You were the only one I wanted
You were the first one I fell for
You're the only one that I'm in need of
And I don't want to be lonely anymore
-Get Back by Demi Lovato
--
"Dito muna si Kier," Lena told her sister. "I'll go talk to Lacey."
"Okay!" Kenna readily answered. "Pero Ate, alam mo ba kung nasa'n si Ate Lacey?"
"No. Do you?"
"Ask Ate Ramona. She didn't tell us where Ate is exactly, but she guaranteed that she's somewhere safe. Hindi kasi pwedeng dumiretso sa unit ni Ate, e. Ang daming reporters do'n. Pati sa bahay ni Ate Ramona."
Tumango siya. "All right. I'll call her." Binalingan niya si Cyrus. "Can you check on Martin? Make sure he's okay. I don't want him to do anything stupid."
Cyrus nodded grimly. "I hope not."
She gave Bailey and Kier a kiss each and then they headed off to where Lacey was. Tinawagan niya si Ramona para itanong kung nasa'n ang kapatid. Ramonda texted the address.
Pagkahatid sa kanya ni Cyrus ay agad nitong pinuntahan si Martin. Naaawa siya sa kaibigan. Paskong-pasko pa naman ay ganoon ang nangyari. She hoped that he's okay. Martin's a grown man, but when it comes to Lacey... nawawala ang maturity nito sa katawan.
The house wasn't hard to find. Nasa pinakang-dulo kasi iyon. She called Ramona again to let her know that she arrived. The door opened right away. Ramona pulled her inside and locked the door immediately.
"Hindi ba kayo nasundan?" tanong nito.
"I don't think so," she answered. "Where's Lacey?"
"Upstairs."
"How is she?"
"Ayon... walang tigil sa pag-iyak. Hindi ko mapatahan, e. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. Kanina pa tawag nang tawag ang daddy mo sa 'kin. Ayaw naman ni Lacey na ipasabi kung nasa'n sya."
"Buti sinabi mo sa 'kin."
Ramona nodded. "I think you're the one who needs to talk to her. Feeling ko sa 'yo sya makikinig."
"Okay lang ba kung umakyat na 'ko?"
"Sige. Dito lang ako sa baba. Just call me if you need anything."
"All right. Thanks."
On her way upstairs, she thought of all the things that she wanted to say to her sister. Hurtful things. After seeing the video, she wanted to hurt Lacey in some way. She wants her sister to feel the pain she inflicted to the people around her. Kung mararamdaman lamang nito iyon, then maybe she won't be so hurtful and inconsiderate.
But hearing her cry was enough to soften her heart. She could hear her sister wailing even from where she was standing. It's been a while since she heard her sister cry like that. Iyong para bang katapusan na ng mundo.
She guessed Lacey's world ended the moment she ran away from Martin.
Lacey has been in love with him ever since she was 12. What she did earlier at the premiere made no sense to her. There must be something else, something more than what everyone's seeing that made her sister do what she did.
She opened the door of the room where Lacey's in and knocked to get her sister's attention. Bahagya itong tumunghay at nang makita siya'y kinuha ang kumot at nagtalukbong.
"Lace, let's talk."
"Go away!" garalgal nitong sigaw.
She was asked to go away, so of course, she went in. She pulled the blanket that's covering her sister. Agad siyang naawa sa hitsura nito. Gone were the glitz and glam of show business. All that's left now were the tears.
