8. I am not falling in love again.

Mabilis na lumipas ang isang buwan. Exams, quizzes, recitations, practicum, trabaho, at kulitan. And before Ally knew it, it was already the day when she, Amelia and Kyla would leave their house.

Noong isang linggo, pormal ng ibinigay sa kanya ang napanalunan niyang bahay. Hindi nga lang sila nakalipat dahil naglinis pa siya. Well, hindi lang siya. S'yempre nakabuntot na naman ang tatlo niyang bodyguards.

"Alam n'yo ba kung paano maglinis?" tanong niya sa tatlo noon.

"OA nito. Hello, hindi naman masyadong marumi rito dahil nga nilinis na ito bago gawing papremyo sa raffle n'yo" sagot ni Leio na masyadong tunog defensive.

"May alikabok pa rin," saad niyang natawa dahil binatukan ni Zion si Leio.

"You and your big mouth bro!"

"What?" reklamo nit. "It's a matter of fact!"

"Whatever. You're not helping Ally with your arguments," sabad ni Ethan na pinagitnaan sina Zion at Leio. "So, shall we start?"

In the end, imbes makapaglinis sila, nakasira pa ng gamit ang tatlo. Since she won the fully furnished, and neither of the three knew how to operate kitchen stuff and were too hi-tech for Ally, ayon, muntik na nilang masunog ang bahay nang tangkain nilang magluto.

"Sigurado ka bang wala kayong ililipat na mga gamit?" tanong ni Ethan habang kumakain na lang ng pizza na pinadeliver nila.

"Mga damit lang siguro."

"Eh 'di hindi mo na kami kailangan?" i Leio.

"I think we can manage."

"We already talked about it, Ally. Tutulungan ka namin. Or kahit ako na lang. Ipagdadrive ko kayo," giit ni Ethan.

"Ako rin. I think kaya kong magbuhat ng mga boxes," Zion said which made Leio roll his eyes.

"Oh, eh 'di ako na rin," saad nito.

Allison chuckled.

"Seriously guys---"

"So, it's been already agreed upon. We will come and fetch you next Saturday," putol ni Ethan sa sasabihin niya.

Kaya gaya ng napag-usapan, hinihintay ngayon ni Ally ang tatlo para sunduin sila. Kanina pa sila naka-pack at nagtataka na ang kanyang ina at kapatid kung bakit sila nag-alsa balutan bigla-bigla.

"Magbabakasyon po tayo, mama," she told her mother na wala pa ring ideya na lilipat na sila sa sarili nilang bahay.

Naiinip na siya kahit pa nagtext na si Ethan na male-late sila nang kaunti.

She was texting Ethan back when they heard commotions outside.

"Check it out, Ky," utos niya sa kapatid na sumilip naman sa pintuan.

"Ate!" namumutla itong humarap sa kanila. "Sunog!"

"Ano?!"

-----

"What's with the so heavy traffic today?" Ethan impatiently said for the nth time in the last thirty minutes.

Late na sila ng isang oras sa usapan nila ni Ally. Bukod kasi sa traffic ay hindi siya nakaalis agad sa bahay nila. His parents arrived from NYC and for the first time in forever, looked for their son.

He texted Ally again. He didn't like having her to wait. Ayaw niya itong bigyan ng impression that he couldn't keep his word.

"Bro, relax. Ally said she will wait," saad ni Leio .

"Guys, look," ibinaba ni Zion ang bintana sa passenger's seat at may itinuturong makapal na usok. "May sunog!"

"Sh*t!" he exclaimed. "Tell me that's not from Ally's place!" he felt his adrenaline rushing to his head while noting the direction of the fire.

"I'll call Ally," Leio volunteered sa bagay na hindi na niya naisip gawin.

Pinuno na ng kaba ang dibdib niya with every shaking of Leio's head.

"She's not answering," sabi nito.

"She gotta be okay," kinakabahan niyang saad. "Don't stop calling her."

The traffic wasn't moving at all. Mas lalo siyang kinabahan nang marinig nila ang mga firetrucks. May sunog nga at malaki ang possibilidad na kina Ally iyon.

"I can't wait here without doing anything," sabi niyang nag-alis ng seatbelt.

"Ethan!" pinigilan siya ni Zion sa braso. "Let's just wait!"

"What if Ally's in there?" tanong niya sa kaibigan.

"What will you do, huh? Susugod ka? You will endanger yourself!"

"What if she needs me? I need to make sure if she's okay!" marahas niyang binawi ang braso sa pagkakahawak ni Zion at dali-daling bumaba ng sasakyan.

"Ethan!" sumunod si Zion, leaving the van to Leio. "Don't be stubborn!"

Wala na siyang pakialam habang tumatakbo. Ally needs him. He couldn't wait and stay calm hangga't hindi niya nasisigurong okay ito.

"I'm coming, Allison!"

Kung mapapahamak si Ally at ang pamilya ito, kasalanan niya. He shouldn't have kept her waiting.

--

Unfortunately for Ally and Kyla, they had trouble going out dahil hindi sila makasabay sa bugso ng mga nagmamadaling makalabas sa sunog. They had to protect their mother at all cost.

Nakalabas naman sila minus all their belongings plus first to second degree burns on their arms and legs.

Kaya sa halip na sa bago nilang bahay ang diretso nila, nasa ospital sila ngayon.

"Ang importante ligtas tayo nina mama," she told her crying sister.

Hindi pa sila makalabas sa ospital kasi wala silang pambayad. Aminado siya that she didn't care about anything else during the fire but to save her mother and sister. Wala siyang presence of mind gayong naka-pack naman na sila at nasa shoulder bag naman niya ang pera at cellphone niya. She forgot to bring anything because she was more concerned on how to get out of the fire alive.

Nahihiya man, wala siyang choice kundi kontakin ang kaisa isang number na kabisado niya - kay Ethan. Nakiusap lang siya sa isang nurse kanina at ngayon ay umaasa na nakuha ni Ethan ang mensahe niya.

It was already a couple of hours since then. Nawawalan na siya ng pag-asa. Baka magmamakaawa na lang siya sa ospital na palabasin na lang muna sila at babalik na lang siya para magbayad.

She was going to approach a nurse nang dumating si Zion na halatang nagmadali.

"Zion!" she was very relieved to see him.

"Allison! Ethan sent me," sabi nitong nilapitan siya sabay suri sa mga tinamo niyang pinsala. "Thank goodness you're safe."

"I am. I thought Ethan didn't get my message. I left my phone in the fire and ---- where's Ethan?"

"He needed to attend to some important matter. Kaya ako ang pinapunta niya. He was so worried about you, Allison."

"I'm sorry. Hindi ako nakapag-isip nang maayos. I left everything," yumuko siya. "If only I've paid more attention."

"Ally," ipinatong nito ang dalawang kamay sa balikat niya. "That's not true. Nakaligtas kayo. That's very brave to get out of there alive," tumingin ito sa likuran niya kung saan nakaupo ang obvious namang nanay at kapatid niya dahil kamukha niya ang mga ito. "At iyon ang importante."

Muntik na siyang maluha sa harapan ni Zion. Parang ngayon lang din nag-sink in sa kanya na just few hours ago, literal silang tumatakas sa mala-impyernong sunog sa lugar nila.

Hinila niya ang binata at ipinakilala sa ina at kapatid.

"Mama, Kyla, si Zion, kaibigan ko. 'Andito po siya para tulungan tayo. Zion, mama ko at kapatid ko."

Nagmano si Zion kay Amelia at ginulo naman ang buhok ni Kyla.

"Ikinagagalak ko pong makilala ang pamilya ni Ally."

Amelia, who couldn't speak properly held Zion's hand habang maluha-luha.

"Salamat kuya Zion," sabi naman ni Kyla.

"Walang anuman. Malapit naming kaibigan ang ate mo," Zion assured.

Without further ado, inayos ni Zion ang bill nila at ipinagmaneho na rin sila papunta sa bago nilang bahay.

-----

Sa lahat naman ng pagkakataon na masasaktan siya sa isang sunog, 'yong lugar nila Ally pa ang nasunog. At kung 'di ba naman sutil din ang timing, ngayon pang nasa Pilipinas ang mga magulang niya.

Paano niya ngayon ipapaliwanag ang baling braso ng unico hijo ng mga ito?

"Bro, that was very stupid!" Leio teased na kasama niya sa hospital suite niya "Eh mas malala pa inabot mo kaysa kay Allison eh."

"Shut up."

Iniumang niya sa kaibigan ang braso niyang may cast at supported ng arm sling. It would take some time para makarecover iyon. He was lucky enough na four weeks lang magtatagal ang cast niya according to his doctor.

Now, how did he end up breaking a bone?

May tinulungan kasi siyang bata at pinrotektahan sa falling debris. Wala naman siyang pinagsisisihan. That child may even remember him as her hero. And he was happy to help.

Ang problema, hindi niya nakita si Allison. 'Yong supposed to be na damsel in distress na ililigtas niya ay nailigtas ang sarili nito na hindi kinailangan ang tulong niya.

"Nabayaran mo na ba ang bill ko rito?" iritableng tanong niya kay Leio.

"Ako pa ba?" ngisi nito. "Ipaalala mong sisingilin kita."

Hindi niya ito pinansin. He would pay Leio. Hindi naman sa wala siyang pera at kailangan pa niyang umutang. Ayaw lang niyang malaman ng kanyang ina na nagkaroon ng hospital charge ang credit card niya. For sure, mas mahihirapan siyang itago ang nangyari sa kanya.

"Did Zion say that Allison's okay?"

"Yes, sir. In fact naihatid na sila ni Zion sa bago nilang bahay. Too bad, the sponsor himself wasn't the one who welcomed them," Leio continued to tease him.

"Zion will take care of them," kampante niyang saad.

Pero sa loob niya, gusto niyang siya sana ang kasama ni Ally. Gusto niyang makilala ang pamilya ng dalaga. Gusto niya sanang makita ang reaksyon ng mga ito kapag sinabi ni Ally na meron na silang sariling bahay.

Kaso heto siya, hindi naman siya ang nasunugan pero siya pa itong nasa ospital. He hated it that when Ally sent him a desperate message asking for his help, he couldn't come. Instead, he asked Zion to help her on his behalf. But he wanted so bad na siya ang pumunta at dumamay sa dalaga. Unfortunately, hindi siya makakatulong sa kalagayan niya.

Isa pa, tatanungin ni Ally kung ano ang nangyari sa kanya. And he wouldn't want to tell her. Ayaw niyang ma-guilty ito. Ayaw niyang mag-alala si Allison.

"Ethan," untag ni Leio, he realized na napalalim na ang pag-iisip niya.

"Huh?"

"You really like Ally, don't you?" seryoso nitong tanong.

"She's our friend. Friends help each other," sagot niya.

"Ethan Montenegro, matagal na kitang kilala. Not as much as Zion know you, pero alalahanin mong nakita ko kung paano mo minahal si Felicity. This care and attention you are giving Allison is becoming more and more like the way you treated your ex."

"I am not falling in love again, Leio," mariin niyang tugon.

"Okay. Suit yourself then," his friend shrugged pero ipupusta niya lahat ng yaman ng pamilya niya, hindi ito naniniwala sa kanya.

Ethan looked away as memories began flooding his mind.

No. Felicity is not like Allison. Traydor ang babaeng iyon. Mukhang pera. Social climber at gold digger. She only loved him because he's a billionaire's son. She never truly loved him.

Ang masakit, minahal niya ito nang totoo. Minahal niya ito sa lahat ng paraang alam niya. He gave her everything. Ipinaglaban niya ito kahit na isang araw ay bigla na lang itong nawala na walang paliwanag kung bakit. They parted without closure.

But later on, he found out that the true reason why she left him was because his mother paid her. Five million pesos was the cost of her love.

He was deeply hurt. That was all the closure he needed.

Mula noon, isinumpa niya sa kanyang sarili na kahit kailan, hinding-hindi na ulit siya magmamahal. Girls do not deserve his love.

Pare-pareho lang ang mga ito na hindi ang pagkatao niya ang nagugustuhan. They only like him because of his money. Because he's Ethan Montenegro.

But when the day turns into a cold night, when all the riches fade away, walang matitira na dadamay sa kanya.

"So how are you going to tell your parents about your arm?"

"They do not need to know."

"How exactly do you plan to hide your cast from them?"

"Ampunin mo ako."

"Oh no!" protesta nito. "You are so not going to ruin my image Ethan Montenegro! Hindi ako magpapatira ng kapwa ko lalaki sa condo ko!"

Ngumisi siya. Alam naman niyang nag-uuwi ito ng iba't ibang babae gabi gabi sa condo nito.

"Be careful man or else one of these days, you're going to catch HIV."

"Says who? The manwhore?"

"Excuse me? I'm not like you anymore."

It was Leio's turn to smirk.

"Somebody changed you," he teased.

He shook his head.

'Of course not.'

Nakarecover na siya sa broken heart. Falling in love with Ally was like exposing himself to get hurt again.