MISSING ROYALTY

Chapter 12 : Naibog Ko Nimo

Inis na binawi ko ang aking kamay mula sa pagkakahawak niya. Inis naman niya akong nilingon.

"What the heck is your problem!?" Singhal niya sa'kin.

"What the heck is YOUR problem!? That should be the question. I left the house you have an awesome visitor and when I was about to have the peace of mind I was so keen on achieving, umeksena ka naman? What? Was that blonde girl not enough kaya napadpad ka doon? I can't believe this."

"Peace of mind? With the bastard Flux? I was watching -"

"If you were watching then you should've seen he just spurt out of nowhere. I did not invite him for a company. Unlike you." I muttered before I could even stop myself at bumalik na sa bahay.

Right. Maybe after that kiss we shared at the rooftop, I expected him to open up to me. Maybe I expected to much. It wounded my pride knowing that maybe I am just one of his bitches. Naalala ko ang sinabi ni Big Max sa'kin and smiled bitterly.

"Risk my ass." I whispered.

Nakarating ako sa bahay nang mag isa. I even expected him to follow me. Dumiretso ako sa kusina at tinungga ang isang alak na naroon. Nangalahati iyon at napapikit ako ng mariin dahil sa pait ng lasa nito.

Agad akong umakyat sa kwarto ko. I stared at the ceiling for I don't know how long hanggang sa nakatulog na ako.

After almost three hours of sleeping, nakaramdam ako ng gutom. I looked at the wall clock at napagtanto kong alas kuwatro na pala ng hapon. Pinakiramdaman ko ang paligid. Wala pa si Cross. I sighed.

"Right Muriel. Forget about everything. Ignore everything he does. Ignore what you're feeling." I stood up and brushed my clothes using my palm.

Halos mapatalon ako sa gulat nang makita si Cross sa harap ng kwarto ko nang buksan ko ang pinto. Blanko lang ang tingin niya sa'kin at hindi ko mapigilang mapalunok ng laway.

"Ah. Ha-ha-ha. Muntik na akong atakihin sa'yo ha. A-ano kanina ka pa diyan?" Napakamot ako sa aking ulo. Bakit parang gusto kong iuntog ang ulo ko sa pader?

Napatikhim ako nang hindi siya sumagot.

"A-ano kasi... siguro lasing pa ako kanina kaya ko nasabi iyon. J-just forget about that, okay?" 

I smiled awkwardly as he just stood there and watched me make a fool of myself.

After a few moments, nakatayo lang siya doon and I asked him kung ano pa ang ginagawa niya doon.

Ngunit imbes na sagutin niya ako, umalis lang siya sa harapan ko at pumasok na sa kwarto niya. Napasimangot nalang ako.

I decided to grab something to eat. Pambihira. Hindi ko pala natapos ang pagkain ko kanina dahil kay Flux. Nagpasya akong lumabas at bumalik kina Maurice.

The moment I set foot there, sinalubong agad ako ni Manta.

"Miss Muriel, ayos lang po ba kayo?"

Tanging tango at ngiti lang isinagot ko sa kanya. Agad niya akong pinaupo sa counter at nilapitan naman ako ni Maurice.

"I know what you want." He said with a smile at agad pumasok sa kusina. Somehow, naalala ko si Chef Van sa kanya. I like his cooking too.

Maya maya pa ay dumating ang pagkain ko. Iniwan din ako agad ni Maurice dahil abala siya sa pagluluto. Si Manta naman abala sa pagkuha ng order ng mga costumer. Nagpalinga linga ako sa paligid bago ko itinuloy ang pagkain ko. Mahirap na. Baka sumulpot na naman ang lalakeng 'yon.

Akmang susubo na ako nang may biglang tumabi sa'kin.

"Look what we have here." Sabi ng katabi ko.

Pabagsak kong inilagay ang tinidor ko at masamng tiningnan ang tao sa tabi ko sa pag aakalang si Flux iyon ngunit nagkamali ako.

Nakangiti siyang nakatingin sa'kin kaya napataas ang kilay ko. He was wearing a pair of sunglasses, black hat at nakaitim din siya lahat. Ano namang trip ng lalakeng 'to. And does he know me?

He heaved a deep sigh at bahagyang ibinaba ang suot na sunglasses at doon ko napagtanto ang kaharap ko.

