Substitute: The Villain

Chapter Five

Dominique was happily waving her newly baked cookies in the air. She wanted to give it to Monique as a gift of affection from her. She wanted to be the perfect older sister for her. After what happened yesterday, she wanted to make up for the wasted days she tried to ignore her sister. She should've acted that way. It was so immature of her to think that her sister was also an accomplice to all her mother's schemes, when in fact she was a very sweet girl who only wanted her love.

She came home earlier than before. She easily finished her community service and decided to bake cookies for her sister at Pierce House. Few people know that she knows how to bake cakes and cookies. Pierce's mother taught her how to bake before. At first, she found it amusing to mix all the ingredients and stay in the kitchen for more than fifteen minutes because she was waiting for it to finish. But when Pierce's mother persistently called her almost every day to bake for her son, she eventually loved doing it and made it her hobby.

Pasipol-sipol siyang umakyat ng hagdanan habang nakangiting pinagmamasdan ang hawak niyang cookies. She knows that Monique will like it since her sister was a chocolate lover. She baked a chocolate chip flavor for her. She couldn't wait to see the reaction when she tasted it.

Papunta na siya sa kwarto ng kapatid niya nang madaanan ang Master's Bedroom kung saan natutulog ang mga magulang niya. Nakaawang ang pintuan at mula sa labas ay naririnig niya ang mahinang boses ng ina. Dahil sa kuryosidad ay sumilip siya sa pinto.

There she saw her mom facing back and forth inside the room, unconsciously biting her nails while holding the phone. She was looking so distressed by whom she was calling.

"Sinabi ko naman sayo, Juancho. Wala pa akong pera sa ngayon! Hindi pa umuuwi si Gabriel sa business trip niya sa Japan, at hindi rin siya sumasagot sa mga tawag ko sa kanya sa telepono mula noong umalis siya rito. Intindihin mo naman sana---,"

Muling nabuhay ang galit sa dibdib niya nang marinig ang pangalan ng lalaking dahilan kung bakit tuluyan ng masisira ang relasyon nilang mag-ina.

"No! No! Please, don't come here... Dominique might find out about you... Hindi niya pwedeng malaman ang tungkol sayo. Please, give some more time, Juancho. Ibibigay ko ang pera sa lalong madaling panahon." Pakiusap ng ina niya sa lalaki.

Napailing nalang siya sa ginagawa ng ina. Hindi niya alam kung para saan gagamitin ng mga ito ang pera pero alam niyang mapupunta lang din iyon sa mga walang kwentang bagay.

Hindi na niya pinakinggan pa ang mga sumunod na mga sinabi nito at dumiretso na sa kwarto niya. Wala na rin naman silbi kung makikinig pa siya sa mga pinagsasasabi nito, dahil ganoon pa rin ang kalalabasan. Lolokohin pa rin nito ang ama niya.

She silently wiped her tears. Hindi ito ang oras para maging mahina siya. Her father needed to know about her wife's plan. She cursed when she couldn't reach him. His phone might be off right now. And he doesn't take calls when he's in meetings. He needed to know this before he came back. Hindi na niya kayang sikmurain ang mga kalokohan ng ina niya.

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She had tried to call her father yesterday, but he was not picking up his phone. She had to tell him the truth before it was too late.

"Anong ginagawa mo, Ate?"

Gulat na napalingon siya sa kapatid na inosenteng nakatunghay sa kanya. Yakap-yakap nito ang makapal na libro habang nagtatakang nakatingin sa namumutla niyang mukha. Kimi siyang ngumiti dito at pasimpleng itinago ang cellphone sa ilalim ng bulsa niya.

"I-I'm just calling our family driver. Ang tagal kasing bumalik, samantalang kanina pa ako nagme-message na tapos na ang klase natin." Pagsisinungaling niya rito.

Ngumiti ito sa kanya at hinawakan ang kamay niya.

"Mag-taxi nalang tayo, Ate. Baka abutan pa tayo ng ulan dito sa labas ng school. Kung hindi mo napapansin, tayo nalang ang natitirang estyudante dito."

Inilibot niya ang paningin sa paligid at nakitang sila na nga lang ang naroroon bukod sa mga guard sa gate ng eskwelahan ay wala na siyang iba pang makitang estudyante bukod sa kanilang dalawa ng kapatid niya. Ganoon na ba talaga siya katagal na tumatawag sa ama, para hindi mapansin na nagsiuwian na ang ibang mga estudyante doon?

"Bakit nga pala hindi ka sumabay sa mga kaklase mo? Dapat ay mas nauna kapang umuwi kaysa sa akin. Baka pagalitan ka ng mama mo niyan." Takang-tanong niya rito.

Nangunot ang noo nito sa sinabi niya.

"Mama ko?" Pag-uulit nito sa sinabi niya.

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin dito.

"I-I mean, Mama natin."

Lumambong sandali ang mga mata nito dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Para doon sa tanong mo kanina, kung bakit hindi ako sumabay sa mga kaklase ko kanina ay dahil sa mas gusto kitang kasama, Ate." Maikling sagot nito sa kanya.

Napangiti siya sa sinabi nito. Napaka-lambing talaga ng kapatid niya. Hinawakan niya ang kamay nito at sabay silang naghintay ng masasakyan habang nakatayo sa gilid ng daan. Magka-kalahating oras na silang nakatayo pero wala pa ring dumadaan na taxi sa lugar.

Hindi naman siya makatawag sa driver nila dahil lowbat na siya, at wala ring cellphone ang kapatid niya.

Laking tuwa nilang magkapatis nang may makita na padating na taxi. Agad silang sumakay ng sasakyan at sinabi sa driver ang address kung saan sila ibababa. Dominique didn't notice the creepy smile of the driver. She tried to call her father again, but there was no use. His phone was off and she couldn't reach him.

Her forehead creased because of the unfamiliar scent coming from the driver's seat. She suddenly felt dizzy. She tried to open the car window, but it was too late. Her hand felt so weary and when she looked at her sister and saw that she had already fallen asleep, she panicked. Something about this isn't right. She looked at the rearview mirror and saw the face of the driver. It was her mom's lover!

She gasped from sudden fear when she realized that he was planning something bad against them. Before she could utter a single word and shout for help, she had already lost her consciousness.

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