SELENE [BOOK 2]

CHAPTER 14

“Anak, is there something wrong?” Nag-aalalang tanong ko kay Solene ng maabutan ko itong tulala sa kinakain.

Inangat niya ang tingin sa akin. Tumingin muna ito sa kapatid na si Lucas na busy sa kinakain bago muling binalik ang tingin sa akin at pilit na ngumiti.

“I'm fine, Mom.” Solene answered.

“Are you sick?” Tumayo ako at nilapitan ito at aktong hahawakan na sana siya sa noo nang umatras siya at biglang tumayo.

“A-Ah... I-I'm fine, maybe I just need more sleep, Mom,” nauutal na wika niya.

My brows furrowed. “Where are you going?” I asked as I glanced at her plate, still full of food.

“I'm done eating. I'll just go upstairs to rest.” Solene replied.

Rest? Eh kakagising lang niya?

Tumalikod na ito.

“Is that so? Papahatiran na lang kita ng gatas sa kwarto mo, okay?” Habol na sabi ko.

She only nodded and exited the dining area.

I sighed. Umupo ulit ako sa upuan ko at napatitig sa pwesto ni Solene kanina.

She's been acting this way since the night she saw me with Nico. I didn't bother disturbing Solene that time since she was with her friends and she has a driver waiting in the parking lot, so I only waited for her at home, but she immediately locked herself up in her room after arriving. Not giving me the time to talk to her about what she saw.

Matapos kumain ay umakyat na ako para magbihis para sa trabaho. Nadaan ko pa ang kwarto ni Solene na bahagyang bukas ang pinto. May kausap ito sa cellphone habang nakatalikod mula sa pinto.

Her voice is too low for me to hear.

She said she's going to sleep, but she's not.

I shrugged my shoulders. Hindi na ako nanghimasok pa at nagpatuloy na sa pagpasok sa kwarto ko.

I was putting lipstick on my lips when my phone vibrated, which is placed on my vanity table. I looked at it and saw that it was Nico's message. I ignored it and continued what I was doing.

Tumayo ako pagkatapos ng ilang minutong pag-aayos. Kinuha ko na ang bag ko at bumaba na. Dumiretso ako sa pintuan. Nakasalubong ko pa si Manang.

“Manang,” tawag ko. Huminto naman siya.

“Oh?”

“Please, watch the kids, Manang,” bilin ko.

She immediately nodded at me and smiled.

Pagkalabas ko ay agad akong sumakay sa kotse ko. Maaga akong nakarating sa ospital dahil hindi masyadong traffic sa daan.

While I was looking for my phone while walking into the elevator, I bumped into someone. I dropped my cellphone. I immediately picked it up and faced the person I bumped into.

“I'm really sorry, hindi ko sina—” hindi ko na natuloy pa ang sasabihin ko ng makita ko kung sino ang nakabangga ko.

Umayos ako ng tayo. “You...” bigkas ko.

I looked at her from head to toe. Nagtagal ang tingin ko sa tiyan niyang malaki ang umbok.

“Ahm, hi?” she said, hesitating.

A memory flashed into my head.

"She's not a slut, Mom, don't call her like that."

She's the girl Nico chose that night before I was kidnapped. The girl who was with Nico. Iyong ihahatid sana ni Nico.