[Phraea's POV]
"Anong nangyari?" Tanong ko. Nagtaka ako nung makita ang pag-alala at pikon sa kanyang mukha.
"Can you guys give us some space?" Almer asked my friends. Tatamad na bumangon 'yung mga girls at nakita ko ang pag-ikot ng mga mata nila. They still hate Almer and they blame him for what happened to me.
"Bakit? Ano bang nangyari?" Ulit na tanong ko matapos makalabas 'yung mga kaibigan ko.
"Anong edad ko nung una kang niregla?" Seryosong tanong ni Almer at napatiim-baga. Hindi ko maiwasang kabahan dahil sa tono niya.
"I was 10. What kind of question is that?"
"Did you got pregnant?"
"What? No!" Histirikal na sagot ko at kumunot-noo. "I really don't get that you're asking me that. Can you just go straight to the point?!"
"Miss Bautista, pina-check namin ang DNA ninyo at ni Paige... 99.9% na compatible ang DNA ninyo."
Napaawang ang labi ko at nagulat sa pahayag ng nurse. Natawa ako at iniling ang ulo ko.
"That's impossible. I never had any sexual contact with anyone. Tsaka, kinausap ko si Paige noong nasa isla pa lang kami at sinabi niya sa akin na namatay ang ina niya sa isang bank robbery."
It was Garen that actually told me. Whatever the result is, it's fake. It's impossible that Paige is my daughter.
"Iyun po ang lumabas na resulta. Chineck namin para tingnan kung may recent na sakit kayong nakuha habang nasa isla, only to find out that Paige is your daughter, Miss Bautista."
"I demand another test! That's beyond impossible! Paige is not my daughter and we are never related."
"We already made various tests for confirmation. Lahat ng test na ginawa ay isa lang ang naging resulta... positive po."
"This can't be true." Iling ko.
"It's quite possible, Chels, na anak mo si Paige. She resembles you. Her blonde hair, milky face and puffy cheeks. Except for the eyes, yours are grau while Paige's are dunkelbraun." Sabi ni Almer na seryoso pa rin ang mga titig sa akin.
Paige's eyes are like Garen's, but to think about what Almer said, he's right. Parang carbon copy ko si Paige except for the eyes, pero hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala. Paanong anak ko siya?
"I'm still a virgin and I never got pregnant. How is that even possible, Miss?" Tanong ko sa nurse.
"Madaming babae na nagkakaanak na hindi nabubuntis which is possible through surrogacy. May I ask, have you been to an ob-gyne before?"
"Y-yes, I remember. Nagpunta ako sa ob-gyne noong 11 years old ako kasi isang buwan na hindi ako dinalaw, only to find out na anemic ako." I answered. Binalik-balik ko ang tingin ko sa kanilang dalawa nung binalot kami ng katahimikan.
"W-why?" Kinakabahang tanong ko.
"It's possible that your ob-gyne took your egg cells while examining you."
"Why? Why would someone do that?" Agap na tanong ko at nataranta.
"Two things. It's either binenta niya o dahil may nag-utos sa kanya." Napatahimik ako. 'Yung pangalawang option ang malaking kutob ko, but why? Why would Garen do that?
"Did Paige mentioned anything about her parents?" Ilang sandali akong napatahimik bago sumagot. "J-just her Mom." Napalunok ako.
Nagkatinginan silang dalawa bago lumabas ng kwarto. Maya-maya pa ay bumalik muli si Almer na nakahalukipkip at nakakunot ang noo.
"W-what should I do now?"
"Ipapaimbestigahan namin 'yung ob-gyne mo. For the mean time, you need to rest. The facility will let you out any time soon."
He kissed my forehead and I was too slow to react, hindi ako nakaiwas. Boyfriend ko siya, oo, pero wala na akong nararamdaman para sa kanya. Kahit katiting, wala na. Wala na 'yung pathetic na Phraea na uhaw na uhaw sa atensyon ng boyfriend niya.
"You changed, did you?"
"W-what do you mean I changed? I'm still the same old Phraea, Almer." Tumitig siya sa akin nang malalim na parang inoobserbahan niya 'yung reaksyon ko.
"Your feelings changed towards me. You don't feel the same after months in that island. Am I right?"
Napalunok ako bago ibinaba ang mga tingin sa kandungan ko. "Let's just say that I realized a lot of things in that island, and it includes my self-worth. You actually don't have to do this... you know, pretending like you care even if you don't. You are now free from me, Almer. You don't have to stay anymore."
Napakurap siya at mukhang hindi niya inasahang marinig ang mga salitang 'yun mula sa akin. Well, i'm done with him. Besides, my heart is now reserve for someone else.
"C-chelsey..."
"I know you're just doing this because of guilt, because of the things you've done to me... but don't bother. I already forgive you, so forgive yourself for me."
.
"Phraea!"
"Phraea, anak!"
Napahagulgol si Mommy nung mayakap niya ako. Pinayagan na nila akong umalis matapos makompirma ang stability ng mental health ko.
"It's okay, Ma. I'm fine and well." Hinagod ko ang likod niya dahil sa patuloy niyang pag-iyak. Napapikit ako nung humigpit ang pagkakayakap niya sa akin. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam na hinahanap din pala nila ako, parang naramdaman ko na sobrang importante ko rin pala.
"Akala namin hindi ka na namin mahahanap." Parang maiiyak din ako nung makita ko kung paano tumulo ang luha sa mata ni Dad.
"Akala ko rin hindi na ako makakaalis. Salamat dahil hinanap niyo ako."
Nagkatuwaan kaming tatlo sa labas ng bahay. Napatahimik lang nung bumukas ang pinto. Napatingin ako roon at napaatras dahil sa bilis ng pagyakap sa akin ni Kuya.
"Tatanga-tanga ka kasi kapag nakainom." I chuckled because of what he said. Even with his harsh choice of words, the worry in his tone didn't escape from me.
"I'm just glad you're safe. Thank you, Chels, for coming back. I'm also sorry."
"Tama na ang drama, hindi bagay sayo." Sumimangot siya bago iniwas ang tingin.
Napatuon ang atensyon naming lahat sa sasakyang huminto sa harapan namin.
"Siya na ba?" Rinig kong tanong ni Mama. Ngumiti ako bago siya tinulungang makalabas ng sasakyan na pag-aari ni Almer.
"Everyone, meet the new member of our family. My daughter Paige."
BINABASA MO ANG
Island of Insanity
Mistero / Thriller[COMPLETED] Phraea Chelsey Bautista has always been the top in her class and every professors' favorite. She has both beauty and brains, and everything a girl would dream to possess but her life is not entirely perfect. No one deeply cares for her...
