Silenced by a Kiss -To Be Published-

TWENTY-FOURTH KISS 1/3

TWENTY-FOURTH KISS

"She's dead" matatalim na titig ang ipinukol ni Vin sa mga lalaking nakapalibot sa kanya. Nakangisi naman ng malapad at parang aso ang lalaking nasa harap niya mismo.

"She killed herself."

"She didn't."

"She just did. She's too weak. She couldn't handle you and your relationship so she just killed herself. She committed SUICIDE because of you. You're the one who actually killed her."

...

"Fuck!" Vin woke up panting. He's drenched with sweat. Mabilis s'yang bumalikwas at ang masamang ala-alang iyon ay gumugulo sa isip n'ya. Bakit ba kailangan pa na bumalik ang lahat ng iyon samantalang nakalimutan na n'ya? That was eons ago and he has forgotten about it already or so he thought.

"Fuck!" muling mura ni Vin. Naihilamos niya sa mukha ang kanyang dalawang palad at pilit na iwinawaksi sa isipan ang masamang panaginip na iyon.

It happened six months ago.

Naglalakad si Vin sa isang kalye na daan papunta sa Coffee Shop na madalas n'yang tambayan. Doon sila magkikita ng kasintahan na si Grizette Lavender Blaise- Half Filipina, Half French Culinary student. Saying that she's beautiful was an understatement, she's gorgeous. Para siyang Barbie doll na nagkatawang tao. Her strawberry blond hair matched her complexion perfectly. Not only she's beautiful, she's an angel turned to life, the only reason why Vin's still alive and kicking.

They met a couple of months ago sa parehong iskinita. Gabi noon at mag-isa lamang na naglalakad si Vin pauwi sa tinitirahang apartment. His family owned a mansion in France but he chose to stay in a small apartment alone, after all, ang nakatira na doon ay ang uncle at auntie niya at mga anak nito aside from the fact that the mansion carried a lot of nightmares, a lot of ghosts.

"Look who we got here. Everybody's perfect prince charming."

"Prince my ass." Narinig niyang tuya ng mga lalaking palapit sa kanya. They looked familiar to him, the school bullies on his new school. Vin is quite popular in his school in France at hindi matanggap ng mga bullies na ito na isang Asian lamang ang ituturing na prinsipe ng eskwelahan nila.

Nilagpasan ni Vin ang grupo, thinking that it would only be a waste of time kung makikipag-usap pa siya sa mga ito, ang the group, being bullies that they were approached and gave him one big blow on the stomach. Vin was taken by surprise. Hindi niya na-anticipate ang malakas na suntok na sasalubong sa kanya.

Just when Vin was preparing for the foot that will land on his stomach ay may biglang nagsalita. Nahinto ang lider ng grupo at nilingon ang pinanggalingan nito.

There, standing a few yards away was an angel. Kumurapkurap si Vin para kumpirmahin kung anghel nga iyong nakikita niya. Hindi pa naman siguro siya patay. Nasuntok lang naman siya at hindi na-murder. Isa pa, humihinga pa rin siya pero bakit nakakakita na siya ng anghel?

"Excusez moi, Mademoiselle." Nakangising wika ng lider ng grupo.

"Stop whatever you are doing." Mahinahong sabi ng babae. Vin just gawked at her, eyes wide open. Paanong nagawa ng babaeng iyon na maging mahinahon? She really must be an angel.

"What now Grizette? Are you going to save this?" duro pa ng lalaki kay Vin. Tinitigan naman niya ito ng masama.

"Why do you have to do this?"

"It doesn't matter to you, Grizette." At tumalikod ang lalaki. Kasama ang mga alipores nito ay humakbang na sila palayo. Naiwan si Vin na nakatulala lang sa anghel sa harap niya. She literally saved his life.

But Vin wasn't able to save hers.

...

"Are you okay?" tanong ni Nichol sa nakatulalang si Vin. Vin Alden Acosta, prinsipe ng kayabangan ay natutulala na lamang ngayon. Matagal na ring panahon mula ng huli niyang nakita ang kaibigan sa ganoong estado.

"It came back. Grizette. She's back." Wala sa sariling sabi nito. Nilapitan ni Nichol ang kaibigan at binatukan.

"Sira! She's dead. Nandoon tayo noong funeral niya tapos maka-she's back ka wagas. Ano siya? Nagmumulto sa iyo? Sabagay, gago ka e kaya kamulto-multo ka naman. Tanga rin pag may time! Ay hindi pala! Tanga ka everytime." Umirap pa si Nichol sa kawalan pero nanatiling seryoso si Vin. She was expecting him to laugh pero hindi nito ginawa.

"I saw her with a rope around her neck. She left me. She promised not to leave me." pumipiyok pang sabi ng binata.

"You're angel is really an angel now Vin."

"But I killed her."

"No you don't. It's her choice. Naging mahina siya. Hindi niya nagawang lumaban para sa iyo. We aren't made just to go with the flow. We're made to make choices. Pinili ni Grizette na maging mahina. She chose to end her life because she loves you. It sounds pathetic pero may mga tao talaga na gumagawa ng maling desisyon. Nakakatanga at nakakagago pero sila ang pumili noon."