The Sixth Girl Book 2

Chapter 10

Akala ko ang hirap na ng buhay ko.

Akala ko ako na ang merong pinakamahirap na pinagdaanan sa mundo.

Akala ko wala nang mas sasaklap pa sa buhay ko.

Akala ko lang pala iyon.

If this is some kind of a sci-fi movie, then this will surely blow my mind out.

But as I looked at the beautiful girl sitting in front of me, I think may pinagkukunan nga siguro ng idea ang mga pelikula o palabas sa t.v mula sa totoong buhay.

She is literally a living weapon.

Behind that pristine face lies a woman trained to kill without remorse. Unlike me, she doesn’t need any reason, motives or drive to kill someone.

All she needs are oders to do so.

Yung nakita kong itim na bakal in place of her bone was a real titanium metal. No wonder she can still stand after being punctured by bullets and shoot back.

Kaya kahit mas malala ang tama niya sa akin ay mas mabilis siyang nacarecover is because she was engineered to do so.

When she was acting as Lyle, an agent to the dukedom, she was ordered to a mission she knew she wouldn’t survive. When she thought she was dead, an American soldier found her barely living and took her in. She developed an amnesia and was made to believe that she lived her whole life in the United States.

She strived and succeded to become a singer.

She was at the peak of her career when she toured in Versalia Island years ago.

Then “things” happened.

She started to lose motivation and sense of purpose.

Took a break from singing and assumed the identity of Ryna. A boring girl vacationing in UK.

That’s when she meets Travis again.

Hindi ko alam kung totoo nga ba ang fate or something pero I would like to think that in their case, it is real.

Maybe they are unconsciously drawn to each other.

They met, they fell for each other, they enjoyed each other’s company and then they said goodbye.

“I thought my career was officially over when Travis left me,” nakangiting sabi sa akin ni Winry, “No, not because I lost inspiration or something. It’s just that he showed me how much I was missing from my life. And maybe, just maybe because he reminded me of the fun, sick and dysfunctional school days we have together that I thought I lost forever here,” she pointed her head and laughed a little.

Huminga siya ng malalim bago tumingin sa labas ng bintana, “Well, everything is different now. No more running, no more pretending to be someone else. I have to accept who and what I am, Verna. I just know that’s what he wanted my life to be,” makahulugan niyang sabi.

I still remember clearly what Dex told me in my dreams or wherever we met not too long ago.

So I decided to ask once and for all to finally try and connect the ghostly dots.

“Winry, may kapatid ka ba?” tentative kong tanong sa kanya.

Napakurap siya bago ngumiti nostalgically.

She nodded and pulled out a picture from her purse and looked at it lovingly before showing it to me, “This was my twin brother. Winston Dexter Freedel or Windex. Pero sabi niya tunog bathroom cleaner daw kaya Dex na lang. He passed away ages ago in an accident where he and my parents left me all alone.”

I trembled as I looked and recognized the boy in the picture. Siya nga talaga. Si Dex nga!

Same face, same stupid grin and same expression.

“Verna? May problema ba?” alalang tanong niya sa akin ng mapansin niyang tuloy ang tulo ng mga luha sa aking mga mata.

 “Mahal na mahal ka ng kapatid mo, Winry. Ang swerte-swerte mo,” hagulhol ko sa kanya as I can’t stop my heart from finally realizing the great lengths and sacrifice his brother went through even beyond death para lang alagaan ang kapitid niya.

Naguguluhang hinawakan ako ni Winry, “Anong ibig mong sabihin?”

I took a breath and try to looked at her. Now that I noticed it, they are really twins. Magkamukhang magkamukha sila. Sa facial expressions lang talaga sila nagkakaiba.

I started narrating how I met a boy at the castle and almost everything he told me.

-0-

Sa una parang hindi siya naniniwala sa sinasabi ko.

I mean, even if I am in her shoes, I would find it hard myself to believe that someone from far away not related to you by any chance suddenly said to me that she knows my brother. A long dead one if I might add.

But when I started to describe in complete detail his appearance his clothes and especially his wounds together with his behavior and facial expressions, she suddenly drops all the suspicion and believed me whole heartedly.

