Entangled With You

•- STANLEY'S POV -•

Life has been unfair to me ever since I was still a kid. There were several moments where I think, I was a living failure and disappoinment. Even though I’ve been giving all my best, doing all what I’ve got, just to prove myself to my parents and other people, there’s no use. It didn’t change a thing, thus, making me lose all my interest in life.

Not until one rainy afternoon, Tito Al bumped someone while we were driving at the slippery road. It was a young girl. She’s around the same age as me. She’s totally wet and has messy hair. When our eyes met, for the first time in my life, I believe that angels were true because I just had seen one. When she suddenly ran away after almost getting killed, my instinct told me that she’s in danger. That’s why I never stopped pursuing my dad not until they agreed to follow the girl.

The car stopped at a wide oval and when I saw how other kid beaten up the helpless kid, I immediately went out from the car. There, I saw the girl we saw earlier lying, almost losing her precious life. I was raging with anger with when I saw her condition. The buttons of her blouse were opened.

Kaagad ko siyang kinausap.

“Miss, are you okay? Miss? Look at me.”  Puno ng pag- aalala na tanong ko at marahang tinapik ang kaniyang pisngi. 

But she’s too weak to even speak a word kaya ang ginawa ko, hinubad ko ang suot kong uniform. I covered her body with my polo then carried her to our car.

“Hang in there. You’re safe now,”  I assured her.

She slightly opened her sleepy eyes then mouthed something in an almost silent voice.

“S- salamat.”

And after hearing those words, I felt like I am already willing to protect her my whole life.

Dad paid all their hospital bills. I secretly visited her starting then. I was secretly sneeking inside whenever her mom wasn’t around. I would bring her bunch of fruits which I bought using the money I saved from my allowance.

But one afternoon, after dismissal, I went to visit her again but the only person I saw inside was the nurse I usually talked to. She said that the girl was discharged and it made so sad. I went home hopeless and I cried all night because I thought that would be the last time that I would saw her.

I slightly forgot about the girl when I studied abroad. And mom only told me to come back in the Philippines when I turned eighteen. That was when I became the Treacy’s leader, the thing I hated the most because being a leader meant one thing– he/ she will become my mother’s puppet. I accepted the position and responsibilities. I studied all the informations about Treacy as well as the informations about other organzations. That’s when I knew that the mighty leader of Risum was known as “Red”. No one knew if who’s her real identity and other believed that she’s actually a boy.

I went abroad again for a business meeting when I recieved a call from one  of the Treacy’s member, telling me that my cousin, Connor, made a mess again. I know how a total dumbass he was that’s why right after I landed back to Philippines, I immediately went to the address the member had given me.

Isang kalat nga ang dinatnan ko sa abandonadong bodega. Ang pinakaayaw ko pa naman sa lahat ay iyong pinangungunahan ang mga desisyon ko. Pinatumba ko ang dalawang bagong recruit ni Connor at nang makilala ako ng ilan ay kaagad silang nagbigay- galang.

“Cousin! Long time no see. Ginulat mo naman ako. Kailan ka pa nakabalik ng Pinas?”  My cousin greeted me with her sarcastic tone but I was too tired give a damn about him.

“It’s none of your business. As expected from you, nagsimula ka na naman ng panibagong kalat sa grupo,”  I tiredly remarked after eyeing the girl he’s hugging from behind.