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XXIII. Help Me!
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2024-10-29 19:42:56“Hey little sister!” bati ng kanyang kuya Marco sa kabilang linya.
“Hey big bro! Kumusta ang mga pamangkin ko?” Nakaupo siya sa supa at nanunuod ng food channel nang tumawag ito.
Two days na silang nago-overtime dahil palapit na ang year-end kaya naman ngayon ay wala siyang ganang maglinis.
“Okay lang namimiss ka–“
“Tita uwi ka na dito–“ saad ng limang taong gulang na si Angel.
“–miss ka na namin,” sabat naman ng apat na taong si Margoh.
“Miss you too dearest!” aniya.
“Dito ka magpapasko tita?” tanong ni Margoh na nauutal pa.
“Siyempre! Wala na siyang nobyo eh,” saad ng kanyang kuya.
“Kuya!” natatawang saway niya dito.
One month ago inamin niyang wala na sila ni Drake pero hindi niya sinabi dito kung ano ang totoong dahilan. Ang alam nito siya ang nakipagbreak dahil hindi na niya kaya ang pagiging busy nito. Naintindihan ito ng kanyang kuya dahil abogado rin ito at ganoon rin ang nagiging problema nila noon ng nobya na asawa na niya ngayon.
“Ikaw talaga napakagaling mong mang-asar.”
Tumawa ito sa sinabi niya. “Eh totoo naman ah.”
“Oo na, oo na, wala na akong boyfriend. I’ll become an old maid and dote on my dearest nieces and make my brother’s life a living hell,” at tumawa siya na parang mangkukulam.
Tawang-tawa ito sa kanya. “I’m sorry sis hindi na kita tutuksuhin so please spare me.”
Namiss rin niya ang kanyang kuya. Busy siya sa trabaho kaya naman hindi na niya nagawang magbakasyon.
“Eh kumusta naman kayo ni Marsden? Anyayahan mo naman siyang pumunta dito pag nagkaoras kayo at ng makita ko naman ang kaibigan kong ‘yon.”
Natigilan si Trisha nang marinig ang pangalan ni Marsden. One week na ang lumipas na wala silang contact. Nahihiya siyang maunang magparamdam dito.
“Sasabihin ko sa kanya.” Nakokonsensya na si Trisha dahil ang dami na niyang inililihim sa kapatid.
“Angel wanted to talk to you.”
“Tita Trisha, we will going to have a baby brother,” masayang balita nito.
“No! little shister, I want little shister!” sigaw ni Margoh.
“Congratulations dearest…ayyy…what will her or his name be?”
“Jacob!” saad ni Angel with conviction.
“Margoh!” sigaw ni Margoh.
“But your name is Margoh,” aniya.
“Hmmmm…hmmm…Trisha?!” anitong nag-isip saglit.
Natawa siya. “Oh like Trisha the second?”
“Yesh!”
Narinig niya na nagtatalo ang dalawa kung babae o lalaki.
“Two months pa lang kaya naman wala pang tama sa dalawa,” saad ng kanyang kuya.
“Congrats kuya, madadagdagan na naman ang makukulit kong pamangkin.”
“Saan pa ba magmamana ang mga ito eh di sa tita nilang wala ring tigil sa pagsasalita noon.”
Natawa si Trisha sa sinabi nito. She really talked too much before.
“O sige na at nag-aaway na ang dalawa,” paalam nito.
“Bye, send my congratulations to ate Heide.”
Nang ibaba ni Trisha ang cellphone hindi niya maiwasang mainggit sa kanyang kuya. It is so nice to have children surrounding you, talking incessantly, lively playing around. She remembered how much she wanted to have her own. She knew she was still young but her heart was screaming for a family and settling down.
Nang ilabas ni Trisha ang black bag na puno ng b****a sa may gate nakita niya ang umpok ng mga babaeng kapitbahay sa may malapit na tindahan.
Nag-uusap ang mga ito sa nangyaring nakawan sa kabilang block. Narinig niya na may akyat bahay na sumalakay sa isang boarding house na di kalayuan sa kanila.
