Blurry Skies

CHAPTER 1

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Chapter One

Agree

My mother left me and my father for another man. She was having an affair even when she had me. Naalala ko noong bata ako na palaging wala si mommy. I was too innocent to think why. I just thought she was working. That's what she wanted me to believe. And of course as a child, I was innocently loving my mother even though unknowingly she was doing so many wrong things to me and Daddy.

Natatandaan ko pa noon na dumadating siya sa bahay namin ng hapon at umaalis rin kapag gabi na. Siya na ang sumusundo sa akin galing sa school. I never saw my parents talk to each other but I would sometimes hear some shouting in the house.

It was in my teen years when I knew what was really happening. Kasal pa rin sila mommy at daddy noon. They informed me of their annulment that late afternoon. Galing akong school at ni hindi pa nakakapagbihis.

"Mariette, please listen!" si mommy. Nakikita ko na ang frustration sa mukha niya. Nangungunot ang kanyang noo.

Dad was just silent on his seat. I was standing in front of them. Gulat na gulat sa nangyayari.

"You're lying!" I shouted at umatras ako nang umamba siyang hahawakan ang kamay ko.

"No, it's all true, Yette. I..." she paused at may lumandas na luha sa kanyang pisngi. "I don't love your father anymore," she said at doon na tuluyang tumulo ang mga luha ko.

I remembered when I once tried to leave the house after a few days of what happened. I had my thing packed in just one bag. I had saved up enough money. It was in the middle of the night when I successfully left the house. I glanced one more time at the house at aamba na naman sanang tutulo ang luha ko pero tumalikod na ako.

I was lost.

I just found myself on the streets. Sumisingaw na ang araw at alam kong mag-uumaga na. I just kept on walking habang nakatulala sa daan. Kakaunti lamang ang taong naroroon sa mga kalye but I didn't mind.

"Psst, miss"

I could hear people catcalling but I was too immersed with my feelings that I didn't even bother and just walked on this path I'm walking.

At kahit na may nabangga na akong tao tulala pa rin ako at lalagpasan na sana siya kaso bigla niya na lamang akong hinila sa braso. Doon ako napamulat sa katotohanan. Delikado ang sitwasyon ko ngayon.

"Kanina ka pa namin tinatawag, miss ganda. Ang snob mo naman ah," the guy creepily smirked at me. Malakas na kumakabog ang dibdib ko sa takot.

Kinuha ko ang braso kong hawak hawak pa rin niya at itutulak na sana siya pero agad niya namang nakuha ang palapulsuhan ko.

"Let me go," nagpupumiglas ako sa hawak niya. Lumapit ang dalawa pang lalake na nasa gilid lang kanina at ngumingisi ngisi pa.

"Sandali lang 'to. Huwag kang mag-aalala," he whispered to my ear. Doon na ako napaisip sa kung ano talaga ang maaaring mangyari sa akin ngayon. Sumigaw ako nang hilahin niya ako muli patungo sa kung saan.

"Bitiwan mo ko!" I was crying and I don't know what to do anymore but beg for help.

"Tulong!!"

And there, my prayers were heard nang tamaan sa ulo ng ang manyak na ito ng water bottle.

"Hoy, ano 'yan?" I heard someone said from behind us. Nagpupumiglas pa rin ako.

"Aray naman! Sino ang—" napatigil sa pagsasalita ang may hawak sa akin nang mapatingin sa kung sinong nasa likod namin.

Agaran niya akong binitawan. "Alendro," he stated.

And that's when I first met Alendro. He became my first love. He saved me that day. He helped me a lot too. I found myself telling him my life and he was there listening. We were under the skies which I then thought were quite blurry. I then realized it was again me tearing up after telling him everything. He comforted me.

He convinced me to go back home because he knew my parents would be worried by now. I followed his advice because I had nowhere else to go to anyway. I couldn't probably ask him because we just met actually. That's not just right. And he's a boy.

Sinamahan niya ako pauwi at nang nakarating, I thanked him at nagpaalam na rin siya. It was at that moment, when he smiled at me. I knew I liked him.

And just like what he said, they really were worried. I was still angry at them though. And before I realized, my parents were already annulled and mommy left the house.

Years passed, I changed into a brat. I had bad influenced friends but I didn't care. I thought they were fun to hang out with but I would never join their kind of fun. They were originally friends of Alendro, too.

But last time, I wanted to have fun just for once. I joined them in a bar. It was very noisy that I thought my ears would explode. I've been to bars before but only sometimes since I don't really like the ambiance of some bars here. I go to those bars that are a bit more peaceful but still fun.

"Wohoo!" Alendro shouted with his friends. He smiled at me and I smiled back. Almost all of them were drunk already but they still continued drinking.

Some of them even went to the dancefloor kahit na wasted na wasted na talaga sila. Napapatawa na lang ako sa kung paano sila sumayaw na parang mga baliw.

Pero nagulat ako nang may pumutok na baril.

"Mariette, halika rito," Alendro reached for me. He explained to me what was happening. He heard that there are police everywhere trying to search for a suspect in some case. I got scared of course knowing there is a criminal inside this bar.

"Don't move, stay still," he assured me.

Ilang minuto rin ang lumipas at medyo naging maayos na ang sitwasyon pero di ko inaakalang isa sa mga kaibigan ni Alendro ang inaaresto. Dahil doon, nadawit pa ang pangalan ko kaya galit na galit si Daddy. He threatened my friends and now all of them are scared of me.

And now here I am, sitting in front of my Daddy wanting an explanation.

"I know you have other reasons, Daddy," I said habang nakahalukipkip. Umalis muna si Ken, my supposed fiancee, dahil may tumawag sa phone niya.

"Well, I guess this is to ensure your image, too. But I assure you I just wanted to keep my promise from a friend," he said at umupo na.

"Daddy, I thought it was already cleared up. You told me not to worry anymore," I said at umupo na rin.

"Yes, I have cleared it all up for you but in all the other people's mind they know you are friends with a criminal and I can't afford that to happen anymore. I'm just trying to protect you, Mariette," he said and glanced at me.

"I can handle my own problems, Daddy. Let them think what they want to think," I said. May idadagdag pa sana pero bumalik na ang sinasabing fiancee ko.

"I'm sorry for that. It was urgent," he said at nanatiling nakatayo roon.

My father offered him a seat and he took it. He sat on the sofa across me just like last time. He looked at me and it seemed like he was analyzing me. I felt uncomfortable but I showed none of that on my face.

"Anyway, we're here to talk about your engagement," pagsisimula ni Daddy. Napabaling naman ako ng tingin sa kanya.

"I'm not up for this Daddy," I clearly stated at tumingin kay Kenick. He was staring at me. I didn't know what he was thinking.

"What are your thoughts on this, Mr. Nueves?" I confidently asked him. He was still for a moment but then he shufted from his seat and looked directly at my eyes. It made me nervous and uncomfortable.

"Well, Ms. Alvante, for the benefit of our country and for my father also," he paused and smirked.

"I guess I can agree to this."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko habang nakatingin pa rin sa mukha niyang nakangisi.

What did he just say!?

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