A Night with a Beast

ii

He deserved another slap.

Para lang iligtas ang sarili ko sa oras na iyon, nakatanggap siya ulit sa akin ng sampal! Hindi ko naman sinasadya, pero kung hindi ko gagawin iyon baka hindi niya ako tinantanan doon.

And now I'm here, daig pa ang isang kriminal na nakatakas sa kulungan at kailangan magtago ng ganito. Halos nagkandarapa na nga ako para lang malagpasan ang mga media na nag-aabang sa akin kanina.

I don't think I could ever survive having to live my life like this from now on.
 
"Isolde Dematera! For Pete's sake, don't you dare hung up your phone!"

My mother's louring voice immediately got me to oblige, even though I didn't really intend to answer her call—or any phone calls today.

Nasapo ko ang noo ko at pinuno ng hangin ang baga bago bumuntong hininga. Hindi ako nagsalita at narinig ang bulong-bulong nito maging ang ingay na unti-unting nawawala sa linya niya.

"You stupid girl! How could you ignore my messages and calls? I've been contacting you since this morning!" she scowled.

My teeth teased my lower lip, and I stopped myself from talking yet because I knew her too well. She got more than this.

"And how dare you leave after creating such a big mess, Isolde? Hindi lang sarili mo ang pinahiya mo, kundi maging si Luigsech! At malalaman kong nakipagkita ka pa talaga sa pamangkin ng fiance mo ngayong araw?!"

Sumama ang mukha ko. Paanong nalaman niya agad iyon?

"I heard the photos are already taken down, probably with the help of Luigsech! At ngayon, gumawa ka na naman ng panibagong sakit sa ulo?!"

"Ano?" I couldn't help to asked when confusion dawned me. Wala akong ni katiting na ideya sa sinasabi niya.

"You stupid! There's another photo of you and that man publicized on the internet just today, at your school! Are you even thinking, huh?"

"Anong picture—"

A sharp groan from her cut me off. I can actually feel her frustration and impatience right now.

"Don't you dare put your phone down, Isolde. I'm going to send it to you!" She warned, and I just sighed.
 
Hinintay ko ang ang sinsabi niyang mga litrato at halos manlalaglag ang panga ko nang makita ang litrato namin ni Tristram kanina, sa field.

Napamura ako sa isip nang makitang halos walang espasyo na ang aming katawan sa lahat ng anggulo!

He was pinning me to the tree. His head was cast downward, and mine is facing the side. Obviously, I avoided here his dirty attempt earlier!

Damn it!

"You go home so we could talk properly, Isolde." saad nito sa nagbabantang boses.

Napakurap pa ako ng ilang beses sa mga pictures at naasiwang binura iyon.

I clicked my tongue and hugged myself before lifting my eyes to the night sky. I just realized how wonderful it is when skies change into many colors yet are still so beautiful to stare at. Galing sa pinaghalong kahel at lilang rosas, kinain na ng dilim ang buong kalangitan kasama ang ilang bilyong mga bituin na nagkalat.

It's beautiful.

"Are you still there?!" she screamed on the other line, hurting my ears.

My face crumpled. "Mom—"

"Isolde!" she cut me off in horror, and I rolled my eyes in realization.

"Fatal..." I started by calling her by her name, like she always wanted to, before breathing heavily. Hindi niya gustong matawag na Mom dahil nakakatanda raw iyon.

"you know I will never... ever dare to step or even stand in front of your house, not even in my lifetime, right?"

Natahimik siya.

"But you've got to fix and clear everything! Luigsech has been asking about you. Isolde, I'm telling you, he's a good man. I know him well, your father, Apollo, knows him also. I'm assuring you that he'll take care of you—"

"Hindi iyon ang punto, Fatal!" matigas kong usal. "Alam ko, at hindi ko siya hinuhusgahan katulad ng iniisip mo. But, I'm... not ready!"

"You've given enough years to gear up yourself, Isolde! Luigsech have granted your condition, years ago, nang sabihin mong gusto mo munang tapusin ang kurso mo! And you'll already graduating months from now. Hindi pa ba iyon sapat?"

"Hindi mo naiintindihan!"

"You're not ready, or you don't really want to, Isolde?" she asked in a calmer voice, now, and I had to echoed her question in my mind.

Mariin akong pumikit.

"Isolde, let me just remind you this..." she started.

"this is not just all about you marrying someone you barely know. It's about you and your father's last wish. It's you taking over into the world your father used to live in. And only Luigsech could help you with that."

Words didn't rush from my lips with the mentioned of my father.

I knows what she's saying, well.

The letter that has been given to me on my 18th birthday by my father says he wants me to follow his passion in business. That he entrusted me with the company he built and worked up when he was still alive. On how important it was for him and that he wanted me to save it in time.

"So now that you have nowhere else to go and you wouldn't go here in my house," she said in a taunting voice.
 
My lips twitched at what she said.
 
Her house, my ass.
 
"You've got no choice but to go back to Caretero's mansion and fix your mess as soon as possible!"

A sharp sigh escaped my lips. Guess this was already inevitable even from the very start. Siguro nga kailangan ko na lang tanggapin ang mangyayari sa mga susunod na araw o buwan.

At sa simula pa lang naman, nang magdesisyon akong magbago ng kurso mula sa nursing to bussiness course, alam kong ito rin ang kahihinantnan ko ngayon.

"I..." humigpit ang palad ko sa aking cellphone at napayuko nang tuluyang nawalan ng pag-asa. "fine..."

I heard her sigh in relief, kasabay noon ay ang sunod-sunod na busina sa aking kaliwa mula sa paparating na isang itim na motor bike.

My eyes squinted with the blinding lights from it as I tried to cover my eyes. Ilang hakbang paatras ang ginawa ko nang mapansing titigil iyon sa harapan ko.

Nang mamatay ang makina at nawala ang nakakabulag na ilaw mula sa motor ay saka lamang ako muling nag-angat ng tingin sa kung sino man ang nagmamaneho ng motor.

Una kong napansin ay ang pamilyar na pangalan at ang makintab  na pangangatawan ng bike na iyon! Maging ang usang nasa katawan ng motor ay literal na nagpalaki ng mata ko.

Hindi maari, paanong...

My eyes moved to the driver at nakitang bumaba ito ng motor habang nakabaling sa akin ang ulong may suot parin ng helmet. Nang tagtagin noon ang helmet ay nalaglag na ang panga ko nang makilala siya.

Napailing ito sa akin, habang hindi matukoy kong nangingiti o nadidismaya.

"What the hell?" I muttered softly, too stunned to speak while staring at the only person I consider as a friend of mine.

"Isolde! What is happening?" nasa linya pa pala si Fatal, ngunit hindi agad ako nakasagot.

Mahina nailing ang nasa harapan ko at napabuntong hininga.

"You're still stubborn, aren't you, huh?" tanong nito't nagtaas ng kilay sa akin bago pinag-ekis ang braso sa dibdib. "Isolde Dematera, you trouble maker."