The Accused (A Series #1)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Iced on her space. The moment was sending her to a different angle of stupefaction. She was drowning, that was what she knew... until the cold that was enveloping her was melted by a sudden flame of a voice that fires like a bullet.

"August, are you okay?"

It was like she was programmed to move and to feel again. Everything became real and viable.

"August..."

She flinched with the touch that carefully pressed some skin on her skin. Someone was waking her on a trance that she lost herself. Siya lang... siya lang ang nawala.

"August... c'mon, wake up!"

And she did.

When she opened her eyes, she was still in the car. Nakatulog na pala siya. And she even dreamed of that! Just how much did she drain herself for today?

"You're murmuring words... you're dreaming..."

Yeah, she's definitely dreaming. What happened to her dream needed a hefty miracle to cross the bridge of materiality.

"I... uh... I just had a dream."

Finno scrutinizingly peered at her. "Yeah, I see that. What was the dream?"

Calev was about to cry and he embraced her.

She wanted to blurt it out but then she knew it would take more than a minute before Finno dismissed such talk.

She could imagine him blabbering unending questions. Who's Calev? Why would he cry? Why did he hug you? What happened next? And more of the same sort.

So she dropped in the easiest way. "I can't remember."

Finno had the look like he needed some convincing.

"I swear, di ko na maalala."

"You were mumbling words... leave, run... I don't want... things like that. Maybe you can remember—"

"I really can't."

Agad niyang tinanggal ang seatbelt nang makitang nasa may garage na pala sila ng mansion. Hindi niya alam kung kakarating lang ba nila or pinanuod pa siya nitong si Finno na managinip. Di din naman kasi kalayuan ang bahay nila sa resort.

She let her eyes wandered around inside the car nang may mapansin.

"Where's Aurine?"

"Pinapasok ko na kanina." May pagtataka pa din sa paninitig nito. "Do you have something to say?"

Natigilan naman siya sa naging tanong nito. Sandali siyang napatitig dito before she awkwardly laughed it all out.

"What?" tanong nalang niya.

Finno just stared at her before he heaved a sigh and smiled at her. Pero napansin niyang di ito umabot sa mga mata nito. Pinagsawalang bahala niya nalang ito.

She was about to go out of the car when he spoke.

"You mentioned a man's name."

Hindi niya alam kung paano, pero parang nadidinig niya ang bilis ng tahip ng kanyang dibdib. She felt like her heart was hollering to be freed.

Damn! Bakit ba siya ganito kinakabahan? Wala naman siyang maling ginawa.

"Calev... that's the name."

Mas lalong nagwala ang puso niya. Hindi pa siya handa sa usaping iyon. Ayaw niya na munang balikan ang lahat. She wanted to keep it all to herself first. Gusto na muna niyang solohin ang di maipaliwanag na nararamdaman sa pagkikita ulit nila ng lalake sa nakaraan niya. Gusto niya munang dibdibin ang takot sa muling pagtatagpo nila.