CHAPTER 25: Hindi Kita Iiwan
1964 Words
For a few seconds, neither of us moved.
The rain hammered against the roof of the small shed.
I stared at the message on Dave's phone.
«Now let's see if your exception is worth protecting.»
My hands felt cold.
“Dave…”
“Hmm?”
“Bakit parang alam nila lahat?”
He looked at the screen again.
“I don't know.”
“Hindi na 'to normal.”
“I know.”
“Alam nila kung nasaan tayo. Alam nila tungkol sa atin.”
He was quiet.
I looked at him.
“Dave.”
“What?”
“Maybe…”
I hesitated.
“Maybe we should stop.”
His eyebrows knitted together.
“Stop what?”
“This.”
I gestured between us.
“Whatever this is.”
He stared at me.
“Why?”
“Because they're using you.”
“I don't care.”
“But I do!”
My voice cracked.
Dave went silent.
I looked away.
“I don't want them hurting you because of me.”
He slowly stood.
“Thea.”
“Don't.”
“I haven't even said anything.”
“I know what you're going to say.”
“What?”
“That you can handle it.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“Then what?”
“I was going to say that you don't get to decide for me.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“You don't get to decide that I'm better off without you.”
“I'm trying to protect you.”
“So am I.”
He stepped closer.
“That's the problem.”
“What?”
“You've spent your entire life protecting everyone.”
His voice softened.
“But you never ask if they want to be protected.”
I stared at him.
“Dave…”
“I know you're scared.”
“I'm terrified.”
“I know.”
He reached for my hand.
“But I'm not leaving.”
I swallowed.
“Why?”
“Because I already told you.”
He squeezed my hand.
“Hindi kita iiwan.”
The words hit harder than they should have.
I looked down.
“Don't promise things you can't keep.”
“I can try.”
“That isn't enough.”
“Then I'll keep trying.”
I looked at him.
He smiled faintly.
“That's all I can promise.”
For some reason, my eyes started burning.
I quickly wiped them.
“Ang drama mo.”
He laughed.
“Coming from you?”
I hit his arm.
“Ouch.”
“Deserve.”
“Violence.”
“You're annoying.”
“You're crying.”
“Hindi ako umiiyak.”
“Sure.”
“Dave.”
“Okay, okay.”
He smiled.
And somehow—
I smiled too.
---
We stayed inside the shed until the rain weakened.
When it finally became a drizzle, Dave carefully opened the door.
“Wait.”
I grabbed his arm.
He looked at me.
“What's wrong?”
“Don't go first.”
He smiled.
“Okay.”
We stepped outside together.
The forest was dark.
Mud covered the ground.
The air smelled like wet soil.
We walked slowly.
Then—
a flashlight appeared between the trees.
I froze.
Dave immediately pulled me behind him.
“Who's there?”
A familiar voice answered.
“Thea?”
I recognized it.
“Dad?”
My father stepped out.
His shirt was wet.
There was a cut on his forehead.
Behind him was Adrian.
“Are you both okay?”
I ran toward my father.
Then stopped.
I didn't know whether to hug him.
So I didn't.
“Where's Mama?”
“Safe.”
“And the others?”
“Safe.”
I looked at Dave.
His face was serious.
“What happened?”
My father looked at his arm.
“You were shot?”
“Just grazed.”
My father sighed.
“I told you to get away from her.”
Dave looked at him.
“With all due respect…”
He paused.
“I don't think I'm capable of that anymore.”
My father stared at him.
I looked away.
Lord.
Why did he have to say things like that in front of my father?
My father finally sighed.
“You're stubborn.”
Dave smiled.
“I've been told.”
My father looked at me.
“And you.”
“What?”
“You've changed.”
I frowned.
“How?”
“You used to run from difficult things.”
I almost laughed.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
I looked at Dave.
Then back at him.
“Maybe I just got tired of running.”
My father nodded.
“Maybe.”
---
We returned to the beach house.
Mama immediately ran toward me.
“Thea!”
She hugged me tightly.
I froze for a moment.
Then hugged her back.
“I'm okay.”
“Thank God.”
She pulled away.
“You scared me.”
“I'm sorry.”
She touched my face.
“Don't ever do that again.”
I smiled.
“Okay.”
Then she looked at Dave.
“You too.”
Dave nodded.
“Yes, ma'am.”
Mama sighed.
“Both of you are impossible.”
Lara appeared behind her.
“Actually, Ma, I think Thea is worse.”
“Excuse me?”
Lara laughed.
“Nothing!”
Amara joined us.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Sure?”
“Yes.”
She looked at Dave.
“You?”
“Just a scratch.”
Lara looked at us.
Then narrowed her eyes.
“Why are you two holding hands?”
I looked down.
We were.
I immediately let go.
“We're not.”
Lara laughed.
