Ghost

CHAPTER 18

Hindi na siya nakatanggi kanina nang magyaya si Annie sa bahay nila. Ayoko na ko na kasing tumapak ng Red Gate subdivision. Masyadong eskandalosa ang nga pangyayari doon and it'll just open up some wounds I'm trying to close in last coupleof years. Hindi ako alam kung bakit ako ngumiti at pumayag.

Parang tanga lang talaga.

Ang bahay namin doon ay amin pa rin pero si Anthony ang kalimitan nandoon. Alam ko kasing may babae siyang dinadala doon na bawal sa unit namin. Sabi pa niya, doon daw kalimitan umuuwi si Benedict nitong mga nakaraang araw at last week ay bumalik naman ang mga magulang nitong galing ng US at ako ang hinahanap. Hindi ko alam kung kaya kong harapin si tita.

Hindi na kami nagkita simula nang maospital ako at dumaan sa isang therapy dahil sa trauma. I soent my whole summer in an asylum where they treat depressed and not those people sick in the head. Basta, parang nasa rehab ang pakiramdam.

We lied. Sabi ng mommy namin ay biglaang pinatawag ako ni Daddy sa Spain at doon na mananatili hanggang magsimula ang Medicine program namin ni Anthony. No one knew about the suicidal attempt. Everyone was paid and asked to sign a NDA to keep it from spilling. Mahirap na raw at member ang mommy namin ng alta sociedad.

And now, babalik ako doon at makikipagplastikan kay Annie at Benedict. Si Tita marga lang naman ang gusto kong makausap eh kasi mas naging nanay pa siya sa mommy namin. My mother is destructive kaya hindi niya kami masyadong naasikaso. We were fed with money and care but we lacked in her motherly affection. I suddenly missed Tita Marga.

Here I am, parking my car beside their house and trying to do a parallel parking kahit ang hirap dahil masyadong malaki ang Forrester ko.

Bumaba ako habang hawak-hawak ang isang bouquet ng bulaklak para kay tita. She loves lilies kaya naman ito na agad ang naisipan kong dalhin. Almost six years na din kaming hindi nagkikita at hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya haharapin. I felt like choking in my own breath. Bahala na.

"Cassandra!" Mabilis ang mga pangyayari at naramdaman ko na lang ang yakap ni Tita Marga. Niyakap ko siya pabalik at naramdaman kong namayat siya simula nang huling makita ko silang mag-asawa.

"Tita, flowers nga po pala." She smiled and took it from my hands. Niyakap niya iyon na para bang pinakamahalagang bagay sa buhay niya. I felt flattered.

"Sobrang namiss kita. Bakit naman hindi mo na kami kinausap? Alam mo bang ang laki ng fampo ko sayo? Pero nung malaman kong pareho kayo ng ospital ni Benben nawala lahat ng tampo ko. I missed you so much, baby Cassie. Madami akong pasalubong sayo. Ikaw lang talaga ang naisipan kong dalhan ng pasalubong. I felt like a mother who needed to fill up the times I wasn't with you." Naiyak siya kaya naman niyakap ko na ulit para patahanin.

Hinaplos niya ang buhok ko. "Sobrang ganda mo na ngayon, Cassie. Gumanda ka lalo at doktor ka na rin. Sana wala ka pang boyfriend."

"Tita, wala naman talaga. Busy ako sa pag-aaral at buhay doktor."

"Dapat lang kasi hindi ko alam kung paano kita titingnan kapag nakasal ka na. Malulingkot ako nang sobra." I pouted and she just hugged me really tight.

"Dito na po ba kayo sa Pinas mananatili?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang naglalakad patungo sa kanilang sofa. Iba na ito. They had this L-shaped white leather couch na masarap higaan. Ngayon, velvet black couch na ito.

"Dito na kami. Ayoko na doon at sobrang lamig." Ngumiti lang siya.

"Kami naman po ni Anthony ang pupunta ng US pagkatapos ng internship namin. We planned to take our PhD there."

"Iiwanan mo na naman kami." Niyakap niya ako ulit ang nakita kong paparating si Benedict hawak-hawak ang malalaking paperbag.

Nakakaasar, ang kinang kasi ng wedding ring niya.

"Hija, try everything I bought for you. Lahat iyan pinag-isipan ko talaga. Isipin mo na lang na mga namiss ko na birthdays and Christmases mo. Here, maganda ang bag na 'to. Uso daw eh. Celine Paris yan." Tuwang-tuwa siyang ibinigay ang bag sa akin.

