Behind The Lights (Montereal Series # 4)

BTL37

BTL37

I woke up nicely in the morning. Agad akong tumayo para tingnan ang nasa labas, wala na siya roon. I knew it! He wouldn't stay there all night, kilala ko na siya.

Ginawa ko ang morning routine ko bago ako bumaba. I wore a simple white tank top and paired it with a white blazer. I partnered it with a baby blue skirt and wore my white louboutins. Umagang-umaga, rinig ko ang pagdadabog ni Papa.

"I told you to guard the mansion! Paanong nandoon siya sa harap ng mansyon, hanggang umaga? Paano kung napasok niya ang anak ko sa kwarto?"

"Sir, we can't restrict him from roaming around the village. He lives here."

"Alam ko 'yon, pero hinayaan niyong matulog siya sa harap ng mansyon namin na wala man lang ako kaalam-alam?! Ginagawa niyo ba mga trabaho niyo?!"

My tracks were stopped with what I heard. He slept in front of our house the whole night?

Halos mapatalon naman ako sa gulat nung biglang sumulpot si Reed sa likod ko. I held my chest and lightly hit his shoulder.

"Narinig mo?" saad niya sa pang-aasar na tono.

I crossed my arms. "Hindi ba dapat ikaw ang pinagiinitan ni Papa? You're their head..." Nagtaas pa ako ng kilay.

He put his hands inside the pockets of his brown jacket. "Si Cooper ang assign kagabi. I went home. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na natulog sa harap ng mansyon ang lalaking 'yon."

I scoffed. "Don't kid me, hindi naman siya magstastay sa harap ng bahay namin ng ganoong katagal..."

"Well, he did. Naabutan ko pa siya nung umaga. I was here since six am. Kitang-kita ko sa mga mata ko, Claudia."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Why would he stay that long? Talaga bang seryoso siya sa sinabi niya?

He smirked. "Muntikan na siya mapatay ng Papa at kapatid mo, kung hindi lang namin napigilan. Pasalamat ka, buhay pa naman siya..."

I looked at him with a scowl and rolled my eyes at him. Dumiretso na ako sa breakfast table. I saw Mommy talking to Prince, pilit niya itong pinapakalma at pinapainom ng tubig.

"Prince, anak. Calm down..."

"How can I calm down? Mommy, hindi naman pwedeng hayaan nating malapit kay ate 'yon!" Prince did not raise his voice, and tried to calm his voice. Hindi niya talaga kayang pagtaasan ng boses si Mommy. "You know what his family did! Hindi ko matatanggap—"

"I know... pero hindi naman tama na paghigpitan natin ang ate mo. She is a grown woman, she has her own mind—"

"Paano kung magpaloko na naman siya sa Bradford na 'yon, Mommy kaya mo bang itolerate 'yon? Kaya mo ba na pagmukhaing tanga si Ate?" Prince's voice broke.

Mommy shook her head. "Hindi sa ganoon, anak. Your ate can make her own decisions regarding this. Prince, she loved him. It's not some magic that you can make it disappear. Hindi ba't ganon ka rin naman kay—"

"What we had is different," Prince told Mommy. "Alam ko mahal pa ni ate 'yon, pero bilang kapatid niya, ayaw ko lang na maranasan niya ang nangyari noon. It's hard enough to conceal her of the truth, ayaw kong pati ito pa ang ikakasakit niya rin."

What does he mean?

"Prince... hindi na dapat malaman ng ate mo 'yon." Mommy caressed his back to calm him down. "Don't think about it too much. Let your Papa handle it."

Pansin ko ang pagkuyom ng kamao ni Prince.

"Yeah, I don't want her to know it either. It's almost ten years, since I found out. Bumalik na naman siya, pero hindi ko pa rin tanggap. Hindi ko kayang tanggapin. Nakakainis lang si Papa dahil hinahayaan niya. At mas ayos ng walang alam si Ate sa sitwasyon, it will just hurt her more..."