Dark Phoenix #2: Echoes Of Lies

CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2

Kuya and I, we're like best buddies. I hid his secrets as he hid mine.

When we are still a kid, we used to play together kasi isang taon lang ang gap namin. Para na rin kaming kambal. Every time mom buys a shirt or other stuff palagi kaming magkapareho. Kapag si kuya is Batman, I am his Robin. If he is Superman I'm Supergirl. Syempre 'di ako papatalo. He taught me to ride a bicycle and skate. Play basketball and soccer. He was my playmate when we're home. We both played my barbie with their pink dresses and dollhouse. Tumatakbo siya sa kwarto ko kapag umuulan na may kasamang kulog at kidlat. He will caressed my hair until I fall asleep.

"Ha? Kuya! Bawal 'yan! Bata ka pa!"

"What? Curious lang ako sa lasa nito. I want to know why everyone's addicted to this!" he grin

Biting my nails while watching him puffed on his cigarette. At halos mawalan ng kulay ang mukha ko ng bigla siyang inubo at halos hindi makahinga

Nang maging maayos siya ay nginisian niya lang ako bago kinurot ang pisnge ko.

"I'm fine, Carmie." he chuclked

I pouted and nod my head. Umiwi na rin kami.

"Ih! It smell so bad!" maktol ko habang pisil ang ilong

His friends chuckled because of that.

"I'll just taste it." he shrugged and sip on his bottle

He grimaced and spit on the group. Mahina pa siyang naubo pero nang makitang nakatingin ako ay agad nagbago ang mukha niya at nginitian ako.

"See? I'm all good. C'mon let's go home." he held my arms at sabay kaming lumabas sa bahay ng kaibigan niya

He's my saviour if bullies hit me. I saw how he lost his air when he first try to smoke. I've witnessed his first sip on alcoholic drink, his first girlfriend when he's thirteen. I tend his wounds and cuts from street fights.

"Ah! Careful Carmie!" daig niya habang dinadampian ko ng bulak na may alcohol ang sugar niya

"It's your fault!"

Pagkalagay ko ng band aid ay inirapan ko siya. Kahit naiinis ako sa kanya ay hindi pa rin ako nagsumbong kina mommy at daddy baka kasi sabihin niya na crush ko si Wyatt Sullivan.

Ganoon kami. Sanggang dikit. Muntik pa nga kaming maging magkaklase dahil ayaw kong maiwan mag isa kapag pumapasok siya. Before Laurence, kuya is my bestfriend.

I don't know when but I just woke up one day ilag na siya sa akin. Si Laurence na lang ang kasama ko hanggang sa isang araw talagang hindi na ako pinansin ni kuya. Lumayo na siya at kahit magkasalubong kami ay lalampas lang siya. Ngagon ay civil siya sa akin. He's talking to me pero hindi na katulad ng dati.

"Cassie," I look at Ren who's looking at me too

"Don't speak. Why'd you have bruises? Nakipag away ka?" tanong ko at binitawan ang straw ng coke float ko

"Tss, it's nothing." she said coldly and shook her head

She put a spoonful of sundae on her mouth and look outside the window. We are eating to this known fast food. Nanahimik na lang ako pero patuloy ako sa panonood sa kanya.

"Lilipat ka na sa school na pinapasukan ko?" I asked suddenly

"Hmm," tanging tugon niya baco malamig ang tingin sa sumulyap sa counter hindi kalayuan sa kinauupuan namin

Cold yet so beautiful. Pair of sleepy, cold eyes add to her beauty. This is my bestfriend. I met her when I was in grade 8. Nung lumalayo na si kuya ay bigla siyang dumating. While I was watching kuya laughing at his friends, my eyes accidentally caught her, Laurence walking with a beautiful woman beside her. Magkamukha sila. Pareho ng may kalakihang mata na medyo singkit na ang dulo, maliit at matangos na ilong. Sa labi lang nagkaiba at kulay ng buhok. They are both shining in my eyes that time. After that day nakipagclose ako sa kanya dahil gusto ko ang awra niya. She's a happy girl back then. She laugh like there's no tomorrow. We both played chinese garter and piko. Until two years ago, her mom passed away. I witnessed how her eyes died together with tita's last day.