Dagger Series #3: Unscripted

Special Chapter

SPECIAL CHAPTER

Take Two

Note: This is one of the two special chapters of the published version of Unscripted. I don't usually post the special chapters since nag-pa-parallel naman ang books at malalaman niyo pa rin ang content ng mga iyon kapag tumapat na sa current on-going, but this one won't be montioned since it happened in the past. 

Enjoy reading!

BELAYA'S POV

Niyakap ko ang dala kong bag ng mahigpit. It's cold. Too cold because I'm all wet from the rain. Perfect. Ngayon pa talaga kung kailan ko naisipang maglayas.

"Hindi ako snatcher."

Napapitlag ako at nilingon ko ang hindi ko napansin na lalaki na nandito rin pala sa waiting shed na sinilungan ko. He's probably in his early twenties. He's wearing a bulky black hoodie with a huge lion design and a black cap. Nakataas din ang hood niya kaya hindi ko makita masyado ang mukha niya.

I instinctively step back before I can stop myself.

"Mas mukha ka pang snatcher kesa sa akin."

Napasinghap ako. "Excuse me?"

"Naka cap ka, naka jacket, naka mask. Mas mukha kang may gagawin na hindi maganda kesa sa akin."

"How dare you talk to me that way? Hindi mo ba ako kilala?"

"Hindi at wala akong plano na kilalanin ka."

The nerve of this guy. Kung makapagsalita samantalang siya nga itong basta na lang nakikipag-usap sa akin. Normal lang naman ang reaksyon ko. I'm alone here with a man that I just met.

"Kung natatakot ka, umuwi ka na lang sa inyo. Ang bata-bata mo pa naglalayas ka na."

"Sino namang may sabing naglayas ako?"

"Mukha kang basang kuting tapos ang laki ng dala mong bag. Ang liit-liit mo pa nasa labas ka pa anong oras na. Hirap sa inyong mga mayayaman dinadaan niyo sa paglalayas lahat. Hindi niyo naman kayang mag-isa. Uuwi rin naman kayo."

Pinagkrus ko ang mga braso ko. "At paano mo naman nasabing mayaman ako? Ano ka psychic? Hindi mo naman ako kilala."

"Lahat ng suot mo branded. Iyang bag mo branded din. Pupusta ako hindi ka pa nakakalayo mananakawan ka na." Niyakap ko ulit ang bag ko at nagdududang tinignan ko siya. Naiiling na sumandal ang lalaki sa poste ng waiting shed. "Bahala ka. Gawin mo kung anong gusto mo. Ganiyan naman kayo. May phase ng pagiging rebelde tapos ipagmamalaki mo someday na parang hindi mo pinasakit ang ulo ng mga tao sa paligid mo."

"Talaga! Bahala talaga ako. Bakit ka ba nakikielam? Bakit ba lahat ng tao gustong diktahan kung anong dapat kong gawin sa buhay ko at kung ano ang dapat kong maramdaman? I want to stay being an actress but no one's taking me seriously. I should study hard because the life of a star is not forever. My crush that I worked with since I was young decided to just date another person because I'm too young and I'm probably just used to being with him. Na he's just a phase that I'll learn to grew from. Hindi ba pwedeng alam ko lang kung anong gusto ko? Hindi ba pwedeng paniwalaan naman ako na kaya kong magdesisyon ng tama para sa buhay ko? I'm fifteen. I'm not an infant!"

Hindi nagsalita ang lalaki at sa halip ay nakatingin lang siya sa direksyon ko. I can feel the tears I was trying to reign in started falling down my cheeks. A few moments later I saw the man ran a finger on his lips absentmindedly. Like it's a mannerism. It was as if he's finding something amusing.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Bagay kang maging artista. Ang arte mo eh."

Hindi makapaniwalang napasinghap ako, "How dare-"

"Are your parents not supportive of what you want?" Nang matigilan ako ay nagsalita siya ulit. "Hindi nila gustong mag-artista ka?"

"I-It's not that. They're supportive but-"

"Feeling mo hindi ka nila sineseryoso?"

"Yes."

"Pinararamdam nila o pakiramdam mo lang?" Hindi niya hinintay ang sagot ko at muli siyang nagsalita. "There's a difference between them not trusting you on making the right decision and them being worried if this is what you really want. Lahat ng magulang may karapatan na mag-alala. They want the best for you. You're young and they want to be sure na ito ang gusto mo kesa huli na kapag nagbago ang isip mo. They will ask and ask because they want to know how to help you if their help will be needed someday."

I felt my lips tremble because for some reason, his words are resonating clear.

"And your crush? Who cares about him? Huwag mong itigil ang mundo para sa isang tao lang. Gusto mong maging star pero nandito ka at mukhang basang kuting?"

"I-I always work with him. I don't know... I just... what will happen now?"

"You want to be an actress right? Then be an actress. Why call yourself a star if you're going to shine because of another person? You don't need him or anyone."

He walked towards me but he stopped a few steps away from me. Tinuro niya ang langit na patuloy pa rin sa pagbuhos ng ulan.

"Look at that. Can you see that?"

I followed the direction of his finger and I saw that he's pointing at a lone star. It easy to miss since it's the only one that can be seen.

"There's million of stars in the sky but you can only see that one. No one's helping it but it's still shining."

Fresh tears fell from my eyes as I look at the stranger. This rude and annoying stranger that happens to reach a part of me that wants to shut out everyone else.

Nawala sa kaniya ang atensyon ko nang isang taxi ang huminto sa harapan namin. Bumisina iyon. Naglakad siya papunta doon at para bang may sariling buhay ang mga paa na humakbang ako palapit na parang gusto ko siyang pigilan.

I saw him opened the door but instead of going in, he looked back at me.

"Get in and go home. I know this taxi. He'll take you home safely."

"But-"

"Go home, Kitten."

Lumapit ako sa kinaroroonan niya at dahil sa lakas ng ulan ay napilitan akong pumasok na sa sasakyan.

I turned to the man, "What's your name-"

Hindi ko na nagawang tapusin ang tanong ko at hindi na niya nagawang sagutin iyon dahil nasarado na niya ang pintuan ng sasakyan. The taxi moved forward until I can only look back at the man still standing on the rain. The last thing I saw was the lion print on his hoodie.

"Lion."

END