THE UNLOVED

CHAPTER ONE

It was an aweful day for me. Why? I got into an accident during the race I joined last night and worst, I got injured so badly.

"Sinabi ko na sayo walang magandang dulot yang car racing na yan! Kelan ka ba titino?" Kararating lang ni Mama pero ayan na agad ang bungad niya sa akin. I smiled bitterly. Kelan ba siya naging concern sa akin bilang anak?

"Tumawag si Katarina earlier, your father wants to see you." Katarina is my older sister. But she's way too old than my mother. Yep, ang nanay ko ay kabit. Dahil ng mga panahong ipinagbubuntis niya ako ay nakaratay pa lamang ang totoong asawa ng ama ko. Five months after akong ipinanganak ay tuluyan na itong namatay. Akala yata ng ina niya ay siya na ang susunod sa trono nito but to her dismay ginawa lang pala siyang palahian nito. My biological father was only after a son which happens to be me. I got two older sisters from the legal wife - Katarina and Sylvana. And three more sisters from other unnamed mistresses. I haven't meet them yet unlike the first two who fancied me a lot as a little brother kahit na halos kasing-edad ko lang ang panganay na anak ni Sylvana.

"Thus your old man dying already?" Sarcastic kong tanong kay mama. I was just annoying my mother. Kahit naman anak ako sa labas, wala naman akong masasabi sa aking ama. I know he loves me. And he will do everything for me because I am his only son. He wanted to give me everything in this world but I refuse to accept things more than I needed to live.

"That old man is your father!" As expected nakataas na naman ang tono ng boses nito. Kung hindi ko pa siya kilala, iisipin kong mahal niya ang aking ama. Yeah, she loves my father – my father's money. And I am her passess to that privelage.

"Yeah, sort of." Nakangising sagot ko rito. 

I am Damien Sebastian,illegimate son of a wealthy businessman. Oh, scratch that! Anak ng matanda at mayamang negosyante sa isang batam-batang gold-digger b***h! And I hate it!

Bumukas ang pinto ng private room na kinaroroonan ko at pumasok na may bitbit na prutas si Katarina.

Lumapit ito sa akin matapos bumeso sa mama ko. I wonder how they manage to be like that - ang makipag-plastikan sa isa't-isa. Is it an art ba?

"How are you, baby brother? Sabi ko naman sayo mag-iingat ka palagi di ba? Daddy is so worried about you that he almost had a heart attack." Katarina Sebastian checked the bruises on my forehead. Buti pa ang ate ko may concern sa bastardo ng ama nito. Somehow, I felt special because of that simple gesture from my older sister.

"I'm okay, Kat…" I never called her ate because I am feeling awkward in doing so. TIpid na sagot ko rito habang patuloy siya sa pag-eeksamin ng mga galos ko sa mukha. 

"You're not okay...Look at you! Hindi ka na pogi…you had bruises and your face is swollen." Malambing na sabi nito sa akin habang bakas pa rin ang pag-aalala sa mukha.

"It's a small thing, Kat. Babalik din yan sa dati." Natatawang sagot ko rito habang sinisipat pa nito ang ibang injury sa katawan ko. Katarina seemed so worried about my situation while my mother is busy texting on her phone.

"Next time be extra careful little brother…Swear ipapa-ban ko ang car racing sa Pilipinas." I know she's not joking around because she's the President's fiancé – or shall I say, ang common-law-wife ng President. 

Natawa ako. "Really?!"

Nakangiting tumango naman ito sa akin. She sat beside me and tapped my shoulder.

"Excuse me. I need to go." Pagbibigay alam ni mama sa amin. Well, mukhang kanina pa naman ito kating-kati na umalis, so I never stopped her. She's not in good terms with my sister that's why she wanted out easily upon seeing Katarina.

"Bye, ma..Enjoy!" May halong pang-uuyam na sagot ko rito.

"Si nanay ang magbabantay sayo rito. I'll be in France for a couple of weeks." Of course, she will be in France with her friends to spend money buying clothes, shoes, bags and other girl stuffs. Nakita kong napaismid si Katarina sa sinabi nito. I know my mother intentionally told us her itinerary to annoy my sister.

"Key." Tipid kong sagot. And then she left after giving me a kiss on the forehead.

Hindi rin naman nagtagal si Katarina at umalis matapos ang halos isang oras. I know she is busy preparing for her upcoming grand wedding with the President. Again, I was left alone inside the room. Nakatulogan ko nalang ang pakikipagtitigan sa putting kisame.

"Apo ko..." Nagising ako sa hagulgol ni Nanay Lyn sa tabi ko. Nakayupyup sa tabi ko at umiiyak na para bang may malubha ang aking kalagayan.

