THE DEAL

TD- 30

LEA

Niloko ako ni Mark. Niloko niya lang ako. I was crying while walking towards nowhere. What I want right now is to see Aga. Aga has to know what my condition is. Wala sa akin 'yong cellphone ko kaya hindi ko siya matawagan.

Hinang-hina akong naupo sa kung saan. Isang taon akong pinaikot ni Mark. Isang taon niya akong pinaniwalang siya si Anton at ako si Claire. Isang taon niya akong pinaniwalang wala 'yong mga magulang ko at ikakasal kami. Gusto ko siyang gantihan.

The thing is, hindi lahat naaalala ko. At hindi ko alam kung bakit ngayon ko lang halos narerecover 'yong alaala ko. Dapat matagal na. Dapat noon pa.

I'm not that familiar to this place. Hindi ko alam ang pasikot-sikot. At hindi ko alam kung anu-ano ang mga lugar. Si Mae lang naman ang lagi kong kasama kapag umaalis ako.

And then I saw an fx. Kagaya ng minamaneho ng tatay ni Mae. I became so desperate. Desperado na akong makaalis dito at puntahan si Aga sa Manila.

"Kuya," I called the driver out, "I'm going to rent this car."

He looked at me, head to toe, "Okay ka lang ba, miss? Bakit ka umiiyak? Tsaka namumutla ka."

"I'm okay, kuya. Now, let me borrow your car." I told him and handed him money. Saktong nasa bulsa ko ito kaninang namalengke kami ni Manang.

I hurriedly entered the car and started the engine. I could see him shouting but when I manuvered the car, he stopped.

Don't worry, kuya, I'll give this back to you. Mapuntahan ko lang si Aga.

--

"Earth to you, Mr. Muhlach." A voice got him back to his senses.

He has been spacing out since God-knows-when. He has been thinking of Lea. He badly wants to see her. He wanted to leave and go back to Olongapo just to be with her.

He's so sure that she's Lea. That she isn't Claire. The case is, he doesn't have the proof yet.

"Aga, isipin mo muna 'tong meeting bago ang ibang bagay, okay?" Mr. Ecleo told him.

He nodded. He fished his phone out and texted Lea.

I'll see you later, miss.

He smiled and put his phone back to his pocket.

Usually, after a minute, he would feel his phone vibrating but today, he didn't feel it. He didn't get a message back from her.

He shrugged it off. Maybe, she's just busy.

She was driving too fast. She wanted to make sure that she gets to Aga before Mark could find her. That desperate man.

The meeting was interrupted by Bea, rushing inside the conference room.

"Aga, let's talk." she told him.

Mr. Ecleo looked at her and to Aga.

"Bea, we're having a meeting today. Can you--"

"Mr. Ecleo, this is a personal matter and this is urgent and important. Please. Kahit saglit lang." she tells.

Mr. Ecleo nodded. "Go on, Aga."

Aga stood up and followed Bea.

"What is it?" he asks.

"Where is Ellaine?"

"Hindi ko alam. I haven't seen her."

"I found out something. I now know the truth."

His forehead formed a crease, "What truth?"