“All I ever want is to let her live her life the way she wanted it to be. Not because she has to do what I can’t finish myself. Not because she is something else and not because she has to fulfill her duty”

Finally, nasabi ko na din sa kapatid ni Dex ang matagal na niyang gustong sabihin pero hindi niya magawa.

“Those words… Those words he said to you. I think I’m finally free now, Verna. Free to live my life the way I wanted it to be,” mahinahon niyang sabi more to herself than me.

Tumango naman ako at tumingin ulit sa picture ni Dex, “I guess he finally finished his mission. I saw him walking out of that door and into the light.”

“Finally, makakapamahinga na din siya. Hindi na niya kailangan pang problemahin ang buhay ko. This time, I will do it myself. He has done enough in his lifetime and even more after that,” natatawa niyang sabi habang tinulungan niya akong iayos ang aking pagkakaupo, “He also showed himself to me without introducing himself as my brother when I was suffering from amnesia. He helped me get a career and thrive as a singer. I have to make sure it will not all be in vain,” pangako niya sa akin.

Tumango tango naman ako bago ko napansin ang mala perlas niyang makinis na balat.

“Winry, anong pinapahid mo sa balat mo at sobrang kinis?!” demand ko sa kanya.

Hinaplos naman niya ang kanyang balat bago ipinamoy sa akin.

I suddenly smelled something familiar. Amoy kakaiba. Parang amoy gamot or something.

“Dr. Kaufmann’s Sulfur. Yung dilaw!” proud niyang sabi sa akin sabay kurot sa kanyang rosy skin, “I was such an acne menace before we met years ago. Literal na mukhang araw ako. Dilaw na buhok at mukhang may sunspots sa sobrang daming tagyawat! Pati likod ko hindi pinatawad! Buti na lang sinuggest sa akin ng kapitbahay at guardian kong si Lucresia ang Sulfur soap na iyon! Grabe! Ang laki ng ginanda ng balat kong mukhang laging may excavation site! At ang the best pa ay almost one dollar lang siya! I never tried other soaps besides it ever since. Try mo! Tiisin mo nga lang amoy,” convinced niya sa akin bago pinahawak sa akin ang kanyang mukha na kasing kinis ng ivory.

Kung ano ano napagusapan namin ranging from ph care to menstruation pads ng bumukas bigla ang pinto at pumasok sila Drei at Travis kasunod ng isang nurse.

“Pati ba naman napkin pinaguusapan ninyo na rin?” inis na sabi ni Travis sa amin habang inabot niya ang isang bowl ng instant noodles sa akin.

Napatawa naman ang nurse na kinukuhanan ako ng vital signs, “No offence, your highness, but you males will never understand our search for the best pads,” she said in our defense, “Ambassadress, your vital signs are all good. I just have to report this to your attending physician so he will take a final look and I might be bold to suggest na makakalabas ka na no later than tomorrow,” masaya niyang announce sa akin bago nagbow sa amin at lumabas na ng kwarto ko.

Natuwa naman ako sa binalita ng nurse.

Pero nawala ang tuwa ko ng kabahan ako.

I knew I was asleep for quite a while matapos akong himatayin.

“Ilang araw akong tulog?” alala kong tanong sa mga kasama ko sa kwarto.

Si Drei ang sumagot, “Dalawang araw na ang nakakaraan. Huwag ka mag alala, Verna. Mamahinga ka lamang at magpagaling para nawa ay makalabas ka nga kinabukasan,” seryosong sabi ni Drei sa akin.

But I snorted and laughed despite of myself.

“Drei, sorry talaga. Pero daig mo pa yung Filipino teacher ko sa lalim mong magtagalog. Hindi naman ganyan ung iba kong nakakausap na mga Riksentians,” natatawa kong sabi sa kanyang naiinis na mukha bago ako lumingon kay Travis na tawang tawa, “Hindi ka naman ganyan, Travis. Paano nagkaganyan ang accent ng pinsan mo?”

Pigil ang tawang sumagot si Travis sa akin, “Actually, hindi pa yan nakakalabas ng bansa. Well if you don’t count the trips to Scandinavia and Greenland eh wala pa yang experience sa conversational modern tagalog. Kaya lang kami nagtatagalog dito ay pag may mga tulad mo na galing sa Pilipinas o may mga delegates o officials from a Tagalog speaking country like Hyillia. Besides, unlike most Riksentians, hindi siya mahilig manuod ng mga tagalog shows o movies kaya ang tagalog niya ay straight from school textbooks,” paliwanag niya sa akin habang inis na nakasimangot sa akin si Drei.

