Beauty of Open Sky (Epistolary)

75

A lot of things are running to my mind. I don't know what to do. All I want is for me to get there immediately. Only if I can go there within a minute I would.

I was already silently praying as I looked outside of the jeep I was riding and when I was already making my way inside of our village. I was in a fast pace not minding if I would tripped or if the people are looking at me.

Lola and Lolo called around 3 in the afternoon, telling me that they'll be leaving the house and told me to get home as soon as possible so Shandrea won't be alone for long.

Shandrea, she's alone.

"God, not my sister please. Not Shandrea." I felt warm liquids in the corner of my eyes. My vision was also starting to get blurry making it hard for me to see. "Ako nalang, 'w-wag lang siya, please."

I was already a few steps from our house when a warm hand held my left arm and pulled me away. Panicked started to rose within me as I prayed silently to calm myself from what keeps on lingering on my mind.

I was about to fight back back when his low and calm voice enveloped me, making me fully calm and secure.

"It's me, Laia. I'm sorry for scaring you. It's me," he let go of my arm and looked straight at me. His eyes softened as he looked at my face, then he whispered, "I'm sorry."

I feel weak, I don't know what to do but to whisper his name. "Saint." He tried to smile at me. "Si S-shan."

"Don't worry, Laia, she's with Juanito, Isagani and Tatianna right now. Tatianna invited us to visit you and your family, and just in time Shandrea was trying to lock the windows then she saw us." He explained.

It feels like a heavy bag was lifted within me after hearing what he said. He heard me. He heard my plea. God kept my sister safe.

"Thank God," I whispered. "I-I need to see her."

He nodded at me and carefully looked behind the big tree we were hiding. That's when I realized that we were hiding. And as if he gets what my face means and he focused on me.

"Mr. M-Marquez was just outside of your house. But I'll take you to her, okay? We just have to wait until he leaves," he smiled at me, giving me the assurance.

I nodded. "O-okay, thank you." I tried to smile.

"I'm sorry again, Laia," he whispered. "I know my action scared you; I'm really sorry. He was so near you and was about to see you, so I had to pull you. I'm really sorry."

He bowed his head, sounding so guilty. He saw how his touch affected me. He knows what happened to me. And hearing him say sorry for what he had done was enough for me to feel secure around him. Because I know he won't touch me the way my father did. He won't do anything like what he did.

I was just looking at him as another warm liquid started to form in the corner of my eyes. That's when I realized how my left hand lifted and touched his right arm. He lifted his head and, surprisingly, looked at me.

I smiled. "Thank you, Saint. Thank you."

His lips slowly curled into a smile, and he nodded his head. I pulled my hand away from him after.

"We'll wait, okay?" He asked, and I nodded my head as an answer.

He was the one who kept looking behind the tree. And while looking at him, I was thinking of our situation right now. Why are we hiding? Why do I need to hide? Why should I be the one to hide?

That's when I realized I wasn't recovered. All along, I was just convincing myself that I was already healed from what happened. But the truth is, I'm still in pain. I'm still in deep fear of the man that my mother married. I'm still in deep fear of the man who wounded me. I'm still in deep fear of the man, none other than my own father.

"Hey." I was back in my senses when I heard Saint's voice again. "He left already."

That's when I realized that we've been hiding for so long already. He asked me if we should head to our house already, and I agreed. Thank God, he's already nowhere to find.

I'm the one who's knocking while Saint is behind me, as if securing that no one will approach us. The door opened after I said that we're the ones who're behind the closed door.

We walked inside, and my eyes immediately looked for my sister. She was standing next to Juanito and Tatianna, who looked like they were counseling her.

"Ate," she whispered. She immediately ran towards me and encircled her arms around my waist. I felt how she trembled as she tightened her hug on me. "A-ate ko..."

I tried my hardest to push back the tears that'd been wanting to fall from my eyes as I listened to her trembling voice. She's crying. I gently stroked her hair as I tried to calm her.

I noticed how Tatianna lowered her head, and I know she's also crying. Juanito turned his back on us as if hiding himself, while the other two guys had their eyes set on us.

I let out a heavy sigh to calm myself. "Tahan n-na, Bunso. He won't touch you; I'm here. We're here."

All I did was counsel Shandrea as I silently thanked God for protecting her and hearing my prayer. I don't know what I would be able to do if he got the chance to touch my sister. I can forgive him for what he did to me, but I don't know if I can still do that if Shandrea was the one he touched.

Baka pati ang sarili ko ay hindi ko mapatawad sa isiping hindi ko siya na-protektahan.

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