasi hindi nga nahananap yung murderer. Dahil nga rin sa walang makapagtukoy kung sino yung killer, isinara na ang kaso."

"What happened next?" curious kong tanong.

"Wala. Dahil nga isinara na yung kaso, pinilit na lang mamuhay ng lahat na normal. Iniisip nga noon ng lahat na si Herlyn ang pumatay kasi sa lahat ng kaibigan ni Gwen, siya lang ang natira," napatingin ako bigla kay Yani.

I saw her flinch.

"Kaso ayun, hindi naman mademanda si Herlyn dahil wala namang ebensiya para masuplong siya sa kapulisan. Pinilit na lang talaga na isara na ang kaso. Akala namin magiging normal na ang lahat kaso dalawang linggo ang nakalipas ng ibalita na nawawala si Gwen. Late na ng makita ng mga pulis ang bangkay niya sa kanila. Suicide raw." nanlumo ako sa mga narinig ko.

Kung si Herlyn ang nabuhay, baka may alam siya. At siguro, ang tinutukoy ni Marlo na pananahimik ni Herlyn ay ang alam niya.

"At alam mo ba, kani-kanina lang, binuksan ulit ang kaso nilang lahat. Sa investigation kasi na ginawa ng NBI, nalaman nilang ang muderer x na hinahanap nila ngayon ay ang muderer x rin na pumatay sa mga kaibigan ni Gwen." muli pang sabi ni Sabrina.

"Thank you so much, Sab! That's a big help." I hugged her before leaving.

Hindi ko alam kung saan ang room ni Herlyn pero sa pagtatanong tanong ko, nakita kong nasa HRM department pala siya.

I sneak out in her room. Wala namang professor na nagtuturo kaya nakuha kong kumatok.

She seems shocked when she saw me. I called her and said that we will have a deep talk.

Wala namang class hours kaya minabuti kong mag usap kami sa coffee shop kung saan ko siya nakita kasama si Marlo.

"Bakit mo ako gustong makausap?" she's not even looking at me, "Tungkol pala don sa sinabi ni Marlo, hayaan mo na yon."

"It's not about him. It's about what you know." tiningnan niya ako na para bang gulat ba gulat.

I can feel her fears the way she looks at me. Malalim ang takot na pinanghuhugutan niya.

"Herlyn, I know it's hard for you to speak. Pero kapag nagsalita ka, mabibigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay ng mga kaschoolmate niyo noon. Alam kong yung taong pumapatay noon, ang taong pumapatay rin ngayon." I hold her hands but she pulls it away.

"Hindi mo ako naiintindihan, Bella kasi hindi mo alam kung anong mga pinagdaanan ko para lang makaligtas." she's about to cry, "Kahit masakit sa loob ko na makitang nalalagas kami isa isa, pinili kong manahimik."

"Herlyn." I tried to touch her hand again but she refused.

"Please. I can't." she took a deep breathe before continuing to speak, "Bella, I really can't."

"Is that how selfish you are, Herlyn?!" I almost burst out in so much anger, "How could you just stay silent in the corner and watch them die one by one?"

Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at tuluyan na nga akong umiyak. I don't know what I'm going to do. Mukha lang akong okay physically pero sa mga nangyayari ngayon, pabigay na yung utak ko.

Dale doesn't deserve to die. He has lots of dreams for his family. Just because of that fcking murderer, he wasn't able to achieve his goals.

Yvonne's a jerk but he loves his family so much, and he has lots of plans in his life. He still deserve a second chance.

Ate Khaytelyn became my mother, my sister, my best friend, my everything. She was there when I was down because Mom is becoming busy on her gamblings. She helped me to move out. She left US for me though she has lots of friends there, and she has a beautiful living. She made a lot of sacrifices for me and I appreciate them all. I really felt guilty for what happened.

At si Andrei, he seems the silent type of a guy but he's totally concern for me. He's my first friend on the section, though we've been friends in a short time, I can say that he's really kind.

Ayoko ng may sumunod pa.

"Bella, if you really want to know who's the murderer is, it's for you to find out." she stand up, aiming to leave but I held her wrist.

"Please, help me. Speak for justice, Herlyn." I pleaded.

I can see her right now and she silently sobbing.

"Gustuhin ko man pero, ayoko." she's trying to breathe normally. "I love my family, Bella. I want to keep them safe."