“I wouldn’t believe Winry or Travis when they told me what you did back there in the palace. But after I watched the security footage, I concede. I will not make you angry, Verna. So carry on insulting me if that will make your evil heart happy,” pangongonsensya sa akin nito.

Bago pa ako makasagot ay biglang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok sila Stacie at Louise na may dalang mga papeles.

“Finally! Someone who can get under the skin of not just Travis but Drei, the hair hell spawn himself? This is one of the good news I needed after all these P.R disaster we are handling left, right and center nowadays!” masayang sabi ni Louise kay Stacie na hinawakan ng mahigpit ang kamay ko bago may inabot na papeles sa akin.

“Drei is right in one thing though, Verna. You are something else on that footage,” magalang na sabi sa akin ni Stacie, “Anyways, I know you just woke up pero kailangan talaga namin ng tulong mo. The Theocracy of Hyillia and the Federal Republic of the Philippines is in uproar. Their Ambassadress Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary was severely injured inside the very castle grounds of Riksent. They are demanding to know your status and your statement regarding the incident,” sabi niya sabay turo sa papeles.

I read it quickly at nakita ko nga na addressed sa akin ang mga papeles. One from the embassy of Phlippines and the other is from the consulate of Hyillia located in England.

“Grabe naman. Atin atin lang ha? Pero O.A naman sila masyado. My position is just in paper. Sure, I am acting as an Ambassadress but its not even a full time job. I don’t think kailangan nilang mag lodge ng protest like this,” naiinis kong sabi habang binabasa ko ang joint demands Pinas at Hyillia regarding my safety and compensation.

Umiling naman si Winry, “Still on paper, representative ka ng bansa nila. Kung ang Ambassador ng T.A.N ang naaksidente sa Pinas o sa Hyillia, part time or not ganyan din ang statement ng bansa namin, Verna. It’s a normal protocol.”

Bumuntong hininga na lang ako at tumingin kay Stellar na mukhang hagas na hagas na, “I’m not in a writing capacity so ikaw na ang bahala, Stacie. Just tell them I’m fine and I am open to being compensated by the Alliance under my terms.”

Nakahinga naman ng maluwag si Stacie na kinuha ang papeles sa akin at umupo sa tabi ni Drei at sinalansan ang mga hawak na folders.

“Thank you so much for that, Verna. One problem down,” pasalamat ni Louise sa akin as she checked her tablet, “What’s next? Statements after statements. Damage control, Media briefings, conferences. Thank heavens no soldiers was killed! Thanks to your tip they managed to contain the attack in a small area. But we have to review our security measures from now on. Imagine? The epic failure on our side when the Crown Count, an International Singing Sensation and an Ambassadress of a foreign country was the one who fought the terrorists themselves while we are occupied on the other front?! The shame! International media will have a field day once they get their hands on this news. And I bet you my crown they will sooner or later,” disappointed na sabi nito as she tried to fix Drei’s unusually messy hair.

Napangiwi kami nila Travis at Winry at nagkatinginan.

Pinasaya ko na lang ang sarili ko sa thought na may isang happy ending akong masasaksihan sooner or later din.

“Well, at least may Crown Countess na ang Riksent! That alone solved one of your biggest problems!” alo ko kila Louise at Stacie na napatigil sa ginagawa nila at nagkangitian.

“That, is indeed a good news. The Freedel branch family and the Alliance Nations as a whole are at least happy for that news. Sa lahat ng nangyaring rambulan at least nakakuha na ng mapapangasawa ang kapatid ko,” kampanteng sabi ni Stacie.

Tumango naman ako bago nagpatulong kay Winry at Dex na humiga, “And here I thought those raving girls of yours are the worst thing I can experience in your party, Travis. Anak ng pusa, mamatay ka talaga sa maling akala nowadays,” natatawa kong sabi sa kanilang lahat.

Napuno ng tawanan ang buong silid ko hanggang sa pinasok na kami ng isang inis na nurse na nagpatahimik sa amin.

I fell asleep shortly.

Maybe gawa ng gamot.

But this time, it’s a peaceful and relaxing one than the last.