5.

Kanina pa ako singhot nang singhot dito at paminsan-minsan ay sumisinga sa tissue. I am leaning at Zach habang nanonood ng movie. Samantalang si Zach naman ay patuloy lang na kumakain ng popcorn.

"Nakakainis naman! Gusto ko sila 'yung magkatuluyan."

I whispered. Sa movie kasi ay naghiwalay ang dalawang bida. Ibinaling ko ang tingin kay Zach. He looked at me confusely habang bahagyang nakaawang ang mga labi niya dahil susubo sana siya ng popcorn.

"What?" he mouthed.

"You told me na napanood mo na 'yan. Nagkatuluyan ba sila?"

"Just watch it. I don't want to spoil it."

"Please? 'Di ba nagkatuluyan naman sila?" Tanong ko muli habang patuloy na sumisinga. Pakiramdam ko ay sisipunin ako pagkatapos ng movie na 'to. Grabe, sobrang nakakaiyak siya.

"Just watch it, baby. I don't want to ruin the movie."

Umirap ako dahil sa sinabi niya tapos ay humarap sa television saka nagcross arms.

"Okay, okay, you really want to know?"

"Magtatanong ba ako kung ayaw ko?" masungit na tanong ko.

"Okay fine. They won't end up as a couple. The guy will die at the end. Sh*t, where are you going?"

Naramdaman ko na mabilis na kumilos si Zach habang sinusundan ako.

"Bakit hindi mo agad sinabi na hindi pala sila magkakatuluyan?" I shouted.

I heard him chuckled kaya naman napairap ako. Nakakainis, kung pinagpatuloy ko ang panonood malamang mabebeat ko 'yung record ko na dalawang araw na maga ang mata kakaiyak dahil sa panonood ng movie.

"You still do like happy endings and hate sad endings, huh."

"Syempre, sino ba namang tao ang gugustuhin na maging sad ang ending ng buhay nila?"

Halos tumirik na ang mata ko sa sinabi ko na 'yon. Is he even thinking? Syempre lahat tayo, admit it or not, we all wanted to have a happy ending. Ayaw natin na at the end of the day, we'll be lonely and problematic.

"But that's how life works. Not everyone will have a happy ending with their loved ones."

I felt my body froze for a moment. D*mn, pakiramdam ko ay tinamaan ako sa sinabi niya. He's right.

Not everyone of us will have a happy ending. And I guess, I'm one of them.

I guess, Zach and I will be a victim of it.

"I'm going to bed. Just close the door if you're going back to your unit."

Matapos noon ay naglakad na ako papasok sa kwarto. Zach bought the unit beside me. Kaya naman palagi siya nandito. It's been a week I guess. Maaga siyang pumupunta dito tapos ay hatinggabi na rin halos kung umuwi.

Pupunta siya rito para ipagluto ako, linisin ang unit, at samahan akong manood ng movie. Just like the old times, parang bonding moment namin ang panood ng movie.

I decided that I'll just go with the flow, enjoy and seize moments with him. After how many years, being with him makes me feel as if I am in cloud nine. Being with him makes me feel safe and secured.

Kapag kasama ko siya, nakakalimutan ko ang lahat. I am totally forgetting that he is the main suspect sa pagkam@tay ng parents ko. I am totally forgetting my mission. I am losing control, honestly. At kapag ako nalang mag-isa, I'll start thinking about those things. And with that, I will feel nothing but pain.

Kapag kasama ko siya, lahat nakakalimutan ko. Pero kapag wala na siya, lahat ng sakit nararamdaman ko.

I was about to close my eyes nang maramdaman kong nagvibrate ang phone ko. I immediately grabbed it. It's Mr. Ramsay.

Ramdam ko ang pagsikip ng dibdib ko, pakiramdam ko ay nahihirapan akong huminga. Nanginginig ang kamay ko nang pindutin ko ang accept button.

"Mr. Ramsay."

"It took you 10 rings before answering the call, huh. So, I just called to remind you about your mission. It's already two weeks and yet, you're still not done with your mission. I thought it would only take you a week to finish your mission."

Dama ko na parang nang-aasar ang kan'yang tono ng pananalita. Also, it feels like he's insulting me but again, I have a big respect to him.

"Is it really Zachary?"

