Chapter XXIII

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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"NATALIE" She almost jerked up when she heard his voice on her earpiece.

"W-what?" No, Vhal. I'm not gonna back out now, I want this!

"Break a leg" he said. "Drive safe for us"

For us?

"Your mother and Lilie's here. They want to watch you" Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Natalie, kahit gusto niyang makita ang mga ito ay malabo na dahil napakaraming tao sa labas.

Okay, Natalie. Focus.. focus..

She grip her hand on the wheel at ang isa ay sa manibela. She closed my eyes for a moment, I had to think of the things that happened to me, why I came this far.

Ilang sandali pa ay nakita na niya ang green flag kasabay ng pagtunog ng makina ng sasakyan sa paligid niya. Hindi ko dapat kalimutan na, hindi lang si Vhal ang kalaban ko rito kundi labing-isa sila.

I should survive this. This race has three races at sino ang unang anim na mawawala sa unang karera. I need to make sure that I'm not one of them.

"Vhal" She didn't even realized why she have to say that out loud! He could hear her!

Stupid, Natalie

She always utters his name before his race. A reminder that one day this will come, she would beat him.

"Yes?" Damn! Narinig nga siya "B-bakit?"

Hearing his voice right now made her heart flutter. Hindi na niya maintindihan ang nararamdaman,kanina naiinis siya rito ngayon naman parang tanga na natutuwa.

"Be safe, too" she said.

"I will"

Then she heard the gun.

Sandaling kinalimutan ni Natalie ang lahat sa paligid niya ngunit tila nagulat siya sa mga nakikita, hindi nagbibiro si Vhal - it's like a death race in here.

"Natalie, position" she heard Vhal at ganoon na lamang ang ginawa niya. She should exclude Vhal on the list first, mamaya na niya iisiping kalaban ito because right now, he's not.

He was heading off after her, she was in his tail and knowing that being the tail is not a good indication of winning, she let that pass first.

She have to survive first.

"Four cars are down, Natalie!" It's Vhal. "Stay with me"

Focus, Natalie

"Stay with me too"

Ilang sandali pa ay tumunong na ang sirena. It means that 6 cars were already eliminated, the first part's done!

"Good job, Natalie!" Sinalubong siya ni Erwin pagkapark niya ng sasakyan sa harap ng booth nila. "For the next part, first 3 who would finish the race would go the final round"

Inabutan siya nito ng mineral water. "C'mon, you'll have to rest. 30 minutes lang ang binigay nilang break"

Pagpasok nila sa suite ay nakaramdam muli ng pagkahilo si Natalie. "Are you okay, namumutla ka?"

Sino ba namang hindi mamumutla? That was her first time in that field! And believe her, it wasn't that brutal she expected it to be.

She sure knows how to eliminate cars but not like the one she saw earlier.

"Let her be, this is her first time." Ani Gladys na kasabay nilang pumunta ng suite.

"Sino nga pala ang anim na nakapasok?" tanong ni Erwin. "I lost my track earlier, hindi ko na nakita kung sino-sino ang mga nakapasok"

"Oh, wait. Let's just turn on this T.V and see" she opened the television and turned it on the sports channel.

Tama nga siya, sila ang nandoon. It's official, she's in the tournament and she's not dreaming anymore!

"Natalie!" Napalingon siya nang makita si Zacharie kasama ang mga pinsan nitong si Riley at Cashmir. "Mabuti at naabutan ko pa ang laban, you were so good out there!

"Oo nga, ang ganda ng tandem ninyo ni Valerian" dagdag ni Riley nang mapakunot si Natalie ng noo. "Why?"

"N-nothing" You just smelled..odd.

"Ate!" Tumakbo si Lilie sa kanya at binigyan siya ng isang mahigpit na yakap. "Ang galing galing mo! Sayang si Mama hindi ka mapanood ng maayos, ninenerbyos eh!"

Sakto naman pagdating ng ina at nasa likod ito ni Lilie. "Anak"

"Ma.." whatever grudge she have for her mother, biglang bumagsak iyon ngayon. "T-thanks for coming"

Niyakap siya ng ina, yung mahigpit at tila ayaw kumawala. "I-I'm so sorry, anak.."

"Oh my, Natalie you have to see this!" Napakawala si Natalie sa pagkakayakap sa ina at tumugon sa television.

"Nakasali pa rin pala siya?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Anjo. "Damn, he really had some
issues to compete. He could barely see sa pagkakasuntok ni Vhal sa kanya!"

Tumaas ang kaba sa dibdib ni Natalie. Whatever would happen later, alam niyang hindi papayag si Declan na hindi maiaalis si Vhal sa laban.

He would chose to be disqualified basta masisigurado niyang masisira niya si Vhal.

"Kuya Vhal!" Napalingon silang lahat sa tawag ni Zacharie sa pinsan. Walang expresyon ang mukha nitong lumapit kay Natalie.

"He's here, Vhal. He's really here" she murmured. "What happened to you?"

"I saw them" he said and she knew who he meant. "Mom's here and --"

Hinawakan ni Natalie ang kamay niya. "We'll win this" she whispered. "Together"

Unsaid SacrificeTahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon