CHAPTER 23

“WHERE the hell are you going?” Nagulat si Maliyah nang biglang may humabol sa kanya pababa ng hagdan. It was Jake. He looked pissed and she doesn’t know why. Siguro dahil iniisip nitong responsibilidad siya ng mga tao sa bahay na iyon kapag may nangyari sa kanya. 

It’s three in the morning and she wasn’t able to fall asleep thinking how to leave with a bit of money. And Maliyah decided to leave at exactly three without knowing why. With the money she is having, it cannot even make her survive for a week. Hinayaan lang niyang sumunod si Jake sa kanya hanggang sa baba ng hagdan na alam niyang nagdadalawang-isip kung tutulungan ba siya sa kanyang mga bitbit o hindi na.

Maliyah feels something weird about Jake since the kiss happened. She often sees him glancing at her or trying to reach out every time they meet halfway in the hallway. It is actually scaring her. 

Nang makarating siya sa baba ay hinarap niya si Jake na ganoon pa rin ang reaksyon sa mukha. Nag-aalala. Bahala na at hindi naman sila magkaibigan. Kahit pa mag-alala ito ay hindi rin planadong titira siya sa bahay ng dalawang matanda habang-buhay. Ni hindi nga niya nasilip ang restaurant ni Alden o mas nakasama nang matagal si Daniel. She was there in the same house with them but in those days, she felt alone and… isolated. Not because she was too mean or they didn't talk to her but because she felt no connection at all. Hindi niya ramdam ang pagtanggap. Pakiramdam niya kaya lang sila nagkakasama ay dahil nandoon siya at walang choice ang mga ito kung hindi ang mag-adjust at i-acknowledge ang presensya niya since bigla na lang siyang pumasok sa eksena ng mga buhay nila.

If she is going to be honest, she was more comfortable with Matt and Aling Mila. They don’t know her aside from being a bitch but she was not treated differently. She is mean but they do understand her and they are not even judging her. 

“Hindi safe ang lumabas ng ganitong oras. Bakit ka aalis?” tanong nito na nagpangiti sa kanya. “Bakit ganyan ka makangiti?”

Ngumiti pa rin siya at hinila ang maleta. “C’mon, Jake. I survived Manila, so, I will survive Iloilo,” pabiro niyang sabi at hindi na ito nilingon. Maliyah carefully opens the iron gate and Jake is still following her. “Bumalik ka na sa loob at baka isipin ng iba na close tayo.” 

Nakasunod pa rin ito at naririnig niya ang mga yabag ng binata. Iniisip na lamang niya kapag napagod ito sa kakasunod ay kusang aalis ang lalaki at hahayaan siyang umalis. Ni hindi niya nagawang magpaalam kay Joacquin na malamang magagalit kapag nalamang umalis siya. She hasn't seen Daniel and Alden as well after the commotion. 

“Hindi ka aalis, Maliyah. Kung gusto mo, paabutin mo na lang sa pagsikat ng araw bago ka umalis —” 

“Jake, you can stop showing your fake concern now,” she said sarcastically and turned around to face him. “We both know no one likes me inside that f*cking house!” Nagpupuyos siya sa galit habang iniisip ang mga nangyari sa kanya sa loob ng bahay na iyon. Maliyah is not mean but she chose to for a reason.

NAGPAKAWALA ng malalim na hininga si Jake na tila hindi alam kung paano sasabihin ang lahat sa babaeng ngayon ay kaharap at mainit ang ulo. Such an ill-tempered woman. Masama ang loob nito dahil ayon dito, walang may gusto rito magmula ng napasok sa bahay ng dalawang matanda. 

Maliyah is mean, selfish, and insensitive. The woman showed all those traits the moment she went inside that house and now, she is complaining that no one likes her? She is ungrateful as well and even tried to steal her grandparents’ money. Kahit si Jake noong una ay galit sa babae. Joacquin is the only person who is very patient with Maliyah and maybe because the man knows who Maliyah really is.

Ang totoo ay wala naman talaga sana siyang pakialam sa babae. Pero may madalas siyang makita sa mga mata nito na minsan ay naguguluhan siya. Before the kiss happened, he would often see her give some of her food outside. Maliyah often leaves some of her food for the people in the fridge. Hindi man napapansin ng iba pero sa hindi malamang dahilan ay bigla siyang nagkainteres dito na kahit ayaw niya ay sinusundan niya ang babae o nagagawang daanan ito sa kwarto para alamin ang ginagawa. It may sound so stupid but that is the truth. Inside of him, he thinks he is starting to know what kind of woman Maliyah really is. Maybe they were wrong to judge her? 

