Stranger Next Door

CHAPTER 13

Today is the last day of Ate Khaytelyn's funeral. Sa nakalipas na ilang araw, lutang ang isip ko.

I want to ask Keith if what does he meant by that, but I don't have the courage to speak. I ask him if he sleep after he got home and he said yes. Keith is getting weirder and weirder day by day.

"After Ate Khaytelyn's burial, I'm going to the NBI who investigated Dale's case. Alam kong kahit konti, meron tayong makukuhang clue tungkol sa killer." sabi ko saka humigop ng kaunting kape sa baso.

It's already two in the morning and we're here, still alive.

Ilang araw na ring wala kaming maayos na tulog ni Harris.

"Hindi ba, magkaiba ang detective na humahawak sa kaso ni Yvonne? Maybe I'm the one who will talk to him." he answered.

Biglang sumagi ang isip ko si Herlyn. I don't saw her visit at Ate Khaytelyn's funeral. Hindi pa naman kasi ako nakakapunta ng school kaya hindi ko alam kung makikita ko pa ba siya.

"By the way, do you know Gwen?" I asked, "Yani told me that Gwen is Keith's first love, and you know her."

I stayed quiet for seconds.

"Do you mind if you tell me something about Gwen and Herlyn?"

"For what reason?" he asked.

"For me to know if Gwen is the one who lived here before." sagot ko.

"Gwen lived in this house before." Harris become serious while talking, "Gwen, Keith and Keifer become close to each other because they were neighbors."

Hindi ako nagsalita at hinayaan lang siyang magkwento.

"Keifer is Keith's twin brother."

My eyes literally widened. Hindi kaya, ang nakakausap ko gabi-gabi sa terrace ay si Keifer at hindi si Keith?

"Wala naman akong masyadong alam sa kanila kasi nung time na yon, hindi ko pa gaanong kaclose si Keith. Naging close ko lang naman siya ng mamatay si Gwen at Keifer."

So, Keifer's dead?

Nanindig bigla ang balahibo ko. If ever na si Keifer nga ang nakakausap ko, that means, I'm talking to a ghost.

What the fck, Bella! You even tell yourself that Keith seems to be a different person when he's at the terrace.

"What's the reason of Keifer's death?" I asked.

"Well, we actually didn't know. Some says murder, but some says on an accident. Basta nakita na lang namin siya na nasa Morgue. Lasog lasog ang katawan." he answered, "You know, Keith's weakness is his brother. He really love his brother, more than Gwen."

"How about Herlyn? Did you know something about her?" I don't know why I'm curious, but just like Keith or Keifer said, the more I know something, the more consequences I need to face.

"Why did you suddenly asked about them? Is there something I need to know?" he asked.

Do I need to tell it Harris? Maybe I can trust him. I know he won't tell it to anyone.

"I know it sounds absurd but—"

"Good Morning!" Keith came, and he's smiling on us.

Hindi na lang ako kumibo. He's staring at us.

"Are you talking about something before I came? Both of you are shocked." seryoso niyang sabi pero tinapik ko naman si Harris saka kami pilit na tumawa.

"No! We're just talking about Ate Khaytelyn. You know, when she was alive, she used to tell some funny jokes." I sighed, I felt guilty for using her death as a lie to Keith.

"Yeah. She's kind." sabi ni Keith. "Nga pala, ano ng plano mo?"

Nagkibit balikat lang ako habang nagpipigil ng iyak. Fck, I don't want to cry.

Ate Khaytelyn don't want some crying sessions on her funeral. If she's still alive she would be mad at me for crying like this.

Mas dumami ang mga tao makalipas ang halos anim na oras. I have to speak in front of everyone because it's her last night. Bukas ay burol niya na. I can't stop myself from crying after the speech.

Yani and Andrei made some intermission to alleviate the guest's boredom. Pinatahan naman ako ni Harris.

He never leaves by my side.

I almost startled when Keith suddenly sit beside me. Napapagitnaan nila akong dalawa.

Natigil ako bigla sa pag iyak saka gulat na napatingin sa kanya.

"You too seems very close." I don't know why I find his voice creepy, "Parang noon lang halos hindi kayo nag uusap. Ngayon, parang hindi na kayo halos mapaghiwalay."

"He's just comforting me, Keith. You know it's hard for me that Ate Khaytelyn suddenly died." I replied.

He smiled. A creepy one.

"The why don't you let me do it for you?" he asked.

The way he speak right now is very unusual. I'm aware that he has feelings for me but, he can't be jealous. He's just a friend of mine.

"Keith. If you want us to be okay, you'll respect my decision. We're friends." I avoided my gaze to him, cause he looks spooky right now.

Para siyang galit na hindi ko maintindihan kaya naman nababahala ako sa mga reaksyon niya. Ayokong tingnan.

"Okay." he stand up and walk away.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Harris pag alis niya. Pareho kaming nabigla sa inasal ni Keith.

