Fall
*****
"DEJA VU?"
Ngumisi si Ken. Tila inaasar siya. Parang gusto na lamang niyang tumakbo noong mga sandaling iyon. Sa dami ng palapag at suite sa hotel na iyon, doon pa talaga. Pinaglalaruan ata talaga siya ng tadhana.
"I'm going to wait for Martin here," matigas na saad niya. Hindi siya papasok sa loob niyon na ito lamang ang kasama.
Nagkibit-balikat lamang ito bago tuluyang pumasok sa suite. Naiwan siyang nakatulala sa nagsaradong pinto. She couldn't explain how she feels at that moment. Halu-halo ang emosyong nararamdaman niya ngunit mas nangingibabaw doon ang pagkainis.
Wala pang sampung minutong nakasarado ang pinto nang muli iyong bumukas. Ken's phone was on his ear. He looked serious and his hand gesture was telling her to go inside.
She sternly look at him. Not wanting to go inside that room with him alone. She's still on her right mind. Bakit naman siya papayag sa gusto nito?
"Wait a sec," he said on the other line. Kunot ang noo nitong tiningnan siya. Halata sa mukha ang pagkainis. "Go inside," he then commanded.
She rolled her eyes. Sadyang ipinakita niya iyon dito. "Hihintayin ko nga si Martin," mariing saad niya at humalukipkip.
Ken looked impatient. Dalawang hakbang lamang at hinila siya nito papasok sa suite. Wala na siyang nagawa dahil mas malakas ito sa kanya. Siya lang din naman ang masasaktan kung magpupumiglas pa siya. And she didn't want to act this stubborn around him. She's just not comfortable, given their history and what happened in this same suite.
She was glaring at him the whole time he's busy talking to someone over the phone. It seems serious but she didn't care. Kung nakamamatay lang siguro ang tingin niya, kanina pa ito natumba.
"I got it," he stopped and looked at her direction.
Inirapan niya ito na ikinataas lamang nito ng kilay. He then continued talking and disregard her.
She sighed. Wala naman siyang magagawa kundi maghintay na lang. She stood up and went to the nearest socket to charge her phone and sat down on the bed. While Ken went on the farthest corner of the room. Para siguro hindi siya makaistorbo sa kung sinumang kausap nito. She can still hear him talking. Hindi na lamang niya iyon pinansin pa.
"She's fine. Yes, I don't think they followed us."
Nilingon niya ito dahil sa narinig. Who will follow them? May nangyari ba? Kaya ba kanina pa iba ang pakiramdam niya at tila hindi mapakali? What could have happened?
She waited patiently for Ken to end the call. She yawned after a few minutes. She's tired, too. Marami siyang trabaho ngayon dahil sa nalalapit na eleksyon. Her father will be running for a higher position. Kaya abala ang lahat sa opisina nito kabilang na siya.
It seems that the call won't end that soon. She closed her eyes. Maybe she can take a nap while waiting for Martin to arrive. Hindi rin naman niya makakausap nang matino ang kapatid nito. Hihintayin na lamang niya ang binata.
She slowly drifted to sleep. Hindi na niya alam kung ano pa ang mga sumunod na nangyari.
*****
RITA woke up because of the voices. Hindi naman iyon ganoon kalakas ngunit nagising pa rin siya. She opened her eyes and the whole room was dimmed already. Tanging ilaw na lamang sa munting lampshade ang mayroon.
She looked at her wrist watch. Alas dos na ng madaling araw. She looked around the suite. There are people inside, even if the room's a bit dark, she could feel their presence. Napakunot ang noo niya dahil doon.