Hindi ito pinansin ni Trisha kahapon ngunit ngayong narinig niya ito ulit tumaas ang kanyang balahibo sa batok. Siya lang mag-isa sa apartment. Ang kabilang apartment na nakapaloob sa gate niya ay last year pa nabakante. Tiningnan niya ang layo ng mga kapitbahay. Malawak ang loteng nabili ng kanyang land lady kaya naman may kalayuan din ang kapitbahay niya at tsaka ang apartment niya ang huling bahay dito sa village.
Dali-dali siyang pumasok and locked the gate at pati na rin ang kanyang front door. Maaga pa naman kaya hindi niya muna isinara ang jalousieng bintana.
Kinuha niya ang bagong bili niyang Romance Book at humilata sa supa. Inukupa ng binabasa ang kanyang atensyon hanggang sa hindi niya namalayang takip-silim na pala.
Pagkatapos niyang kumain ng cereals with fresh milk ay isinarado na niya ang mga bintana and locked it. Ngayon niya lang naalala na wala nga palang double lock ang kanyang pinto. “Naprapraning lang ako!” pagre-reassure niya sa sarili.
Ginising si Trisha nang kaluskus sa ibaba. Hindi siya agad bumangon dahil akala niya nananaginip lang siya ngunit nang marinig niya ang mga paang dahan-dahang umaakyat ay kinakabahan siyang bumangon at pinuntahan ang pinto. Sinigurado niyang nakalock ang door knob.
She was breathing hard and fast. To calm herself she inhale and exhale slowly. Hindi nakakatulong ang kanyang pagpapanic. Unti-unti siyang narerelax nang isipin na hindi siya magagalaw ng mga ito dahil nakalock naman ang pinto at tiyak na pagnanakaw lamang ang intensyon ng mga ito.
“dito nakatira ‘yong magandang babae na sumasakay sa may kanto,” bulong ng isang magnanakaw.
“Hooh! Swerte natin pare,” pabulong namang saad ng isa.
Inilapat ni Trisha ang tenga sa pinto kaya naman rinig na rinig niya ang bulongan ng dalawa. Naitakip niya ang mga palad sa bibig upang pigilan ang kanyang panginginig dahil sa takot sa gustong gawin ng mga ito.
“Putya! Manyakis ka”
“Tikman naman natin…”
Hindi na niya narinig ang mga ito dahil dali-dali na niyang kinuha ang cellphone and called Chloe.
“Chlo help! M-may magnanakaw at–“ Naibaba ni Trisha ang kamay na may dalang cellphone nang biglang makita ang paggalaw ng door knob.
Sinusubukan nilang buksan ang kanyang pinto. Naiiyak na si Trisha. Katabi ng kanyang kwarto ang parteng walang bahay. Dahan-dahan niyang binuksan ang glass sliding window at sinuri kung kaya niyang bumaba s bintana ngunit nawalan siya ng pag-asa nang makitang wala itong kahit isang indention na maaari sana niyang kapitan. Naisipan niyang sumigaw ngunit hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin ng mga magnanakaw baka may dalang armas ang mga ito. Hindi rin siya sigurado kung maririnig ng mga kapitbahay.
Nang makita ang kumot sa kama dali-dali niya itong kinuha. Naghanap siya ng matatalian nito ngunit wala siyang makita. She was frustrated. She went to the double bed foam mattress and tried to pull it to barricade the door but she can’t pull it through. It was so heavy and she doesn’t think wasting time was good.
Nakita niya ang upuan sa may ibaba ng bintana kung saan siya nagbabasa. Medyo mabigat ito pero kumpara sa higaan mas madali niya itong nabarikada. She seated over it to add weight.
“Putya! Bilisan mo,” bulong ng isa.
“May naririnig akoang kaluskus sa loob, mukhang gising na ata. Mabuti pang umalis na tayo,” sabi ng isa na natatakot na.
“Ulol! Minsan lang natin ‘tong magawa...tikman na natin.”
