Dark Phoenix #2: Echoes Of Lies

CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1

Oh geez! I'm dead for sure.

Nagmadali akong nang mabasa ang text ni Laurence, 15 minutes ago! Holy! Bakit ko nga ba nakalimutan na tuloy ang date namin today! It slipped! We're going to mall and shop and shop. We'll eat outside then to arcade! Every Sunday is our sundate. We'll be together until 8 pm.

Dati kasi kahit anong oras pwede kapag nakapagpaalam na ako kina mommy but now? Ugh! Kuya ruined my freedom! I mean he have it but he stole mine!

One time he had me followed. He thought I was meeting my boyfriend that time. Mag isa lang kasi ako dahil hindi ko mahagilap kung nasaang lupalop ng Manila si Ren. Nakipagkita ako kay Simoun because of flash drive. I borrowed it from him. Pagkalabas ko ng Starbucks nakaabang na si Jepoy tapos papalapit na si kuya Jarrix. With his brows furrowed, lips in grim line he dragged me outside the mall.

He called our parents na nasa Palawan for a business meeting. Pinauwi ni kuya at habang pinagsasabihan ako ay nakanganga lang ako and in the end I was like, "sana all may boyfriend". Tinaliman lang ako ni kuya ng tingin sabay padabog na umalis ng bahay. Before that, dad declared that from that day I should be home at eight, with or without Ren.

Boyfriend? Seriously? Eh kahit nga manliligaw ay hindi makalapit. Bantay sarado na kay Laurence, may banta pa kay kuya. And if ever someone tries to get near me, my brother will come out anywhere just to threatened the guy. He always do that! Such a bully. He acted like my dad more than our dad. Dad's let me explore and kuya is the harang. He's so over protective to the core!

My phone rang, I picked it up abruptly when I saw Ren's name flashed on the screen.

"Hey!" nakangiwing bungad ko dito

"Cassandra Marie Bautista! Where the hell are you?!" halata ang lamig sa boses nito na dahilan ng pagtayo ng mga balahibo ko sa batok

Laurence is cold. Not literally, the way she talk, how she move, coldness was visible. When she look at someone or even to me, she's cold. Her eyes are dead. You can't see any emotions. She smiled but did not reach her eyes. But my favorite, her gummy smile remain. For me na kilala siya ng sobra pa sa sarili ko, it hurts that she changed a lot from that girl I've met years ago, I used to be with. I'm not use to her being cold but I know that she only did that to protect herself. I love her like a dearest sister. I believe that we are twin by heart.

"Sorry! I forgot. I thought you're busy. Nasa bahay pa ako."

I heard her signed.

"Hmm. Be here at 9:30."

It's deep. She breathe out like that means she has a problem. Hindi ko alam kung kailan pa pero napansin ko na simula ng mawala si tita Rianna akala mo pasan na niya ang mundo. Doon na rin nagsimulang lumamig ang ugali niya. At the age of 17, parang sobrang hirap na siya. She told me that she's investigating tita's case, deeper. She believe that it is planned and  murder not just a simple accident. Nahihirapan na siguro siya. I told her to stop but she just shook her head and said no. I miss the old her but as her bestfriend I should accept the new her.

"Where are you going?"

Napapitlag ako dahil sa boses ni kuya Jarrix mula sa pinto na hindi ko namalayang nabuksan na niya. How did it happen? I locked it.

"Out." kibit balikat ko kahit medyo kinakabahan na ako

"Wearing that?" kunot noong tanong nito

"What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Isn't it too revealing?"

Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang suot ko at nakamaang kong ibinalik ang tingin sa kanya.

"Ang OA mo, kuya!"

Is spaghetti strap and high waist jeans too revealing from him? Hiyang hiya ang damit ko sa mga naging babae niya na tatlong dangkal lang ang haba, I mean iksi ng mga suot. Boobs popped out and a little bend, undies will be seen.

"It's not! Mukha ba akong nagsusuot ng ganoon?"

Dagdag ko pa nang makitang nakatitig pa ito sa akin. I wave my hand in front of him.

"And I have cardigan!"

I watched him blink many times and close his mouth before he turned his back and walk away.

"Anong problema noon?" umiling na lang ako bago ipinagpatuloy ang pagsusuklay

I did not put any make up to my face. Even a lip tint. I'm good with my pale pink lips. Nakalugay lang ang mababa sa balikat na tuwid na tuwid at itim na buhok. Pinunasan ko pa ibabaw nang puting Nike kong sapatos. Sandali ko pang sinuklay ang side bangs ko gamot ang kamay bago isukbit ang cream color sling bag ko. Bitbit ko naman sa kaliwang kamay ang cardigan habang ang kanan ay ginamit ko pagsasara ng pinto.

Pababa ng hagdan ay ch-in-eck ko ang bag ko. Phone, handkerchief, wallet and black g-tech pen. I don't know I always have a pen with me. In school, nakasabit sa blouse or inside my skirt's pocket.

"Manang aalis na po ako!"

Malakas na sigaw ko. Ramdam ko na may nakatitig sa akin kaya lumingon ako. Kuya's in the stairs, standing, hands on his both side pocket and staring at me blankly. Hindi ko alam kung anong problema niya ngayon. Tumalikod na ako agad bago pa niya ako pigilan o Ano pa man.

Nagpahatid ako sa driver sa mall at sinabi kong wag na akong sunduin dahil kasama ko si Laurence.

Inside the mall, I tried to look for Ren but I can't see her. Kinuha ko ang phone sa bag ko and dialed her number but it was turned off. Where is she now?

I type a message.

Me:
Ren, I'm here already. Where are you?

After I send it I roamed my eyes again but still none. Naupo ako sa isang bakanteng upuan at pabalik balik ang ginagawang pagtingin sa screen ng cellphone.

I sighed after 15 minutes had passed. Ren is not here, is she mad now? Next time talaga magrreminder ako.

"Kuya gusto ko ng barbie! Iyong kasing laki ko, ah?!"

Napalingon ako sa batang babae na nasa edad ng lima o anim, may katabi siyang isang lalaki. Maybe 16 or so, I don't know.

"Oo ba! Kapag dinagdagan ni dad ang allowance ko!" sagot ng tinawag na kuya na malaki ang ngiti sa labi habang maingat na ginugulo ang buhok ng bata

They are siblings. I wish they will stay like that even they grow up. Yung palaging magkasama at magkasundo.

I used to be that girl before. Happy, jolly and too close to kuya Jarrix but then maturity strike we grew up apart.

"Ikaw kasi ang kulit mo! 'Di ba sabi ni dad uwi ka ng early! Basta before seven ng night dapat you're home na but you make pasyal pasyal pa with your ugly girl! I hate her." the little girl pouted cutely that made me smile a little

"Okay I'll break up with her just for my baby!" pinanggigilan nito ang mapupulang pisnge ng bata 'tsaka ito hinalikan sa noo

Patuloy lang akong nakinig sa pagkukulitan ng magkapatid habang malungkot na napatitig sa kawalan. Childhood memories with kuya Jarrix play in my mind. Nawala na sa isip ko kung bakit nga ba ako nasa mall. I keep on watching the two as I smiled bitterly.