Chapter 12

Nakatulala lang ako at tinititigan ang painting na nakasabit sa dingding. For some reason, it's the most interesting I've seen today. I'm at Uncle Bern's house when I called Anthony agad nya ring tinawagan si Uncle at agaran naman nila akong sinundo. 

I wanted to grab some of my stuff or more like I used that excuse for me to see what is the current state of my room. 

I wanted to know where did they find it. How did they find it? Who found it? Why is it in my room? Is this some kind of a prank? because if it is... it's really not funny. But if it is a prank... how did they get in? Hindi ba strict ang security? 

Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko parang sasakit ang ulo ko sa kakaisip. Tahimik lang kami habang nasa sasakyan kami. Anthony offered me to stay at his place tonight but Uncle Bern said that it would be better if I stay home back to the mansion.

 Makahuluguhan ang tingin nila sa isa't-isa pero I'm too tired to analyze it. Or baka wala naman talagang makahulugan sa mga tingin na iyon at masyado lang ako nag-iisip na kung ano-ano. 

"I'll go back tomorrow" ani ko. Anthony looked at me like I just told him I'm pregnant. He clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes at me. 

"No, you're not. You'll stay where we told you to stay." 

"I can't. A, I have my stuff there and besides sa tingin ko prank lang yun. Malay natin it's a fake burned head. Right?" 

"Do you even hear yourself right now? Don't be ridiculous. It's too dangerous. We're not sure if it's a prank or something is trying to target you already." hindi ko na sya pinansin at tinuon ang pansin ko sa labas. 

Tahimik lang si Uncle, nang dumating sya tinanong nya lang ako if I'm okay and then he didn't ask any questions. I wonder what is he thinking. It really scares me when he's quiet. His silence scares me the most. 

Una akong bumaba ng sasakyan at ramdam ko na nakasunod sa akin si Anthony. I went straight to the kitchen to drink some water. Water might help to loosen the tension in my body right now. 

Ramdam ko ang mga tingin sa akin ni Anthony pero hindi ko pa rin sya pinapansin. I'm about to head upstairs when he grabbed my arm "Skyla, please" 

I looked at him. He looks really tired, he was sleeping when I called him. My face softens and held his hand and squeezed it. "I'm okay. You should rest. I'll talk to you tomorrow" agad akong pumasok sa kwarto ko at isinara ang pintuan. Tonight was too much for me and I can't help but cry. 

Halos mag-iisang oras ko nang tinititigan ang painting sa kwarto ko. Uncle Bern has a thing for art. Sa bawat kwarto dito sa mansion ay may mamahalin syang koleksyon. Kasalukuyan kong tinitignan ang painting ng isang babae na nakaupo sa isang bato at malayo ang tingin. 

I wonder what was running inside the head of the painter when he painted this? What was he thinking? What was his reason for painting this? Is there a story behind this painting? Nakatulala lang ako at tinititigan ang painting na nakasabit sa dingding. 

For some reason, this painting is the most interesting I've seen today. 

Maybe sleep will help me forget tonight. So I closed my eyes and tried to forget about my question and worries. 

Nagising ako sa tunog ng cellphone ko when I checked who was calling... its Alexavia. 

"Hey. Morn--" 

"WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL ME LAST NIGHT? ARE YOU OKAY? ARE YOU HURT? GUSTO MO PUNTAHAN KITA DYAN?" inilayo ko sa tenga ko ang cellphone dahil masyadong malakas at medyo masakit sa tenga ang boses ni Alexavia. Anthony probably told her what happened. 

"I'm okay, Alex. Medyo na overwhelm lang ako sa mga nangyari pero I'm okay." 

"Are you sure? Anthony said that you're not okay." 

"Kagabi hindi ako okay pero ngayon okay na talaga ako. I don't have any time to think about it. May birthday party at Charity Ball pa akong pupuntahan ngayon" 

"Don't force yourself tho. Anyway, I have to go. Dylan and I are leaving for the camp. Text or call me if something happens, okay?" 

"Yes, Alex. Thanks. Have fun and tell Dy I said hi" I ended the call right away. 

It's at 7 am. I have to go to school today kasi may kailangan akong ipasang pictures para sa school papers. As I walked through the kitchen I heard voices whispering. I saw Uncle Bern and Anthony talking in their low voices, they both look so serious its a bit scary. 

"-- it's crazy. We have to do something about this." 

"No, we're not doing anything. We will wait until -" 

Hindi natapos ni Uncle Bern ang sasabihin nya dahil napansin nya akong nakatayo sa dulo ng lamesa at nakatingin sa kanila. I smiled at them "Hey, morning" lumapit ako para halikan ang pisnge ni Uncle Bern. I looked at Anthony and squeezed his shoulder. "Okay lang talaga ako. I promise" 

I opened the kitchen cabinets, "So what do you guys want for breakfast?"

