DDLFM #1: The Journalist's Secret

CHAPTER THREE

RESCUER

KATULAD na lang nang sinabi ni Manong driver, nakarating agad sila sa apartment building ni Annika.

Sa sobrang pagmamadali ay isang libo ang binigay ni Cecilia. Sinubukan siyang tawagin ng driver ngunit sumigaw lang ng, "keep the change," si Cecilia.

Napa Kamot sa batok ang manong driver at pumasok na sa kanyang taxi.

Napamura ang dalaga nang makitang hindi gumagana ang elevator, na sa fourth flour pa naman ang room ni Annika.

How much worse can this day be?

Kahit alam niyang mapapagod siya at binigay ang katawan niya, pinili niyang huwag na mag hintay para maayos ang elevator at gumamit nalang ng hagdan. Her lower body is aching so bad.

She climbs each step as if every one of those will be exchanged with one million pesos, it's as if her future lies on how quick she can get to Annika's room.

It really does determine my future.

"Annika!" Cecilia called for her friend with nervousness — fatigue can be also seen just by looking at her face.

Nakalimutan niyang kumain kanina dahil sa kanyang pinaggagawa, ngayon niya lang naramdaman ang gutom at pagod.

At this point, I'm gonna die because of how abusive I am towards my body.

It's been twenty minutes since her call with Annika ended. Nakailang tawag na siya sa pangalan ng kaibigan ngunit hindi ito sumasagot.

Wala na siyang iba pang naisip na gawin.

Alam niya ang passcode ng apartment ng kaibigan.

Although it feels illegal, she decided to use her privilege as Annika's friend to unlock the passcode of the apartment's door.

After she heard a click from the door lever, her eyes immediately scanned the place until she finally saw who she was looking for.

"Lia..." Annika called for Cecilia as if she's a child calling for her mother because she was bullied by others.

She called me Lia...

For some unknown reason to Annika, she saw how Cecilia's eyes soften.

"Did you eat?" tanong niya sa kaibigan. Umiling lang si Annika at hinigpitan ang yakap sa sarili.

"Can I ask what happened or do you want me to just stay and be with you?" Cecilia softly asked, nakaluhod ito sa harap ni Annika gamit ang isang tuhod.

There's a rift between there relationship, as much as possible Cecilia doesn't want to take advantage of Annika's situation to get her trust and be treated like a best friend again. Kaya kahit abot niya nan si Annika ay naglagay parin siya ng distansya sa pagitan nila.

"Both..." Annika answered hesitantly. She'd like to give Cecilia a chance to be close with her again. She doesn't want to completely shut Cecilia out of her life.

Napangiti si Cecilia at tumabi kay Annika. Ngayon ay pareho silang naka upo sa lapag.

"Anong sinabi niya sayo?" Cecilia tried to ask Annika calmly but her raging emotion couldn't be hiden.

Galit ito para sa kaibigan.

"H-he broke up with me over text, Cecilia!" Annika ranted with her cracked voice.

"He even said I should forget about us and... That he love Allison more." Hindi nag tagal ay lumiliit ang boses ni Annika. Gusto niyang mag sisi, paano na lang kung hindi tanggap ni Cecilia ang parteng ito ng pagkatao niya - ang pagiging emosyonal?