The whole time that he's here, he's too silent. He won't speak if it's not important. Para bang nagmamasid lang siya sa paligid.

"I don't know that Keith has a creepy side." Harris said, "Everytime we were together, he's all smiling. Maybe he's jealous, that's why."

I breathed heavily. I felt guilty right now.

A lot of people thinks that it's amazing to be pretty, and popular but for me? It's a big no.

I used to live in a normal life in US. A simple Bella. No one calls me Angel. I'm just a nobody there. Mas gusto ko ng normal na buhay. Yung malayo sa gulo.

Malayo sa ganito.

"Do we need to stop it?" I asked, without even looking at him.

"No. Why would we stop?" Harris sounded upset.

He hold my hands and touched my face.

"Bella, look at me." he said, but still I'm not looking at him. "Schat, please."

Ibinaling ko ang paningin sa kanya. His eyes is sad. I can see it.

"We will tell Keith about us when everything came back to normal. Just don't break up with me. I love you, Bella." he said, and that makes me not to do my plan anymore.

I can't break up with Harris.

"No. I won't." he smiled at me.

Nag umaga ng maraming tao, kasi nga last night. Wala akong tulog, halos ilang araw na pero natatakpan naman ng concealer yung eyebags ko kaya okay lang.

At exactly 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the burial started.

Gusto ko sanang icremate si Ate but I remembered what she said. She want to die in a natural way.

Akala ko hindi na ako iiyak kasi naiyak ko naman na lahat nung burol niya. Pero ngayon, ngayon na ililibing na siya, mas masakit pala.

Yani keeps on hugging me when I saw the men putting some soil on her coffin. A lot of people threw flowers for her. Habang ako, wala. Iyak pa rin ng iyak.

After the burial, I just stayed on the chair. Gawking while people are saying condolence to me.

I lost the person who served as my mother. I lost my sister, my best friend, my guardian Angel. I lost Ate Khaytelyn.

"Bella. Everything will gonna be okay. Ayaw naming makita na nagkakaganyan ka." Yani is tapping my back, but I still didn't talk.

Nakatingin lang ako sa pinaglibingan niya habang nakaupo. Tulala.

"Bella." rinig ko ang pagtawag ni Harris pero nakatulala pa rin ako.

Pakiramdam ko, pagod na ang katawan ko. Buhay ang utak ko, at nag pandinig ko pero pasuko na ang katawan ko.

"I want to go with Ate Khaytelyn. I want to be dead, too." walang emosyon kong sabi.

Rinig ko ang paghikbi ni Yani. Andrei hugged him.

"What the hell are you talking about, Bella? Stop it!" Harris is mad.

Naramdaman kong niyugyog niya ako kaya napatingin ako sa kanya.

"Ate Khaytelyn died, yes. Pero tingin mo, kung buhay siya, matutuwa ba siyang makita kang ganyan? How are you going to fight for her justice if you would be dead, too?" napayuko ako ng makita kong umiiyak siya.

Harris is crying. This is the first time that I saw him cry.

"Bella, marami kaming nagmamahal sayo. Ako. Take me as an example." he keeps on pointing at himself, "Paano ako kapag umalis ka?"

Yani and Andrei stopped from sobbing. They look confused.

"Is there something going between the two of you? Lately, I noticed how close you are with each other." he said.

"We're not—" he stopped me from talking.

"Yes we're already in a relationship." Harris stated, "Ayaw muna naming sabihin sa lahat hangga't hindi pa bumabalik sa normal ang sitwasyon. Everyone is sufferring right now, especially the death of our schoolmates happens consecutively."

Napaface palm na lang ako.

I told him not to tell everyone even at Andrei and Yani but he's stubborn.

"Guys, I hope you don't tell them." kinakabahan kong sabi, nilalaruan ang daliri.

"Girl, no worries. Alam mo naman na mapagkakatiwalaan mo kami, hindi ba?" Yani smiled at me.

"You can always count on me, Bella." Andrei also smiled.

Nag iwan ako ng bulaklak sa puntod ni Ate Khaytelyn bago umalis.

Yani and Andrei said that they will stay in my house for a week. Para daw may kasama ako, kasi alam nilang maninibago ako ng walang kasama.

Kaya pala yung dalawang yon, may dalang maleta.

I let Andrei sleep on Ate Khaytelyn's old room. Sa kwarto ko naman ay kaming dalawa ni Yani.

"So, girl. What's your plan?" Yani yawned, "Tommorow, we have classes. But you're excused. Kahit hindi ka muna pumasok, okay lang naman."

"No. I'll go to school." agaran kong sagot.

I need to investigate. Hindi ako makakapag imbestiga kapag nandito ako sa bahay at nagmumukmok.

Hindi ako pwedeng umasa lang sa NBI. Ayokong magaya ang kaso ni Dale at Yvvone kay Ate Khaytelyn na bigla na lang sinara, kasi hindi nahahanap ang killer. No one can identify him.