As much as possible ayokong mag-alala sila sa akin kaya pipilitin ko ang sarili ko na maging okay kahit medyo naguguguluhan at marami akong tanong na gusto ng kasagutan. 

If I compare my cooking skills to Anthony ay talo na ako. Mas magaling talaga sya mag-luto sa akin, sa tingin ko mas bagay sa kanya ang maging Chef kesa maging business man. I prepared some scrambled eggs, bacon, toasted bread and some jam. Uncle Bern didn't join us for breakfast dahil sa phone call na natanggap nya. Tahimik kaming kumain ni Anthony ng agahan pero sya ang unang bumasag ng katahimikan. 

"Pupunta ka pa rin ba don' sa birthday party?" 

I nodded my head "Yes, I promised that I'll be there. I promise I won't be late for the event mamaya." 

"Okay. You'll text and call me if something happens, right?" I swear Alexavia and Anthony are both paranoid. 

"Yes, Anthony. I will" 

Hinatid ako ni Anthony sa Uni. I told him na may ipapasa ako sa photography department at may kailangan akong ayusin for our next school issue. 

Nakipagtalo pa sya sa akin na dapat sa mansion nalang muna ako pero I told him na mababaliw lang ako kung wala akong gagawin kaya at the end ako ang nanalo. 

Nasa labas pa lang ako ng photography and narinig ko na ang malakas na tawanan. I opened the door and saw familiar faces na matagal ko ng kasama. 

"Hi Sky!" Aoede waved her hand at me. I waved back. 

"I'm glad that you're finally here! May bago kasi akong food experiment at gusto ko ikaw ang unang makatikim" umismid ako sa sinabi ni Tyrone. 

Tyrone Williams is a bit crazy but in a good way. Trip nyang mag experiment ng kung ano-ano. I met them last year sa isang event ng school. I'm into photography at may contest ng mga panahon na iyon. Alexavia persuaded me to join pero I told her no, little did I know na pinasa nya pala ang mga kuha ko sa contest kung saan si Tyrone and Aoede ang organizer.

I won the said contest and then Tyrone and Aoede asked me if I could join them. I almost told them no but then at the end I said yes, at hindi ko pinagsisihan iyon. 

Tyrone is a Neurobiology student when I asked him if it was his choice he said na hindi. It was his parents, he told me not to feel bad for him kasi natutunan namang mahalin ang mga bagay-bagay. Hilig nya ring magluto pero alam naman ng lahat kung gaano sya kapalpak sa aspeto na iyon. 

Aoede Uehera. She's half Japanese and half Filipina and a literature student. Also a very great singer. Tyrone and Aoede are really close since magkababata sila but they're not together. Not yet, at least. 

"Tyrone, stop your weird experiments on food," said Aoede habang inaayos ang bangs nya. She has a pixie cut hair with bangs and her hair color is ash blonde. She changes her hair color every six months and I'm glad that her hair is not damaged at all. She's petite and medyo short. I think nasa 160 cm sya. 

May weird na habit si Tyrone, he likes experimenting on food. Noong una ko syang nakilala, they gave me a welcome party. He was bragging how good his cooking is at naniwala ako sa kanya. He asked me if I'm into sweets sabi ko oo, and I'd like some mangofloat. And Tyrone did bring some mangofloat, wala naman kakaiba doon. Pero noong kinain ko iyon ay pinagsisihan ko. 

Hindi yun mangofloat kundi isang failed attempt gumawa ng mango float. Since then ay hindi ko na kinakain ang mga dalang pagkain ni Tyrone. 

"Inggit ka lang, Aoede. Palibahasa kasi wala kang cooking skills." 

"Hoy Tyrone! Kung cooking skills mo rin lang nama ang basehan, no thank you" at ayan na naman po sila sa asaran nila. 

"Pag tayo kinasal, Aoede dapat masanay ka na" saka humalakhak ng malakas si Tyrone. Namula ang pisnge ni Aoede at binato nya si Tyrone ng whiteboard eraser. Magtatanong sana ako kung anong kasal ang sinasabi nila ng bumukas ang pinto at pumasok ang isang lalake. 

"Akala ko hindi ka na makakarating" ani ni Tyrone. 

"Sorry, I got lost. Welston University is too big hindi ako sanay" ngumise ang lalake. At hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa nakikita ko. 

"Get used to it, bro" halakhak ni Tyrone

"Sya ang pinakabagong member natin, Skyla. Have you met him?" Aoede asked pero nanatili ang tingin ko sa lalakeng nasa harap ko ngayon. 

"No, I don't think so" I narrowed my eyes at him at ngumise sya sa akin. 

"Cool, then it's time for me to introduce you guys to each other" ani ni Tyrone habang nakangite, "Skyla this is Kev. Kev Conti and he'll be joining us starting today"

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