I'm Yours to Keep

Chapter 26

He gently pulled me, but I refused to move. "Let me go."

Kumurap siya and the softness in his eyes was gone. Napalitan ito ng awtoridad at pag-aalala. "You are in danger."

He held my had and it sent me shivers. I missed his touch so bad and now that I felt it again, I just can't believe it. Tila umaalon ang paligid habang gumagaan ang mga paa ko. He pulled me again pero hindi ako makagalaw kaya natigilan din siya. I stared at him, still trying to see if this is real. Because God knows how many times I literally dreamed about this day.

My heart ached as I stared at his eyes. Every day, I wished he'd come back to me. Kahit hindi kami nag-uusap o nagkikita, umaasa akong babalik siya sa 'kin. I put so much faith in him without knowing. Now he's here, standing in front of me, or is this just fate messing up with me again?

"Are you really here?"

He held me on both of my arms and bent his knees to level his eyes on mine. "Care, we need to leave."

I blinked a few times and slowly nodded, then we ran the distance to his car. He opened the door for me kaya sumakay ako agad, at nang umikot siya patungo sa driver's seat, tumanaw naman ako sa fire exit. Halos sumabog ang puso ko nang matanaw ang pamilyar na pigura roon. Nakasuot siya ng purong itim habang nakangisi sa 'kin.

Diego...

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig sa sobrang gulat at tila bumalik ang lahat habang naninikip ang dibdib ko.

"Step on the gas, Gerard... Now!"

Mabilis na umandar ang sasakyan niya palayo. Nahihirapan na akong huminga habang umiikot ang paningin ko dahil sa kaba. I wanted more from this life but if this means that Diego will come hunting me, then I'd rather die. Kumapit ako sa dashboard habang pinapakalma ang sarili ko. My head hurts and I can't feel my feet. I'm sweating as hell too kaya hinubad ko ang suot kong blazer.

"Are you okay?"

I took a couple of heavy breaths habang nakapikit. No, this can't be real. I shot him. He should've bled to death. Bakit hindi pa siya namatay!? He deserves to rot in hell! Nilingon ko si Gerard. "Why the... fuck is he alive?"

Bumusina siya nang ilang segundo habang nakatingin pa rin sa kalsada, but I still saw a lot of emotions in his eyes. Anger, frustration because of the sudden traffic... and determination.

"Where are we going?"

"To your brother." He said without looking at me. "I told them that your father is here, alive."

"How did you even know about him?"

He finally glanced at me, his eyes guilty and sorry. "I know a lot."

After that, neither of us bothered to talk. My hands were shaking, and I feel this heat on my back like Diego is just around, watching me.

"I... I shot him." Hindi ko dapat isasatinig 'yon pero kusang lumabas. I fucking need to talk dahil tila sasabog na ang puso ko. Bingo was never my greatest horror, ngayon ko lang napagtanto. It was Diego. I thought the days of him torturing me were over, but now that he showed up, I felt all the pain again.

"He's one tough bastard." Gerard took a left turn bago ko natanaw ang bahay ni Miguel. Nang pumarada ang sasakyan niya, bumaba ako agad at tinakbo ang lawn nito.

"Miguel!"

He hugged me tight nang salubungin niya ako sa pinto at doon ko lang hinayaang bumuhos ang luha ko.

"Sshhh... you're okay. I'm here."

"He's alive!"

"I know... I know. We'll figure it out... Calm down, please. God..." He hugged me again and no place else felt safer.

Gerard cleared his throat. "I have to go."

They nodded at each other bago siya naglakad palayo. I watched his back; it will really forever hurt seeing him walk away. Diego and Bingo left me a permanent scar, and so is he.

Bumaling ako kay Miguel nang makaalis ang sasakyan ni Gerard. "How did he know about Diego?"

"Umupo ka muna."

Agad akong naupo sa sofa habang nagtungo naman siya sa kusina. Sumandal ako para makapagpahinga, pero nang muling sumagi sa isip ko si Diego kanina sa VIP area, napaupo ako nang diretso. Hindi ako pwedeng makampante. He's clearly after me. That moment, he could've killed me.

Lumabas mula sa kusina si Miguel na may dalang baso ng tubig. Ininom ko agad ang laman nito at nilapag sa coffee table.

"I don't want Gerard to be involved in this. Paano kung idamay siya ni Diego?"

He sighed and shook his head. "He's actually more involved in this than us."

Hindi ako nakasagot. A part of me wants to ask, but if I want to know things about Gerard, he should tell me himself. Kinuha niya ang cellphone niya at saka nagtungo sa malaking bintana. "She's here. Is everything ready?... Yes... She's fine... I assure you, Sir. Everything will go as planned... Yes... Yes..."

Then he made another call. "Baby..."

Sumandal na ako sa couch dahil panatag na akong nasa harap ko siya. Nilingon ko saglit ang pinto sa kaliwa niya para tanawin kung nai-lock ba 'yon. Ngayon ko lang napansing hindi na passcode ang lock nito, it's a doorknob now.

"Eat your dinner on time... I'm with her. We're talking about some... family stuff. Don't stay up late and take care. I love you..." Then he ended the call. Nagtagal ang titig ko sa kaniya because I feel that something's off. Pakiramdam ko, may iba sa mga bilin niya. Na parang huling habilin niya na 'yon.

"What are we going to do now? Sino 'yong isa mong kausap kanina?" Saglit siyang natulala sa bintana kahit nakababa ang blinds at wala siyang natatanaw sa labas.

"Miguel?"

He sighed and looked at me. May alam siyang hindi niya sinasabi. Ayoko mang isipin, but he once chose Vida over me at hindi ako magtataka kung pipiliin niya ang tatay niya kaysa sa 'kin. My immediate reaction on that thought is to look for something that could help me defend myself.

Dumapo ang tingin ko sa figurine ng isang pug na nasa coffee table. Paglingon ko sa kaniya, bumaling din siya sa figurine at saka nag-angat ng tingin. His eyes were serious and him standing so steady felt like he's about to do something.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

Napaigtad ako at walang naisagot. He sighed and covered his mouth with his hand bago ako tiningnan. "Listen. This is the plan." Itinuro niya ang daan patungo sa kusina. "There's a three-story house outside, just across the road."

Saglit kong nilingon ang pintong naghihiwalay sa kusina at sala. "What about it?"

"You parents are in there."

Nilingon ko siya agad. "What?"

"When Gerard confirmed yesterday that my father is alive, we came up with a plan."

"So, you know? Alam mo na kahapon pa?"

Yumuko siya at bumuntonghininga. "That's why I slept in your place, para bantayan ka. Your parents know too, I told them because they are your parents, they have to know. This village is empty. We got a warrant yesterday to keep the villagers away from here."

I gripped on my blouse's collar. "But what exactly is the plan?"

Huminga siya nang malalim. "Since yesterday, everyone is on the move. Your parents bought the house outside for this sting. We didn't tell you about this, because you need to be oblivious of everything para hindi mapansin ni Dad."

My eyes welled and I started shaking.

"Napagplanuhan naming sa oras na magpakita siya sa 'yo, which happened today, Gerard will take you here. While I will make sure that every possible entrance of this house will be locked except the front door."

"Why?"

He bit his lower lip. "We will let him in."