Gunita [EDITING]

dos

The moment I arrived at home, umakyat agad ako at napadapa sa kama. I was beyond glad na rin since Anna didn't say a word when she saw me, knowing her—sobrang laki ng chance na awayin na naman niya ako dahil late na naman akong umuwi.

I sighed when I remembered what Uno said. Tama naman talaga siya... alam ko 'yun. Pero nakakapagod pag paulit-ulit. He probably thought I'm too pathetic that I still take care of my family's image despite of what they did to me.

But I wasn't just doing it for myself...

I was doing it for my friends. For the people around me.

I just... wanted to protect them from my family.

"What... even is life," I whispered to myself at humiga nang maayos. Napatitig lang ako sa kisame. All my life, all I did is to please my family, akala nila sobrang innate na sa'kin ng pagiging matalino, e sometimes nga gusto ko na lang ding gumive-up dahil sa tindi ng pressure.

Sure, I want to become a doctor... but I also want to become a normal student.

It's just too hard. There's no room available for imperfections, automatic na dapat kapag nakikita ako sa public, walang maipipintas sa'kin dahil kahit sobrang liit lang ng detail, idinidikit nila sa lolo ko. And I don't even know why! Pati nga pag-graduate ko, ginawan na nila kaagad ng article saying 'First & Only Granddaughter of Vice President Leandro Manumbayao—a Summa Cum Laude'.

Sobrang hirap tumakas kahit ilang beses kong subukan.

If only I could choose for myself.

"She's here?" I heard someone ask from the outside of my door, napaupo naman ako bigla at eksaktong pumasok ng room ko si Chen, she immediately sat on one of my bean bags and slouched. "For Pete's sake, gusto ko na lang pumunta ng New York ulit."

I chuckled, "Ano na namang nangyari?" I asked, hugging my favorite pillow, almost burying my face unto it.

Chen scoffed, even rolling her eyes for a second, "They introduced me again to this stupid guy named Ali," she uttered, almost puking upon speaking the name of the guy.

"Juarez?"

She nodded, "Jeez! I'm just 19, tapos they're all talking about my marriage already like I'm something na pwede lang ipamigay. They never even asked about what I want... it's all just about what they want me to be, and what they think is better for our title." Chen closed her eyes, her hand still balled like she was ready to punch someone else for half an hour anytime.

Chen and I have always been close—maybe because we could become the black sheep of our families. Besides, we're too tired of all the drama already. The never-ending death threats that we receive, that we even joked about it one time when we had a family gathering... Death threats weren't just threats already, it already became a part of our meals, and all we can do is swallow all of them over and over again until they get immune.

Funny because they still wanted this path.

"It's like wanting to commit suicide every day," she said. "Know what? Why don't we run away?" Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko sa sinabi ni Chen. I've always thought of running away, but I never did it anyway. Sure, I can be a tough nut sometimes, but I'm still scared of my grandfather's power.

I'm probably more scared of my grandfather than the law.

I shook my head, "That... that is real suicide," I said. "They'll find us, Chen. Kahit saan tayo pumunta."

"Then let's fake our deaths! Buy bodies from a crematorium, ask them to manipulate the DNA results—"

"Is that what you learn in Forensic Pathology?" I asked, almost snorting. Inirapan naman ako ni Chen. "Silly girl. They can't manipulate DNA results, more when they're going to present it to the rulers of the country. That's basically skipping all the steps just to be on the death row."