KHRONICLED DESTINY: Cassandra

CHAPTER ONE

Quezon City, 1989

MAAGA siyang nagising nang araw na iyon. It was one of those rare days that she had to wake up early dahil aalis ang Papa at Kuya Julio niya papuntang Mexico para sa isang business trip at para na rin dalawin ang mga kamag-anak nila doon. She would've gone too if not for the finals that she had to take a few days from now.

Humakbang siya patungo sa dresser at sinimulang suklayin ang kulot niyang buhok only to give up later dahil aabutin ata siya ng ilang oras kapag pinagpatuloy ang ginagawa. No, she doesn't have a really curly hair, it was just wavy. Kulot ang dulo at mamula-mula kapag tinamaan ng sinag ng araw na minana niya mula sa ina. She sighed from the thought. Limang taon na ang lumipas when her Mom succumbed to cancer and she missed her so.

Nilinga niya ang bandang gilid ng dresser and looked at a family picture taken during a Christmas vacation in California when she was ten. Inabot niya ito and gently caressed her Mom's face. She is beautiful despite her honey-colored skin na namumutla na and her hair was covered by a scarf, exquisitely beautiful yun ang malimit na sabihin ng Papa niya to describe her Mom even when she was undergoing chemo. She sighed and erased the sad memories.

Ibinalik niya ang kuwadro ng larawan at muli siyang tumingin sa salamin and decided to tie her hair in a pony tail and smiled to herself. Tumayo at inayos ang kanyang pantulog (a simple tank top and cotton shorts) at pinatungan ng knitted cardigan, and walked out of her room pababa ng garden kung saan naghihintay ang ama at kapatid.

   

"I SWEAR to God, Papa! Hindi malayong may mangyaring masama sa kanya kung palagi mo na lang kinukunsinte ang batang iyan," sabi ni Julio habang nag-aagahan kasama ang ama at kaibigang si Randall.

"There is no need to swear, Julio." Tugon ng matandang don habang inilalapag ang tasa ng kape breakfast table sa hardin ng kanilang mansyon. "At hindi ko kinukunsinte ang kapatid mo. She called last night at hindi na nagpasundo. Magkasama naman daw sila ng kaibigan niyang si Angela sa bahay nito sa Makati."

"You should've told me para ako ang sumundo sa kanya. I don't trust that friend of hers, baka kung saang lugar sila nagtungo at kung anu-ano ang tinuturo kay Cassandra." Inabot nito ang tasa ng kape na nasa tabi niya at napangiwi nang matantong malamig na iyon. He turned to the maid behind her at inutusan itong palitan ang malamig nang kape.

"Well, I trust your sister. She might not look like it, but I know that she's responsible and sensible enough to know what's right and wrong." Tumingin ito sa katulong na inilalapag ang tasa ng umuusok na kape sa harapan ni Julio at ibinaling ng Don ang paningin sa pinggan na nasa harapan nito.

It was a silent command for the maid to clear his plates, at sa pagkamangha ni Ran ay agad na tumugon ang katulong at inalis ang plato at mga kubyertos sa harapan ng matanda.

"Trust her enough that you did not reprimand her when a maid found a pack of cigarettes in her room," Julio countered at napabaling sa kakabukas lang na French door at inuluwa niyon ang pinag-uusapan nilang mag-ama.

   

"GOOD morning!" Masiglang bati niya, lumapit sa ama at hinagkan ito sa pisngi, ganoon din ang ginawa niya sa kapatid at umupo sa pang-apatang breakfast table katapat ng kapatid.

Dumako ang tingin niya sa bisitang nasa kaliwa niya and stared at two brown eyes who were intently looking at her. She frowned. Babalingan sana ang kapatid nang magsalita ito.

"Sandra, this is Randall... you remember him don't you?" Umiling siya at akmang magsasalita nang muling sumagot ang kanyang kuya. "He's my classmate and best friend when I was in high school."