TGWAE 04

Chapter 04 | The Fear

~×~×~×~

|TAYJA PRISH|

"I guessed it right!"

Muntik na akong matapilok dahil sa gulat nang bigla na lang may magsalita pagkaliko ko sa corridor papunta sa aking classroom. 

With my brows furrowing, I lifted my head to see the devil and heaved a sigh when Asver's stupid smiling face came in contact with my 'eye'. He was again wiggling his eyebrows as if trying to knock some senses on me but I just couldn't get his point.

"Umagang umaga. Wala ka bang klase?" tanong ko sa kaniya at ipinagpatuloy ang naudlot kong paglalakad papunta sa classroom. Nasa pinakadulo iyon kaya naman nagtataka ako bakit ko siya nakasalubong.

"Did you wait? Sino?" 

I'm asking not because I was trying to catch him in the act. It's just that, I always see him after my class every time. I didn't know he was waiting for someone at times like this because usually, he has his schedule full every morning. 

"You're starting to ask me questions that I only wish you do every day. Wow! Is this progress?"

Napahinto ako sa paglalakad at pinanuod siyang kausapin ang sarili na mukhang hindi napansin ang ginawa kong pagtigil. He kept on mumbling unknown words from my ears while his lips are stretched in a bright wide smile. 

He's weird.

Nang maramdaman niya yatang wala na siyang kasabay sa paglalakad, napahinto rin siya. Tumingin siya sa harapan bago sa kinaroroonan ko. Ako naman ay nanatiling nakatingin sa kaniya. Sometimes, I just couldn't understand myself.

"Hey! Bakit ka tumigil? Masakit ba paa mo?" he asked as concern flashed in his eyes.

Bigla naman itong nagmadali na puntahan ako pero bago pa siya makalapit ay inihakbang ko na ang aking mga paa para makapunta na sa aming classroom.

"Why are you here? Dapat nandoon ka sa may hagdanan para makita mo agad ang hinihintay mo," I unconsciously blurted those words that were supposedly, just on my mind.

"Nakita ko na hinihintay ko. Kinakausap ko na nga, eh." My head tilted to my right as I processed his words. 

Napataas ang kaliwa kong kilay dahil sa napagtanto. Why would he wait for me?

"May sasabihin ka ba sa akin?" tanong ko nang hindi siya nililingon.

"Wala. Just checking what color your eyepatch is today and I guessed it right! You're wearing a black one," he sounded like he just got his award for being the active student in their class.

He looked and sounded proud at the same time. Ni hindi ko namalayan na tinititigan ko na pala siya kung hindi lang siya biglaang umiwas ng tingin. Unconsciously, napatingin ako sa namumulang ibabang bahagi ng kaniyang tainga.

"Your ears are red," I mumbled out.

"God! Mamamatay yata ako nang maaga if she keeps on testing my patience," bulong nito na hindi ko naman narinig kaya muli ko siyang tiningnan at tinanong.

"What?"

"I'll be waiting for you at twelve outside your room. Go," muli ko lamang siyang tinitigan gamit ang nagtatanong kong mata pero he was already slightly pushing me inside my room.

I sighed and curtly nodded my head at naglakad na papunta sa aking designated chair in the room. Pagkaupong pagkaupo ko ay muli ko siyang tinanaw sa may maliit na bukas ng bintana malapit sa may pintuan. Nandoon pa rin siya at mukhang hinintay lamang niyang tumingin ako sa kaniya bago siya kumaway na parang bata at umalis na.

"He's really weird," napailing na lang ako at hindi na pinansin ang mga matang sinusubaybayan ang mga galaw ko. For sure, they're now asking me silently why I was with Rustver a while back.

He was quite popular and that was why nagtataka ako kung bakit siya lapit nang lapit sa akin. Considering that students already labeled me as one of the weirdos on the campus, he should stay away from me. For my inner peace.

The class ended nang hindi ko man lang namamalayan. Pagkatingin ko kasi sa room kaunti na lang kaming mga naiwan. Bumuntong hininga ako at wala sa sariling napasulyap sa bintanang malapit sa may pintuan kung saan ko huling tiningnan si Asver kaninang umaga. 

True to his words, he was already waiting for me. Hindi siya nakaharap sa akin kaya naman likod lang niya ang nakikita ko. I bet, he was leaning on the wall while waiting. Familiar din kasi 'yong bag niya kaya I knew that was Asver already in one look.

I took a deep breath before fixing myself. While striding my way to the door, my hands unconsciously went to feel the black eyepatch I wore for today. Nagmumukha akong isang pirata pero wala naman silang magagawa roon. 

Wearing an eyepatch was already a part of my life since birth.

"Hey," I nudged him on his side when I was already out of the room.

"Wow!" 

Kunot ang noo ay pinanuod ko siyang titigan ang aking mukha na para bang gulat na namamangha sa isang bagay na hindi ko malaman. Kanina pa siyang ganiyan. I don't understand him.

"Totoo ba 'to?" he asked, particularly to himself.

"Ano na naman ba?" 

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay before I crossed my arms over my chest. The side of his lips rose as his eyes shone with something I couldn't name. 

