I'm Innocent, I did Nothing (SOON TO BE PUBLISHED UNDER CLP)

Chap37- Possibilities

9:45 am

Inialis ko ang tingin sa orasan, pinadako muli kay Manang Rosie.

“Hindi eh, nakatakip ang mga mukha nila kaya hindi ko nakilala.” Tumingin siya sa kisame, tila may inaalala. “Pero base sa mga hubog ng katawan nila at boses, parang mga binata pa eh.”

Napatango ako. “Mula do’n sa mga kumidnap, wala ho bang... nagtangkang iligtas kayo? O tulungan man lang? Walang nagtraydor?”

Nagsalubong ang kilay niya. “Bakit naman ‘yon gagawin ng isa man do’n? Walang mangingiming gawin ‘yon,” the old maid grimaced.

“Ahh...” Binalingan ko si Franz. He’s roaming his gaze around the living room. Ayon kay Manang Rosie, nandito raw sila, nanonood ng TV, bandang alas dos ng hapon. Then the kidnappers barged in. Actually, they shouldn't be called as just kidnappers, they are criminals.

Kanina pa nakaalis ang mga pulis para suriin daw ‘yung chemical na nakuha nila. Tsk. Hindi na namin kailangan ang resulta no’n, dahil alam na namin.

“There’s no clue left here,” ani Franz nang makalapit ako sa kaniya. The police left the stones unturned. Gulong-gulo pa rin ang mga gamit dito sa sala.

“What did you expect? That they would leave a code or a cipher and then we will decode or decipher to fing out where did they hid my Uncle and my brother?” I rolled my eyes. I gazed at the broken vase. Mahal pa naman ‘yon.

“I expected that, yeah,” he admitted.

“Kababasa mo ‘yan nung story nina Gray at Amber,” pasaring ko.

“Huh?” his tone was not serious clueless.

“Akala mo ba hindi ko alam na nagdownload ka ng wattpad? Hays. Nakita ko na isinave mo sa library mo ‘yung story ni Shinichilaaaabs, ‘yung Detective Trilogy.” I nudged him, elbow to elbow.

“I-i uninstalled it,” he cleared his throat.

“Lokohin mo self mo,” tumawa pa ako ng marahan.

“Fine! Psh. But I removed the DF trilogy on my library,” nakabusangot na aniya. “May mga romantic scene kasi, and I hate that. So, now I’m reading Project Loki. I loved it.” Kinagat niya ang kaniyang pang-ibabang labi.

“Ohhh, pero maganda rin naman ‘yung DF trilogy ah, crush ko nga si Puns,” I divulged.

From my peripheral vision, I saw him glared on me. “Whatever,” he said without a sound, but I saw and understand it by the movement of his lips. “You’re love ones were missing. You must focus. Tss.”

Bumuntong-hininga ako. I don’t want to be pressured, that’s why I’m making the atmosphere at least light. Sasabihin ko na sana ang dahilan pero naunahan na ako ni Manang Rosie.

“Baka bumalik ang sakit ni Liessandra kapag masyado siyang nagpaapekto sa nangyayari ngayon,” saad niya. Nakaupo pa rin sa sofa.

“Why? What was your illness?” takhang tanong ni Franz. Ngayo’y nakaharap sa akin.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Manang Rosie.
Ako ang sumagot. “Don’t mind it. Wala naman na eh.”

Not convinced from what I’ve said, he shook his head. “I thought... we’re friends. Friends share their secrets on each other.”

“Hindi naman ‘to secret eh. Nevermind na lang.” I took a step away.

“Liessandra,” his voice was begging but firm.

Nakaabot na ako sa may pintuan kakaiwas sa kaniya. Ngunit hindi pa rin siya tumitigil sa pangungulit.

“Bakit ba gusto mong malaman? I said it was nothing. Wala na ‘yon... siguro,” I averted my gaze.

“Wala namang mawawala kung sasabihin mo eh,” aniya.

I sighed for the nth time. “Three weeks after the death of my parents and one sibling, and Ali’s disappearance, I suffered a cardiac arrest. Naconfine ako ng one month sa Ospital.”

“Maybe, you had a heart problem,” he guessed.

“Wala. Wala raw sabi ng doktor at ng mg resulta ng tests na ginawa sa’kin. My heart is healthy,” I trailed off. “Blood clotting daw kaya nagka-cardiac arrest ako. Tapos nagkaproblema din sa baga, ang sabi ng doktor nadamage daw ang kanang bahagi ng baga ko pero buti at naagapan kaya okay na ngayon.”

Naramdaman ko ang aura ng kaniyang pagkabigla. Hinawakan niya ako sa magkabilang balikat at pinaharap sa kaniya.

“Liessandra...” he said in a low tone. Puno ng pagtatakang nakatingin ako sa mga mata niyang nag-aalala.

“Ha-ha, ano ka ba. Wala na ‘yon, wala na akong nararamdaman na kapareho noon,” I assured. I could feel his perturbation.

“D-do you still remember what happened to my Grandfather back then?”

“Uhm, oo. Yung kinwento mo tapos umiyak ka—”

“You experienced the same when he intook a dybroxonin.”

My mind was in chaos. Havoc. Disturbance.

“T-that’s impossible. I-i didn’t... Hindi naman ako siguro naka-intake ng, ng chemical na ‘yon...”

“May iba-ibang paraan para maipasok sa katawan ng isang tao ang kemikal na ‘yon.” He released his hands from my shoulders. “In your case, you inhaled it.”

Tears pooled in my eyes. Hindi pa man sigurado... tila posible ang sinasabi ni Franz.

“B-bata pa ako no’n, at kung sakali man na posibleng nangyari ang sinasabi mo, na nalanghap ko ang kemikal. Hindi ko na ‘yon matandaan kung paano dahil bata pa ako no’n,” nangangatal na saad ko.

Tumango siya, yumuko at pinasadahan ng mga daliri ang buhok. “You forgot it, just like how you forgot that your brother wasn’t killed and you just thought that he was killed. That’s the effect of trauma.”

“Pero atleast, hindi ako namatay kagaya ng nangyari sa Lolo mo...”

He gazed on me. “Hindi ka nga namatay, pero ikaw ang pumatay.”