San Vicente 1: Tenacious ✅

CHAPTER 18

WHEN SHE WOKE up the today, she stared at her ceiling for at least thirty minutes. She feels lifeless. Hindi niya maipaliwanag yung nararamdaman niya ngayon. She just really feels lost and uncertain. Dati kasi she knows what she wants and dreams. But now, she doesn't know anything.

Mikee's been spending the past few days thinking and re-thinking her choices. Inside her head ay may digmaan pa din ang utak at puso niya. She knows na kailangan niyang panindigan ang desisyon niya. Kairos might feel like they can still go on pero ayaw na niyang lokohin ang sarili niya. There's bound to be an end to this, inunahan niya lang at kahit na durog na durog na ang puso niya, she has to do this.

He never can answer why he wants her to stay.

Ngayong araw ay wala siyang plano na gawin. She just intends to lounge around and watch TV. Kailangan niyang ilayo ang isip niya kay Kairos. Halfway through her day of complete lack of motivation ay narinig niyang may kumatok sa pintuan niya. She wasn't expecting anybody kaya naman sinilip niya muna ang nandoon.

There were three men standing in front of her doorway. Natakot siya doon kasi mag-isa lang siya. What if they do something to her? She was about walk away from the door nang mamukhaan niya ang isa sa mga lalaki. It was one of her father's men. She breathed in slowly and then let it all out bago niya binuksan ang pintuan.

"Good afternoon Ms. Mikee," magalang na bati nung lalaki sa harapan sa kanya.

"Yes James?" Kilala na niya ito pero hindi sila malapit sa isa't isa. Alam niya lang na kapag nakita niya ito ay pinapatawag siya ng tatay niya. "Saan nanaman ako pupunta ngayon?"

She's tired tapos ganito pa na makakaladkad siya papunta sa isang lugar para lang makita ang tatay niya na sigurado naman siyang walang pakialam sa kanya.

"Sa Bulacan," maikling sagot nito.

Never naman silang nagkita ng tatay niya sa iisang lugar. She was always hauled to some location kung saan may trabaho ang tatay niya and then they'd meet there. Hindi rin memorable iyon, it was never to check up on her. It was always to reprimand her o kung ano man. Sa taon nga na ito ay ito lang unang beses na pinatawag siya. The year is already ending.

"Bakit ang layo?" She asked. She wanted to say no.

"May trabaho doon ngayon si Sir. Pinatawag ka lang niya." Sunod lang naman palagi sa utos ang mga ito. They might also be the only ones who knows that she exists.

Pinag-isipan niya kung sasama siya sa mga ito o kung kikitain niya ang ama. She wants to ignore him pero alam niya na kakaladkarin lang siya ng mga tao nito kung tumanggi siya. She never really had a say in things like these.

"Magbibihis lang ako." She sighed. "Maghintay na lang kayo diyan, I don't like having people in my house."

Alam na ng mga ito ang ugali niya. She doesn't interact with them. She hates every single thing that is related to her father. Noong mas bata siya ay pera lang nito ang gusto niya. He never loved her anyway, bakit kailangan mahalin niya din ito? There were also some instances that he actually physically hurt her. There was even no remorse in him when he did that.

Makalipas ng ilang minuto ay lumabas na siya at tinungo ang kanyang sasakyan. She opted for an all-black corporate attire. Mikee wanted to blend in para din hindi siya mapansin. The last time she attempted to wear casual clothes or inappropriate clothes ay ilang beses siyang nasampal nito, someone almost saw them together that time. If that happened, either will be tagged as having an illegitimate child or a very young mistress and none of those will help him. Meeting him should be kept in the down low kung hindi ay magkakaroon ito ng epekto sa social and political standing ng tatay niya.