She told me once, noong nasa high school pa ako na I am the daughter she never had. Miracle baby nga daw kasi si Benedict at hindi na siya pwede ulit magkababy. That saddened her and focused all her frustrations of having a daughter with me. Ako na lang daw ang anak niyang babae.

"Kamusta naman sa work? Pinapahirapan ka ba ni Benedict? Sabihin mo lang at kukurutin ko sa singit ang anak kong 'to." I giggled and Annie showed up. I saw Tita Marga frowned at halatang hindi niya gusto si Annie, but why? Dati rati halos patirahin na nga niya si Annie sa bahay nila kasi siya ang girlfriend at ako lang ang bestfriend.

"Okay na po mommy 'yung steak. Let's eat." She smiled pero nakakapagtakang hindi sumagot si tita at nanatiling nakakapit sa braso ko. She led me to the dining area na lagi naming tambayan dati nila Benedict because his mom loves to cook at bihira lang lutong bahay sa amin noon. Puro kami take outs at nakakasawa ang luto ng maid kaya naman tita Marga always made sure that we eat clean.

"Wow, magaling ka pala magsteak, Annie." I smiled at her at gumanti siya ng ngiti at parang gumanda siya ng ilang beses.

While I stare at Annie and Tita marga, I could feel bad blood between them. I feel eerie and awkward and I can't help but crook my eyebrows and just stare. Annieis definitely LIKEABLE.

Alam kong naging karibal ko siya, but she's a good person. Never siyang gumawa ng mga bagay na makakaoffend sa mga tao. She's always this comfortingly person na masarap kausap not until my friend Diana chose to be on her side.

Bad memories, dang.

"Thanks, Cassie. Kahit kelan ang sweet mo pa rin. No wonder favorite ka ni Benedict." She smiled but the bitterness in her voice is way too strong to get unnoticed.

"Hindi naman. We were just great friends back then. Besides, I got my own clique now." I smiled back.

"Hindi mo na friend si Benedict, Cassie? You said were." I stiffened as I recognize pain in Tita Marga's voice.

"Ah kasi tita mas... close na ako doon sa mga classmates ko. We've been through tough days so medyo iba ang pinagsamahan. Don't get me wrong tita, kasi okay naman kami ni Benedict."

"Ganun ba? Why don't you catch up with Cassandra, Benedict? Magsleep over ulit siya dito para naman masaya. Okay lang ba Cassie?"

I can't answer that.

"I can't tita, marami akong gagawin this week kasi inaasikaso ko pa yung school na papasukan namin ni Anthony sa US at marami kaming ginagawa sa ospital. Benedict knows how busy we are kaya kahit siya wala na ding time. Bibisita na lang ho ako sa off ko." I assured her.

"I miss your beautiful black hair, Cassie. Parang may iba na kasi sayo nung maging pula ang buhok mo. It feels like I lost a daughter." Then she brushed her fingers on my hair.

"Things are just meant to change tita, but still I love you so much. You're like a mother to me." Hindi ko maintindihan pero nakatingin lang sa akin si Benedict at hindi niya ako nilulubayan ng tingin. His expressionless eyes are piercing me like daggers.

"Sleep here kahit isang gabi lang. Tatlo ang guest room namin. Sayang nga eh, kasal na kasi si Benben kaya di ka na pwede sa kwarto niya." My smile froze. Bakit kanina ko pa nararamdaman na ayaw ni Tita Marga kay Annie. This is quite depressing.

"Maybe?" I answered in hesitation.

That very night, I saw Diana once again in my dreams. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ang vivid ng mga pangyayari.

She was standing in front of my bed in her white laced dress and smiled at me. She looked at me with soft eyes and I felt chills all over my body like I was lying on top of a huge block of ice. I felt my insides scramble with fear. I felt nausea.

"Diana? Why are you here you b*tch?! You're a traitor! You killed me. You killed everything in me! Akala mo si Benedict lang ang dahilan kaya muntik na akong mamatay?! Hindi! It was all more on you. When he rejected me, wala na akong matakbuhan kasi pinili mong panigan si Annie Jane! Dapat mamatay na kayong lahat!"

Halos mapaos ako kakasigaw sa kanya pero she just looked at me with smiling and sad eyes.

"Tell me Diana? Why did you leave my side? Bakit mo ginawa sa akin 'to? You were my friend. You were my pillar. You were my sister! Speak up! Tell me!"

She just smiled at me and tucked her hair behind her ears and played with her dress while staring at the floor.

"Diana?! Where are you?"