The Wicked Daughter [UNDER REVISION]

PROLOGUE

Napapikit ako sa lakas ng sampal na dumapo sa pisngi ko. Great, ang bilis talaga makarating ng balita sa pamamahay na 'to.

"Dad!"

"Wow, what a wonderful greeting, Dad! You really missed me that much ha? I'm so touch," eksaherada akong humawak sa dibdib na para bang tuwang tuwa ako sa nangyayari. I saw how my father's face turn dark as he lifted his hand for another slap. This time, hindi ako pumikit at taas noong nakatingin lang ng diretso sa kanya.

"That's enough, Dad!" Humarang sa harapan ko ang nakakatanda kong kapatid na lalaki at hinawakan ang kamay na sana'y dadapo ulit sa pisngi ko.

"Umalis ka d'yan Erick! I've had enough of your sister! She was expelled again for goodness sake!"

"Don’t you dare touch her," Erick’s voice was a low growl as he pushed our father’s hand away. His face was a mask of barely contained anger, a look I knew all too well. I can't help but to smirk as I saw my father's shocked face.

Hindi n'ya siguro inaasahan ang nakikita n'ya ngayon. Ang paborito n'yang anak ay sumasagot na sa kanya. Well, there's always a room for first time but as much as I want to see them fight right now, there's a perfect time for that.

"Stay out of this, Erick.. like you always do," malamig kong bigkas. Kita ko kung paano s'ya natigilan sa sinabi ko. Humarap s'ya sa akin at humawak sa balikat ko.

"I'm your Kuya," madiing pagtatama n'ya sa akin. I almost rolled my eyes in front of him. "And no, he can't keep doing this to you! Please stop provoking him more."

I laughed sarcastically. And here I am thinking he finally stood up for me when in reality, he's still the golden son who always follow our father’s orders like a dog.

"What a pity," I muttered under my breath, trying to suppress the anger bubbling inside of me. Tinanggal ko ang kamay n'ya at muling hinarap ang lalaking dahilan ng lahat.

Sariwa pa rin sa akin ang lahat.. ang sigawan, ang putok ng baril, at ang unti unting pagkamatay n'ya.

Our mother's death became the talk of the town. The gossip, the whispers, the way people seemed to take a perverse pleasure in recounting every gory detail— of how my mother took her own life with a gunshot to the head. They painted her as a tragic figure overwhelmed by despair, if only they knew the darker truth about her death... that the love of her life was the one behind it.

He killed her, and I'm the only witness to his crime. Deep inside, I think he knows that I know, and that’s why his rage is always directed at me.

Or he's just a frustrated father about her daughter's continuous expulsion from school. We'll never know...

"I'm so tired cleaning after your mess, Xyra Elisse!"

"But Dad, you're good at it right? Cleaning after mess?" I saw my brother's confusion. I really can't blame him, he doesn't know anything except tailing on our father.

Napangiti ako nang saglit kong nakita ang paglaki ng mata ni Dad after n'yang marinig ang sinabi ko. Mabilis naman iyong nawala pero huli na dahil huling huli ko na s'ya.

Hindi nagtagal ay ngumisi s'ya. How I want to wipe that smirk out of his face!

"You think you're so funny, my dear daughter? What if I told you I'll send you somewhere far away?" Nawala ang ngiti sa labi ko dahil sa narinig.

"Don't you dare—"

"You're not afraid of me? You should be," he said, his voice a dangerous whisper. "Because if you keep this up, you won’t like what happens next."

Are you going to kill me just like what you did to my mother?

Instead of saying that, I just bit my lower lip. Walang imik na tinalikuran ko sila at umakyat sa hagdan papunta sa kwarto ko.

"Make sure that you'll packed everything! Dahil hinding hindi ka makakabalik sa pamamahamay na 'to hangga't di ka nakakapagtapos, at natututong umasal ng tama!"

"Dad, what the heck!?"

Hindi ko na narinig pa ang naging pagtatalo nila nang nakapasok na ako sa kwarto ko. Pagkasara ng pinto ay agad kong hinanap ang maleta at nagsimulang mag-empake. I will leave this goddamn house before he could sent me away! Hindi na ako masyadong naglagay ng damit at sinarado na 'to. Wala akong plano sa kung saan man ako pupunta pero kailangan kong makaalis at magtago because how could I plan my father's death if ipapadala n'ya ako sa kung saan!?

Binuksan ko ang bintana at tumingin sa pagbabagsakan ko.

"It's now or never, Elisse." Pikit mata akong tumalon kasama ng maleta ko. Napahawak ako sa balakang nang makaramdam ng sakit. Pinilit ko ang sarili na tumayo at pinagpag ang duming kumapit sa damit ko. Napatingin ako sa entrance ng gate namin at nang makitang walang nagbabantay ay wala na akong inaksaya pang oras at agad na tumakbo tungo dito.

Pero bago pa ako makaabot sa gate ay isang kamay ang nagtakip sa bibig ko. Nagsimula akong magpumiglas pero hindi rin nagtagal ay unti-unti akong nakaramdam ng hilo.

And everything went black.