CAUGHT

CHAPTER 30

ROCKY ARDENTE

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Marami ang nagbayad sa isang buhay na nasira. Sa loob ng isang buwan, nahuli ang mga nagkasala at binigyan ng karampatang parusa.

Si Royjan Jipolito ay matagal ng ikinulong sa kasong pagpatay kay Jace Abarito at attempted murder kay Ellah.

Si Maddel ay ikinulong at sa huling pagkakataon ay nagmakaawa pa pero hindi na siya pinagbigyan.

Si Rossy Dominguez ay natagpuan sa pinagtataguan nito at dahil sa naitulong niya kay Ellah noon, binigyan siya ng absolute pardon ng korte.

Si Aryanna Durren ay may parehong kaso ni Rossy Dominguez. Pero mas maliit ang disgrasyang naidulot niya at malaki ang naging papel niya sa pagtuklas ni Ellah kay Megan. Kaya hindi siya pinarusahan ng batas.

Meron ding ikinulong na CSI, kasamahan ni Agent Langston na siyang dahilan kaya bumagal ang pag-usad ng paghanap kay Megan.

Nakulong si Tita Lalyn. Clarlyn Ems Cecilia was found guilty of attempted murder of Sariyah Gomez and kidnapping of Ellah. Turns out that she is the aunt of Prof. Martini Collins. They allied to kill Ellah and they supported Megan in one gain—money. Gusto nilang mapasakanila ang mana at ari-arian ng buong pamilya nila. They said, that if they are done with Ellah, they will move on to the next family. They will do the same thing to Fonce Cecilia so she'll be left alone with all the riches. They will pay big time in jail.

Megan is dead. She was moved to an asylum because after the incident in Isla Mariana, hindi na naging stable ang pag-iisip niya. She's out of control. She's gone crazy. More crazy than she was before. The doctor said the fatal wound set off something inside her—survival instinct. Her mental illness took over her system.

I saw her before she was gone. She was standing in front of the door, wearing a white patient's gown, her red shoulder-length hair were disheveled. Her once glistening brown eyes turned dull and worn out. And those eyes were staring at me as she raised her hands and placed it in front of the glass door.

I was sad for her. Kasi lahat lang kami ay biktima rito. We suffered and she did, too. Yet, I am happy for her. Kasi bago siya lamunin ng kadiliman, nilabanan niya ang kasamaang pinamunuan siya. Maybe that was the reason why she died early. Because He knows that she regret everything.

What happened caused a big scandal. Halos lahat ng nasangkot ay mayaman at may image na iniingatan sa publiko. Lalo na si Jan, si Stacy, at ang Cabrieas dahil sa kanila nagmula si Megan. I know they are facing a lot of problems now. Now that I think about that family, how is that man? Hindi ko siya nakita man lang simula noong nangyari. Alam niya na ba ang nangyari kay Ellah?

Because of what happened, nalaman ni Tito Fonce ang lahat ng gulong ginawa ni Tita Lalyn lalo na sa mga kompanyang hawak nila. It happened that she was the one who manipulated the mansion and Ellah's bank account kaya nagtagumpay siya sa plano. With everything she's done, it caused Tito Fonce's anger kaya bukod sa pera ay karapatan ang nawala kay Tita Lalyn sa lahat ng business nila.

Pagkatapos ma-settle ni Tito Fonce ang mansyon at ang bahay ni Ellah dito sa Isla ay bumalik na rin siya sa pamumuhay niya sa States. Sinabi niya lang na dadalaw siya kapag bakasyon kasama ang pamilya niya.

I sighed heavily as I stood in the side of the road. Mataas sa parteng ito at makikita ang asul at mawalak na karagatan na pumapalibot sa Isla. It's been a month since that day of catastrophe. And I felt very peaceful, at ease, and happy. And I miss her... so bad.

"How are you, El? Masaya ka ba ngayon?" I whispered that was blown by the wind and I hope that it will reach her. Wherever she is.

