Beneath Your Smile (The Old And The New Series #1)

Kabanata 20

Kabanata 20

"Sa'n kayo galing?" Tobias asked when he spotted us going into the function hall. Agad niya kaming nilapitan at bakas sa mukha nito ang pag-aalala.

"Sa labas lang. Nagpahangin kami ni Demetrio. Bakit? May nangyari ba?" I asked.

He released a stressful sigh. Nilagay nito ang dalawang kamay sa parehong baywang at umiling. His hair danced along with his movement. "No... nothing," maya-maya niyang sabi.

Kumunot ang noo ko. Pumapalibot sa likod ang kamay ni Demetrio at naramdaman kong pinisil nito ang kaliwang braso ko.

"There's just... uh..."

"Really, Tob. What happened?" I asked him again. Kahit ako ay hindi ito maintindihan at natatakot na rin. He looked stressed and lost of words for a moment.

"There's just... a little commotion. Lucia... your friend... needs you. Hindi 'yon nangyari... I don't know what really happened... but just go to her. Nando'n siya sa room niya. Darko is with her and her parents don't know anything. Go..."

"T..."

Napunta ang mga mata ko kay Ate Bella. Agad na kumunot ang noo ko. She's here? Hindi naman nakapag sabi si Toby o Lucia na dadalo si Ate Bella sa party. No one talked about it.

"Ate Bella," I called.

She turned to me. Her eyes were red. Did she cry? Toby shook his head. Napabaling ako sa kanya.

"T," tawag ulit ni Ate Bella.

Tobias turned to the other side, opposite from where Ate Bella was standing. "Not now, Bella. Not now..."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," basag ang boses na sabi ni Ate Bella.

Tobias kept on shaking his head. Lumapit lalo si Ate Bella at inaabot nito ang braso at kamay ni Tobias ngunit lumayo si Tobias sa amin. He kept walking away as I called him. He kept walking away as Ate Bella painfully called him.

"W-What's going on?" I asked no one. I was preparing myself to follow them but Demetrio's hold tightened on my arm.

Doon ko lang naalala na nasa likod ko pa siya.

"Let's go to Lucia for now. The two can handle themselves," he mumbled.

"But Ate Bella is crying... And." I roamed my eyes to the swarm of people in front of me. There's nothing wrong. They are all enjoying kahit na wala ang celebrant sa harap. "The people seem fine here. There's no problem. I think we need to follow them," I said.

"Yes, we will but we need to attend to Lucia first, okay? Mamaya na ang dalawa."

Wala akong nagawa nang hilahin na ako ni Demetrio palabas ulit ng function hall.

"Where's her room?" he asked after we're inside the elevator. I told him the number and he pressed the elevator to finally lift.

Ngayon ko lang naramdaman ang kaba na kanina ko naramdaman. I was afraid of what? Of seeing Ate Bella crying? Or hearing something bad happened to Lucia? Or with Toby's reaction?

"Nandito na tayo." Si Demetrio ang humanap at kumatok sa pinto nang nasa tamang floor na kami.

Natauhan ako at napakurap-kurap. I knocked thrice to the door and it instantly opened. Nagtaka ako kung bakit si Darko ang bumukas ng pinto sa akin.

"Where's Lucia?" I asked.

Hindi niya ako sinagot. Nagtiim ang bagang nito at nilakihan lang ang pagkakabukas ng pinto para sa amin ni Demetrio. I heard sobs kaya agad akong pumasok. Naiwan ko si Demetrio sa labas at hindi ko na ito naalala nang makita ko si Lucia na umiiyak sa kama.