ALIBI

Chapter 16: Delusional

Trigger Warning: matured content

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Jhoanna invited Gwen and Sheena over to her place, the smell of sizzling Korean barbecue filling the cozy space as they gathered around the grill.

The tension from earlier still lingered in the air, but Jhoanna was determined to lighten things up. She cracked open a bottle of soju and offered shots to everyone.

"After all the shit na nangyari ngayong araw..we all deserve this" she said smiling.

As they clinked glasses and took their first shots, Sheena, who had been unusually quiet, glanced up, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"So, Jho curious lang ako sino ba si Charlotte?" she asked carefully, her voice tinged with hesitation, she continue.

"I don't want to push, but I need to understand... anong nangyari kay Charlotte?No one talks about it direct and it's like...like there's this unspoken rule to avoid it"

The room fell silent, an awkwardness settling over them.Jhoanna shifted in her seat, the question hanging heavy in the air. She hadn't expected it, especially not tonight, but she swallowed hard and answered anyway.

She sighed deeply, setting her drink down and rubbing her forehead as if to summon the strength to recount the painful memories.Gwen, sensing the shift in the mood, leaned back, silently listening.

"Charlotte was part of then alpha team, isa sa amin, she was one of the best intel and marksman we have" Jhoanna started slowly, her voice taking on a more somber tone.

"Cha was sweet and funny..tough, fierce and loyal.She and Mikha were... inseparable, not just as teammates but..." Jhoanna paused searching for the right words.

"They loved each other though they never really admitted it to the team.Sa tingin ko it was their way of keeping things professional"

Sheena nodded, absorbing every word, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"During one of our missions we were after this human trafficking syndicate in Manila" Jhoanna continued, her eyes distant, as if reliving the event.

"Everything was going fine hanggang sa inambush kami and it took us by surprise.Everything is a blur after..hanggang sa natamaan si Cha ng isang ligaw na bala..she bled out and I've never seen Mikha like that before until this day the image still terrifies me"

Sheena looked down, her expression heavy with the gravity of the story.Gwen remained still, knowing better than to interrupt.

"Mikha tried everything to save her" Jhoanna's voice cracked slightly as she remembered the raw pain of that day.

"Pero it was too late..Charlotte bled out in her arms and after that... Mikha lost it.Pinatay niya lahat ng gang member in that room.Hindi lang yun galit it was something deeper.."

Jhoanna's words hung heavy in the air, the silence in the room almost suffocating. Sheena swallowed hard, struggling to imagine Mikha in that state, the composed and confident leader reduced to such raw agony.

"Kaya Mikha's been like this" Jhoanna added softly.

"Charlotte's death...it never really left her.She still blames herself even if there was nothing she could've done and now with everything going on with Stacey parang history's repeating itself in her mind.She doesn't want to admit it but it's messing with her big time"

Sheena nodded slowly, finally understanding the weight Mikha had been carrying all this time.

"Kaya pala minsan she's been so... distant" Sheena muttered more to herself than anyone else.