Chapter 1
1510 Words
“MA'AM, we have to move. It’s not safe here anymore.”
Sinulyapan ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses at tumango. I’ve been living my whole life with
my bodyguards. Lagi silang nakabantay. Nagmamasid sa bawat galaw ko. Bumalik
ang tingin ko sa dalawang puntod na nasa harap. My finger traced every letter
engrave on the cold rectangular stone.
In memory of Dominic Guevarra April 5 1961-October 17 2009. In memory of Monica Guevarra September 3 1966-December 25
2005.
It’s been eleven years since I lost my mom and after four years my dad was killed.
Sariwa pa sa isip ko kung paano ko siya yakapin at hingin sa Diyos na ibalik
ang daddy ko. Life is so unfair. Pinunasan ko ang pisngi ko nang maramdaman ang
patak ng luha na pilit kumukawala sa aking mga mata. Matapos ilapag ang mga
pumpon ng bulaklak ay tumalikod na ako at naglakad papunta sa sasakyan.
“Sa Pajero po ako sasakay. Kayo na lang po sa kabila,” magalang kong sabi sa aking
mga bodyguards.
“I’m sorry Ma’am but—”
“Please po, Kuya? I just want a spacious area. I want to breathe.”
Napipilitan man ay tumango na lang ang isa sa kanila. Sophia must be worried now. It’s
already five in the afternoon. The day after tomorrow is my graduation day and
I want my parents to know how happy I am. Magiging nurse na ako and I will help
everyone who needs me.
Tumalima naman ang iba at agad nagsiksikan sa kabilang sasakyan. I have seven bodyguards
with me at dalawa lang ang kasama ko sa sasakyan. Isang driver at isang nasa
front seat. Lima naman ang nasa Chevy Cruze na sinakyan ko papuntang
sementeryo. As the driver drove to our way home I closed my eyes and reminisced
my life way back in high school.
I was just a girl who loves board games. I was just a girl reading harry potter
every night. I was just a girl who will cook unnamed foods. I was just a girl
who dreamed of everyone’s success. I was just—
Napahinto ako sa pag-iisip nang biglang marahas na preno ang gumambala sakin kaya napa-abante
ang katawan ko. Bago pa man ako makapag tanong ay isang malakas na pagsabog
mula sa harap namin ang umalingawngaw sa paligid. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang
mapagtantong iyon ang sasakyan na dapat sinakyan ko. My heart beats loudly.
Dinala ko ang kamay ko sa bibig ko at tahimik na humikbi.
“No.”
“s**t!” sigaw ng bodyguard kong nasa front seat at may tinawagan sa radio. Nanlalamig
ang buo kong katawan sa pagtitig sa kotseng umaapoy at sira-sira mula sa
pagsabog. Oh my God!
Agad naming nilisan ang lugar at mabilis na pinaharurot ang kotse paalis. Nang
marating namin ang mansiyon ay agad akong sinalubong ni Sophia. She’s checking
my face, arms, back and even my legs. I am trembling and my knees felt numb.
Sophia is my personal bodyguard which I can considered a friend. Hindi ko siya
sinama sa akin dahil umalis ito kaninang umaga dahil pinatawag daw siya ng head
nila.
“We lost five men. This is unexpected! Damn!”
Tumango si Sophia sa isang bodyguard na kasama ko kanina at sumagot. “We need to report this to him immediately.”
“Kailan ba siya babalik?” naiiritang tanong nito.
“Tomorrow.”
“Kakapanganak lang ng asawa ni Ben kahapon! Tangina!” tukoy nito sa isang bodyguard na
napasama sa pagsabog. Padabog itong umalis nang tumunog ang private phone nito.
Lumipat ang tingin sa akin ni Sophia at hinila ako papunta sa loob ng mansiyon at
pinaupo sa four seated couch. Mataman niya akong tinitigan at huminga nang
malalim. Tinitigan niya ang mga kamay kong hindi parin humuhupa ang panginginig
sa takot.
“Are you okay?” she asked with a soft voice.
“I’m… I’m sorry Sophia,” I cried. Ilang buhay pa ba ang magsasakripisyo? Ilang
pamilya pa ba ang mawawalan?
“Shh… It’s okay.” She hugged me tightly. How
can I be so stupid!
“Sorry, sorry.”
Ako dapat iyon. Swerte na ba akong maituturing dahil ilang beses na akong
nakakaligtas sa ganoong pangyayari? At sa tuwing naiililigtas ako ay ibang
buhay naman ang natatapos? Hindi ito ang gusto ko. Ayoko na ng ganito.