"Gwen! Ang ganda ganda mo." everyone is touching my face while I'm walking the school hallway.

Why is everyone calling me Gwen?

"Gwen!" Herlyn waved at me, wearing her bright smile.

I was just looking at her. I don't know what I'm going to say.

"Is there amy problem, Gwen?" she asked.

"I'm not Gwen, Herlyn. I am Bella. Bella is my name." I keep on pointing my name but she just laugh at me, "Herlyn, it's me. Bella!"

"And who's Bella? Alam mo, feel ko hindi ka nakatulog ng maayos. Kung ano ano na naman ang napapanaginipan mo."

"No, it's really me. Bella." itinuturo ko ang sarili ko pero hindi niya ako pinapansin.

I keep on telling her that I am Bella. Arabella Sylvania Garcia.

"Gwen, stop it." she handled me a mirror, "You are Gwynette Salvador."

I look at myself and then I saw myself with no eyes.

"Noooo! No!" halos mapaupo ako sa kama, naghahabol ng hininga.

"What happened?" Yani tap my shoulders, and give me some water.

Hindi naman kaagad ako nagdalawang isip na inumin yon. I suddenly heard Andrei knocking on the door.

Yani opened it and Andrei seems worried.

"Hoy, Bella. Okay ka lang?" Andrei asked, but I'm still in shock that's why I didn't answer.

"I dreamed of her." tulala kong sabi. "I was her. I was her."

Niyuyugyog ko si Yani pero nakatingin pa rin siya sakin.

"Yani, I was her." pag uulit ko ng sinabi ko kanina.

"The who? Alam mo, girl kinakabahan kami sayo. Akala namin kung napano ka na." Yani sighed as a sign of relief.

"I dreamed of Gwen. In my dreams, I am her. I am with Herlyn. Everyone is calling me beautiful." I sighed, because the moment when I saw myself in the mirror is the real creep. "Gwen lived here before. Harris told me."

"What?" gulat naman na sabi ni Yani.

I just shrugged.

Sa mga nangyayari ngayon, parang mas marami pa akong gustong malaman.

I told them about me and Harris plan. Luckily, they agreed and told me, that they are going to investigate on Yvonne's case.

Kumpleto na.

Ako kay Ate Khaytelyn, si Harris kay Dale, si Yani at Andrei kay Yvonne.

Our main goal is to find the murderer. Whoever he is, he's still going to face the consequences for what he did.

That morning, I didn't go to school. I told Yani that I'll just go to school on the afternoon, since I'm going to the person who's in charge of Ate Khaytelyn's case.

She told me that it's hard to identify who's the killer and what's his motive.

Malinis na malinis ang ebidensiya. I also asked if I could file a case to Dennis but I have no evidence.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ako magsisimula.

I'm on my way to school when I saw Herlyn at a coffee shop. She's talking to a guy. If I'm going to estimate the age of that guy, I guess he's just the same of our age.

Out of curiosity, I walk into the coffee shop and wear some sunglasses. Buti na lang meron akong scarf dito.

Yani told me that Herlyn became a loner after Gwen's death but who is she talking to?

Mukhang ang seryoso ng pinag uusapan nila.

"Do you have classes right now?" the guy asked Herlyn but she didn't answer.

I simply ordered a coffee, then I sit near Herlyn's position.

"Habambuhay ka na lang bang hindi magsasalita?" the guys looks upset, "Pinagbigyan kita, Herlyn. Pinagbigyan kitang manahimik."

"Marlo, tama na." she's about to leave but the guy she called Marlo thump her hands on the table.

They caught the people's attention.

"Sarili mo lang ba ang iisipin mo, Herlyn? Ganyan ka ba talaga kaselfish?" sa sinabing yun ng lalaki, mas lalo lang akong nakucurious.

What are they talking about?

"Hindi mo ako naintindihan, Marlo." Herlyn said in a low tone voice, then she again. "Hindi lang sarili ko ang iniisip ko rito pati ang pamilya ko."

"Kung gaganyan ka talaga, hinding hindi kita babalikan." umiling iling si Marlo.

"Kung ganon, bakit mo ako tinawagan?" Herlyn talked back.

Marlo didn't answered.

"Marlo, pinipilit kong mamuhay ng normal. Pinipilit kong huwag ng isipin ang nangyari. Akala ko, tatawagan mo ako kasi narealize mong tama ako. Pero hindi, hindi ka pa rin nagbabago."

"Dahil hindi ko alam kung bakit mas pinangungunahan mo ang takot mo!" ramdam ko kung gaano kagalit si Marlo. "Herlyn, huwag mong hayaan na may mamatay na naman."

Halos maibuga ko ang iniinom kong kape ng marinig ko ang sinabi ni Marlo. The waiter come ang give me some tissue.

Napatingin naman sakin si Herlyn.

"B-bella?" gulat niyang tanong.