(FHS #5) Silverianne Villafranca only wanted one thing when she came to Filimon Heights - freedom. However, she got more than what she bargained for the moment she met the town's local rebel who comes with a crazy package.
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
I thought Reika was being too pessimistic, but she was right to be worried.
Chaos doesn't even begin to describe what transpired on what should've been the best day of Piper and Cohen's lives.
"We're supposed to be friends! How can they do that to Apollo?! How can Sawyer do that to me?!" Reika was livid as she slammed her clothes inside her suitcase. Tears kept streaming down her face and her hands wouldn't even stop from trembling.
Watching Reika made me shiver. Hindi ako ang kaaway niya pero hindi pa rin ako mapakali. Hindi ko rin magilang maalala iyong mga panahong galit na galit siya sa akin. That was one of the worst moments of my life.
If there's one thing I learned from all the years I've known and loved Reika De Juan, it's that she can love as strong as she can hate. She can love someone more than her own life but she can hold a grudge when she's betrayed.
"Babe, upo ka muna doon..." Slade tried to console and appease Reika as best as he could but there was no stopping her fury.
"Nakita mo 'yon 'di ba? 'Yong reaksyon niya kanina? Putangina! Siya pa 'yong galit!" Reika spat out angrily as she cried. "We're supposed to be best friends but how can he do that to me?! He doesn't even care that I'm hurt! Wala ba akong karapatang magalit?! Don't I deserve, at least, a sincere apology?!"
Slade hugged Reika tight and patted her back gently. He then looked at me and glanced at the door.
Napabuntong-hininga na lamang ako at tumayo. Bago lumabas, inabutan ko si Slade ng isang sleeping pill at baso ng tubig para kay Reika. Good thing I always brought my doses with me.
Lumabas ako ng kwarto at nagsuot agad ng jacket. Gusto kong puntahan ang kwarto na kinaroroonan ni Sawyer pero hindi ko alam kung nasaan ito, at hindi ko rin ma-contact si Haji, kaya naman bumaba na lang muna ako para magtanong sa front desk.
Saktong pagbaba ko nang hagdan, nakasalubong ko si Jethro na paakyat. Napako ako sa kinatatayuan at nagsimula na namang mag-alboroto ang puso ko, lalo na nang magtama ang mga mata namin.
"H-hey.." Mabilis akong nagbaba ng tingin sa sahig. Nakapag-usap na kami nang maayos kagabi sa restaurant, bakit nagkakaganito na naman ako.
"I was about to check on you and Reika," aniya.
"S-saang kwarto si Sawyer? I have to talk to him," I tried to keep myself together. I should get used to talking to him. I can't panic every time I see or talk to him.
"Umalis sila, hinahanap si Apollo," aniya kaya tumango-tango na lang ako at nanatiling nakatingin sa sahig.
"'Wag kayong haharang-harang sa hagdan, mamaya makita kayo ni Denver at kung ano na naman ang maisip ng lokong 'yon."
Mabilis akong napalingon at nakita ko ang nakangising si Warren. Lumapit siya sa akin at bigla akong inakbayan. Nagsimula siyang maglakad pababa kaya napagaya rin ako sa kanya. Nang makarating malapit kay Jethro, inakbayan niya rin ito at namalayan ko na lamang na sabay-sabay na kaming bumababa sa hagdan.
"'Di ako makatulog, samahan n'yo nga ako. Pahangin tayo sa labas, libre ko kayo ng kape," kaswal nitong pagyayaya.
"P-Pero si Reika--" Tinangka kong umalis pero mas humigpit ang pagkakaakbay ni Warren sa akin.
"Nandoon na si Slade, 'di ka na niya kailangan." Humalakhak pa siya.
"Puchangama ka." Napairap na lamang ako.
***
Gusto kong batukan ang sarili ko. Dapat nagpalusot ako. Dapat umiwas na lang ako. Puchangamang Warren!
"Hay! Ang sarap ng hangin!" Sumandal si Warren sa kinauupuan at tumingala sa kalangitan habang may malawak na ngiti sa kanyang mukha. His dimples looked more beautiful than the stars up the midnight sky. The cold breeze of air keeps on ruffling his hair, making him look more innocent and gentle than before. Kahit kailan, ang gwapo pa rin ng puchangamang 'to.
Jethro suddenly cleared his throat. Mabilis kong inalis ang tingin kay Warren nang mapagtantong titig na titig na naman ako sa ngiti nito.
Uminom na lamang ako ng kape at napatitig sa mga bulaklak na parang kumikinang dahil sa fairy lights na nasa paligid. Sa garden kami tumambay tutal may vending machine at mesa. Tulog na ang karamihan sa mga staff at natitirang bisita kaya naman kaming tatlo lang ang narito.
"How's Reika?" biglang tanong ni Jethro. Kahit papaano ay nakahinga ako nang maluwag, at least may mapag-uusapan kami.
"She's upset. Sawyer didn't just help sabotage someone's relationship, dinamay niya pa si Reika at ninakaw ang isa sa mga pinakamahalagang bagay sa kanya." I sighed while staring at my cup of coffee.
"Ano bang nasa cellphone ni Reika?" tanong ni Warren.
"Ever since Reika found out that her mother is pregnant, she'd been recording videos for her unborn little brother. She didn't want him to miss out or be left out on any good memories. But I think it also has something to do with herself... I mean, Reika didn't have many good memories with her parents back when she was young so I guess she recorded them for herself as well... new memories with her family," I explained. My heart couldn't help but hurt for Reika. "Unfortunately, Reika wasn't able to store it somewhere else other than that phone."
"That sucks..." Warren sighed as he sat forward and took a sip from his coffee.
"I'll try to ask Sawyer again," sabi ni Jethro. "No wonder Reika was so upset when she lost that phone a few years ago."
"But isn't it weird?" Nakunot ang noo ko. "Sawyer knew how upset Reika was when she lost her phone. Didn't he feel bad at all? I mean, there must be a reason why he hasn't returned it all these years."
"He must've lost her phone..." Hula ni Jethro.
"Speaking of!" Biglang tumayo si Warren habang nakatingin sa cellphone niya. "I have to check on my girl. Babalik ako agad kaya 'wag kayong aalis dito."
I looked up and glared at Warren but he just patted my head and smiled like an innocent little boy. He ran towards the Villa while looking at his phone. Kunyare pa ang puchangama.
I sighed and looked at Jethro flatly. "He's not coming back here, is he?"
He chuckled while shaking his head. "He won't."
Natawa na lamang ako at sumimsim ng kape. Natigilan ako nang bigla kong napagtanto ang nangyari. Jethro and I just had a casual conversation again and we both laughing! That's a progress towards normalcy!
"Ikaw? Babalik ka na ba ng Filimon Heights?" bigla niyang tanong.
Binaba ko ang kape sa mesa at dahan-dahang tumango. "I thought a lot about it... and maybe I'll extend my leave for a few days. I'm not comfortable with leaving Reika's side while she's still on bad terms with Sawyer."
"So, you'll come back to Filimon Heights?" He sounded unsure with his own question.
Ngumiti na lamang ako. "Kung nasaan si Reika."
Tumayo ako at nag-inat ng mga braso. "Balik na ako sa kwarto. Baka kailangan na nila ako doon."
"They don't need you there," aniya kaya napangiwi ako.
"Rude." Agad ko siyang sinamaan ng tingin.
Humalakhak siya at umiling-iling. "Pikon ka pa rin pala."
"Puchangama ka pa rin," ganti ko na lamang bago tuluyang umalis pabalik sa villa.
Narinig ko siyang tumawa kaya para akong tangang napangiti.
