The Mafia's Slave Part 1 & 2

-20-

"I met Rocket through my brother, they were bestfriends, naging kami when I was just 14, dahil akala ko pinagtritripan niya lang ako. He asked me if I can be his girlfriend and I said yes 'cause I thought he wasn't serious. Yeah, I was just 14. But eventually, nahulog din ang loob ko sa kanya. I can play piano if it's for him, siya lang ang pwedeng magpatugtog sakin ng piano. But then, when he finished college bumalik siya dito sa Pilipinas because of some serious matters, he promised me babalikan niya ko but after that wala na kong narinig na balita mula sa kanya." 

Mahabang paliwanag ko sa kanila. 

"Pumunta ka ba dito dahil sa kanya?" Raven asked. 

"I told you, nawalan na ko ng balita sa kanya, I didn't know his whereabouts." I said. 

"Do you still love him?" Waldrin asked me. Natigilan ako sa tanong niya. Do I still love him? Ano nga ba talaga ang nararamdaman ko? I have moved on I know, pero nung nakita ko siya parang may kung anong kumirot sa kaloob-looban ko. 

Maybe, I wasn't totally healed up. 

"I don't know." That's all I could answer. "I'm sorry, I didn't know he's getting married. Nasaktan ko pa tuloy yung ate mo." I apologized to Waldrin. 

"Nasaktan ka rin naman diba?" He said. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako and hugged Waldrin's coat na ipinasuot niya sakin. Kahit papano, I felt comfort in his coat. I can feel his warmth in this at amoy na amoy ko ring ang pabango niyang dumikit dito.  

"It's okay Maxene..." Monique brush my arms. I can see sadness and sympathy in her eyes. 

"I hope I didn't ruin anything." I said. Hindi sila sumagot and I know no one knows the answer for that. 

"Come on, ihahatid na kita pauwi." Raven told me at naglahad ng kamay. Lahat pa kami napatingin sa kanya. 

"I'm his date, I can drive her home." Waldrin clenched his jaw. Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa kanilang dalawa. 

"You need to stay here Waldrin, babalik naman si Raven." Christian said. I heard Waldrin gave a heavy sigh the gave Raven a sharp look na hindi naman nakatakas sakin. 

"Tara na Maxene." Raven told me. He removed Waldrin's coat on me at binalik kay Waldrin. Tinanggal naman niya yung coat niya at ibinalot sakin. Inakbayan niya ko at inakay palayo sa kanila. 

Raven's coat gives off a different kind of comfort. 

Napalingon ako kina Waldrin and again apologized. 

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"Do you wanna grab some food?" Raven initiated to talk pagkasakay namin sa kotse niya. Bahagya akong ngumiti sa kanya. 

"Yeah, baka hindi pa nagdidinner si Raphael." I told him. "Gusto mong kumain sa bahay or sa party ka na lang?"