"Nay, bakit po kayo umiiyak?" Nag-aalalang tanong ko rito. Gustuhin ko mang punasan ang luha ni nanay ay wala akong magawa. Masakit pa rin ang buo kong katawan.

"Ikaw naman kasing bata ka! Bakit ba hindi mo pa tigilan yang racing racing na yan? Mapapahamak ka lang diyan! Gusto mo na ba talagang mamatay?" Patuloy pa rin ito sa pag-iyak habang binabayo ang dibdib ko.

"Nay naman! Tama na please. Masakit po..." Umaaray sa sakit na awat ko rito.

Bigla naman itong tumigil sa pagbayo sa dibdib ko at matiim na tumitig sa akin. Nginitian ko siya dahil bakas sa mga mata nito ang matinding pag-aalala. Habang nakatitig ako sa lola ko, dun ko napansin na may katandaan na pala siya. Ang taong kumalinga at nagmahal sa akin ng buong puso ay puro puti na ang buhok at kumulubot na ang balat sa katawan at mukha. HIrap man sa aking sitwasyon, pilit kong niyakap si lola. 

"Mahal na mahal kita, la... Salamat sa lahat.." Bulong ko rito. 

Nagulat ako ng bigla niya akong tinampal sa braso ko. "Dyaskeng bata ka, mauuna dapat akong mamatay sayo!" 

"Hi! Did I interrupt anything? You made me so worried, Dammy…" Sumungaw ang magandang mukha mula sa pinto. She smiled at me and instantly I felt lighter.

"I went here straight from the airport to see if you're okay." Her eyes got misty. How I miss those same pair of eyes I am looking right now.

"I'm okay, Tita Snow, you don't need to worry." Yes, it was Tita Snow, my mother's ex-bestfriend. Hindi ko lubos maisip kung anong pinagmumulan ng sobrang galit ni mama para kay tita. All I know is that Snow White Salcedo is my ideal girl. She's the epitome of perfection. 

"Bakit kasi nakikipag-friends ka sa mga jerks na yun? Don't get me wrong Dammy, but there not good friends." Pagsisimula nitong pangaral sa kanya. "Oh, don't worry about friends..You can ditch all of them for all I care! Good thing, my twins will come home soon." I got stocked with the last sentence of what Tita Snow has said.

"U-uwi na sina King and Queen?" Balik tanong ko kay TIta.

"Yeah and they'll be staying here for good. King will be handling some of our businesses and Queen will be handling our real estate business." King studied Business Management while Queen is an architect. They both have master's degree in their own field. The two achieved so much while me is still a good for nothing bastard. Instead of enrolling business course, I graduated Political Science to annoy my mother.

"Ow, by the way did I mention you that my little girl graduated together with your nephew, Lucio Yap. The guy is so persistent, I must say. And I like him for my Queen. I won't mind if the two ended up together." Patuloy pa rin ang pagkukwento sa akin ni Tita Snow. She seated beside Nanay Lyn on the couch after putting the fruits on the table. 

"Aba'y tiyak na gumanda ng husto ang munting Reyna lalo pa't malamig sa pinanggalingan niyo.." Ani ni Nanay Lyn kay Tita Snow patungkol kay sa isang kambal.

"Some people would say that Queeny is my younger version. And King is the exact version of his father too. Alam mo ba, nay, our little Queeny has so many suitors back then but the twin brother is so possessive. Si Lucio lang talaga ang pinayagan na makalapit sa kakambal niya. I guess, boto si King kay Lucio. The man is so gentleman naman talaga kasi."

Kumirot ang dibdib ko sa narinig. I don't know but somehow I am silently hoping that Tita Snow and Tito Joseph will dislike Lucio Yap as much as I do. Ayokong magkatuluyan ang dalawa. Mamamatay muna ako bago mangyari yun.

Wala sa sariling naikuyom ko ang aking kamao.

"How about you, Dammy? Do you have someone special right now?" Nakangiting tanong ni Tita sa akin.

And suddenly, I smiled like an idiot. Naalala ko ang mukha ng babaeng pinakamamahal ko. 

"I bet she's beautiful because you're smiling like a love sick fool." Patuloy na panunudyo ni tita sa akin.

Tumango lamang bilang pagsang-ayon. Apparently, Tita Snow is right.

"You know what? I think you'll be a great lover, husband and a father in the future."

"How could you say that, Tita? I am no one." Malungkot kong tugon rito. I came from a broken family – Nanay Lyn is the only person that I can call a home. Isang tahanan na uuwian ko kapag pagod na ako sa buong maghapon.

Ginagap nito ang aking kamay at matamis na tnginitian.

"You know why, because we are both raised by a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul. And that's more than enough to be worthy for that someone special of yours." She looked at Nanay Lyn before looking back at me.

And I smiled bitterly. Sana nga. Sana nga maging sapat ako para sa aking reyna.