Narinig ko naman ang paghalakhak ni Mr. Ramsay sa kabilang linya. "Bravo!" sigaw nito.

Naramdaman ko ang pagtulo ng mga luha ko. D*mn, it's really him. I cleared my throat at saka ipinahid ang mga luha na pumapatak sa mga mata ko. Hindi pupwedeng malaman ni Mr. Ramsay na umiiyak ako at this moment.

"But Mr. Ramsay, can I back out with this mission?"

"What makes you say that?"

"I'll be honest with you. I'm pregnant."

"Oh, congratulations. That baby will surely be a great assassin too."

"And Zachary is the father of it."

Nang sabihin ko 'yon, napuno ng halakhak ang kabilang linya. Pero ilang sandali rin ay huminto 'yon.

"You know our rules, if you failed –"

I cut him off, "I know."

"I'm just reminding you."

"But Mr. Ramsay, I can't do –"

This time, he's the one na pinutol ang sasabihin ko. "I guess right now, you're parents are disappointed with you. Have you forgotten what happened to your parents? They were kìlled mercilessly."

"I am just helping you to eliminate the person who kìlled your parents. I honestly doing you a favor."

"I can't grant what you're asking. You know the rules. You know that we can't break it. It's either you choose between Zachary or between you and your baby."

"It's either your own life together with your baby or the life of your father's baby."

"Goodluck on your mission. Think about what matters the most to you."

Matapos noon ay pinat@y na ni Mr. Ramsay ang tawag. Nabitawan ko ang cellphone ko because of that. I suddenly felt weak.

And with that, I burst into tears.

Kasunod noon ay tumawag naman sa'kin si Jacob. Walang pag-aalinlangan kong sinagot iyon. I'm currently sobbing but I don't care. Ilang beses na rin akong nakita ni Jacob. He already seen me at my worst kaya hindi na bago sakan'ya ang gan'tong pangyayari.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

"No," matigas na sagot ko.

I heard him sighed bago muling nagsalita. "Tumawag si boss sa'yo?"

I didn't respond. Muli ay narinig ko ang malalim na paghinga niya. "I'm coming." Matapos noon ay ang pagpatay niya sa tawag kasabay naman noon ay ang pagvibrate ng cellphone ko. It was Zach.

From: Zach

In another call, huh?

Kasunod noon ay ang isa pang text mula sakan'ya.

From: Zach

I miss you already.

I turned off my phone saka bumaling sa kabilang side ng kama. Isinubsob ko ang ulo ko sa unan saka muling ibinuhos ang aking mga luha.

Ilang sandali ay pumasok si Jacob sa unit ko. May duplicate key siya kaya naman nakakapasok siya dito kahit kailan niya man gustuhin. I felt him sat at my bedside.

"Jacob," I whispered.

"I can't take this anymore. Sobrang hirap. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko."

"D*mn! Bakit ba –"

Naputol ang sasabihin ko dahil bahagya akong bumangon para humarap kay Jacob. And to my surprise, it wasn't Jacob. It's Zach.

"Sh*t! Sorry, I'm late. Are you okay?"

Napalingon ako nang bumukas ang pinto and there's Jacob. He's wet. Nakita ko namang natigilan si Jacob saka siya napalingon kay Zach na nakaupo sa gawi ko. Zach, on the other hand, is looking at me intently. A little smile formed on his lips. He cleared his throat before he stood up.

"I'm Zach, I guess you're Jacob right? I never got the chance to introduce myself to you when we met at the hospital." pagpapakilala ni Zach dito. Inilahad ni Zach ang kamay niya. Ramdam ko naman ang pagkagulat ni Jacob. Pero agad naman siyang nakipagkamay kay Zach.

"Yeah, Jacob. I'm Zaleah's friend."

Kitang-kita ko kung paano nagdilim ang paningin ni Jacob dito. Zach turned around, he's now facing me. Ngumiti siya muli sa'kin pero bakit ang mga mata niya tila ba sinasabi na nasasaktan siya?

F*ck!

"Zaleah must be too special for you. It's actually raining outside yet you still came."

"Y-Yeah," nauutal na sagot ni Jacob.

"I'm going." Zach said coldly saka nagsimulang lumabas ng kwarto. "The both of you can talk at the living room," dagdag niya.

F*ck, is he jealous?