Forgotten Child

Forty-eighth Chapter

"P-Paanong..?"

It was Bryce who talked this time. "That's the reason I came here."

"Ha?"

"Casteñeda told me that you're here and we figured that it's time for you to know what we know."

"O-Okay? And? Paanong nangyari na si Papa Syl ang b-bumaril kay Nanay Yasmine?"

Tumingin si Bryce kay Kieran at tumango naman ang isa.

"I'll get her stuffs ready," sabi ni Kie sabay tayo tsaka ginulo ang buhok ko bago umalis.

"Ano na naman ang balak niyo?" Kinakabahan kong tanong kay Bryce.

"You gotta hear this part from the source."

Nanlaki mga mata ko. "Pupuntahan ko si Papa?"

Umiling siya. "No. Not your dad. Hindi niya alam na may nabaril siya nun, except someone that was very important to her."

"Ha? Sino ba ang tinutukoy mong source?"

Tinignan niya ako at ngumisi. "Time for you to go back to start, Beanie Girl. It's time for you to say 'Hi' to Mackenzie Ayala again."

-x-

Si Kieran ang kasama ko ngayon dahil aarangkada na naman si Spade at titirahin daw niya ang taong nagma-manman kay President Angel gamit ang drone na tinuhog ko with pens.

He was silent as he drives until he took my hand.

"You have no reason to not be with me now, mon cœur. If you were worried about me not accepting what you had been doing, then you can throw those thoughts away. I accept you, Adria, everything about you. All of you and the extra baggage, too."

I returned his hold on my hand. 

No wonder I feel secure with him. He's the man I never thought I wanted to have after learning about myself, doing what I had been doing.

Napangiti ako ng maliit. "You are persistent, aren't you?"

He chuckled. "Oui, pour vous. And only for you."

Naghuhugas ako ng pinagkainan namin habang ang taga-banlaw ay si Bryce. Si Kieran kasi ay hinahanapan daw ako ng pamalit na damit na naiwan ni Siance.

And yes, I found out na magkapatid pala sila at siya ang babaeng sumagot sa phone ni Kieran noong tumawag ako.

"You can be with him, Adria."

"I'm sorry?"

Pinatay ni Bryce ang gripo at tinignan ako ng masinsinan.

"I know that you have feelings for that fool."

Uminit ang pisngi ko. "P-Pero Bryce... Hindi ba bawal daw idawit ang mga Krauss sa Underground World? Bawal idawit ang mga outsiders."

He rolled his eyes on me. "That was then, Beanie Girl. A lot has changed since Day One of the establishment of the Underground. We are in the new generation now. May mga outsiders na nga na alam ang tungkol dito. Rules were already broken and mingled with other rules. Another thing, it wasn't your fault that idiot learned about the Underground. He found it himself. He wanted to learn about it."