CAUGHT

CHAPTER 7

ROCKY ARDENTE

_

"YES," she snapped. Her long hair were hanging loosely on the sides of her face, some were sticking to her wet cheeks. "Wala naman palagi akong choice. I have no choice but to be a slave to my own heart!"

"Ew," bulalas ni Zufiya sa tabi ko. "Just what do you mean by that?"

Maddel turned to me with different set of emotions now. Pinalitan na ng pagsusumamo ang kaninang gulat niyang mga mata. "Yes, I've sent her death threats! I threathened her so she'll go away!"

"So, it's true? May kinalaman ka nga sa pagkamatay ng pamilya ni Ellah?" Zufiya asked.

"Of course not!" Lahat yata kami ay lalong naguluhan sa pinagsasabi niya.

"Huwag mo kaming gawing tanga! Yes, you've sent death threats to her and after that, may namatay. Eh, sino pa ba ang dapat na sisihin?" si Zufiya. They are both monopolizing the conversation. Though, sinisigaw namin ni Zufiya ang mga katanungan na nasa utak nila ni Jan at Stacy.

"I don't know. Nagbibigay lang ako ng death threats sa kanya. I am not involved to any of the tragedy that happened to her family!" she shouted back.

She's lying. She's making a fool out of us. Who would believe that crap? Siya ang nagpapadala ng mensahe, siya ang nagbibigay ng threats. May mangyayari, sino pa ba ang sisisihin? Sino pa ang may kasalanan?

"It means someone ordered you to give those letters?" tanong ni Stacy. She stood straight and nodded to herself, convinced by her own speculation.

Hindi nakapagsalita si Maddel at bumaling sa akin, naroon pa rin sa mata niya ang pagmamakaawa. Bakit? Anong gusto niyang gawin ko?  She's not a friend to me anymore. So, she can't expect anything from me.

"You know why I sent you a letter, Rocky?" nanginginig ang boses na baling niya sa akin. She's bitting back her tears but she can't. "I sent you that letter because I want you to stop going to that house!"

"Hindi mo pa sinasagot ang tanong ko, and don't try to change the topic. Is it you who killed Ellah's family or someone who ordered you to give those letters?" Stacy's voice is getting intense, angrier.

We all want an answer, but this Maddel won't just give it to us right now!

Lumapit pa sa akin si Maddel, sinubukang abutin ang kamay ko pero iniwas ko iyon.

She's crazy desperate, huh.

Stacy, who got really offended of being ignored, angrily slapped Maddel in the face. Our eyes widened, not expecting it to happen. That move even made the tension between us grow thicker.

"Naririnig mo ba ang sarili mo? Did you just hear yourself saying you gave Ellah those death threats?"

Maddel's fist clenched, I saw. And I'm getting annoyed that this conversation is getting nowhere but chaotic.

"Maddel," he breathed heavily and for a moment, he closed his eyes and cleared his thoughts. He cleared the negative thoughts and those that swirling within him right now. The anger and the hate towards the woman in front of her.

This shouldn't be happening. They shouldn't be fighting. This shouldn't be this way.

"Maddel, I'm sorry," I said. When I opened my eyes, they were confused. Jan, Zufiya, and Stacy had weird expressions in their faces.

'Anong gingagawa mo?' Stacy mouthed.

This will be my way. A way where we don't need to fight.

"I'm sorry kung nasaktan kita unintentionally at kung hindi ko nabigyan ng halaga ang feelings mo para sa akin. I'm sorry."