Intruded Trails (Van Doren Series #1)

Chapter Twenty-four

Astraea

"Do you like it, Thalia?"

Masigla kong inangat ang laruang ginawa na naman namin ni Zaki mula sa mga bunga ng puno at mga bulaklak. I also pointed the crown on my head made by veins with few flowers on it.

Napatigil ang ate ko sa ginagawa niyang paso. Kumunot ang noo niya sa hawak ko. "Oh, laruan na naman, Thea? Marami ka namang mas maayos diyan na, ah. You have a crown, too. With gems in it. Hindi ka ba nasasaktan diyan sa suot mo?"

She stood up and washed her hands on the sink. Pinunasan niya  iyon gamit ang laylayan ng damit niya bago pumunta sakin. Lumuhod siya sa harapan ko.

"Goodness, look at you... Hindi ba dapat natutulog ka na?" She pushed the strands of my hair off my shoulder and some covering ny face.

I pouted when she doesn't looked happy about this. Binaba ko ang laruang hawak ko at pinatong nalang iyon sa katabi kong upuan. She's right, I'm supposed to be in bed. Pero kasalanan ko bang kumatok si Zaki sa bintana ng kwarto ko?

She removed the crown in my head. Sira na niyang kinuha iyon dahil hindi niya dinahan-dahan sa pag-alis. Lumabi ulit ako. She could've at least spare the crown. I made that!

"Magpasalamat ka at tayong dalawa lang ang nasa bahay ngayon. If our parents are here, I wouldn't defend you for this..." She lectured.

Humagikgik ako. "Thank you!"

She rolled her eyes. Pinagpatuloy niya ang pagsuklay sa buhok ko habang sinusulyapan ang nakangising mukha ko. Umiling-iling siya at napangisi na rin. "Little girl..." She blabbered.

"If you want to play, you can always come to me, remember? You can have a better crown than that. The one just like the kings and queens have." Turo niya sa nasira nang tali ng mga bulaklak at dahon.

"I like that one more. I wish you didn't ruined it. Ako kaya ang gumawa niyan..." Pagmamayabang ko.

Lumapad lang ang ngisi sa mukha niya.

Tumayo na siya nang matapos sa pag-aayos sa buhok ko. She lend her hand to me. "Come on. I'm sleepy. Matulog na tayo." She smiled.

I sighed and hold her hand. Nanghihinayang akong naglakad papunta sa nakabukas na kwarto ko. Sa totoo lang hindi pa ako naaantok. Ayoko pang matulog sa kaalamang mawawala na naman siya bukas.

She's leaving again. My sister's leaving me again.

Her reasons to our parents why she's leaving were always the same. Either she wanted to look for a job, travel, or something happened to a friend. Our parents let her go of course because they already trust her. But I know her reasons were never true.

I know Thalia too well. And I knew she's been lying. But even so, she still wouldn't tell me the truth. Minsan ay hinahayaan ko nalang siya. Maybe my sister just wanted to be rebellious and free.

Inayos ko ang kumot sa katawan ko at humiga na sa kama. Thalia turned off the lights and left the lampshade open. Humiga siya sa tabi ko. Tumikhim siya. I grinned and closed my eyes. Ang buong akala ko ay tuluyan na niyang makakalimutan.

"...there was a baby girl born in a cave. And when you're in a cave, there are two ends--"

"Hindi mo pa natapos kagabi ang tungkol sa tore, ah?" Nakapikit kong tugon.