I Love You, Sagada

KABANATA 9

AUSTIN

I was pacing back and forth in our sala, my Mom is crying helplessly while being consoled by Asher and Andrew. Alex is now fidgeting and can't look at me straight in the eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about Alex? Wala si Arki sa kuwarto niya?" pagalit kong tanong.

"Y-yes Kuya, I checked her sweet space but she isn't there too. I tried calling her phone but I think it's off," he said nervously.

"Damn it!" napahilamos ako sa mukha ko at napasabunot sa buhok, "Wala man lang nakakita sa pag-alis niya? May bisita ba siya bago siya nawala?" tanong ko nang maalala ang Yaya ni Arki, "Nana Esther!"

Lumapit si Nana Esther na parang balisa, "A-austin b-bakit?"

"Nana be honest with me, alam niyo po ba kung nasaan si Arki?" seryoso kong tanong.

Napahawak sa dibdib niya si Nana Esther at nag-iisip, alam ko na agad na may alam siya.

"Nana I'll ask you again, may bisita ba si Arki noong isang araw? Paano siya nakaalis? Be honest with me and I will not get angry," muli kong tanong.

Napatingin siya kay Mommy na naghihintay rin ng sagot niya, huminga siya ng malalim bago inilibot ang tingin sa aming lahat.

"P-pasensya na kayo, umiyak si Arki at nagmakaawa sa akin na payagan siyang sumama kina Genevieve at Cleo," halos naiiyak niyang sagot.

I knew it! Walang ibang sinasamahan ang kapatid ko kundi ang mga kaibigan niyang iyon.

"Do you know where they are going?" tanong naman ni Asher na inalo ulit si Mom.

"H-hindi niya sinabi Asher, ang sinabi niya lang ay gusto niyang mag-isip at huminga. Nahihirapan daw siya at gusto niyang lumaya sandali. Nangako siyang dalawang araw lang sila mawawala..." napatungo si Nana Esther kaya nilapitan siya ni Mommy.

"My baby girl... kung hindi niyo siya pinahirapan hindi siya aalis!" masama ang tingin ni Mommy na nagpakunot ng noo ko.

"Then what should we do Mom? Hayaan siya sa pagrerebelde niya?" balik-tanong ko.

"No! But you can do something for her, stop that wedding your Dad is planning and help her cope! Hindi sagot ang pagpapakasal sa eskandalong kinaharap niya. You know your sister more than anyone else, and that video? It's altered!"

"Mom ipinacheck na namin ang authenticity ng video and they said na hindi edited 'yon..." nanghihinang komento ni Andrew.

"Or maybe hindi si Arki 'yon! I know my daughter all too well and I know when she's lying! Ask the man who brought her to the hospital Austin, siya lang ang makakapagpatunay kung totoo ang video," nagmamakaawa niyang turan. Napahilot naman ako sa sintido ko dahil lalo lang sumakit 'yon.

"Anong sasabihin natin kay Dad?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Alex.

I sighed deeply before looking at them one by one, even Nana Esther is waiting for my decision.

"Dad shouldn't know, he may suffer another attack and you know better that it may be fatal this time. What we can do right now is call Cleo or Gen para malaman kung nasaan-" hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin ko nang makarinig kami ng pagtigil ng sasakyan sa labas at pagbukas ng main door.

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko nang makita ang dalawang kaibigan ni Arkisha na parang kinakabahan.

"Gen! Cleo! Where's Arki? Saan ba kayo galing? Arkisha!" salubong ni Mommy pero hindi umimik ang dalawa at nagkatinginan lang. Lumabas pa si Mommy para salubungin ang bunso niya ngunit umiiyak siyang bumalik.

Hinawakan niya si Gen na ngayon ay umiiyak habang may inilalabas na papel sa bulsa ng pantalon niya. Iniabot niya iyon kay Mommy na biglang nanginig at muntik matumba, mabuti at malapit si Asher sa kanya kaya nasalo niya si Mommy.

"My baby..." wika niya at yumakap kay Asher. Inagaw ko ang papel mula kay Mommy at nanlumo sa nabasa ko.

I can't marry him. I'm sorry.

See you soon,

Rose

"Fvck!" naikuyumos ko ang papel at tinignan ng masama ang dalawa, "Where have you been? Why did you take her with you? You know she's grounded and about to get married! She should be here!" I saw them flinch at my outburst, even my brothers were startled with my shout.

Genevieve came forward to me, her eyes not leaving mine, "She told you her truth but nobody listened to her. You are her family yet you didn't defend her. She was almost r*ped yet you let her down by letting her marry that man who assaulted her!"

"How dare you shout at me!"

