Gunita [EDITING]

diecisiete

"Teka, teka Alex," hinihingal na sambit ko dahilan para mapatigil sa paglalakad si Alex. Naipatong ko na lang ang kamay ko sa tuhod ko habang sinusubukang huminga nang maayos. Why the heck would she even bring me to the rooftop nang gano'n-gano'n lang!? I mean, I would have voluntarily come with her naman if she said so.

"Sorry," sambit ni Alex bago ako inabutan ng isang bote ng tubig. I immediately got it from her hand and emptied it in one gulp. I was still panting when I heard footsteps behind me, only to realize that my bodyguards followed us.

I sighed.

"Sorry," I mouthed. Ngumiti lang si Alex.

"Ma'am Brandi." I raised my right hand, waving it for a bit nang akmang hawakan nila si Alex. Agad naman silang lumayo kay Alex, but she remained stoic. Nakatingin lang siya sa'kin, naghihintay siguro ng tamang tiyempo.

"I know her," I said, lying. I just didn't want this to reach my family kasi sigurado akong makakaabot din ito sa pamilya ni Ali.

And if Chen was telling the truth about them... then this will put Ali and Alex's life in danger.

I don't want any of that anymore. God! Kailan ba matatapos 'to!?

"Protocol," Gio said. "No one should pull away the Vice President's granddaughter without our knowledge, mostly if we don't identify the person, Ma'am."

I sighed, "You don't have to worry. Hindi naman ako namatay 'di ba?" I said, trying to sound convincing, or probably funny kasi sobrang random na lang yata ng death threats na pakiramdam ko, I could just freely joke about it. Magsasalita pa sana si Gio, pero tinitigan ko na lang siya at ngumiwi nang bahagya. "Just don't let the others know. Promise, this would be the last time."

Gio stayed silent for a couple of minutes before he took a deep breath in, "We'll stay behind the door. Call us if you need help." Tumango na lang agad ako at hinintay muna na makaalis sila sa tabi namin. Napa-buntonghininga na lang ako at napatingin kay Alex.

Ngumiti ulit siya.

"Chen must have told you already," she said as she walks towards the railings. Agad ko naman siyang sinundan at napatingin na lang sa lawak ng school grounds. Napapangiti nang bahagya no'ng makita kong magkakasama sina Zachary at Sofia sa kabilang building. I watch them smile, stealing glances whenever the other one's looking the other way and then laugh about it before I looked up.

It was probably the first time this year that I was able to properly look up to the sky... Sa sobrang dami ng nangyayari, minsan hindi ko na rin alam i-appreciate 'yung mga maliliit na bagay.

I was just too caught with everything that's happening, that I already forgot about these little things that used to be my happiness.

Hay.

"It's nice to see them happy, right?" I looked at Alex who was just looking down before she faced me. She smiled. "You know how it feels? When sometimes someone else's happiness depends on you? That being selfish isn't a choice... because still, at the end of the day... pare-pareho lang din naman kayong masasaktan."

And then it hit me.

The realization hit me...

It's so nice to see them smile, that I'm already scared to see them sad because of me... or my family.

Napatalikod na lang si Alex at napasandal sa railings, napapapikit nang kaunti nang biglang humangin nang malakas sa parte namin. Alex stayed silent for couple of minutes habang nakatingin lang ako sa gawi nila Zachary.

"You don't have to worry," Alex said, breaking the silence that enveloped us which almost felt like years. "They won't harm them... they can't harm them." My lips parted.