Naalala niyang kunin ang cellphone sa kama na iniwan niya nang kargahin ang upuan. Ngunit nang bumalik siya sa pagkakupo ay narinig niya ang pag-unlock ng door knob at naramdaman ang paggalaw ng pinto nang subukang itulak ng nasa kabila. Agad niyang binitawan ang cellphon at inilapat ang mga kamay sa pintuan upang itulak ito with all her strenght. Tumutulo na ang luhang pilit niyang pinipigilan kanina upang hindi mawalan ng pag-asa. She was now praying to the Father for protection. Repeatedly saying “help me”.
Ngunit kahit anong gawing tulak ni Trisha ay hindi niya kayang talunin ang pwersa ng mga lalaking nagpipilit makapasok upang gawan siya ng masama. Pumasok sa kanyang isipan na ibalik sa pagkakalock ang door knob. Ngunit bago pa man niya magawa ay nagkaroon na ng gap sa pintuan at ipinasok ng isa ang kamay nito. Instantly, her adrenaline pushed her to bit the annoying arm that was trying to push the chair. Napasigaw ito ngunit agad nitong pinigilan.
Nang bawiin nito ang kamay agad isinara ni Trisha ang pinto at inilock. Napaupo siya sa upuan at huminga ng malalim. She felt weary–emotionally and physically. She was relieved nang pilit parin nilang itinulak ang pinto ngunit nagpapasalamat siya dahil protektado na siya ng lock. Pero hanggang kailan niya mapipigilan ang mga ito.
Ilang segundo lang ang lumipas nang maramdaman niya ang malakas na paggalaw ng pintuan.
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Be Officially Mine XXVIII. The Pretense
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Trisha was in pain when she heard everything. The things he’d been through. She remembered her parents’ death. She also didn’t had the chance to say goodbye. Even though she loved her parents so much, she was used to not seeing them regularly. They were always busy with their priorities which were obviously not their children and not even each other. She was devastated but she had his brother to share the pain with. And their deaths were quick, an accident and Trisha knew it didn’t made them suffer. It’s not a disease that will slowly eat them up and gave them pain of knowing that every passing day might be their last. Trisha understand that Marsden had a lot of if onlys–but she also understood why his mother distanced herself from him. It’s always for her son’s sake. So that he could learn and get used to live without her already because she knew her time was ticking. Trisha’s heart was aching for h
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After a while, she raised her head, blew her nose with her handkerchief and looked at him. He wiped a drop of tear upon her lip. “What happened?”“It’s because of me…it’s my fault, I killed an innocent child Mars.”“What are you talking about?”She retold Chelsea’s accusations and it angered him.“Nothing happened that night, I just let him kiss me to show him I don’t feel anything anymore, to have a closure, for him to leave me alone.”“Hey, hey, listen to me,” gently palming her cheeks with both hands. “It’s not your fault, it was an accident.”“I know, yet I’m so afraid…what if karma befell me. I know I shouldn’t because God won’t be that cruel pero kasalanan pa rin ‘yun. She lost her child because of me, because I let Ash kissed me that night. I have the choice to stop it but I didn’t–““And what are you afraid of? That someday it will also happen to you?” Napansin niyang natigilan ito. “We all have our sins Trish and what you think you’ve done is not even your fault at all.