"I'm not shouting! I just want to put some sense into your twisted minds! She's having nightmares! She cried in her sleep, she calls out for help but nobody was there to rescue her! Oliver is insane! He did that so he can get his hands on your wealth and he'll use Arki to get what he wants!"

"Gen stop it..." lumapit si Cleo para pigilan ang babae pero iwinaksi niya ang kamay nito at muling tumitig sa akin.

"No Cleo they should know. She just wanted to be free and happy... pero bakit ang hirap sa inyong ibigay 'yun sa kanya?" naiiyak niyang asik sa akin.

Lumapit si Andrew, "We know what's best for her-"

"No you don't! Kung alam niyo ang nakakabuti sa kanya then cancel the wedding!"

"You are getting overboard here Genevieve, you are not to decide-" pagsali ni Alex sa usapan pero hindi rin siya pinatapos ng babae.

"Yes I'am! I'm a concerned citizen and I want my friend to be back here when she deem perfect for her. Do something with Oliver, investigate and dig more. There's more to it than just that damn video!" tatalikod na ito nang muli akong magsalita.

"Just tell me where you went and we'll start there," I said calmly but she answered with a sarcastic chuckle.

"Ask to my butt," nanlaki ang mga mata ng lahat na ikinangisi ko. This woman is really feisty, no one ever dared to talk back to me like that, not even Arkisha.

Lumapit siya kay Mommy at yumakap dito, I saw her whisper something but I can't read her mouth. Tinapunan niya akong muli ng masamang tingin bago hinatak si Cleo palabas ng mansyon.

"What just happened?" nakatulalang tanong ni Asher habang nakatingin kaming lahat sa pintong nilabasan ng dalawa.

"A feisty fox happened," nagtatagis ang mga bagang kong wika, inilabas ko ang telepono ko at tinawagan ang sekretarya ko, "Jeff, investigate on Genevieve Cortez. Find out where she went the last three days and report back to me after 2 hours. Kung hindi mo magagawa 'yan then you'll be fired," madiin kong utos.

Tinutulungan nang tumayo nina Asher at Alex si Mommy.

"What are we gonna do now kuya? Mom won't say what Gen whispered to her," tanong ni Andrew.

"I'll handle this, now no one would say a thing to Dad. Hell will fall upon the Allegres if he'll know about this."

Tumango lang siya, pagbaba nina Alex at Asher ay kinausap ko sila.

"Asher, ask the bar that Arki went to with Oliver and ask for a copy of the CCTV," tumango si Asher.

"Andrew, pasundan mo si Oliver Corpuz and get information about his family and where he's been these past few days, including that night at Purple Bliss."

"Alex, find the source of the video. Hurt those people if needed. I need to save our sister if this is all true. Oliver Corpuz and his family will suffer."

Nagpulasan na kaming magkakapatid at umakyat ako sa kuwarto ni Arki. She didn't leave any note, I checked on her laptop and boom! I found her history on the search bar, Sagada.

ASHER

I was at Purple Bliss bar where the incident with Arki and Oliver happened. We were all a frequent here because we're friends with the owner Clay Sanders.

"Hi handsome..." napatingala ako sa bartender na babaeng ngayon ay pinaglalandas na ang mga daliri niya sa braso ko. Her touch is making me instantly hard and I can't understand why. I was met with a brown eyed woman, her innocent eyes is looking directly at me.

"What?" malamig kong sagot. I don't hook up with girls, especially easy to get women in the bar. But there is something else with this woman that I feel like my solid walls are starting to crumble.

"Oohh... cold as in ice," she said raising her brows, "I just want to ask your order Mr. Salazar," she winked at me which caught me off-guard. I read her name tag, Erika... pretty name.

Sinensyasan ko siyang lumapit upang bumulong, "I need info, can you give it to me?" ramdam kong nanigas siya at lumayo ng bahagya sa akin. I think this task would be easy for me after all.

I smirk at her shocked face, "I think you know something, care to tell me Erika?"

Napalunok siya habang nakatitig sa mga mata ko, ako naman ay bumaba ang tingin sa mapupulang labi niya, then it's my turn to swallow a lump on my throat. Her lips is inviting...

I touched it and can't help myself anymore, I caught her lips as she stiffened, that reaction earned a smirk from me.

Unti unti akong lumayo dahil hindi ko alam kung anong magagawa ko kung hindi ako titigil. I touched her lips again as she close her eyes, "Tell me everything sweetheart, I'll give you everything you want," wika ko sa napapaos na tinig.

She swallowed again before nodding her head, I gave her my card and stood up, "I'll be waiting for your call," I bid my goodbye to her.

And as I walk out of the bar I went straight to my car and went home. I badly need a cold bath to tame this buddy of mine. Damn my hormones!