Stolen

Chapter 11: Apologies & No Apologies

Chapter 11: Apologies & No Apologies

~Alli~

“Oh, wala pa si Derek? 2:30 na ah.”  Sabi ni papa while sitting on the couch watching TV.

I heave out a sigh, “Oo nga eh.”

Asan na kayo yun? Maybe he’s just too lazy today or he got up late this morning or...he’s going to quit. The thought of him quitting makes me feel worried and even guiltier for what happened last night. But come on, he can’t quit. Makukulong siya if hindi niya to itutuloy so he won’t quit, will he? Another thing that I’m worried about is baka ako sisihin niya kung bakit siya aalis. I will be dead.

 “Oh, ba’t ayaw mo na?” Tanong ni papa.

Derek pointed a finger at me. “Yung anak niyo po kasi grabe yung pagka-yabang, ang sungit-sungit niya kaya nag away po kami kahapon.”

“ANO?” Papa raised up his voice in an angry tone, All, hali ka nga dito!”

I shrug my shoulders and get out of my imagination. And at that moment, I heard a knock on our front gate.

“Baka si Eugene na yan.” Papa says. “Alli, itago mo yung junk foods sa ilalalim. Dali!” I ran into to the kitchen to hide our stash of junk food inside the closet sink. Ayaw na ayaw kasi ni Auntie na marami kaming junk food sa bahay, hindi daw healthy. But uhm, obviously we can’t help it.

~Derek~

“Oh, wala pa si Derek? 2:30 na ah.” I heard Tito Jose’s voice (Alli’s father). Nasa tapat ako ng bahay nila ngayon, naghahandang kausapin si Tito Jose na ayoko na. Bahala na siya o si Batman san man ako dadalhin. Maghahanap na lang ako ng iba pang paraan para maayos yung kotse ni Tito basta ayoko na dito. So I pry to knock on the gate, the moment it opens…

 “Oh Derek!” Tito greeted me with a smile on his face, I’m surprised that he’s not even mad why I’m late.

“U-uhm, t-tito.” I stutter, my voice sounded really nervous and I don’t even know why. It’s like the words that I’m trying to say got stuck inside my throat and it’s having a time to come out.

“Pumasok ka muna at ang init dyan sa labas!” He offered me, and so I followed him inside the living room. He sits on the couch as I sat at the chair facing him and the coffee table between us. “Darating kasi yung kapatid ni Grace, si Eugene at dito muna siya maninirahan sandali kaya eto kami ngayon, naghahanda kami ng merienda at nilinis konti yung bahay dahil ayaw na ayaw niyang nakikita magulo yung bahay. Hay nako mga babae talaga.”

I smile, followed by a nervous chuckle.

“Oh, siya nga pala,” He says, “Ba’t nagyon ka lang?”

“Uhm, y-yun na nga po eh.” I mumbled, trying to swallow the lump in my throat and slowly tried to bring out the words. “Gusto ko po sanang sabihing—“

I paused

She passed by at us in the living room, giving me a quick glance before heading up stairs.

It’s Alli.

“Gustokoposanangsabihingnag-generalcleaningpokamisabahaykayapoako nalate.” I blurt out, the words that came out from my mouth were really fast. As in mabilis, sobrang bilis na parang hindi nga ako sure kung naintindihan ni Tito yung sinabi ko eh.

“Ah, eh, ganun ba?” Sabi ni Tito, “Sige, ayos lang.”

 “Tao po?” A woman outside their gate came knocking on their front gate that interrupted our talk.