Chapter 5: Harang
1081 Words
She wasted another hour sleeping inside her car at the club’s parking lot. Though “wasted” wasn’t really the right word—nakalinis naman ng utak niya kahit papaano. At least she could breathe again.
Pagtingin niya sa phone, alas-siyete pa lang ng gabi. Naririnig na niya ang bass ng mga club nearby, pati ang mga sumisigaw na signage na parang sumisigaw ng gabi pa lang, pero mauubos ka na.
She noticed more people heading inside, some laughing, some stumbling, some already drunk at this hour. She tried calling Jessa—once, twice, thrice—but no answer. Mas lalo siyang nainis.
She fixed herself and stepped out of the car. Hindi na siya magbibihis; wala siya sa mood. She just wanted to move, breathe, distract her thoughts—even if she had no idea how.
Pagpasok niya sa loob, halos wala pang tao. The neon lights were still warming up, and the air smelled faintly of alcohol, citrus, and smoke. She headed straight to the bar and sat on a high stool, eyes scanning the room. No familiar faces.
Thank God.
She ordered a lady’s drink—light lang, pang-init, pampalakas-loob. Sasayaw pa sana siya later, kaya hindi pwede yung tama agad. But she didn’t even feel like dancing.
Napairap siya sa sarili. Pati ba naman pagsasayaw naapektuhan dahil kay Lucas? Gago talaga yun. She wanted to forget. She wanted to forgive—even if he never asked. Pero mahirap, lalo na kung iyon lang ang hinihintay mo. Lalo na kung umaasa ka pa rin na baka sakaling maging okay ulit ang lahat… na baka this time, hindi ka niya sisirain.
“What am I thinking…” she muttered before taking a sip.
Her phone rang—Jessa.
“Hello? Ba’t hindi ka sumasagot kanina?” she greeted irritably.
Jessa chuckled faintly. “Sa’n ka?”
“Club.”
Mukhang may kausap pa si Jessa in the background. Then:
“Papunta na ako diyan—ah, may naghahanap nga pala sa ’yo,” hirit nito bago tumawa at ibinaba ang tawag.
She froze.
Naghahanap? Sa kanya?
Si Lucas?
Only Lucas knew she was friends with Jessa.
She downed her drink in one gulp. Big mistake. Malakas pala yung tama.
The place was filling up. She still didn’t see Jessa.
When she stood to go to the restroom, she nearly lost her balance. Her vision was tipping at the edges, blurring. She wasn’t familiar with the drink—but damn, it hit too hard, too fast.
She tried walking, one hand dragging along the wall for support. Her knees felt like water; her breathing felt heavy; her eyes wanted to close. Inaantok siya. Nawawalan siya ng lakas. Something wasn’t right.
She barely reached the hallway before everything swayed. She saw a stranger rush toward her—
Then blackness swallowed her.
She woke up with a throbbing pain behind her eyes. “Oh… f**k. Ang sakit ng ulo ko…”
Slowly, she blinked her eyes open—and froze.
A glass of water sat on a bedside table.
A familiar bedside table.
Pamilyar ang silid. Too familiar.
Her stomach dropped.
She looked down.
Wala siyang kahit anong suot.
The blanket was the only thing covering her. Panic rushed like ice water down her spine. She moved her legs—and felt pain.
A deep, unmistakable ache.
Her breath caught.
No.
No. No—
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
She had been drugged.
She had been—
The bathroom door opened.
Lucas stepped out wearing a robe, hair still damp from a shower.
He stopped when he saw her awake.
Her world shattered.
“Anong ginawa mo sa ’kin?!” she screamed, voice cracking with shock and rage. “Hindi ikaw ang sumalo sa ’kin! I remember—someone else— Isusumbong kita kay Daddy!”
But Lucas didn’t even flinch. Hindi man lang siya tiningnan. He simply walked past her and entered his walk-in closet.
Nakakabaliw talaga ang lalaking ’to.
She jumped off the bed, wrapping the blanket around her, and followed him.
“Lucas!” she yelled. “Anong ginawa mo?! Bakit masakit— bakit masakit ‘yon?! Nalasing lang ako! Wala akong maalala! What did you do to me?!”
Still ignored.
“You begged for it.”
Her jaw dropped. Her blood ran hot with humiliation and fury.
She grabbed the front of his robe to force him to face her. Her voice nearly broke. “Pinagsamantalahan mo ’ko,” she whispered—then forced herself to speak louder, angrier— “I mean—pinagsamantalahan mo ’ko!”
He finally looked her in the eyes—then glanced down her chest before meeting her gaze again. His expression unreadable. Cold.
Holding her wrist, he removed her grip from his robe.
“Wala akong ginawa na hindi mo nagustuhan.”
Her hands trembled—rage, fear, humiliation swirling all at once.
“Ang kapal ng mukha mo!”
He chuckled. “Totoo naman. Sasakit ba ’yan kung hindi mo hiniling na ulit-ulitin ko?”
She slapped—no, hit—his arm in pure disbelief.
“Baka may nilagay ka sa inumin ko—”
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “Be thankful I was there.”
Her breath caught.
“Paano mo nasabi na hindi ko gusto na sa iba ko gustong mangyari ’yon?”
Something flickered in his eyes—something sharp, unspoken, and dangerous—before his face flattened again.
“I just know,” he said, staring straight into her.
Her knees nearly buckled from the intensity of his gaze.
“Wala kang kasing kapal…” she whispered hoarsely, feeling his breath ghost against her skin. She hated that she noticed how close he was. She hated that she noticed his scent.
He frowned slightly. “Nakaharang ka.”
She felt slapped.
She blinked rapidly, swallowing hard before storming out of the closet.
“Amanda,” he called—but she didn’t look back.
She searched the room for her clothes—nothing. Of course. Sobrang linis ng kwarto nito, tulad nang dati. He always liked everything spotless. She used to love that about him.
She hated herself for remembering.
She rushed into his bathroom and took the fastest shower she could, scrubbing every inch of her skin. Ginamit niya ang shower gel nito—ayaw man niya, wala siyang choice.
When she finished, wala siyang mahanap na robe.
So she wrapped the white towel around her bare body and stepped out.
- Writer
