PROLOGUE
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"Ano ba? Ako napu-purwisyo, Krane, ha. Ako lagi nai-interrogate dito sa bahay." Reklamo ni Kase sa kabilang linya.
I rolled my eyes. Panong hindi siya 'yong kukulitin, e, siya naman lagi nasa bahay. Tsaka bago ako umalis nag-paalam naman ako na one month akong hindi uuwi muna. Tapos ngayon, kung sinu-sino kinukulit nila para tanungin kung nasaan ako? Oh my God. Nakaka-stress, ha.
"'E kung umaalis ka kasi minsan diyan? Have fun, go to the city? 'Di ka ba nagsasawa puro halaman tapos dagat nakikita mo?"
"I'm busy here, I don't have time to have fun–"
"Workaholic mo masyado, bahala ka na nga. Basta call us when you want to unwind, tell my mother I'll just call her later. Bye!" I ended the call.
Isinuot ko uli ang aking eyeglasses, nakaupo sa isang duyan habang dinadama ang peacefulness ng lugar na 'to. Nasa balkonahe ako ng bagong bili 'kong villa, no one knows this except Debri and Kase. This is going to be my safe haven from now on, since nahanap nila Mommy ang penthouse ko sa Manila.
Ang alam ni Mommy nasa Manila ako, but I'm actually here in Cebu. Nagtatago dito sa isang resort ng pinsan ko. Lumiban muna ng pasok sa opisina, mabuti na lang at unang liban ko pa lang because I really need this break. A break from all of the stressful events happening these past few weeks. Kasi kung hindi ko 'to gagawin, mababaliw na ako.
I sipped on my orange juice and my phone rang again. I groaned in frustration after I saw who the caller is.
"What?"
"You have to go home. Now." Zane commanded.
I sighed. "My dear brother, ano bang kailangan niyo sa akin?"
There was a long pause before he answered. "Baba wants to tell you something."
"At ano naman? Hindi pa 'ko uuwi, ayoko pa."
"Where are you? Azia visited your penthouse, wala ka doon at hindi ka pa daw bumabalik."
"I won't tell you–"
"Then go home, if you're not going to tell us."
"My answer is no."
"We'll make you come home."
"Whatever, Zane." I ended the call.
Hinilot ko ang sentido. Bakit mas lalo akong nase-stress dito?
I decided to go to a spa and get a massage. Kaagad akong nagbihis at pumunta sa isang spa dito sa loob ng resort. Nakita ko pa si Debri na papunta rin doon kaya naman sabay kaming nagpa-massage.
"Zane told me that Baba wants to tell me something. Do you have any idea what it is?" Tanong ko nang magsimula na ang pag-massage sa amin.
"Wala namang sinabi sa akin si Baba kanina, he called me. But I think importante naman kung ano mang sasabihin niya sa 'yo."
"Pero ayoko pang umuwi, ni hindi pa nga ako nag-iisang araw dito, 'e."
"Bahala ka, that's your problem, not mine."
But I really think, I need to go home. Pero ayoko pa talaga.
"Oo nga pala, you want to join us later? Dinner?"
"Huwag na, magiging third wheel lang ako."
"Hindi 'yan! We have a visitor later, Vein didn't tell me who it was but he's from the corporate world naman daw. He's a he, so?"