"Wala naman. Akala ko lang hindi mo ako lalapitan. Like you always do," hindi ko masyadong narinig ang huli niyang sinabi but I shrugged my shoulders.

If he doesn't want me to know what he said, then I'm good. Not going to pry for something that might cause me confusions I don't want to think yet.

"Let's go?" 

Tinitigan ko muna siya bago unti-unting tumango. I shook my head as I watched him walk a little ahead of me. Thoughts brought me back to somewhere as I walked beside him in the corridors.

~×~×~(Taira)~×~×~

Sa nakalipas na isang buwan,  namuhay ang magkakapatid na limitado ang mga galaw. Kung maaari nga ay huwag na silang lumabas pa nang kanilang bahay para lang umiwas sa gulo. 

Tiara and Tairon made their sister stop her studies for a while because they were terrified of the thoughts of her schoolmates and the people who knew what their mother did, hurting her anytime. Ngunit hindi nila maiiwasan ang makatanggap nang kung ano-ano sa mga taong galit at takot na baka raw sila ang isusunod.

They would vandalize their wall that they were a family of criminals, of killers, and would throw them with things their hands could hold on to. Eggs, stones, and even torches attempting to burn them with their house.

They lived in fear.

After their mother got arrested, Tairon went home with bruises all over his body one time. Particularly, his face. Para itong nabugbog nang kung sino sa may kalye at ganoon nga ang kaso. Tiara cried as she knew the reason why. He couldn't help but be mad at their situation.

Hindi niya kaya o magawang magalit sa kanilang ina pero kung ito ang magiging rason para masaktan din ang kaniyang mga kapatid, he wouldn't want to know what he can do if that happens.

Hell would break loose from his grip.

"Ate, Kuya. Kailan po uuwi si Mama?" tanong nang kanilang nakababatang kapatid isang araw.

Nasa kuwarto sila ng kanilang Ate at matutulog na sana pero sa hindi malamang dahilan, ayaw ng kanilang mga mata ang umidlip.

"Si Mama?" Tiara asked while brushing her hair using her fingers. Ang kapatid naman nito ay nakatingin lamang sa kaniya, hinihintay na sagutin ang tanong.

"Opo. Miss ko na po siya, eh. Bigla na lang siyang hindi umuwi," naiiyak nitong sambit ngunit ang mga luha'y ayaw bumagsak.

It was like, the pain can't get out through her tears kaya sobrang bigat sa dibdib. At sa sobrang sakit, kusa nang umaayaw ang kaniyang mga luha. Days after the incident, lagi na itong nagtatanong kung nasaan na raw ang kanilang ina ngunit hindi nila sinasagot. 

How can they tell her that their mother was in jail because she killed someone? How can they tell her that she committed a murder and was branded a killer? And that having her to live in prison forever?

"Si Mama? Ano kasi, Taira...," hindi nito mahanap ang tamang salitang sasabihin sa kapatid. She was having a hard time, telling her the real reason because it would break her fragile's heart.

If what happened broke them two, they couldn't imagine how would it affect their little sister. For sure, it would also break her, and worst, she would lose her sanity.

"Ang sabi kasi niya malapit na raw siya uuwi. So, mind if you sleep now baby Taira?" 

Mabilis na putol nito sa akmang pagsasalita ni Tiara. Tairon was only looking at their little sister, not minding if he appeared disrespectful a while back. 

"Really?" ang mga inosente nitong mga mata ay tila nagliwanag kasama ang mga bituin sa kalangitan. 

It was as if the stars handed them some light to realize they weren't going to stay in the dark. That after what happened, a light would continue to guide them to a new beginning.

"Yes-,"

Napatigil sila nang makarinig nang sunod-sunod na mga katok sa may pintuan. Fear crept into their system as they were already traumatized by everything.

"Tairon. Don't you f*cking dare open that door," Tiara warned her brother as she held Taira in her arms.

Nakaupo na ito sa kanilang kama habang niyayakap si Taira. Tairon was standing at the side of their bed. Sasampa na sana siya para mahiga nang marinig ang mga katok.

"It's alright. I'll be back," 

Hindi maipaliwanag ni Tiara ang kaniyang nararamdaman habang pinapanuod ang kanilang kapatid na tunguhin ang pintuan. It wasn't simply fear anymore. She was terrified.

"Sh-! Tairon!" Pabulong nitog sigaw.

She felt it. The unknown emotion that brought her to her nightmare. It was something dark. Hindi nito siya pinansin kaya naman hinigpitan na lang nito ang kaniyang yakap sa kapatid. Ilang sandali pa ay napaayos ito nang upo nang makitang napaatras ang kapatid pagkabukas nito ng pintuan.

"Who's that, Tairon?" she weakly asked. Her legs started trembling. Hinila niya si Taira at inilagay sa kaniyang likod habang ito naman ay tahimik na napahawak sa laylayan ng damit ng kaniyang Ate.

Tiara once again took a sharp breath when her brother took several steps backward as the person who was knocking on her door appeared in her sight. Hindi pa sila nakakahuma nang biglang tumakbo si Taira papunta sa taong nasa bungad ng pintuan.

"Mama!"

"Taira!"

"Sh-!"