Rahi Lascivus

Chapter 42

Marceline

Five fucking days. Ni text na ha or ho wala. I've been calling Rahi a thousand times pero out of coverage area. Sounds OA but I don't fucking care!

Thursday and Friday, palagi ko siyang inaabangan sa parking lot pero mukhang wala talaga siya. Hindi siya kasama ng barkada niya.

Luci and Xeah didn't know where Rahi is. But Yoj said hindi niya din alam. Wala si Shu sa kanila, I heard from them that Cal was taking care of his son for the mean time.

Palagi kong naiinis kapag hindi sinasagot ni Yoj ang tanong ko. Alam kong alam niya kung nasaan si Rahi. But she act like she doesn't know. Kaya minsan inaawat na ako ni Luci at Xeah. Pinapakalma para na din hindi kami mag away nitong si Yoj.

Naiinis ako. Nawala na naman si Rahi ng hindi nagpapaalam.

Wow, 2 weeks ka ngang nawala.

Yes, I know that. Pero iba ngayon. Rahi and I are good. We were okay, wala naman akong naalala na ginawa ko to make her upset. Simula noong umuwi ako mula sa bahay nila noong Wednesday, wala na akong natanggap mula sa kanya.

I even went to Gusan. Kinapalan ko na ang mukha ko, at nagtanong sa kanila if Rahi was there. The news said na nagpakita lang ulit si Rahi dahil tinawag siya ng Lola niya for the will of the Lascivus, mula sa pagiging independent nito for years.

Kaya I went to Gusan. But unfortunately, Señora Beatris didn't know where Rahi was. Pati na din ang ama nito. I even went to the Montreal, like all answers I've been hearing wala din silang alam. Even Yssa.

I went to where the falls was, nagbabasakali na baka nandon siya. Still no sign of her.

Weekend came, I went towards Xeah's house. Pero walang tao. I even tried to call Luci and Yoj. Walang sumasagot.

Sobrang nag aalala na ako.

Wala akong choice kundi ang puntahan si Kinley. I'm glad she's here.

"Pasok ka." She welcomed me into their house.

It's not like Rahi's house. Kinley's house is more like an older version. It looks clean too. An ancestral house kumbaga.

"I assume you're here for Rahi?"

Napatingin ako sakanya. Tumango ako.

She sighed and pinaupo ako. Kumuha muna siya ng maiinom at dinala sa akin.

"Don't expect to see her in this time of year. Even her friends. They'll just go into hiding during this date."

I looked at her confused.

"Umaalis sila kapag September 8. Birthday ni Rahi today." Nagulat ako.

Today's her birthday?! And she didn't even tell me?!

"Don't get mad Marceline. Hindi na kasi nag ce-celebrate ng birthday si Rahi simula nang mamatay si Tita Yvonne." Marahan akong napatango.

"Every year ba talaga?" Napatango si Kinley.

"Pero alam mo ba kung saan siya nagpunta?"

Umiling siya. "Sorry, I don't. Pero palagi 'yung safe. Don't worry. Rahi will just go to places na walang ni isa sa amin ang nakakaalam. She's resting herself, and the only date she could have that is her birthday."

"Pero bakit nawala siya ng dalawang araw? Edi sana ngayon palang siya aalis diba?"

"Rahi is Rahi. Paiba iba ang desisyon 'nun sa buhay. But it's more probably because the last time I talked to her, hindi naging maayos ang usapan nila ng pamilya niya."