Once Again

Chapter 14

Rowana's POV

I don't know why but I felt something as I heard Sargent crying. Is this the cold man that the business world was talking about? I'm just making sure. Because this cold man of business world that they're talking about is crying over a sweet thing.

Ipinalibot ko ang mga braso sa beywang ni Sargent at hinagod ang likod niya.

"It's okay. You wanna tell me something? I'll listen." I said as I soothed him.

"It's just... I just remember everything that... that we go through. Kung gaano kahirap yung sitwasyon ng relasyon natin noon. Naaawa na ko sa'yo noon kasi palagi na lang ikaw ang gumagawa ng paraan para lang magkita tayo." Pinunasan niya ang pisngi. "And thanks to God,you have great friends that's helping us too. Dahil sa mga kaibigan natin,naging successful ang pagtatago ng relasyon natin at ang pagkikita natin ng patago. It was so hard to the point that you secretly left your house just to see me. Minsan,nahuhuli ka ng mga magulang mo dahilan para maging bantay sarado ka even sa school natin and everywhere. Ako naman,walang magawa. Kasi wala naman akong laban sa mga magulang mo."

"My friend once asked me," his voice broke. "Why am I not fighting for you? You know why? Kasi... ayokong lumala ang lahat,ayokong mawala ka at lalong-lalo na ayokong ilayo ka nila sa akin. I was so scared and weak that time. Madalas pa nga akong ma-bully noon eh tapos ikaw pa itong nagtatanggol sa akin. Nakakahiya nga eh. Ka-lalaki kong tao,babae ang nagtatanggol sa akin." I felt his chest vibrated; he's laughing. "Then one day,it was our first anniversary. I was so happy and scared at the same time. Kasi sasabihin na natin sa mga magulang natin ang lahat. But our anniversary turned out worse. Your father confronted me and told me to stay away from you. Pero hindi ako nagpatinag. Ang kaso,may dumating siyang mga back up. They..." his voice broke again and started crying again. "They f-cking tortured me."

Humigpit ang yakap ko kay Sargent at may tumulong luha sa pisngi ko. I can't stop my emotions. Kapag kasi nakakakita ako ng mga umiiyak na mga tao,naiiyak din ako pero kailangan kong itago dahil baka kung ano ang sabihin sa akin ng ibang tao.

But this time,I would cry for someone who felt pain. Lalo na't si Sargent iyon.

"Who... who did that to you?" I asked.

He was silence for seconds but he answered me. "Clyde f-cking Oliveros." naging malamig na ang tono ng pananalita niya at humiwalay pagkakayakap sa akin.

I took my handkerchief from my pocket and wiped the tears off his face. Wala ng emosyon ang mukha ni Sargent habang pinupunasan ko ang mukha niya.

I looked at him but he's looking away. "Then what happened next?" I asked.

Nag-angat na ng tingin sa akin si Sargent. At nagkaroon na ng emosyon ang mukha niya. It was a sad one. "I heard from the news that you and your parents got into an accident. Nahulog ang sasakyan niyo sa isang bangin. Three dead bodies are there. But..." Matamis niya akong nginitian. "Thank God,you're alive."

I was speechless on the last part.

Me and my parents got into an accident. Three dead bodies but... I'm alive?

"Rowan?" tawag niya sa akin

I was so speechless on what he just told me. It sounds confusing. But what does it mean? Paanong buhay ako? Tatlong patay na tao,'di ba?

Nanlalaki ang mga mata na tiningnan ko siya. "Am I an only child?" I agitatedly asked him.

Tumango si Sargent. "Yeah."

"Ha... how? You said,the bodies are dead." mahina akong tumawa dahil sa sobrang gulo ng isip ko. Even the story was confusing. And unbelievable. Me? Dead but alive?! "But... but how... how? And why... why am I alive? How?! Paano?! Hindi ko alam!!" nagsisisigaw kong tanong habang paulit-ulit na umiikot sa isip ko ang mga tanong na iyon at paulit-ulit ko ding tinatanong.