Mirage

twenty seven

Mira woke up after falling asleep through the storm. It was morning but the sky was still dark and cloudy. She got up and went downstairs expecting that Sam already left.

There was no one in the living room but there's an opened bag by the coffee table.

Her face crumpled and looked around, just in time Sam appeared from the kitchen.

"Oh, good morning naman sayo Mismam."

She groaned, not even bothering to hide it.

"Dismayado masyado? Nakatulog ako kagabi kaya hindi ako nakauwi. Bumili akong breakfast, tara."

Quietly, she followed Sam to the dining room.

"Ang laki ng bahay mo ah. Sayo ba to? Mayaman ka pala?" Sam nonchalantly said as she sat the dining table.

"Hindi ako mayaman." Mira whispered. "Sa parents ko tong bahay." She sighed.

"Bat ka pa ba nandito? Diba sabi mo hinahanap mo kuya mo? Bat ka ba dito napadpad?"

"Wow teka lang tropa mahina kalaban." Sam said as she eats her bread.

Before answering Mira's questions, Sam took a sip of her coffee first. "Sabi kasi ng kapit bahay ni Kuya dito daw siya pumupunta kapag wala siya sa bahay niya? Ewan ko kung bakit."

Mira frowned. "Bat siya dito pumupunta? Property to ng Angeles."

"Ow so sayo nga to?"

"Hindi nga akin to."

"Eh diba Angeles ka?"

Mira glared at Sam who immediately held her hands up in defeat.

"Okay, sorry sorry joke lang peace."

The girl sighed and began eating as well. They both went quiet as they eat.

"By the way, magrereply na ako sa gc." Sam said.

Mira looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"Napaka mo talaga. So sasabihin kong nandito ako. Kasama ka."

"Wag!" Mira exclaimed.

Sam looked at her. "Bakit? Nagaalala sila sayo."

"Sa tingin mo bat ako umalis ng walang paalam? Kasi gusto ko sabihin sakanila? Syempre hindi."

"Alam mo mas okay ka pala pag tahimik."

"Whatever."

Sam was about to say something when both of them heard the door opened.

"Sino yon?"

Mira stood up and looked out to the living room. She walked out the dining hall and Sam followed.

The girl stopped from walking when she saw a young man by the door way. Sam was behind her and almost slammed on her back. "What the bat ka biglang tumigil?"

"Mira? Sam?" the guy spoke, his eyes wide.

Sam looked at him. "Kuya James! Finally. Wait bat mo kilala si Mira?"

"Kuya James?" Mira stared at him and then it hit her. Sam's her cousin.

"Mira, Omygod. Pano? Naka...Nakalaya ka na?"

James was looking at her like he saw a ghost.

"Parole." She avoided his eyes and turned away. Mira started walking up stairs.

"Kuya?" Sam asked.

James looked at Sam. "Ikaw, bat ka nandito? Narinig ko pinapahanap ka ni Papa." He then turned his gaze towards the girl at the second floor.

"Wait wait. Gulong gulo ako bat kilala mo si Mira?"

Sam looked so confused as she stared at her step brother.

"Pinsan natin siya." He quietly said and the started walking towards the stairs too.

"What?" Surprise was an understatement. "Anong pinsan? Kuya?!"

But Sam wasn't heard and James quickly tried to catch up with Mira.

Mira couldn't believe it. She had to go. She's not safe here, this one place that she thought would comfort her. Stupid, why did she thought that this place would help her when everything started here?

She quickly grabbed her bag and put her things inside. As she does that, the door opened.

"Mira. Can we talk?"

"No."

"Please, Mira."

"Umalis ka diyan." Mira put on her backpack and stood in front of James.

"Mira."

"Ano gusto mo sabihin?"

Mira glared at him and sighed irritatingly.

"I..." James looked lost. He didn't know how to start.

"Diba wala ka rin masabi. Tabi." Mira tapped the back of her hand on his arms to slightly push him aside.

She went down the stairs in a hurry.

"San ka pupunta Mira?" Sam asked worriedly.

The girl didn't answer and continued to walk out of the house.

"Mira! Sandali!" Sam run after her.

James ran over and was the one who caught up to Mira outside. He grabbed her elbow and forced her to stop.

"San ka pupunta? May ticket ka ba? Alam mo ba ung daan?"

"Kaya ko sarili ko." Mira pulled away from James.

"Okay fine, I just." James sighed. "May gusto ako sabihin."

Sam looked at them confused but stayed quiet behind the two.

Mira looked at him dead at the eyes, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm sorry."

The girl scoffed loudly. She didn't want to hear that. Sorry? It's not like anything would change with those two words. She wants peace. She wants to get away.

Away from all of them.

She was so tired of feeling sorry for herself when she was in jail. She was so tired of crying. Mira didn't need to hear that word; she doesn't need pity.

"I'm sorry about what happened, for...for for not uhmm doing anything." James scratched the back of his head and avoided Mira's eyes.

"For everything...gusto ko lang sabihin yon."

"For what? For YOUR peace of mind? Para feeling mo okay ka na? Wala na ung guilt? Why do you even feel guilty in the first place?"

Mira took a step back. "Because you watched habang binibintangan ako ni tito. You watched as I was breaking down and everyone took advantage kasi kailangan daw ng culprit."

"I understand what you're feeling, I'm sorry- "

"No! You don't know, you don't understand what I'm feeling because you're not the one who spent six years in jail!"

"Mira."

"Wag kang magsorry. Di ko kailangan ng sorry mo."

And then she ran. She ran and ran not caring if her legs felt like giving up. Mira just wanted a way out.