“You literally were.”
“Shut up.”
Dave smiled.
“I didn't mind.”
I glared at him.
“You're not helping.”
“I know.”
---
Later that night, everyone gathered in the living room.
My father placed several documents on the table.
“This is what Victor has been trying to find.”
I looked at the files.
“What are they?”
“Proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“Everything.”
He opened the first folder.
Bank records.
Property documents.
Names.
Dates.
Amounts.
My stomach turned.
“These people…”
“Are still alive.”
I looked at him.
“And some are still working with Victor.”
“Who?”
He pointed at one name.
I recognized it.
My heart dropped.
“No.”
Dave looked at me.
“What?”
I pointed.
“That person…”
My voice became quiet.
“I know him.”
Everyone looked at me.
“Who?”
I swallowed.
“He used to visit our house.”
My father's expression changed.
“Who?”
I said the name.
Everyone went silent.
My father slowly stood.
“That's impossible.”
“Why?”
“He died twelve years ago.”
I stared at the document.
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I saw him last year.”
My father looked terrified.
“Where?”
“At the company.”
Silence.
Dave looked at me.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe someone looks like him.”
“No.”
I remembered.
The same face.
The same scar.
The same voice.
“It's him.”
My father sat down.
His hands were shaking.
Adrian leaned toward him.
“This changes everything.”
“What?” I asked.
My father looked at me.
“Because if he's alive…”
He paused.
“…then he knows where Sofia is.”
My heart raced.
“And if he knows where Sofia is?”
My father looked at Dave.
“Then he knows where your father is.”
Dave's face went pale.
---
Later, everyone went to sleep.
I couldn't.
Again.
I walked outside.
The beach was quiet.
I sat on the sand.
A few minutes later, Dave joined me.
He sat beside me.
“Can't sleep?”
“No.”
“Same.”
We watched the waves.
Then I said—
“Dave.”
“Hmm?”
“Earlier…”
“What?”
“When you said you weren't capable of leaving me anymore…”
He looked at me.
“Yeah?”
“Did you mean it?”
He smiled.
“Yeah.”
I looked at the ocean.
“Why?”
He was quiet for a while.
Then—
“Because you're not just someone I met.”
I looked at him.
“You became…”
He stopped.
“Never mind.”
“No.”
I turned toward him.
“Finish.”
He sighed.
“You became important.”
My heart skipped.
“How important?”
He laughed nervously.
“You really want me to answer that?”
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
“Very.”
I couldn't speak.
He continued.
“And I know you don't like hearing things like that.”
“Why?”
“Because you're scared.”
I looked down.
“Maybe.”
He leaned closer.
“You don't have to love me.”
I looked at him.
“Dave…”
“You don't.”
He smiled.
“I'll still be here.”
I stared at him.
“That's unfair.”
“What?”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It isn't.”
He looked at the sea.
“I'm scared too.”
“Of what?”
“Losing you.”
I swallowed.
“Why?”
“Because…”
He looked at me.
“I don't think I know how to go back to before you.”
My chest tightened.
Neither of us spoke.
The wind blew through my hair.
He reached over and moved it away from my face.
This time—
neither of us pulled away.
His hand stayed there.
My eyes met his.
For one second—
I thought he was going to kiss me.
And maybe—
I wanted him to.
But he stopped.
Just inches away.
He smiled softly.
“Not yet.”
I blinked.
“What?”
“You're not ready.”
My heart pounded.
“You don't know that.”
“I do.”
“How?”
“Because you're still thinking too much.”
I laughed nervously.
“Maybe.”
He leaned back.
“Good night, Thea.”
“Good night.”
He stood.
Then looked at me.
“Don't overthink.”
“Too late.”
He laughed.
Then walked away.
I watched him disappear into the house.
I touched my lips.
Nothing happened.
Yet somehow—
everything had changed.
---
I returned inside.
Everyone was asleep.
I walked toward my room.
Then stopped.
There was something underneath my door.
A small envelope.
I picked it up.
No name.
No explanation.
Just one sentence written on the front.
«You think Dave is your exception.»
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Dave.
Standing beside a woman I didn't recognize.
The picture looked old.
Very old.
I turned it over.
There was a date.
2017.
The same year as the photograph of me and Dave.
And beneath it—
four words.
«Ask him about her.»
My stomach dropped.
I stared at the photograph.
Then at the hallway.
Dave's room was only a few steps away.
I could wake him.
Ask him now.
Demand an explanation.
But something stopped me.
Not fear.
Trust.
For the first time in my life—
I decided not to assume the worst.
I folded the photograph.
Put it in my drawer.
And whispered to myself—
“I'll ask him tomorrow.”
Because if Dave really was my exception…
then he deserved the chance to tell me the truth himself.
And tomorrow—
I was going to ask.
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