Capricorn: Still Bound to You ( COMPLETE)

Fifteen

I'm hungry. I'm dizzy. My head and tummy hurts. Paos na ako sa kakasigaw at sa pagmamakaawa ngunit walang sumasagot sa mga daing ko. My hands are bruised from banging the door since last night. I'm scared... starving, and in pain.

"Mommy! Daddy! Please, I'm sorry! Let me out! Please!" Wala na akong pakialam sa paos kong boses at sa namumula kong kamay. I banged the door multiple times, only to get a silent reply.

Hinang hina akong dumausdos sa pinto. My eyes are swollen from crying and I'm sweating like crazy. Hinawakan ko ang sumasakit na tiyan at tahimik na umiyak. It's been almost two days since they locked me in my room. Two days yet no one gave me food and water to feed on. I had no choice but to drink tap water from my bathroom faucet, resulting a tummy ache. Pero hindi pinawi no'n ang gutom na nararamdaman ko.

Am I going to die in starvation?

Binaon ko ang mukha sa malambot na kama. My room is also a mess since I tried to break the glass door of the balcony just to escape, but to no avail. It was build using shatterproof glass and they also locked it from the outside so I can't use my key to open it. Talagang sinigurado nila na hindi ako makakatakas sa kwarto.

"Natalie, anak? Gising na."

Hirap na minulat ko ang mata ko. I fell asleep on my position. On my side is my nanny, with tray of soup and milk on her hand. Malungkot na malungkot ang mga mata niya ngunit pinilit niyang ngumiti nang titigan ko siya.

"Kain ka na. Kailangan mong mag-ayos, anak. Aalis kayo ng Mommy mo."

Kumabog ng malakas ang dibdib ko. Hindi ko alam ngunit masama ang kutob ko. "A-aalis? S-Saan po?"

Namasa ang mga mata niya nang marinig ang paos na paos kong boses. Inalalayan niya akong tumayo at umupo sa kama, saka inayos ang pagkain sa harap ko. She fixed my messy hair and gently brush her rough hand on my swollen cheeks.

"Hindi ko alam ang plano ng magulang mo, Natalie. Pero narinig kong kausap ng iyong ama ang mag-asawang Palma."

Just by hearing that surname brought back a lot of memories. Yet the most unpleasant one retain in my head and it spread like a poison. Nakaramdam ako ng panghihina at kahit pagod na pagod na ay gusto ko ulit umiyak.

"Hindi ba ipinagkasundo kayo ng anak ng mga Palma? Mukhang minamadali nila ang proseso ng kasal, hija..."

I covered my mouth when I felt nauseous. Nagmamadali akong tumayo at tumakbo sa CR para sumuka. Because of an empty stomach, I vomited nothing but foamy liquid. Kasabay ng pagtatapos ko ay ang pagbagsak ko sa sahig at pagbuhos ng luha sa pisngi ko.

"N-No... I-I don't want to get married." Marahas akong umiling. "I-I can't. I only want Dark, Yaya. I want Dark!"

Umikot ang mga kamay niya sa akin at mahigpit akong niyakap. Lumabas ang pinipigilan kong hagulgol. I cried so loud that it hurts my throat. I found comfort with my Nanny beside me but I couldn't manage the pain I'm feeling. Tila gumunaw ang mundo ko.

I knew about it. The arrangement my parents and the Palma were planning since I was in grade school. Malapit na kaibigan at business partner ng pamilya namin ang mga Palma. At first it was only a topic to laugh about. It wasn't serious, but also possible to happen at the same time. Hindi ko kailanman inaasahan na mangyayari talaga ang bagay na 'yon. I have Kuya Cleon to stop my parents.

But now he's not around. No one's gonna stop them from throwing me with that family.

Napapikit ako sa pag-ihip ng malamig na hangin. All I see is the thick piles of snow all over the pavement and trees. Bawat buga ng hangin ay may lumalabas na usok sa ilong ko. The four layers of thick clothes shields me from the minus degree temperature, but it never brings me comfort.