ALMOST

Chapter Twelve

(UNEDITED)

"What the hell, Yanna! Alam mong kaya lang ako pumayag sa interview na yon dahil ang akala ko disente ang mga katanungan nila! That question was not even in the fucking script!" 

Kakatapos lang ng interview ko at kasalukuyan kaming nasa sasakyan ni Yanna. I can't contain my anger anymore, and I feel like I will going to explode anytime. Nagmukha akong tanga sa harap ng camera dahil may mga itinanong sila na wala sa script at masyadong personal.

"Amber, calm down darling." She's trying to calm me down but I can see guilt in her beautiful eyes. She's blaming herself. And i felt sorry for snapping at her.

"It's not your fault." I muttered softly. She didn't say anything but she started to tap away on her iphone.

I closed my eyes and tried to block the questions that Kit, the host of the reality show, asked way back in the studio. I tried.. but I failed.

Is it true that Enzo was the twin brother of Ivan Bullet Alvarez? The guy you're currently dating?

Your mom just arrived last night, did she made a move or contacted you yet?

How did you cope up when Enzo Santillan died?

Fucking annoying dipshit! Bummer-

I snapped back to my senses when my phone rang. I took out my phone, ignored the call and shut the power off.

"Amber, I'm so sorry for this. I swear to God I didn't know any of this.. and I made myself perfectly clear regarding your personal-"

"I know, Yanna. And I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. I was just so upset and I didn't.. I.. I didn't expected the stabbing pain in my chest when she.. Oh God." I sob. I'm not even aware that I'm crying.

"Shh, it's okay." She pulled me into a tight embrace. Just exactly what I needed right now.

I let myself cry in her arms longer than I wanted. But I felt a bit better after the hug. Just a BIT better.

An hour later we're pulling out of Yanna's driveway. I am exhausted, so I pretended to be asleep. I heard her let a sigh before she close the door and walk towards her house.

****

Chynna's POV

"What do you mean she's nowhere to be found?"

Papunta akong kitchen ng marinig ko si kuya. Napatingin ako sa kanya. He's pacing across the living room, phone in his ear.

"Interview? She got upset and then what happened?" Tumitigil siya every now and then para makinig sa kausap niya over the phone. "Did you check her flat? Okay, okay. I'm coming over. Wait for me." And then he hang up.

He continued pacing around, ni hindi niya ako napansin. I look up at his face and frowned when I saw how worried, scared and angry he is.

Napalingon siya ng naglakad ako papunta sa kinatatayuan niya. Our eyes met for a moment then he walk passed me.

"Kuya.." Tawag ko sa kanya bago pa niya tuluyang mahawakan yung door knob ng front door. "Sinong kausap mo?" I asked skeptically.

I heard him heave a sigh before answering.

"Si Trixie. Amber's missing. I don't really know what happened but.."

Hindi ko na siya pinatapos. I grabbed his wrist and almost drag him towards his car.

Pinaharurot niya kaagad ang sasakyan pagkasarang pagkasara niya ng pintuan. We drove in silence for about 20 minutes when his phone ring.

He pressed some button in the steering wheel.

"What? Did you found her?"

"Not yet." I heard Trixie said over the phone. Kuya set it into speaker. "This is not good. Sabi ko na nga ba may mangyayaring hindi maganda eh. The moment I heard tita Emma's name masama na agad ang kutob ko. Seeing her reaction last night, oh my God, where's Amber?" And the next we heard was a sob.

"Wait, who's Emma?" Tanong ni Kuya.

 

"Trixie pull yourself together. You're not making any sense." I heard another voice. "Hello, Ivan puntahan mo kami sa coffee shop katabi ng building ni Amber." Then she ended the call.

I heard Kuya mutter a curse under his breath.

Hindi nagtagal ay nasa coffee shop na  kami. I crane my neck left and right trying to find Trixie.

"Chi, over here!" Napalingon ako sa pinanggalingan ng boses only to find out na naglalakad na si Kuya palapit sa mesa nila.

Wow, hindi naman halatang atat si Kuya. Kaloka.

Naglakad ako papunta sa table nila. May kasama siyang maputi at magandang babae. Mukhang Japanese.

"What happened?" Bungad agad ni Kuya. Grabe wala man lang pakundangan. Ni hindi man lang nagpakilala muna sa kasama ni Trixie.

"Hi, I'm Chynna." Nakangiti kong pakilala sa kasama ni Trixie.

"Yanna." She replied shortly but polite enough.

I slid down to sit, kasabay ng pag-upo ni Kuya sa tabi ko.

  

"Gaya ng sabi ko kanina, tinawagan ako ni Yanna, asking for Amber's whereabouts. Apparently, the talk show asked her some personal questions. Too personal, that stirred Amber's emotion. And then she disappear like a thief in the night. Hindi ma-reach yung phone niya at wala siya sa flat niya." A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Who's Emma?" The moment the words left my mouth, Yanna's and Trixie's faces fell and I knew right there and then na hindi ko magugustuhan ang susunod nilang sasabihin.

Sa tablet lang ako nag-update kaya intindihin niyo nlng yung mga errors. Mas okay magtype habang nakahiga eh. Lol.