Isang malakas na bukas ng pinto ang nagpalingon sa aminng lahat. Tinitigan ko ang
lalaking kakapasok lang. My heart is thumping hardly. Seven long years since
the last time I saw him. I was at the hospital that time. Trying to accept the
fact that I lost my dad.
Seven years changed him a lot. He became taller and he possessed a well-toned body.
Namumula ang medyo tan nitong balat mula sa sikat ng araw. His hair seems so
messy maybe because of his helmet. Nakasuot siya ng white V-neck t-shirt,
faded jeans at hawak ang nakasampay na leather jacket sa balikat niya. Salubong
ang kilay nito at nakaigting ang panga.
He’s mad I know.
“Kobe! Nandito kana pala. Bukas pa ang dating mo ah?” salubong ni Sophia.
“Napaaga ang dating ko at dito ako dumiretso.” Walang emosyon ang mukha nitong sinagot
si Sophia. Nilagpasan niya lang ang babae at direstsong tumungo sa kinaroroonan
ko.
“Seven years had passed, Dominique but you didn’t change,” malamig ang boses nitong
sabi sa akin. His voice brought shivers down to my spine. Umupo ito sa couch na
nasa harap ko at nilapag ang jacket sa tabi niya. He crossed his arms and focus
his eyes to me.
“S-sorry… Hindi ko alam—”
“Sorry? Does your sorry stop the anguish of the family’s loss? Does your sorry feed
their wives and children? Does your sorry bring my men’s life back?” His voice
is calmly dangerous. He brushes his hair with his fingers out of frustration.
His forehead knotted while gritting his teeth. He looks scary but it makes him sexier
too. ‘Dominique! Wag ka nga mag isip ng kung ano ano!. Kinagat ko ang ibabang labi ko habang dinadamdam ang
kabog ng dibdib ko sa takot at kaba dahil sa galit na makikita sa mga mata
niya. Alam kong hindi ko na maibabalik iyon. Pero bakit ba kasi nila ako
pinoprotektahan pa? I feel useless.
“Careful with your words Kobe. She’s still in shock,” sabi ni Sophia kay Kobe. She caresses
Kobe’s arms.
“Careful with my words Sophia? Look, these men who died earlier was a father. At sino
ang haharap sa pamilya nila para sabihing ‘Hey, your husband or your father died in our mission’. ‘Diba ako? Because
they are my men.”
“H-Hindi ko alam na—”
“Talagang hindi mo alam. Kasi wala kang alam. Stop acting like a high school teenager
Dominique. In seven years of protecting you, do you know how many people
sacrificed their lives just because you need to stay alive?”
I cried by hearing those harsh words from him. Parang sinabi niya na rin na hindi
talaga ako worth it protektahan. Maybe he’s fed up and thinking about quitting.
Humagulhol na ako sa iyak dahil sa limang buhay na nasayang na naman dahil
sa’kin. I felt Sophia’s arms around me.
“Stop it Jakobe! You don’t have to be harsh!”
“Oh shut up Sophia. You’re babying her,” matigas na sagot niya na ikinatayo ni
Sophia.
“I’m not babying her Kobe. You’re just being too harsh. Can’t you just let her rest
first bago mo pangaralan?”
Sophia looks mad. Her eyes are throwing daggers at the man who’s looking at me
intently. Nakaigting ang panga nito at nag a-apoy ang mga mata. My body is
shaking because of different kinds of emotions. I’m scared, nervous, down, and
depressed.
Tahimik lang akong nakatungo at naghihintay ng susunod na mangyayari. I feel suffocated
and caged. I’ve been studying my nursing course with my guards outside the room.
I didn’t experience prom and joining in Intramurals. I don’t have friends. I
don’t feel normal. I’m rich, yes but being rich means having a lot of trouble.
I just want to be free.
“Lalabas muna ako. I’ll check the perimeter outside. We need to double the security.
Someone’s messing with us,” basag ni Kobe sa katahimikan.
“Okay. I’ll call Rim to fix the incident earlier,” prenteng sagot naman ni Sophia.
“No need, Phia. I already did,” Kobe answered
Tumayo na ito at dinampot ang jacket saka sinuot. The way he wore his jacket looks
sexy. Para siyang holywood action star. Tumalikod na siya at naglakad palabas
pero agad ding huminto habang hawak ang seradura. Nagsalita ito ng hindi
lumilingon. Ayan na naman ang kabog ng puso ko.
Seven years ago I felt this sudden heartbeat every time he was speaking. His baritone
voice is full of authority.
“And I’ll be staying here. From now on, ako na ang magbabantay sa’yo Dominique
Guevarra. Ako na.”
- Writer