"Pier --"

"Ssshh." Agad niyang tinakpan ang bibig ko. Nakita iyon ni Harry kaya akmang lalapit ito sa dako namin kaya sinenyasan ko siyang okay lang. Nag alinlangan man ay sinunod niya naman ako.

"We need to talk. But not here." Tumango lang ako sa kapatid ko at agad sumunod sa kanyang lumabas.

Napunta kami sa parte ng isla na walang katao tao.

"You're going to take me home, aren't you?" Pinagmasdan ko siyang malayong nakatingin sa dagat. Napatingin siya sa'kin.

"Bakit? Sasama ka ba?" Agad akong napayuko. Hindi ko rin alam. There's a part of me na gustong gusto nang umuwi and there's also this part of me na gustong manatili. Lalo pa't nagustuhan ko na ito dito. Somehow, naintindihan ko na ang naramdamn ni Samantha while she was away from home.

"Is it because of Cross?" Napatingin ako sa kanya at sa malayo pa rin siya nakatingin.

"N-No. What are you saying --"

"Don't deny it, sis. Samantha was the same. The difference is that Samantha didn't have a choice but to stay with Zyon dahil sa kaguluhan sa palasyo. You have a choice. Either you go home or stay here. Tapos na ang kaguluhan doon." Napatingin nalang ako sa d**o and heaved a sigh. Tama si Pierce. Wala naman na akong gagawin dito. Hindi ako katulad ni Samantha. She didn't have a choice at all. And fate was at her favor that time dahil gusto niya rin ang naging kalabasan noon.

"Seriously, ano bang meron sa mga Strauss na iyan? My two sisters are smitten by both Strausses." Napatawa nalang ako ng mahina. Dineklara na talaga niyang inlove ako kay Cross.

"Ilang araw ka palang dito ate nainlove ka na? Pahard to get ka naman minsa -- aray! Ang sakit nun ha!" Napahawak siya sa ulo niyang binatukan ko.

"Manahimik ka! Kapag ikaw nainlove lulunurin kita."

"You might as well do it now." He said dahilan upang manlaki ang mga mata ko.

"Oh my god. You mean.." hindi ko na natapos ang sasabihin ko nang makita ko siyang ngumiti na parang kinikilig.

"She's just so... wonderful." He said those words dreanily that I almost fainted.

"Oh god." Napatakip ako sa bibig ko.

"Though hindi siya ganun kabait sa'kin pero mabait naman siya. Ang sexy pa. Ang ganda ng katawan -- aray!! Ano na naman!?"

"Ano bang nagustuhan mo sa kanya? Yung kasexyhan niya? Aba! Magtigil ka kung ganon! Loko ka."

"Joke lang. Pero ikaw, anong nagustuhan mo sa Strauss na 'yon? Eh di'ba ayaw na ayaw mo sa kanya noon nung nasa palasyo pa siya? Tingnan mo nga naman ang ihip ng panahon. I did not expect this."

"I don't know. I did not expect this too."

"Maybe that started when he kissed you at the rooftop -- ouch! Aray! What the f***! That hurts! Hey! Stop it!"

"Paano mo nalaman yun ha? Are you a bloody stalker!?" Singhal ko sabay hampas ko sa kanya.

"Heyy! Ouch! Aray ko! 'Yung kakambal mo hampasin mo. He asked me to come here! I did not find you. He did. When I asked him kung paano niya nalaman, he just shrugged and said alam lang niya. Iba talaga kapag kambal ano?" Sabi niya sabay himas sa braso niyang hinampas hampas ko kanina.

"Ares?"

"Malamang! May iba ka pa bang kakambal -- oh, manghahampas ka na naman? Ba't ang bilis ng kamay mo?"

"Sumagot ka kasi ng maayos."

"Magtanong ka rin ng maayos." Pinandilatan ko siya ng mata.

"Sabi ko nga sasagot na ako ng maayos."

Saglit na katahimikan ang pumagitna sa aming dalawa.

"Uuwi na ako. What should I tell Ares when I get back? Mom and Dad is worried too. Halos magsapakan na rin sina Exene at Ares. Buti naunahan sila ni Dad. Sinapak silang dalawa."

"Ha? Bakit?" Ngayon ko lang kasi narinig si Ares na napaaway. He's always the calm one sa aming lima. Dinadaan niya sa matinong pag uusap ang kahit ano. Kaya bihira lang akong makabalita na nakikipagsapakan ito.

