Chapter 28

"Skyla, are you going home?" Leah asked as she ties her hair. Kakatapos lang ng shift namin at wala ring pinagbago sa skills ko. Bulyaw pa rin inabot from my trainer.

"Yeah," to be completely honest, ayoko pang umuwi kasi I'm still staying with my Uncle. At medyo, hindi pa ako komportable sa ngayon matapos ang pagtatalo naming dalawa. "San ka?" tanong ko kay Leah. 

"Dyan lang ako sa may dalawang kanto," ngise nya sa akin.

"Really? Dyan din daan ko. Sabay ka na sa akin." I grabbed my keys from my bag. We walked together toward my car. I'm thinking of asking Detective Michaels to get some of my stuff from my previous condo, kahit mga damit lang ay okay na.

I opened my car door, "Let's go." ani ko. Napatingin ako kay Leah. She has her hands on her mouth at mukhang gulat na gulat. "Bakit?" pagtataka ko naman. Mukha kasi syang nakakita ng multo.

"Anak mayaman ka, no!" may halong bintang ang tono ng pananalita ni Leah. Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako sa kanya o hahayaan na lang sya kung ano man ang nais nyang isipin.

"Wow ang ganda naman ng kotse mo, Skyla" kung pwede lang siguro kumislap ang mga mata ay siguro kanina pa kumikislap ang mga mata ni Leah. "Magkano 'to? Try kong mag-5'6 sa bumbay" sabay hagalpak nya ng tawa.

"5'6?" I asked curiously. Is she referring to height or she's talking about something else that I'm not aware of.

"Uyy, di alam ang 5'6. Google mo nalang, homework mo yan ah! Sabihin mo sa akin sagot bukas sa duty." She giggled and got inside my car. I shook my head at her silliness. I smiled too, I think Leah and Alexavia will get along if they meet each other.

I started the engine of my car and started driving. Mabuti nalang at hindi masyadong traffic ngayon kaya mabilis akong makakauwi sa amin. I just hope that my Uncle isn't waiting for me since I didn't go home yesterday. I'm still trying to figure it out how he can track me? Is it because of the necklace? Napahawak naman ako sa suot kong kwintas.

I remember back when I was a kid, Uncle gave Anthony and me some type of necklace. He told us that wherever we will go, he'll know. I'll ask someone to look into it. Hindi pa ako masyadong kampante kung tatanggalin ko ito baka lalong maghinala at magalit si Uncle sa akin.

"Lalim ng iniisip ah! Nag-away kayo ng jowa mo?" I glanced at her question.

"Psssh, iba talaga pag mga rich kids." Ani nya habang tumatawa, when she calmed down, she asked again, "Nag-away ba kayo ng BF mo? Ang lalim kasi ng iniisip mo dyan."

At the mention of the word 'BF,' I felt my cheeks blushed crimson, and an image of Ivo popped in my head. I released a shaky laugh, "I don't have a boyfriend. Ano bang sinasabi mo."

"Kunwari ka pa! Ganda mo nga eh saka matangkad ka pwede kang model." Papuri ni Leah sa akin. Lalo namang naginit ang pisnge ko.

I got used to of guys complimenting how I look, but this is the first time that someone complimented me and what makes it unique is it's from a girl na ka-edad ko lang. Kaya hindi ko mapigilan ang kiligin ng kaunti.

"Wala talaga," I say, smiling.

"Yieeee, yung mga ngite mo." Leah says. Napansin kong maganda siya, may shoulder length syang buhok. Makinis, kayumangging balat at matangos na ilong.

"You're pretty too, Leah," I told her, and she blushed. Sabay hampas sa braso ko na ikinagulat ko. Today is the first day we met, but I feel like Lean, and I have been friends for a long time. It's easy to be around and be friends with her.

"Eeeee! Kinikilig naman ako! Friends na tayo ah!" she declared cheerfully. I raised my right thumb for a thumbs up. "Ay Skyla, dyan lang sa may gilid ng bakery."