What if he convinces her to stay? Jake can do that. He can just stay back and let her do what she wants. A part of him wants to see her face when waking up in the morning or take glances at her when cooking her own food in the kitchen with confusion all over her face. 

"You can stay," sambit niya na kinalma ang sarili sa pamamagitan ng pagbaba ng dalawang braso na kanina ay naka-krus sa kanyang dibdib. 

Umirap naman ang dalaga nang marinig ang tanong ng lalaki. "Stay? Niloloko mo ba ako, lalaki? Alam mo ba kung gaano na ako katagal sa bahay na iyan?" 

"Alam ko. At hindi naging maganda ang naging relasyon natin sa bahay na iyan. We started… bad. Can I say it bad? It was not that good at all," pagpapahayag nito na sa loob-loob ng dalaga ay sumasang-ayon siya. It was a bad first meeting honestly. aniya at tumalikod ulit para makaalis na sa lugar. Ang totoo ay kahit tumalikod siya, wala ng mga tao sa kanyang lalakaran at kinakabahan siya. Walang mga lasing o nagagawi kaya mas mabuti iyon. 

“I-I will not talk to you anymore,” Jake said, stammering. “You can stay and we can keep our distance from each other,” pahabol pa nito. 

She kept on walking like she didn't hear him. “We have been distant to each other since then, Jake. If it is about the kiss and you are still affected by it, it's not my fault anymore.” Maliyah tried to sound cool and not to provoke this man who is lowkey trying his best to make her stay. 

“Bakit ba ang—”

“Bakit ba ang tigas ng ulo mo at hindi mo pa ako tantanan, Jake? You are so annoying! I can handle myself, so please, leave me alone!” nawawalan ng pasensya na sabi niya at mas binilisan ang paglalakad. She really can’t take it anymore. Isang pakiusap pa nito ay talagang bibigay na siya. Maliban sa wala siyang mahihingian ng tulong ay wala pa siyang pera. 

Habang mabilis ang lakad ay hindi na niya naririnig na nakasunod ito. It took her a minute or two before looking back and found him nowhere. He wasn’t that sincere when making her stay. Good thing na hindi siya nagpadala sa pambubudol nito. She could've looked like a pushover to him. Ang akala siguro nito ay papayag siya. But, is he still really affected by that freaking kiss? It only happened once… twice! A one time thing still. 

Maliyah rolled her eyes and ignored that thing in her mind. She needs to look for a place to stay aside from the convenience store. Mabuti sana kung mabait ang nagbabantay pero hindi rin. 

“Yes!” bulalas niya. Ngayong naisip niya kung sino ang nagbabantay sa loob ng convenience store ay saka niya lang na-realize. It is Matt! Si Matt nga pala ang tao roon at ang ibig sabihin lang no`n ay makakahingi siya ng tulong mula rito! Oh, God! Bakit hindi niya agad naisip iyon? Matt would definitely help her if they are okay.

“We are not okay…” she muttered after realizing that she and Matt are currently not on good terms. “Bahala na nga,” sabi niya at malapit na siya sa kalsada na kabila lang ng convenience store. Pagdating niya mismo sa gilid ng kalsada ay nakatingin siya sa pintuan ng store. She can see Matt… sleeping while on duty. Ano pa ba ang aasahan niya sa kumag na ito? Hindi niya gets kung bakit nagustuhan ni Jenny si Matt, e marami namang mas higit dito katulad na lamang nina Jake, Alden, at Daniel. 

Gwapo namang tunay si Matt pero sa estado ng pamumuhay ni Jenny, she could find someone else. Better than him. Maliyah chose Joseph because he has the money and he could buy anything she wants. It was a good choice even though there are hidden reasons why. Maliyah knew she did the right thing. 

Aligagang napatayo ng tuwid si Maliyah nang biglang nagising at mismong sa kanyang kinatatayuan humarap si Matt. He smiled and waved at her. Imbes na umalis sa lugar ay nakaramdam siya ng kaligayahan. She doesn’t often see someone smile at her genuinely. If someone did, Maliyah can’t remember who it was or maybe she mistaken it as genuine. 

