A week later...
Nawalang parang bula si Gino at Vince. Hindi na rin makalapit sa tamabayan nila si Zarins. She has become so miserable. Naiwan sya sa bahay ng mag-isa at walang kahit sino ang makaintindi sa ginawa nya. After that night, hindi na ulit sya umiyak.. pinili nyang magmove on mag-isa.. tinago nya lahat ng nararamdaman sa loob..
Pero hindi pa sa pag-iisa nagtapos ang paghihirap na pinamukha sa kanya ng tadhana..
Sa isang event sa school nila...
Magkasama sila ni Elaine na nanonood..hanggang sa biglang lumabas sa monitor ang isang video.. it is her and Gino.. it is their sexy dance..
She can hear gasps from the students as well as from professors.. tumingin si Elaine sa kanya.. doubt clouding her pretty face. Pain sliced through her.. how..and who..showed the video..ay wala na syang pakialam.. She just bowed her head at umalis sa lugar na yon.
Dalawang linggo na lang.. graduation na nila.. konting hakbang na lang.. malapit na sya sa dulo pero bakit...unti-unti nawawalan na sya ng pag-asa..
Hindi bawal sa university nila ang mga tulad nya.. pero sa bawat tinging pinupukol sa kanya ng mga estudyante.. unti-unting namamatay ang buong pagkatao nya.
Gusto nyang lumaban..gusto nyang ilaban ang karapatan nyang mangarap.. and she just needed to move forward kahit anong mangyari..kahit ano ang mawala...
Araw-araw syang umuuwing pagod..sa lahat ng sakit na iniinda ng mga schoolmate nyang walang alam sa buhay mahirap... it is good na hindi na dumadagdag ang mga kaklase nya.. but she knew.. and she can feel their aloofness toward her..
"Zarins.. kumain ka naman.. ang payat-payat mo na."her ate said but she just turned away and tried to sleep.
It is raining hard outside...at nabulabog silang lahat ng biglang pumasok ang kuya nya..
"Bigyan nyo ako ng pera!!"
"Kuya, wala na kaming pera. Umalis ka na please.. Natatakot ang mga bata!!!" her ate tried to calm him down pero..hindi ito natinag sa pagwawala. He is again under the influence of drugs..
"Hindi!! ang dadamot nyo?!! Ah!! Alam ko na.. madami ka namang anak eh.. ibenta na lang natin.. kikita pa tayo ng malaki.."
"Hindi!! Kuya please.. wag mong pakialaman ang mga bata.."
But her brother.. very much like the devil just laughed at unti-unting lumapit sa mga bata.. she blocked his way from them..
"No."
"Umalis ka dyan Czarina bago ka masaktan ulit."
"No."
"Eh gago ka pala eh!!"
And for the millionth time.. he hit her.. her angered flared at doon nya naramdamang sumabog na sya.. she pushed him towards the door..outside.. she screamed like a crazed woman at walang tigil na sinaktan ito..
"Kaya hindi ako makaalis sa lugar na toh dahil sayo!!! dahil sa inyong lahat!!! dahil sa lintik na buhay na ito!! hinihila nyo ako pababa!!! at hindi ako makaahon!!! and i'd rather die!!!! than staying in this slump!!! damn it!!! iniwan nila akong lahat!!! nawala silang lahat dahil nangarap ako!!!Gago ka!!! "
She hit him..pushed him away and he seemed at awe sa nagagawa nya kaya hindi ito nakapalag..nagpambuno sila sa putik at sa ilalim ng malakas na ulan.. hanggang sa makapulot ito ng bato.. and hit her head.. Umiiyak lang at sumisigaw ng tulong ang kapatid at mga pamangkin nya.
He continued hitting her pero wala na syang maramdaman sakit.. maybe because she is already in too much pain.. namanhid na sya sa sakit..
Hanggang sa dumating na si mang erning..at iba pang kagawad.. inilayo ng mga ito ang kuya nya. sa kanya..
"Iha, ayos ka lang ba?" Mang erning asked worriedly..
