Exactly Where They'd Fall (COMPLETED)

Chapter 14

A/N: Super super thank you po sa rankings na ibinigay niyo sa akin! #1 for the tag 'Regine' po tayo. #2 for OgRe and Regine Velasquez at #3 for Piolo Pascual. #590 naman po tayo sa fanfiction. Endless thank you to all of you guys! So much love from author! Always bilin ko, sorry for the grammatical errors and misspelled words. Enjoy reading everyone!

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Napatigil ang lahat sa pagkain ng narinig ang balitang iyon. "IS THAT TRUE KUYA CHRISTOPHER?" I clarified. My tears start to flow by itself. It can't be! I didn't get to say goodbye to him! No, not like this please...

"Yes. According to your Ate, he was murdered on his condo unit." He said firmly. "I also talked to the lawyers and to the NBI for the information."

"What? NBI included? Is that big of a case?" I wondered. Yes we are on a big buisness circle but we are on a middle stage. Unless it's a big, controversial case someone in to.

"Apparently. Casino debts, Reg." Fuck.

Kaya pala. No doubt hu-huntingin siya ng mga pinagkakautangan niya. He was a heavy drinker and he became a worthless gambler. Now he's dead. But Martin was a great man! What on earth happened to his senses, really... Why, Martin? You were so good back then.

I wiped my tears. I need to contact Ate. I have to ask questions. I need to know what happened. I can't wait for tomorrow to come to know everything. "Please continue eating. I have to check on something." Tumayo ako't dire-diretso ang lakad. I don't know where I will go, damn it.

After walking for almost an hour without exactly where I wanted to go, I found myself in the park where I met Ogie. I sat in the swing and wept. I cried and cried remembering the memories we and Martin shared. We were close as magnets, para na kaming magkababata. Siya yung kasa-kasama ko nung College. Siya yung best bud ko. I didn't got the chance to talk to him ever since he went to Manila a year ago and now he's gone.

I wiped my tears again and tried to call Ate Sharon. I rang her phone three times but there was no answer. I tried and tried again but she wasn't be reached already. Tumayo ako at nagpabalik-balik sa paglalakad. Hindi ako mapakali! Alam kong may ibang kahulugan tong nangyari kay Kuya Martin. I don't know, I have this gut. Damn guts. Will it help to revive Martin again? Stupid Reg. My tears fell again for what, for the 100th bucket? This pain is unbearable.

For the last time, I contacted Ate Sharon. Nabigo pa rin akong macontact ito. Guess what, I have to wait until tomorrow. Baka mamatay ako at di na ako magising dahil sa lubos na kalungkutan. I won't be even surprised if it will really happen to me.

"Regs?" Nabigla ako sa nagsalita. Isa lang ang tumatawag sa akin ng Regs. Siya lang, siya lang. Mas napahagulhol ako sa narinig ko. Please, wag ka munang sumapaw.

"Hey, what happened?" What? He's here? Napalingon ako sa may boses ng wala sa oras.

"Piolo..." I cried on his shoulder. Yung iyak na nanghihinayang, nagtatanong kung bakit, at kalungkutang nararamdaman sa pagkamatay ni Martin—halo halo na.

"Iiyak mo lang yan. I'll stay." Sana noon ka pa lang nag stay. Sana pinaglaban mo yung dating tayo. Kasi ako? Handa akong ipaglaban ka kahit na anong mangyari. Pero pano ko gagawin yun? Sumuko ka, putangina. Wala na akong nagawa't umiyak nalang sa bisig ni Piolo. I have no energy to deal with him right now.

Making sure of myself na nahimasmasan na talaga ako, kumalas ako sa pagkakahawak ni Piolo sa akin. I wiped my tears, I can feel my eyes swelling.

"Okay ka na ba ngayon?"

"Yeah. Thank you."

"Cheer up Regs. Malalampasan mo rin yan." He patted my head and went off. It gave me a different feeling.

Pagkatapos kong mag-muni-muni, I decided to go back to Sonrisa. It was a 20 minute walk and my mind is utterly empty. Mapagkakamalan niyo na siguro akong baliw sa ayos ko at sa paglalakad ko. I don't care about those anymore, I just to want to lay down my bed... and cry.