Hindi niya alam ang gagawin nang lumabas na ng convenience store si Matt, nakangiti pa rin ito at tinawid ang kalsada para puntahan siya. Kitang-kita niya mula sa ilaw na nagmumula sa mga poste ang unti-unting pagkawala ng ngiti sa mga labi ni Matt nang makita ang kanyang hawak. Maleta. May iba pa bang ibig sabihin iyon? Malamang iyon ay ang lumayas siya sa poder ng dalawang matanda dahil nga naman wala siyang ibang magawa kundi ang umalis na lang. It actually came out of her grandpa’s lips that she needs to leave the house. 

Napahawak sa sentido si Matt at bumuntung-hininga. “Ano iyan?” panimula nito at nagkibit-balikat siya. “Bakit ka umalis? Ganitong oras, Maliyah?” May halong disappointment sa boses nito. 

“Kailangan ko nang umalis at hindi ako welcome sa bahay na iyon, Matt.” 

“Kasi naman lagi may expectations kang dapat na maging welcome ka sa bahay na iyon kahit wala ka namang ginagawa. Maliyah… ikaw ang dapat na makibagay sa kanila since ikaw ang bago,” paalala nito. Maliyah just looked at the man without any reactions. “Mababait silang lahat. Hindi lang talaga kayo nagkakaintindihan kaya ganyan.”

She scoffed. “Sila ang hindi makaintindi sa akin, Matt.”

“Kasi hindi mo naman pinapaintindi sa kanila kung ano ba talaga ang gusto mo o kung may mga bagay ka bang gustong sabihin—”

“At ang akala ko rin isa ka sa mga nakakaintindi sa akin, Matt,” aniya na may pagkadismaya sa boses. Maliyah really thought that Matt understands her and that is why she considered him as a friend even though she is not really vocal about it. Kahit sinabi niyang hindi sila magkaibigan, alam ni Maliyah na alam ni Matt na ganoon na nga sila… magkaibigan. Maybe things would be better if she stayed in Manila and with Joseph. Pero hindi kaya iniwan din siya ni Joseph kung sakali dahil wala na siyang pera at wala rin siyang alam kung nasaan ang pera na iniwan ng kanyang mga magulang. They were wealthy and she doesn’t know who got the money from her bank account. It was from her parents and they saved it for her future. Hindi kaya si Joseph?

But that money isn’t important to her anymore. She needs to succeed in her plans and get away from everyone. Baka nga pwede na siyang mamatay kung sakali. 

Lalapit na sana si Matt sa kanya mula sa loob ng counter pero biglang may pumasok na grupo ng mga kababaihan at alam niyang si Matt ang puntirya base sa pananalita ng mga ito. It was a signal for Maliyah to go out and leave the place right away. She needs to travel and go to a place where she can find the man that has been helping her even without the assurance of money. 

Nang makalabas ay doon lang niya naalalang tawagan ito para masigurong hinahanap nito ang taong hinahanap niya. 

Maliyah tried to dial the man’s number. Nakatayo siya sa `di kalayuan ng convenience store at madilim ang parteng iyon. Hindi siya nag-aalala at walang tao sa lugar. Naka-ilang dial siya, nagri-ring pero walang sumasagot. 

“What the hell?” she said in a low voice. “Who the hell would answer a 3 A.M phone call, Maliyah?” Siya mismo ay pinagalitan ang sarili matapos ma-realize na hindi ito ang oras para tawagan ang kung sinuman. She almost threw her phone in the middle of the road after realizing how stupid she was. 

Tumayo siya ng ilang minuto pa mula sa kinatatayuan at hindi alam ang gagawin. May mga dumaraang taxi at jeepneys pero saan siya pupunta? Ni halos hindi umabot ng limang libo ang kanyang pera. Kung sakaling maghahanap siya ng lugar na tutulugan, ano naman ang ibabayad niya? Is this the right time for her to look for a job? But what jobs can she do aside from eating and shopping? Nothing. She can’t even use a washing machine if it is not for the people inside that house. She is not the wife material. Jake is right. She is a princess who just likes to complain but can’t do the right thing. 

“What to do now, Maliyah?” she asked and heaved a heavy sigh.