"Rocky!" Napalingon ako at nakita si Stacy. Bumaba siya mula sa sasakyan niya at ngumiti habang palapit sa akin. Hinipan ng malakas na hangin ang yellow summer dress na suot niya at ang kanyang Fedora hat ay binitbit niya para hindi liparin ng hangin.

"What are you doing here?" tanong niya at tumabi sa akin. We both are now overlooking the sea.

"Wala... may iniisip lang. At saka, nagpapahangin."

"Siya?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "I'm wondering... how is she now?"

"I always wonder the same thing but I'm sure, she's happy now. Iyan ang mahalaga."

Bumaling ako sa kanya. "Ikaw, saan ka pupunta ng ganito kaaga?"

"Enrollment. Sabay kaming mag-eenroll ni Zufiya. How about you? Kailan ka aalis?"

Oo nga pala. Summer is finally over kaya simula na ang pasukan. But this year, I will study in Manila para malapit lang sa kompanyang pinagtatrabahuhan ni Papa. That way, I'll be busy and even a little, I will distract myself of what happened.

"Next week na ang flight ko. Kaya magpadespidida tayo ah? It might be harder for us to see each other often dahil bukod sa magiging busy tayo... malayo rin ang Isla."

"Sure! But I promise when I go to Manila, I will visit you. Saan ka ba tutuloy?"

"Sa bahay ng Tito ko."

"Good luck, then. Malay natin, may makikilala kang babae doon na mamahalin mo ng mas higit pa kay Ellah."

I smirked. "We don't know that."

Umakbay siya sa akin pero malayo pa rin ang tingin. "I heard... Louhan Cabrieas went to France, studying Architecture and in his last year."

"Paano mo nalaman iyan?"

"Come on, Rocky. Nakalimutan mo na bang may magaling akong PI? He was a good student there at nag-iinternship sa kompanya ng pamilya niya."

"Is he still single?"

"Hmm... maraming nagkakagusto pero mukhang wala sa isip na magka-girlfriend."

"You can make that assumption, huh?"

"Well, iyan ang sinabi sa akin. Still single. And you know what I think? He still loves the same woman."

"Tsk. Whatever it is, I don't really care now." He doesn't even checked on Ellah when she needed him the most. He didn't came and asked her how was she. Ni isang beses, hindi siya nagpakita. I doubt he still thinks about her.

Napahagikhik siya at biglang napatingin sa kanyang wristwatch. "Oh, anong oras na pala. I gotta go!" paalam niya at humalik sa pisngi ko bago nagtungo sa kotse niya.

I smiled and decided that I should leave as well. Kinuha ko ang helmet na nakapatong sa motor ko at isinuot iyon. Nang sumakay na ako at pinaandar iyon ay napansin ko na muling bumaba si Stacy sa kotse niya at nanlalaki ang mata habang nakatingin sa cellphone niya.

"Bakit?" tanong ko at pinatay ang makina ng motor.

Lumapit siya sa akin at ngayon ay tutop na niya ang bibig niya at umiiyak. I hurried to her side worriedly. Minsan lang umiyak ang babaeng ito.

"Anong nangyari?"

"S-Si Ellah..."

"Bakit?"

She gave me the phone and my heart skipped a beat of what I saw. Ellah was sitting inside a café and drinking something. Her face is a bit different pero malinaw na ang kaibigan namin iyon.

"Saan galing ito?"

"Sa PI ko. Kaka-send lang sa akin."

"Where is this place?"

"I'm not sure. Sandali ite-text ko." Kinuha niya sa akin ang cellphone niya at mabilis na nagtipa sa keyboard. Nagkatinginan kami habang naghihintay ng reply, parehong na-excite at nagulat. Maya-maya ay tumunog ang cellphone niya at nakitingin na rin ako.

Aldus:
Orleans, France. She was there for about three days.

"Oh, shiz." Stacy gasped and stared at me. "What if pinuntahan niya si Louhan?"

"I'm glad she's okay." Was all I could say as the burden was suddenly lifted off of me. She's doing fine, and that's enough. My bestfriend is fine. After so long of wondering, now I am sure she is.