My Favorite Game

CHAPTER 50

It was a part of herself she didn't want everyone to see. Kahit ilan beses na s'yang napahiya sa maraming tao simula pagkabata palagi n'yang sinasabi sa sarili n'ya na matatapos din ang lahat Makakalimutan nila ang mga pagkakamali n'ya at ng magulang n'ya. Her personality was so strong that sometimes people around her forget to ask how she is.

Nakakabinging katahimikan ang bumalot sa loob ng kwarto. Tanging naririnig lang ang hikbi n'ya dahil sa pag-iyak. She looked at them one by one, they were not shock at all except Rake, na nabitawan ang hawak na switch.

He was still looking at her.

Huminga ito ng malalim hindi makapaniwala sa sinabi n'ya. "Why would I believe you?"

"D-dahil alam mo kung kailan ako nagsisinungaling," humihikbing sagot n'ya. "Y-you know me well, Rake, you know it when I'm sad, mad, annoyed or even lying."

Hindi n'ya alam kung pagmamakaawa pa ba ang tono ng pananaliya n'ya o ito talaga s'ya habang nasasaktan.

"Nagsisinungaling ka," sabat ni Tanta sa kanila at lumapit sakanya. "Until the end, you're trying save your ass, huh? That won't happen." Lumakad ito papalapit sa switch at inilahad ang kamay kay Rake. "If you can't, I will."

"Don't." It was a single word yet it sounded like a threat, demanding.

"Rake, magpapaloko ka ulit kay Ericka?" lumapit din si Saul dito.

"I am your boss here, kaya ako ang masusunod sa kung ano ang dapat gawin," sagot ni Rake sa kanila.

"If you are the boss then do what's best for this organization."

"I will," Rake answered. "But first you have to let her go."

"Dahil naniniwala ka sa kanya?!" sigaw ni Tanta. "Niloloko ka n'ya ulit!"

"I'm not," Ericka answered, hinahabol padin n'ya ang paghinga "T-two years ago, Rake and I met, may nangyari samin. And I wasn't taking any pills back then. Hindi ko ginusto na mabuntis ako dahil una, hindi ako mahilig sa bata. Pangalawa, I don't deserve to have one. It happened so fast. I came back here to finish some stuffs hindi ko rin alam na buntis na ako non."

Huminga si Ericka na malalim 'tila ba binabalikan ang mga nangyari sa kanyang nakaraan.

"Four times, apat na beses na may nangyaring masama sa batang nasa sinapupunan ko noon. The third time was with Laura she tried to kill it with her friends but someone save me."

She still didn't know who save her. But she was thankful.

"Lastly, when I gave birth to it. Maybe it was not for me."

Tahimik lang si Rake na nakikinig sa sinasabi n'ya. "I thought I'll get pass through it, just like how I survived with everything. Kahit na alam kong delikado kapag tinuloy ko s'ya but shit happens. When I gave birth to her she's already dead." Kinagat ni Ericka ang kanyang labi para pigilan ang sarili sa pag-iyak.

"You are really a manipulative human---"

Biglang tumawa ng mapakla si Ericka. She didn't care if she sounded crazy right now. Ito na ang tamang panahon para malaman ng lahat kung anong nangyari sa kanya.

"If you want to kill me because I lost a child. Go on. Dahil kahit wala na ang anak ko, I did something for her. I fight for her." Tinitigan ni Ericka si Rake. "And if you still don't believe me I have my proof. I took a video of Laura while she's confessing all the shit she made in the past." She looked down then saw blood was still coming out from her mouth while talking.

"Naniniwala kaba sankanya?!"

"I do. Let her go," utos ni Rake.

"Rake! Hindi s'ya nagsasabi ng totoo. Sinasabi n'ya lang 'yan para makatakas dito!" Tanta complained. "Naaalala mo ba lahat ng kasalanan n'ya sa'yo? Walang kapalit 'yon, Rake."