Chasing Fire (Completed)

Chapter 4

Seth

Like what I expected, I was grounded the whole week. Dad knew about it dahil nung tinanong niya ako kung bakit lumampas sa limit yung credit cards ko, I don't have a choice but to say the truth.

And until now, I can still remember how angry Daddy is nung nalaman niya. Anger towards me, anger towards the guards, and anger towards that theif who nearly hurt me.

"This is your third time na tumakas ka sa bahay Vienna!" Galit na galit niyang sinabi na halos umusok ang tenga niya.

Kidding. That's exaggerated.

And oh dad, third time na tumakas? Nope. It's my third time na nahuli ako, yes. But tumakas? I highly doubt that.

It was actually... so many times na tumakas ako kahit gabi na para masundan si Marco kung saan siya pumupunta. I think eleven times to be exact. Or was it twelve?

At wala akong balak na sabihin iyon kay dad dahil alam kong mas magagalit lang siya kaya pinili kong manahimik.

"And this is the worst Vien! Muntik ka ng saktan ng taong iyon! At ano ba kasi ang pinangagawa mo at tumatakas ka tuwing gabi? Are you seeing someone?" And with that, Daddy's eyes darkened.

My eyes immidiately widened not because of shock but because of guilt.

"No Dad! I just want to have fun like the others! I am now twenty but you are still hiding me like a little kid! Kung si Mommy lang yung nandito ay sigurado akong papayagan niya ako!" I was in shock too when I said those words.

I didn't expect my sudden outburst. Kaya nang napagtanto ko ang mga sinabi ko ay napayuko nalang ako.

"You are not allowed to go outside this house for a week Vien. And I am sorry if that's what you think." Dad said in final and left me in his study room, with me realizing what I just said.

And today is my last day of being grounded. Wala akong ginawa whole week kundi ang matulog at kumain o mag experiment ng iba't-ibang uri ng cake kapag halos mamatay na ako sa pagkabagot.

At nang may kumatok sa kwarto ko ay mabilis kong binuksan iyon at nakita si Nana Selya na may ngiti sa labi.

"Nana, are you here to give my gadgets back? And did Daddy took care of my cards? What about a phone?" I excitedly asked.

Yes, I am friends with Nana. I mean lahat ng trabahador dito sa bahay. Because I'm a loner alright. Wala akong kapatid at wala akong kaibigan.

Walang nangangahas na lumapit sa akin at makipagkaibigan. I don't know what they think about me. Is it because I look too guarded? Or because I'm mean?

But I'm not mean! Madali lang talaga akong mainis. Kaya siguro walang tumatagal sa ugali ko.

And Daddy is also overprotective of me. I was home schooled from pre-school to high school at ngayong nag college lang ako hindi hinome school.

"Oo hija, ipinahatid sa akin ni Sir dahil maaga siyang umalis kaninang umaga. 'Wag lang dawng kayong magkakamaling ulitin iyon." Nana Selya said and handed me a paper bag.

Yes! I'm free again!

I excitedly opened my social media accounts to stalk Marco. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang nangyayari sa buhay niya.

I have friends, but not real friends. Dahil sa social media ko lang sila friends at hindi sa totoong buhay.

Maybe because when I first entered college, may kasama akong dalawang bodyguard na naghahatid sa akin sa bawat room ko at nakabuntot sa akin kahit saan ako magpunta. Kaya sinong tao ang lalapit sa akin diba?

Yeah, that's is how overreacting Daddy is. Wala naman sigurong kikidnap sa akin na kailangan pa may bodyguards ako.

Until Marco.

Siya lang yung nag-iisang tao na lumapit sa akin kahit may nakapaligid sa aking bodyguards. Muntik na nga siyang kaladkarin ng bodyguards ko kung hindi ko lang sila napigilan.

And then two months after, Daddy finally got lost of those two annoying tails.

I checked his twitter account and his recent tweet was two days ago.

Marco Melendrez @jovianmarco
Nasaan ka ba.

"I'm just right here." I answered.

Is this tweet for me Marco? Are you looking for me?

Lihim akong napangiti sa kabaliwan ko. Yes, I am assuming and I know that.

I scrolled down to see his tweets for the past week pero hindi naman ganoon ka rami. Mga four or maybe five lang siguro iyon.

Jovian Marco @melendrezmarco
Tangina talaga

This was exactly that night when I last saw him. Ito yung gabi na sinundan ko siya at iniwan niya ako sa parking lot ng Time.

Para sa akin ba yun? Tss. Then tangina too, I'm gonna chase you again anyway.

Nang nakaramdaman ng gutom ay bumaba na ako para kumain ng tanghalian. Nasa gitna pa ako ng hagdan nang narinig ko ang usapan ng mga kasambahay.

"Ihanda mo ang pagkain ni Vien. Mag go-grocery na muna ako dahil inutusan ako ni Sir Jed. Sonya, ikaw na muna ang bahala dito." Narinig kong sabi ni Nana Selya.

At dahil sa narinig ko ay patakbo akong bumaba ng hagdanan at agad na pinuntahan si Nana na palabas na ng double doors.

"Nana!" Tawag ko at agad niya naman akong nilingon. "Sama po ako please?"

Yes my life is boring. Damn. Na kahit pagsama sa pagbili ng groceries ay nakaka excite sa akin.

"Pero hindi ka pa nagtanghalian. Bumalik ka doon at kumain." She said, sounding like a mother.

Namiss ko tuloy si Mommy.

"Sige na po Nana, doon nalang po ako kakain. Please po?" I pleaded.

She sighed.

Yes!

"Sige, pero magbibihis ka pa ba?" She asked.

Tiningnan ko ang suot ko at naka simple white shirt lang ako at naka cotton shorts. But this is okay. Wala namang mali sa suot ko.

"Hindi na po. Tara na po?" Sabi ko at agad na niyakap ang braso niya para sabay kaming maglakad.

"Ikaw talagang bata ka." Nana Selya murmured.

Nakaabot na kami sa pinakamalapit na grocery store sa village at nagpresinta ako na ako ang magtutulak ng cart.

May driver naman kaming kasama but I like pushing the cart. It was fun actually.

I was busy pushing the cart and filling it with anything that I want na hindi na ako tumitingin sa dinadaanan ko.

Then shit.

My cart bumped to a person and my eyes immidiately widened.

"Shit!" Malutong niyang mura at nilingon ako na may galit sa mukha.

But my fear immidiately replaced with happiness when I saw who it was.

"Seth!" I grinned.