Shipwrecked Hearts

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 "So, this is the venue." Maximo wore his sunglass, covering his heterochromia iridium eyes. Tinignan namin ang stadium na punong-puno ng mga tao ang bawat sulok. I can see familiar faces around, most were of Maximo's crew. They were scattered, blending with the people.

Mas binaba ko ang aking sombrero at ang salamin. We were wearing our disguise. It seemed like nobody has recognized me yet. Well, that's better. Binalot ng ingay ang paligid. I saw booths and vendors around, people chit-chatting, and all that.

"Mga kababayan, ang mga kandidato para sa pagkapangulo ay nandito na. Magsisimula na ang grand entrance!" Sigaw ng emcee, dahil dito ay nagpalakpakan at sigawan ang mga tao. "Ang unang kandidata, Francheska Alexandria!"

Maximo and I took our spot on the second floor, just enough to see a clear view around. Mula sa aming gawi ay nakita ko si mama na nakaupo sa VIP tables sa unang palapag. Sa harap mismo ng entablado kung saan tatanghalin ang ganap. As usual, she was wearing a grand dress and paparazzi flocked around her, not until the first presidential candidate took her steps on the red carpet leading towards the stage. I smelled my mother's annoyance and I rolled my eyes.

"The second candidate is Mr. Daryll Luisita!" A guy popped out of the entrance designated for the candidates only. He walked in a fast pace and waved around the people who cheered for him. The first lady already took her spot on the stage and the second guy was halfway through. "And for the last candidate is no other than Mr. Mikhael Kara!" And with that, the auditorium quivered with cheers and applause.

Banners with his face lit up and all sorts. A man who looks like in his early 50s appeared. He walked with measured and regal steps. He carried an aura around him that demanded respect, authority, and power. Only one guy I used to love can have this intimidating feature. My father.

He smiled a charming smile as he took his grand entrance. My eyes were locked on him with my hands balled into a fist. I can feel my nails digging into the skin of my palm. Until Maximo held me, making the tension that has built inside me to explode. "Calm down, Starfish." He said in a low tone. Just for me to hear in this sea of noise and cheers.

I gulped and silently nodded.

I wasn't here to vent my personal grudges. I was here with my crew because my family is in danger. I know that, I can smell the danger lurking around. I just don't know where.

For a brief moment, I think I saw my father look at me with his curious eyes. Binaling niya ang tingin sa hagdan pataas sa entablado nang tignan ko rin siya. It seems like he sensed me from a distance.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have here the candidates for presidency!"

And there were screams and applause, people cheering for their leader.

"Now, we have an official welcome address prepared by our most honorable President Roa Jaime Aquino." Tumahimik ang lahat. Mula sa likod ng entablado ay may isang lalaking matanda ang naglakad. Spotlight hit him. He's our president. He started blabbering boring stuff. A history of his agenda and his achievements during his reign, nothing worthy, really.

I can smell the people around, most were already asleep, most were fighting the urge to sleep, and most were about to feel sleepy. This is why I hate adult events. Too boring. "Now, may we proceed to the presentation of the candidates plans and all that!" The emcee announced after the president ended his long and boring bed time speech. Tila nabuhayan naman ang mga tao dahil sa anuns'yo. The first to speak was the lady, most of her campaign and project involves the well-being of people and eradicating poverty. I rolled my eyes. Every president says that, and poverty just keeps getting worse.

The second guy then took his time to introduce his agenda, most I understood only was to ensure human rights are not violated... and last, my father... tumigil ang lahat at nanahimik. All heads faced him, as if he was the man of the hour.

He tapped the microphone and smiled after hearing the beat. He took the mic out of its stand and went to the center of the stage. "I will cut to the chase, alam kong kilala n'yo akong lahat kaya hindi na kailangan pang magpakilala." Nagtawanan ang mga tao. "Now, the following are my plans during my term. That is if I have the chance to be of service to all of you people." His voice was so powerful and hard, there was something inspiring on his tone, and humbleness.

This is truly my father. He knows how to hide his demons well and appear to be angelic. "First is our education system. Our current system is confining our students and learners. Only teaching them to think inside the box when they can think outside the box. I want them to explore their creativity. I want them to learn what they want, not what the system wants. I want them not to learn History, but make history respectively!"

"The youth will take the next generation, it is high time that we ensure that they will be at their full potential when they do and it is education which is the foundation. I want to break this system that forces our students to kill their self-interest for the sake of academe."

Nagpalakpakan ang lahat. He really knew what he was doing. Considering that more than half of the registered voters were students. He knew his target market too well. "Second, I plan to uplift our economy. I am, as you all know, a businessman. I've ventured different fields and discovered a great deal of knowledge. By means of uplifting economy, I am also to eradicate poverty slowly by providing manual labor to the non-workers. Not only that, I will also eradicate the trading barriers in our society among the nations and states around us." Blah blah blah. This was more like a speech of plans instead of a debate. My father stopped midpoint when all the lights around disappeared, tila nawalan ng kuryente ang istadyum. Suminghap pa ang mga tao. Halata ang pagkagulo sa kanilang mga mukha.

I saw Maximo taking his walkie-talkie out, "be prepared." He said. "I see danger." And I can smell it. As if my instincts were telling me something. I put my hand beside my leg, just in front of the hilt belt where ten daggers of mine lies. Dahil walang dingding ang stadium ay nakita ko ang mga bitu'in sa kalangitan at ang buwan. They were illuminating the blue night and thanks to the darkness, it was all clear in our position. I can hear the people talking, asking what the hell was going on... Biglang bumukas ang mga ilaw sa paligid.

"It seems like there was a short circuit." Papa said with humor from the stage through his mic which was transmitted along with speakers around and the people laughed, the tension breaking, but I can smell the danger... slowly closing to us. I looked around frantically. I can smell a familiar smell, but due to the odor of many people around, mixing, I cannot exactly locate it.

Sa isang iglap, nakarinig kami ng pagsabog. Suminghap ang lahat dala ng pagkagulat. My eyes located where the explosion was and saw one that it came from one of the spotlights that was now dead. I sighed. "There is something wrong." Maximo took his eyeglass off and let his clear vision scan the entire arena. And as if on cue, another explosion occurred, but this time, it was no longer because of a spotlight... it was an actual explosion, causing chaos and people screaming for help. People running for their own lives. Tinignan ko ang dako kung saan sumabog... I gasped... almost the third floor's half was reduced to rubbles from the other side... and I saw people... innocent people... dead. "Maximo..."

"The enemy is finally here." He wet his lips and smirked. "Let's find out who they are." With that he stood up and jumped towards the barricade of the second floor, maintaining his balance. He took his walkie-talkie out and declared an order. "Evacuate the people and protect Mikhael at all cost, though it seems like he does not need protection." Aniya habang minamataan ang aking ama na pinalibutan ng mga armadong tauhan niya. "Let's get wild people. Do y'all copy that?"

"Copy, Maximo."