Forbidden Love

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

It all started at my friend's party.

I was 18 years old at that moment, first time uminom at maglasing. I was so wasted, hindi ko na alam yung mga pinaggagawa ko.

"Shanika stop, nakarami ka na ng inom. Ano bang problema mo? Pagusapan natin yan.", narinig kong sambit ng isa kong kaibigan.

Lasing na lasing ang babaeng ito, bakit? At that time I was at my lowest, pakiramdam ko natapos na yung mundong dati masaya at tahimik na pamilya.Nakita ko si Papa, hinahalikan si Tita Yasmine (mom of the celebrant) na tinuring kong pangalawa kong ina. I was so dumb, ilang beses ko ng nakikitang parang may mali pero pinipilit ko lang yung sarili kong maniwala na close lang sila kaya ganun. Pero hindi pala, it was more than that. Ang sakit kasi ayoko malaman ni Mommy, ayoko syang masaktan kasi sobrang buti nyang ina at asawa para kay Papa. But all this time ginagag* lang pala sya ng kaibigan nya.

Hindi ko namalayang tumatakbo na pala ko palabas at hindi ko nakita na may paparating na sasakyan.

Thud....

"Miss are you ok? Miss wake up.."

I heard a voice of a man but my body is numb and wala akong lakas para imulat ang mga mata ko, ang naririnig ko lang ay yung papalapit na ambulansya at isang lalaking umiiyak. Am I dead?

At The Hospital:

"Hindi ka pa nakuntento! hinayaan ko na yung panggagag* nyo sakin ni Yasmine para lang mabuo itong pamilya na ito. Para hindi masaktan si Shanika at Vin lalong lalo na ang kamuhian ka!" sambit ni Mommy.

"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo Carol, bat kasalanan kong muntik ng nabangga yung anak mo? ako ba yung bumangga? bakit ako yung sinisisi mo sa nangyare?" sagot Naman ni Papa.

All this time alam ni Mommy, pero pinipilit pa rin nyang maging matatag para sakinat sa kaptid ko, para hindi namin maranasan ang isang wasak na pamilya. Sobrang sakit para kay Mommy. Hindi nila alam na may malay na ko at naririnig ko sila.

"Nakita ka ng anak mong nakikipaghalikan sa babaeng yun! kaya sya nagtatakbo. Kaya nangyare sa kanya to. Kasalanan mo to David!"

Iyak ng iyak si Mommy, naririnig ko yung bawat hikbi nya at sobrang nasasaktan ako marinig syang ganun. She was always strong and independent, she never fails as a mother to me and my brother.

"Ni hindi nyo lang ba naisip na baka makita kayo ng mga bata, nakakadiri kayo. Umalis ka na dito pls lang" sambit ni Mommy.

"Carol I'm really sorry hindi ko sinasadya, nadala lang ako ng bugso ng damdamin kaya nagawa ko yun. Pangako hihiwalayan ko na sya. Gusto kong ayusin yung pamilya natin. Please let me stay. Baka hanapin ako ni Shanika pag nagising sya".

"Ano sa tingin mo magiging reaksyon nya pagnakita ka nya, pagnaalala nya yung mga nakita nya, please David get out. Ayoko ma-trauma yung anak ko"

"Please Carol gusto ko lang malaman kung okay sya"

"I-message na lang kita sa kalagayan nya, please get out".

Naririnig ko pinagtulakan ni Mommy si Papa papalabas ng pinto at dun na nagsimula yung matindi nyang iyak. Damang dama ko yung sakit na nararamdaman ni Mommy.

"Mom?" Dali Dali syang lumapit sakin.

"Shanika your awake, Thanks God. Jusko anak di ko alam yung gagawin ko kung wala ka"

Pinunasan ko yung luha ni Mommy.

"Mom please don't cry, I'm ok, I'm fine" she hugged me so tight.

