Teardrops in Daylight (Salvaje Caballero Series 3)

Veinticuatro

Hers

Kumunot ang noo ko ng makita si Zeijan na nag-aantay kasama ang security guard. Ngayon lang ata nalate ang magulang niya na sumundo sa kanya?

Without a second thought, I walked towards him.  He smiled when he saw me.

"Let's wait together." I smiled.

Ilang sandali pa ay dumating ang pamilyar na sasakyan. Bumaba naman si Zach at lumapit sa amin.

I gulped when he planted a soft kiss on my head when he arrived.

"How's you day?" he asked and sat beside Zeijan. Pinagitnahan naman nila akong dalawa.

"Fine...you?"

He wrinkled his nose and just pouted.

"Tiring.." he mumbled.

Zeijan looked at us with his eyebrow raised. He even crossed his arms looking at his tito.

Agad namang nawala ang atensiyon ng bata noong dumating ang isang sasakyan.

"There's My and Dy!" he screamed and pointed at the beautiful couple walking towards us.

I smiled when I saw how the kid is so happy seeing his parents. I suddenly missed my grandmother.

I stood up when they both formally introduced theirselves.

"Nice to finally meet you, Maam." Ynoa uttered. I smiled back at her. She's...so beautiful and young. How old is she when she had Zeijan then?

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Tanong ni Roemer kay Zach pagkatapos nakipagkamayan sa akin.

"Sinusundo yung teacher ng anak mo." bastos na sagot naman ni Zach.

Roemer looked shocked. He smirked.

"Kailangang malaman nila Nathan." sambit niya at nagsimulang magtype sa kanyang cellphone. Pinigilan naman siya ni Ynoa at sinaway.

"Gago ka Roemer, mind your own lovelife!" inis na sambit ni Zach pero natawa lang naman ang dalawa.

Nagpaalam sila bago tumulak. Sumunod naman kami ni Zach na umalis at sabay na umuwi. Kailangan niya ulit na bumalik sa trabaho at tuwing lunch time kasi ay sinusundo niya ako at hinahatid sa kanyang bahay.

One unexpected time when Marcus approached me in school. I suddenly wondered what he's going to say but I'll just hear him out.

"Tami, where are you staying?"

Agad na kumabog ang dibdib ko sa tanong niya.

"I was about to give you the developed photos during our team building, you asked for a copy."

"Dione said....you left." he added and looked hesitant.

I smiled even when my heart is beating so fast.

"I....found new apartment." I lied. I can't just tell my co teacher that I'm living with Zach. We're...not yet married. It'll be problem especially that I'm a teacher.

He smiled. "It's fine. Here it is."

He handed me a small paper bag. I accepted it of course.

"Thank you."

He nodded and smiled again. "Welcome."

And just like that he left me in my room when I was fixing my things. Just when I was about go out, my heart beated out of nervousness when I saw Dione in front of the gate.

I bit my lip knowing that Zach can't fetch me today because he's busy with his work. Natapos na kasi nila ang annex dito sa school kaya sa iba siya nagtratrabaho ngayon.

With puffy eyes, she looked so much different now. Hindi din nakatakas ang pasa sa gilid ng kanyang labi kahit halatang linagyan niya ng mga make up.

Agad na kumulo ang dugo ko nang maisip kung sino ng maaring gumawa sa kanya ng ganun. That.......Lorenzo!

Kita ko ang gulat niya nang makita akong nasa harapan niya, tila ba hindi niya naramdaman ang presensya ko.

"T-tami."

May kung ano sa dibdib ko ang masakit pa din dahil sa mga sinabi niya sa akin pero nangibabaw pa din ang pag-aalala.

"Bakit ganyan ang itsura mo?"

At parang gripong nabuksan, tuluyang nalaglag ang kanyang luha habang nakatingin sa akin.

"Lorenzo..."

She covered her face and cried more. What did he do? Binugbog ka? Ano?

"Ano?"

Umiiling siya habang takip pa din ang mukha, kumawala ang mumunting hikbi niya at parang hahagulgol na.

I feel so much pain seeing her cry like this. Kung hindi man niya ako pinaniwalaan, at kung hindi niya ako tinuring na kaibigan...pwes ako, tinuring ko siyang kaibigan. At sapat na iyon para mag-alala. Sapat na para samahan siya, sapat na para makinig kung ano man ang sasabihin niya.

She's...a firefighter, she's a strong willed woman. And to see her so weak and helpless like this, I can't imagine what she is going through. Why...are you crying like this?

"...raped me." she whispered.

"What?"

She broke down crying while I stood there....with her words echoed in my head. Raped.....her?

Lorenzo raped her? He...raped her own girlfriend?!

My heart bleeds for Dione, and I wasn't able to think what to do. My anger for Lorenzo spread like a wildfire from the pit of my heart.

And.....I will never forgive him!

"H-he raped me.." she mumbled while sobbing.

Hindi ko namalayan na napaiyak na din ako. Walang pag-aalinlangan akong umupo din at yinakap ang kaibigan. Sa harap ng gate ng paaralan, sa ilalim ng masinag na sikat ng araw....na kung gaano kaliwanag ay siyang kadilim ang nararamdaman ng aking kaibigan.

"Ipapakulong natin siya." galit kong sambit at hinaplos ang likod ng kaibigan.

Nanginginig ang balikat niyang yumakap pabalik sa akin. Pilit ko siyang pinapatayo pero umiiling siya.

"H-hindi pwede.." humihikbi niyang sagot.

"Ang ano?"

"H-hindi....siya pwedeng makulong."

Humihikbi siyang tumingin sa akin, habang umiiling pa din.

"He threatened me to expose....our sex scandal." she cried..

"Walang na ngang maniniwala sa akin...masisira pa ako." dagdag niya.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita at wala na akong alam kung ano ang dapat na gawin.

"He....set me up. I didn't...know he was filming us everytime we had sex." she whispered.

"What?"

"T-there's a lot..of it. No one...will believe me." she added.

I have never despised anyone. I have never loathed anyone. But right now......I wished for Lorenzo's karma. And I do...not curse. But right now, fuck you Lorenzo.

Again, fuck you Lorenzo!