"Eh kasi kinukulit ni Exene si Ares na pauwiin ka na. Nakulitan si Ares kaya ayun, nagalit. Nagalit din si Exene. Magsasapakan na sana sila buti nalang dumating si Dad."

Napabuntong hininga nalang ako and decided to stand up. Tumayo na rin si Pierce and looked at me. Waitibn for my decision.

"I'll stay. Tell Mom and Dad I am fine. Tell Exene and Ares too na hindi na sila dapat mag alala. And take care of Samantha, Pierce." My brother gave me his smile kaya napangiti na rin ako. Feeling of homesickness crept through me as he opened his arms wide dahilan para tumulo ang luha ko. Oh I miss all of them.

"Come here, sis." Pierce said dahilan para humakbang ako at yakapin siya. And then I started crying. I started muttering indistinctive words as it was covered with my sobs. I told him all my struggles the moment I got lost. The times when I was threatened by almost all of the people in the island. And most especially, how Cross hurt me. And Pierce just stood there gently patting my head. Pierce may be naughty at times but there are times too na maaasahan mo siya.

"Tell me kung ayaw mo na dito. I'll fetch you right away. And most importantly.." hinawakan niya ang magkabilang balikat ko at inilayo sa kanya. Yumuko siya to level his eyes to mine. "This will be the last time you'll cry over that Strauss. Kapag iiyak ka pa dahil sa Cross na 'yon, sa ayaw mo't sa hindi, kukunin kita dito." Tanging tango lang ang sinagot ko sa kanya at pinahid ang pisngi ko.

"I should go, sis."

"Right. Tell Mom and Dad I love them."

Tanging kaway lang ang isinagot niya sa huling salita ko. Nang hindi ko na siya makita ay agad akong humugot nang malalim na hininga at bumalik sa restaurant ni Maurice para itake out nalang ang kinain ko kanina.

I also ordered a couple of bottles of their strongest drink. Maurice even hesitated to give it to me but when I said it was for Cross, binigay niya rin agad.

I went straight to the rooftop and settled on the reclined chair. My eyes feasted the wonderful view of the island - how the people move like ants and how the trees dance with the rhythm of the cold wind.

And then I found myself admiring the stars and the moon. Hindi ko namalayang gabi na pala. Napatingin ako sa paligid and saw several empty bottles laid on the floor. From what I remember, dalawang bote lang ang inorder ko kay Maurice.

Napahawak ako sa ulo ko.

"Right. I went out earlier to buy more." Napatingin ako sa gilid only to see only one bottle left. I sighed in dismay.

I rummaged through the plastic bag dahil baka meron pang nakatagong bote doon but to my disappoinment, wala na talaga. I opened the bottle using Cross' method and I was starting to get the hang of it. I was actually surprised that it was quite simple.

"That man likes to make things hard to do." I muttered before I could even stop myself. But I don't have any care at all. All I want to do now is say the things I've been dreading to say in front of him but can't.

"He makes things look amazing. How does he do that?" I stared at the half empty bottle waiting for it to answer.

"That deceiving bastard." I gave up waiting for the bottle to answer so I looked at the moon instead.

"You! Yes, you!" I pointed at the moon. I don't know but doing it makes sense.

"You witnessed it! The moment our lips met. You saw it. I wasn't the one who started it! He did! Then what the ruddy hell am I feeling towards him? What on earth is this? I demand an answer at once, or this will be the last time you'll have tongue." Hindi ko namalayang nakatayo na pala ako habang dinuduro ang buwan. I was annoyed at how the moon ignored and did not answer me.

I decided to sit back on my seat and lay there comfortably.

"You saw it. It was all his fault." I silently whispered and drank the remaining liquor on the bottle. 

The wind is starting to get cold and I lost track of time. Midnight? Past midnight? Dawn? I don't know anymore. I drew my jacket more closely because of the coldness.

And that was when I felt something in its pockets. A crumpled paper. I tried recalling how the paper got on to the pocket of my jacket but my head throbbed and that's when I gave up thinking.

I opened the small piece of paper and was puzzled of what was written there. And then like a flash, it all dawned to me. I once asked Maurice for the Macedonian terms for I like you.

"Ah. So this is how I Like You said in Macedonian language?"

I smiled and placed it back to my pocket. I silently muttered the words written on the piece of paper as I made my way down to my room.

Naibog ko nimo.

I smiled as it was the words I remembered before falling into slumber.

* * *

A/N : Yes, Macedonian language was inspired by Bisaya language. Hello to my Bisaya readers.