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Weeks passed and Marsden and Trisha enjoyed every moment spent with each other. They read books together, do joggings together at the park Marsden usually do joggings. Marsden stayed with her in her apartment, together they went to the office and when Marsden needed to extend his time at work, he always asked Gareth, one of his trusted employees to drive her home using Marsden’s car.Trisha knew her friends noticed the change in their relationship but she always denies it. They both agreed to keep it secret and asked Chloe and Rudy to do the same. In the eyes of the others who knew them both they were just friends. Wala rin namang malaking pagbabago dahil sanay narin ang mga kaibigan na palagi siyang hinahatid at sinusundo ni Marsden pero siguro dahil na rin sa effort nitong mahatid siya araw-araw, at sa mga chocolates na dumarating, pati na rin sa mga pagkain kapag nag-oovertime sila kaya naman minsan iba ang ngiti ni Jay sa kanya.Everyday, waking up with Marsden was like livin
Be Officially Mine LV. Lovers
When Trisha woke up the next morning, she felt like someone who had finally woken up from sleeping for years. She just lay there and closed her eyes again to thanks God for this another day. Last night she thought it would be her last or if not, Arnel would definitely left her devastated and surely ruined. She wanted to cry again, not of fear this time but thankful and relieved to have her guardian angels. “Marsden,” she whispered as his face appeared on her consciousness. She can’t stop the blush traveling over her face as she remembered something else that happened last night. Naitakip niya ang mga palad sa mukha as the events played before her eyes. Feeling giddy for the words he’d uttered and guilty, definitely guilty for sleeping on him. When finally she decided to clean up and went down to the kitchen, her stomach growled with the delicious smell coming from there. Trisha thought him gone but she heard his voice singing along with the music on his phone. Nakita niyang b
Be Officially Mine LIV. Love And Obsession
Jade was calling Arnel for the hundredth time but it’s always out of coverage. She was anxious to know what happened and even excited to hear her enemy’s downfall. A sly grin slowly appeared over her face. Finally, if Trisha get devastated and change her positivity, Jade’s beloved Ash wouldn’t like the bitch anymore, and she will have him for good. Finally! Finally! But the bastard Arnel can’t be reached and it’s disturbing her nerves. She was about to leave and go to the bar where Arnel wasn’t banned when someone knocked on her bedroom door repeatedly. Her dad is in congress and her mom visited her friends. Who could it be? “I’m coming, I’m coming,” aniyang naiinis at padabog na binuksan ang pinto. “A-Ash!” Jade was a little bit shocked to see him and a sudden burst of anxiety dwells in her rapidly beating heart. What if Ash realized what she’d done? But he looked calm, maybe he is here to ask her out. She pasted her sweetest smile. “Hey, come in.” She led him to her sof
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“We should terminate the contract to avoid being caught up with his illegal deeds,” Marsden said in anger. “But sir–“ “Your department is the one whose responsibility is to check the credibility of the people we get into contract with. How come, that this problem is here now taunting our patience.” He looked at their eyes one by one. “Don’t make me caught you receiving commissions from our clientele just for their papers to pass the screening.” They just looked down and received his scolding. This is a serious matter. These men are in the company even when his grandfather was still the chairman. He trusted their loyalties but someone is surely having his loyalty bought. “Sir!” bulong ni Hans sa kanya. “Nasa office mo si Trisha at Drew.” Napangiti siya nang marinig ang pangalan ni Trisha pero nagulat siya ng marinig na kasama nito si Drew. Worriedly, he excused himself at pumunta sa kanyang opisina. He saw Drew outside of his office. He was angry and worried while Drew re
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Be Officially Mine LI. Violently Jealous
“God! She’s killing me!” Marsden whispered to himself when he got inside his car. It’s getting harder to control himself around her. He wanted to give in, he wanted to feel her, embraced her, wrapped himself with her heat. But his mind, the one who keeps on reminding him of his promise not to let his heart rule again over his head, waking him like a drench of cold water. He snorted with the thought that she wanted to learn flirting. She’s already a killer and he’s not sure if he can survive the next time. He tried to keep it cool, everytime this crazy attraction pulls him like a magnet and every day gets harder and harder to resist. Tomorrow, he should tell Trisha to stop what she feels because he doesn’t feel the same, such a big lie. He should stop this and if being far from her is the only solution then he had no other choice. ‘*** “Teka, ang aga pa ata nangangapitbahay ka na?” aniya
Be Officially Mine L. My New Neighbor
Days passed and Trisha and Marsden renewed their friendship. Eating together at breakfast and sometimes at dinner. But one thing that change is that he never sleepover anymore. Even when the rain never stop pouring, he always had reasons to go. Sometimes it makes Trisha laugh to think he was afraid that she would lose into temptation and ravish him at night. But then, reality also makes her sad that even though their friendship was returned, he was still careful and maybe just trying to spare her feelings…he might not have directly told her to stop but she felt how much he avoided her failed flirtations. It was not easy really, because Trisha don’t know how to flirt. With her previous relationships, she wasn’t actually into flirting, was not motivated or doesn’t have the chance or maybe theirs were different with how she felt with Marsden. However, she is quiet enjoying it. Everytime he looked at her in a way that to