"Here?" I asked. She nodded, may mga nakatambay na mga lalake sa labas ng bakery nag nag-iinuman. Leah rolled her eyes at the sight of them.

"Thank you so much, Skyla! See you bukas!"

"Okay, bye!" I waved my right hand at her. The moment she opened the car ay biglang naghiyawan ang mga lalakeng nakatambay sa labas.

"Hala, mukhang may mayaman na boyfriend si Leah Sungit ah!" sabay hagalpak nila ng tawa. From what I can see, mukhang mga laseng na ata ang mga ito.

"Hindi no! Friend ko yan! Wag kayong chismoso!" Leah closed the car door and looked back again through the window and mouthed, "Bye Skyla!" I waved back before driving away. I'm going to introduce Alexavia and Leah to each other, I'm sure they'll get along, I thought to myself.

                     It didn't really take that long for me to reach home. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin kami nag-uusap ni Anthony matapos nyang makita na kasama ko si Ivo. Hindi ko alam kung hanggang kalian kaming hindi magpapansinan pero sa tingin ko mukhang kailangan naming dalawa na magpalamig ng ulo muna.

The house is utterly quiet when I got home. I checked my watch, "9:00 pm." I muttered to myself.  The mansion used to be lively, especially back when Anthony and I are still kids, but now that we grew up, we barely see each other.

"You're home." Halos lumundag puso ko sa gulat ng marinig ko ang boses ni Uncle. He's standing at the corner of the living room and staring at me. I walked toward him to kiss him on his cheeks kasi ganon naman talaga ako bumati every time I see him.

Pero bago ko pa man magawa iyon ay he raised his cane and pointed it at me, I halted. "Where were you, Skyla?" Uncle's tone is calm and relaxed, but the way he grips the handle of his cane tells me otherwise. I've heard this tone before. 

I tried my best to smile naturally. I really did. "I found a part-time work po." I paused for a moment, "Naisip ko kasi na maganda itong pagkakataon to learn something, saka hindi naman puno yung load ko sa Uni. So I have a lot of time. Saka uso sa mga University students ang part-time work, Uncle." I hope that it's not that obvious na nagsisinungaling ako.

"Is that so."

I smiled cheerfully at him, "Yeah, I'm really excited kasi I'll be doing something new for the first time." I don't know how long I can pretend, and I'm holding my breath as I watch Uncle's expression.

Hindi ko maaaring sabihin ang katotohanang nage-espiya ako para kay Detective Michaels,  at lalong hindi pwedeng malaman ni Uncle na hinahalungkat ko ang mga detalye kung paano namatay ang mga magulang ko. It will upset him. 

Afterall, my father is his brother.

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Absurd!" he shouted. I flinched at his tone. I didn't expect him to yell at me, and I didn't expect him to be upset.

Lumakad sa papunta sa akin at hindi ko maiwasang umatras mula sa kinatatayuan ko, "Why Uncle?" kinakabahan kong tanong sa kanya.

Before I could even react, he grabbed my face and held my cheeks so tightly. "You were with Moretti." His expression is almost murderous. Ito ang unang pagkakataon sa buong buhay ko na makita ang ganitong ekspresyon kay Uncle. How did he know? 

I saw it once, and it's for someone else, but this time? This murderous look is for me.

I shook my head, "I wasn't with him!" I lied and muffled between his tight grip. Livid with my answer, he gritted his teeth and forcibly threw me at the table. For an old man, my Uncle sure knows how to throw a woman.

I couldn't breathe because of the pain. I can feel my tears on my cheeks, and I can taste blood in my mouth. I tried my best to sit down, but I'm failing. My back hurts, and my face is sore dahil sa sobrang higpit ng pagkahawak nya sa mukha ko.

I rarely see my Uncle mad. In those moments, he is the scariest, but nothing compares today. I don't know who this monster is. I don't know who is this man in front of me.

"Why do you hate him so much?" I can't recognize my own voice. I sounded weak and fragile. I hate it. I hate it when I'm like this. I wiped the blood from lips with the back of my hand and glared to my Uncle.