She nodded.. her eyes blank and felt the hot liquid running down her face,, despite the coldness of rain.. she stopped walking and looked up.. at the dark sky.. the rain cleaning her muddy and bloody face... and grin.
"Suko na ako."
"Zarins.."
An umbrella blocked her view at bumagsak ang tingin kay Gino.. he looked more handsome now.. at sa likod nito ay si Vince.. their eyes full of concern... she smiled at them.. pero unti-unti ng nanlabo ang paningin nya...
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Zarins woke up in a hospital bed.. at sa tabi nya ay si Vince.. nagbabasa ito at tahimik nya lang itong pinagmasdan.. Nakasuot na ito ng damit pangmayaman.. at hindi na rin gusgusin ito.. Lumingon ito sa kanya.. and she looked away.
"Bakit nandito ako?"
"Hindi mo ba tanda? Nagaway kayo ng kuya mo---"
"I know.. I can remember well.. I mean.. kahit sa center na lang sana"
"W-Well.."
"Let's go Vince.. Bayad ko na ang hospital bills.. at magbabantay na din sa kanya,"Gino said entering the room. His voice colder than what she is feeling..
He never even glanced her way.. that makes it more painful.. she just closed her eyes and turn her haed away ng maramdamang umalis na ang dalawa..
Ilang saglit lang, naramdamang nyang bumukas ulit ang pinto. Her eyes automatically opened..hoping it is Gino... but..
"Iha.." Her brows furrowed.. it is their professor in law..
"i knew you know something.."
"I have been watching you since last year..Pauwi ako non.. when I felt someone following me.. I'm afraid nasundan ako ng magnanakaw.. kaya pumasok ako sa kung saan-saang eskinita para makatakas sa kanya..and I end up in a place.kung saan daang kabataan ang nagiingay habang sumasayaw ang isang grupo sa gitna. I have been in awe.. and so very impressed at how you danced.. you made it look like an art..the street dancing and caught my attention."
"Ikaw ba ang nagpalabas ng vide--"
"No! Hindi ko gagawin yon. I am contented with just watching you.. Nakakalungkot lang na hindi maintindihan ng mayayaman ang ginagawa nyo.."
She remained silent..
"Zarins... nakwento sakin ni Vince ang lahat.."
....
"You can cry now you know.. kung nasasaktan ka.. pwede mong ilabas yan.."
....
"It is ok to dream, Zarins.. but it is not ok when you're already hurting others because of it.."
.....
After an hour, lumabas na ang professor nya.. She forced herself to get up.. at pumasok sa cr.. there.. she finally accepted her pain.. her mistakes.. and her love for Gino..
She turned the shower on to cover the noiseof her cry..And there she cried her heart out..
"MALI ZARINS!!! HINAYAAN MONG KAININ KA NG PANGARAP MO AT DAHIL DON..NAWALA SAYO ANG LAHAT.. NAWALA SI GINO.. AND YOU DESERVE THIS KIND OF PUNISHMENT!!! SINAKTAN MO SILA..IM SORRYY... IM SORRY.. "
After a while.. unti-unti na nyang naramdaman ang pagtulo ng mainit na likido mula sa ulo.. "Tama sya, engot ako.."
"Zarins!!! Damn it!! Nagpapakamatay ka ba talaga?!!"
Gino turned the shower off at binalot sya ng twalya.. She smiled at him and cupped his face..
"Minsan..masaya din magdrama sa shower...subukan mo.."
"Engot..saktan kita eh"
She stared at him habang inaayos sya nito sa kama.. "You already did.. and it is my fault. all my fault.. I'm so sorry Gino.. sorry..."
She started to sob again and buried her face agaisnt his chest. He just rubbed her back.. and inhaled deeply..
"it is too late, Zarins.. I'm sorry."
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BINABASA MO ANG
Dance the Rhythm
AdventureIpinusta mo kaming lahat... Tapos ngayon... Ipinatalo mo ang laban... Simula pa lang, Zarins, talo ka na.. Simula ng kalimutan mong isang grupo tayo... Simula ng unahin mong isipin yang sarili mo... You forget us when we desperately needed our lead...