After minutes of walking, narating ko na ang Sonrisa. Bumalik na naman sa akin ang lahat ng marinig ko ang balita.

"Martin Nivera, ang kasalukuyang CEO ng VCS Marketing, ay natagpuang patay sa kanyang condo unit sa Quezon City. Ayon sa imbestigasyon ng NBI, ito ay murder. Sa mga tinitignang anggulo ngayon ng pulisya, pabagsak na di-umano ang nasabing kompanya at nag file ito ng leave. Sumunod naman ang batikang artista na si Sharon Cuneta upang sagipin ang nasabing kompanya.

Sharon: Our company was on the brink so I went here straight from Baguio. After that he filed a leave, he didn't even have to because I have to take over the company and have him suspended. Nabalitaan ko nalang na patay na ito. I promise to seek justice for him for the sake of his family and his soul.

Patuloy pa rin ang imbestigasyon sa nangyaring pagpaslang. Ito si Atasha Del Rosario, nagbabalita para sa News Patrol."

Pagkatapos ng balita ay naririnig ko na ang mga staffs na nagbubulung-bulungan tungkol sa isyu. Karamihan sa kanila'y nabigla at nalungkot. Hindi na ako nagtagal pa sa pagtayo at dumiretso papasok ng elevator. Paglabas ko ng 5th floor ay nadatnan ako ni Maika.

"Ma'am con-" She cutted herself off nang natunugan niyang ayaw ko ng kausap. Dire-diretso lang ako sa paglalakad. Pumasok ako ng opisina para kunin ang bag ko.

"Take over for me Maika. I'm going home." I coldly said. Was I so masungit? Wala namang choice si Maika kundi um-oo sa sinabi ko. I'm drained, I have no time para sapawan pa ito.

After I stepped down the elevator, I immediately went outside the office. Kita ko ang pagtataka ng mga receptionist sa ground floor. I was about to hop into my car but I saw a familliar figure coming to me.

"Regine." He said, hingal na hingal ito.

Nilapitan ko siya. "Ogs, why did you come here?"

He made sure he's okay with his breathing before he spoke. "I heard the news. Are you okay?" He said, eyes filled with concern.

Umiling lang ako as a reply. "I'm drained up. I'm going home." I said.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure. Rest love okay?" He hugged me and kissed me in the forehead. Kumalas na siya sa pagkakayakap sa akin at sumakay na ako ng sasakyan. I smiled at the thought na naiintindihan niya ako.

After minutes of driving, dumating na ako sa bahay. I was expecting that the house would be noisy because andito sila Robin, but it was quiet. I also noticed na wala na ang mga sasakyan nila sa parking area.

"Viceral, nasaan sila?"

"Gumora na madam." He replied.

"Bakit daw? They told me bukas pa sila aalis."

"Pinapabalik na ni Madam Sharon si Sir Christopher. Tsaka si Mariel, naconfine daw yung nanay sa ospital. Inatake daw ng highblood. Kaya ayun, jumalis na sila. Nagbilin naman sila ng note for you madam." Binigay naman sa akin ni Vice ang papel.

"Sorry Reg. We can't stay longer anymore. Take care, okay? Love you."

Napangiti naman ako.

I said my thanks to Vice at umakyat na ng kwarto. I freshened up a little bit, konting hilamos lang and I slept. In the loving memory of my best buddy, Martin Nivera.

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Nagising ako sa dagundong ang yapak ng mga maids. Guess what. Ate's here.

Agad kong inayos ang aking sarili at lumabas na ng kuwarto. The maids were busy taking things our from Ate Sha's car. Bumaba na ako ng second floor at pinuntahan si Ate sa sala.

"Good morning Ate! Namiss kita!" I kissed her cheek.

Hinagod hagod nito ang kanyang ulo."Morning. Dizzy."

"Oh." Tumunog ang cellphone ni Ate at pikit matang sinagot ito.

"Hello? Have you looked up what I ordered you to do?"

"...."

"Yes, good.

Siguraduhin mo lang na kay Zsazsa at Herminio Jose talaga yang mga yan."