Naglakad sya papunta sa akin. Uncle kneeled in front of me and held my chin, "Just be a good girl and follow your dear old Uncle." He says, softly. Tinapik tapik nya pa ang pisnge ko na para bang wala lang nangyari.

He then stood up and walked out of the living room. 

"Just be a good girl." 

These words rang to my head nonstop and I hate how he said it nonchalantly na para bang kanina lang ay hindi nya ako sinaktan. When he said those words, para syang nakikipagusap sa pitong taong gulang na basta-basta nalang susunod sa kanya. 

Tears streamed down my face. Halos hindi ko na makita ang nasa paligid ko dahil sa agos ng luha ko. I couldn't help but sob, and I can't stop. I didn't know that my Uncle could be so violent. He was a totally different person.

I tried my best to calm down. I controlled my breathing and once it regulated, I immediately grabbed my bag. I winced in pain when I tried to stand, but I have to endure it because I cannot stay long in this house.

Halos mahirapan ako sa paglalakad pero tiniis ko iyon makaalis lang dito. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako pupunta. I can call Alexavia, but with my current state she'll worry. Knowing her baka sugudin nya ang Uncle ko dahil sa ginawa nya sa akin.

I thought of Anthony, but remembering his anger made me sad. He admires Uncle so much and I don't know how he will react if he sees my current state. Especially, if he finds out what he did to me.

I didn't look back when I heard the door closed behind me. Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad palabas ng subdivision kahit na naninikip ang kalooban ko. Kahit na masakit likod at paa ko. I didn't use my car to get away because I know I'll only make noise and get his attention.

That would be the last thing I need.

Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin maintindihan ang galit ni Uncle sa mga Moretti. Base sa mga pananalita nya ay may malalim na dahilan ang galit nya. Kung ano ang dahilan ng galit na iyon ay hindi ko alam.

I crippled as I walk. I'm having a hard time breathing and my head hurts so much. I stopped walking when raindrops started to pour. It poured slowly, and then without warning a downpour. I looked at the sky as the rain drops, napaawang ang aking bibig when the cold wind touched my bare skin.

I closed my eyes, and clenched my fist. 'Am I being punished?', I thought to myself. Coldwater flow inside my shoes. My face is soaked, raindrops ran from my eyebrows to my eyes, coming together and flows from chin to my neck. I shivered at the cold wind. Thankful that it numbed the pain a little.

I can still hear the rain as it pours around me pero nagtaka ako ng hindi ko na maramdaman ang patak ng ulan sa mukha ko. I opened my eyes to see a black umbrella above me. Napasinghap ako sa gulat.

"Sad look doesn't suit you."

Ivo stood before me with an unreadable expression on his face. The first 2 buttons of his white shirt were unbuttoned. He scanned my face like his searching something he didn't see before.

"What are you doing here?" I still can't believe that Ivo is standing before me. Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko ngayon. Ang tanging alam ko lang ay naninikip ang dibdib ko. Parang pinipiga ang puso ko.

"I just thought that you need some company." sabay linga linga sa paligid. He didn't smile or anything, but I can see the anger, concern, happiness, and sadness in his eyes. How can that be? Nangungusap ang kanyang mga mata sa akin.

Hindi ko mapigilan ang paghikbi. I'm just so tired. I had to bite my lip so hard in order not to sob kahit na may sugat pa ang labi ko. I cried so much for the past days already, sa tingin ko ay mauubusan na ako ng luha.

Ivo pulled me towards his hard body. His body is warm kahit na basa na rin sya sa ulan. I can feel his hot breath against my cheeks, "I don't need one, Ivo." I say kahit nangangatog na ang boses ko.

"Are you sure about that?" I can sense the playfulness in his tone, "The way you grip my shirt tells me otherwise" and I held his shirt tightly and I borrowed his chest to lean on. "And even if you don't need one. I'll keep you company anyway." 

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