"Mom if your not happy anymore, don't endure it just for my sake. I'm fine, 18 na po ko and I will always understand you. Ayoko ng makita kang umiiyak because of Papa, so please do the right thing I'll be on your side this time 🙂" I was always a Daddy's girl but now I'm choosing my Mom since I know she needs me more than anyone else. I know Mom was strong but this time I want her to feel that it's ok to be weak sometimes. And nung sinabi ko yun nagulat sya.

"Narinig mo kami ng Papa mo?"

"Yes Mom, I know ako yung iniisip mo, kami ni Vin kaya tinitiis mo lang si Papa. But kahit ngayon lang Mom, choose yourself."

"I'm sorry Shanika, me and your Papa is a big failure. Ilan beses na syang nagpromise na ititiggil na nya pero paulit ulit nyang ginagawa. I don't want to lose you and your brother kasi natatakot ako na sumama ka sa Papa mo over me. I know your close to him. And me? ako yung laging strict pag dating sayo. I don't want you to feel na hindi kita iniisip. Ayoko maging selfish"

"Mom, it's okay. Wag mo na kong alalahanin. I'll be on your side no matter what. " Niyakap ko sya ng mahigpit. Yes Mom is so strict pero alam kong ginagawa nya lang yun to correct us ni Vin. Yes! I have a siblling and I really love him as well. He's only 7 years old pero I know he's still not at the right age to know what is happening with our family. And as her big sis, hindi ko sila pwedeng pabayaan ni Mommy.

But wait, yung bumangga sakin, pinangutan ba niya ako?

"Mom, nakita mo ba kung sinong nakabangga sakin?"

"Yes, pumunta yung Dad niya to settle. I saw you running so fast kaya ka nya muntik nabangga. So technically it was your fault anak. But they are generous enough and was so kind, they pay for your hospital bills kahit nag-insist ako. But sabi nung guy na muntik nanakabangga sayo, he will take the responsibility kaya he also call for his Dad to help."

I know it was my fault I need to personally apologize to him.

"Mom.nandyan pa ba siya. Gusto ko sanang mag-thank you ng personal and mag apologize".

"Sorry anak, he was already leaving that night for US dun na sya mag-aaral kaya yung Dad nya nagasikaso ng lahat dito ."

"Sayang naman po, hindi na ko nakapagpa-salamat ng personal"

"He also gave you flowers, and I think may letter na included diyan. Oh iwan muna kita diyan ha, aasikasuhin ko lang si Vin sa bahay. Papunta dito si Ate Ella mo para magbantay sayo okay? Love you anak"

"Ok Mom love you too, ingat ka"

Well kung ako Daddy's girl si Vin maka Mommy kaya hindi pwedeng matutulog sya ng hindi nakikita si Mommy, kaya si Ate Ella yung sasama sakin dito sa Hospital. She was our house angel na nakakatulong ni Mommy sa pagpapalaki saming 2 ni Vin, kaya napakaswerte rin namin sakanya kasi alagang alaga nya rin kami na parang tunay nyang anak. And balik tayo dito sa letter na binigay sakin nung muntik ng nakabangga sakin.

" Hi Miss,

Sorry I missed the chance to know your name. I'm really sorry for what happened, hindi ko sinasadya ang bilis mo kasi tumatakbo kaya hindi ko din agad natapakan yung breaks ko buti na lang sabi ni Dad minor lang yung naging damage sayo, luckily you missed my car kaya nagasgasan ka lang. I was so scared kasi akala ko bumangga ka talaga sa kotse ko but it so happen na lasing na lasing ka and I think na-stressed out ka kaya ka nagcollapse. But still thankful tayo na hindi ka nabangga. I hope you'll be careful next time Miss. And hoping for your fast recovery. Hindi kita idya-judge but I think you have deep reason why your too drunk that night cause I saw you crying while running. I hope your okay now, sorry again since I didn't get the chance to meet you personally since today was also my flight to US. Rest well and take care of yourself.

Bye Miss!"