Intrepid

Chapter 42

Pray for Miracle

"Kamusta, Fajline?" Nakangising bumungad sa akin si Miguel. May dala siyang folder.

Napatayo ako. "Miguel." Tiningnan ko ang hawak niya. "Ano 'yan?"

Inangat niya ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa folder. Hindi mapawi-pawi ang ngisi niya. "This is all about everything you want to know about Alaine Dilaurentis."

Napakuyom ako ng kamao. Parang kating-kati ang mga kamay kong basahin ang nasa loob nito.

Miguel must have sensed my impatience. Ibinigay niya ang folder.

Mabilis ko iyong binuksan.

"Thanks to Gabriel. He did great in research," sabi ni Miguel.

Alaine de Castro Dilaurentis
Medical Records

Nabigla ako sa natuklasan ko. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Inangat ko ang tingin ko kay Miguel. "Kailan pa?"

Napakibit-balikat si Miguel. "Siguro noon pa. Hindi ko alam. Nagsimulan lang naman siyang magpakonsulta sa isang psychiatrist nang nakauwi siya rito. Who knows how long was she like that? She may have already been diagnosed a decade ago. Hindi naman isang lihim ang stress nang pagiging isang parte ng kulto noon, hindi ba?"

"I want to look at that community as an IPs," I said. After all, parte naman sila ng indigenous people.

"With a pagan religion?" Sagot ni Miguel. "Well, it's up to you."

"Miguel," I eyed him, warningly. Miguel has always been judgemental but he also has to be considerate.

"Aside from that, there home was burned down, she was adopted by a family, she got converted and got cheated for who knows how many times by her husband. Ni hindi nga natin alam kung ilan ang bastardo ni Lysandro." Hindi pa rin tumigil ang bunganga ni Miguel. "It's a lot of stress for Alaine for sure."

"Miguel, are you implying Alaine is capable of murder?" I asked.

Napamulsa si Miguel. "I'm implying that maybe, she's not fit in prison but in a better facility." Mariin ang kanyang pagkakasabi.

Mariin akong napapikit. Parang nagkabuhol-buhol na ang pangyayari. New puzzle pieces are added in the picture and I just don't where to put them... or if they're even necessary!

"Hindi ako makapaniwala sa'yo, Fajline! Bakit ka pa ba nambubulabog ng buhay?" Angil ni Alaine.

Tumaas ang kilay ko sa sinabi ni Alaine. I kept the information I've learned about her to myself. Gusto ko siyang makita ngayon upang makita siya.

Wala naman siyang panic attack? She looks mentally healthy? O baka dahil lang may gamot siyang pampakalma?

She seems fine in prison, after all.

"Bakit hindi ka matahi-tahimik?" Pinanlisikan niya ako ng tingin.

Matahimik?

I laughed sarcastically. "Subukan niyo akong patayin, baka matahimik nga ako. For good."

Alaine Dilaurentis's jaw literally dropped. She gasped. "We're not criminals like what you think, Fajline! When the fingerprint test results arrive, you'll know!"

Tila siguradong-sigurado si Alaine na wala talaga siyang ginawa. Kampanteng-kampante siyang inosente siya.

Naalala ko na naman ang mga tingin ni Leander. Ang mga tingin niya ay salungat sa mga tingin ni Alaine.

"Can you talk now?" I asked. "Or, do you still have to contact your lawyer?"

Tiningnan ko siya. Nakaupo siya at nakatingala sa akin habang ako naman ay nanatiling nakatayo. I was holding my bag and I gazed at her. Pinandilatan niya ako.