Runaway

Chapter 13

The last time she dialed her father's number was when she greeted him a happy birthday 2 years ago. Since then, wala na silang communication. Scheduled na ang pagpapadala ng pera ng papa niya kaya there's no need to type a text or to dial. Hindi rin siya nagtha-thank you.

But now, for the first time in 2 years, tinawagan niya ulit ito. Hindi para bumati, kundi para ipaalam sa kanya ang masamang balita.

Her heartbeat went faster habang naghihintay na sumagot yung nasa kabilang linya. Mga limang ring siguro bago niya sinagot ang tawag.

"Hello, Ena?"

Same old voice.

"Hello?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Hello, pa?"

Her voice is shaking.

"Pa, wala na si lola,"

Silence.

"A-Ano?"

Her tears fell again.

"Wala na si lola. Patay na po siya,"

She heard a faint sob.

"Sige, uuwi ako diyan bukas ng madaling araw,"

Call ended.

Napasandal na lang siya sa pader habang umiiyak. Agad naman siyang dinaluhan ni Alex and hugged her again. Comforting her.

She regreted many things. Sana mas nagkaroon siya ng oras kasama ang lola niya, sana hindi siya masyadong nagpakalunod sa trabaho at school works, sana sinabihan niya ng I love you ang lola niya araw-araw.

"Don't blame yourself, hindi mo kasalanan." Alex said.

Tanggap na niya. But a little part of her is still blaming herself.

She thanked Alex for being there for her because this is too much for her to handle. She badly needs Alex right now.

                  Nagising siya sa mahinang pagtapik ni Nanay Sara sa kanyang balikat. Umaga na.

Pinilit niya munang ipauwi si Alex sa kanila. Kahit labag sa kalooban ni Alex ay umuwi pa rin ito and promised na babalikan niya sina Serena first thing in the morning.

And she was right.

She saw Alex holding a cup of coffee and a paper bag, smiling at her.

"Hindi ka pa ba late?" Serena asked

"Hindi pa. I still have 30 minutes," he said at binigay sa kanya ang coffee.

"Serena anak? Andito na ang papa mo," Nanay Sara said at hinawakan ang balikat niya. Her heart pounded before inhaling deeply. Hinawakan ni Alex ang kamay niya and gave her a reassuring smile.

Nakita niya ang papa niya na naglalakad, hawak ang isang bag. Tumanda siya, pero hindi masyado. Serena never seen his face for a long time.

"Ena," Her father called pero hindi siya makapagsalita. She can't move either. At lahat ng nangyari bumalik sa kanya. She felt her tears on her cheeks again.

The next thing she knew is Alex hugging her tightly and her father, her father who is leaning against the wall, covering his face with both hands.

She heard again his faint sobs. He's crying.

Gusto niyang lapitan ang papa niya para i-comfort pero hindi na ito tulad noon. Naging malayo na ang loob niya sa papa niya. She's not her daddy's girl anymore. She's not her princess anymore. May iba na siyang prinsesa na sinasayaw niya palagi at kinakantahan ng paborito niyang kanta.

She feels like her father is a stranger.

Pero kahit ganun ay hindi parin maiwasan ang pag kirot ng puso niya. He's still her father, kahit na matagal na simula nung iwan siya nito, she still has a spot in her heart for her father and she can't deny it.

It's just that, nahihiya na siyang kausapin ang papa niya.

Hinatid niya palabas si Alex since pupunta pa siya sa school. Alex kept on asking kung okay na ba siya or kung gusto niya na hindi muna pumasok para masamahan si Serena pero ayaw ni Serena na mag-aabsent si Alex dahil sa kanya.

Alex kissed her forehead and promised na babalik siya right after school before running to the school. Napangiti na lang si Serena as Alex getting out of her sight.

"Boyfriend mo?" Serena almost jumped nang may biglang nagsalita sa likuran niya. And it turns out to be her father.

"Boyfriend mo siya?" Pag-uulit niya at nahihiyang tumango si Serena.

Napangiti ang papa niya at lumapit sa kanya.

One step.

"Kamusta ka na, anak?"

Hearing those words, biglang bumalik ang alaala ni Serena with her father and her mother. 'Yung masaya pa sila. 'Yung si Serena lang ang prinsesa ng papa niya. Sumikip ang puso niya.

"Anak sorry," napaiwas siya ng tingin when his father's voice broke. Sumikip bigla ang dibdib niya.

"Sorry, wala ako sa tabi mo. Hindi kita nakitang lumaki, hindi kita nabati sa birthday mo. Hindi ko nakita kung paano ma-inlove ang anak ko. Sorry anak. Pasensya na, nagkulang ako. Hindi ko alam kung matatawag pa ba akong ama sa iyo," her father started crying na kahit anong punas nito ay may dadagdag na panibagong set ng luha.

Serena is crying silently.

"Hindi ko nakita si mama sa huling hininga niya," and he started sobbing.

"P-Papa,"

She could only speak a word. After that humagulgol na si Serena. She couldn't stop crying. Naghalo-halo lahat ng hinanakit niya until na sumabog ito at lumabas in the form of her tears.

Naramdaman na lang niyang nakayakap na siya sa kanyang papa habang umiiyak pa rin. Madami siyang tanong sa papa niya pero ang lumalabas lang ay ang mga luha niya. Her heart is aching too much, she's suffocating from it. 

But Serena only thinks of one thing. She can't handle losing away one of her loved ones again. Not her father, and definitely not Alex.

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