TAMING THE LIONESS °[KathNiel] ✓COMPLETE

21. Game

Kahit nahihirapan ako, hinayaan ko na muna si Maddy. Hindi ko na muna siya ginulo pero hindi 'yon nangangahulugang sinusukuan ko na siya. I just gave her the space she needed to sort things out. Hopefully, she'll realize that we deserve each other and that we don't have to end things easily as that.

But things turned out oppositely as I hoped... because something terrible happened. Hindi sumasagot ng tawag si Uno kaya ang nerbiyosang si mommy, inutusan akong puntahan ito sa condo. On my way, I was trying to contact kuya Uno to make sure if he's really there. But instead, I received a message from my schoolmates about a very unbelievable news. Hindi ako naniniwala sa kwento'ng 'to. Malamang, gawa-gawa na naman 'to ni Jillian o kaya ng mga bullies sa school. Kahit iyon ang pilit kong isinaksak sa utak ko, hindi ko parin maiwasang 'wag kabahan. Binilisan ko nalang ang pagmamaneho para makausap si Kuya Uno at maverify kung totoo ang mensaheng natanggap ko.

The door wasn't locked so I rushed in straight ahead. Kuya Uno was on the couch staring at the wall blankly, tears welling from his eyes. He looked really devastated. Did he already know? Then why is he still here?

"Kuya? Ano'ng ginagawa mo? Hindi mo man lang ba pupuntahan si Gabbi?" Asik ko sa kanya dahil sa sobrang pagkataranta. Nilingon niya ako ngunit nakakunot ang noo niyo. Doesn't he know yet? "Kuya, I've received messages from my schoolmates that Gabbi was brought to the hospital. She was..."

Hindi ko matapos-tapos ang sasabihin ko. Ang hirap bigkasin dahil ayokong maging totoo. Isn't it so terrible to be true? Gabbi is raped and is  in critical condition after getting multiple stabs? That's too cruel. Suddenly, my brother snatched the phone from me because I wasn't able to continue my statement. For almost a minute, he froze while his eyes are glued to the screen. 

Mayamaya pa ay tumakbo nalang bigla si kuya Uno palabas, tangay ang phone ko. Sinubukan ko siyang habulin pero nang nasa basement na ako, nakapasok na siya ng kotse na pinaharurot niya kaagad. Gayunpaman, nagawa ko paring sundan kung saang hospital siya nagpunta. Imbis na maabutan si kuya, ibang tao ang nakita ko sa hallway ng hospital.

"Maddy—"

"Ano'ng ginagawa mo dito?" Walang kangiti-ngiting tanong niya.

"Ah. Gu—gusto ko lang makita si Gabbi." She smiled bitterly.

"Just leave, Tres. I don't think it'll help at all. And besides, hindi ikakatuwa ni tito Piolo ang makita ang kahit na sino sa pamilya niyo."

Napatungo ako sa sagot niya. Pilit kong iniintindi kung bakit naman gano'n ka-harsh nalang ang pamilya ni Gabbi sa'min. Of course Tres, may nangyari sa anak nila habang nasa poder ni kuya.

"Maddy, wait." I called out when she was about to leave. I was able to grab her by the wrist. 

"Tres, I need to go."

"Can we talk for a while? Sandali lang. Kahit isang minuto lang."

"Look, a lot of things happened. I don't think this is the right thing to discuss about us." She replied. I realized she made sense so I let her go. 

I've learned after a few days that kuya Uno broke up with Gabbi hours or minutes ago before the incident. I tried to grasp for updates about her. She's still not waking up and it's been three weeks already. My brother, on the other hand, is torturing himself. He doesn't talk to anybody. I couldn't even remember the last time we saw him eating.

"What are you doing here?" Maddy greeted when she saw outside their house. 

"I just wanted to check on you." 

"If that's what you want to hear, I'm okay."

"Ayusin naman natin ang tungkol sa'tin Maddy oh. It's been a month—"