DUCANI LEGACY SERIES #5: KREIGE

Kabanata 1

Kreige

The crowd went wild when the referee declared my win after knocking down my opponent on the second round of the match. Nang iangat ang kamay ko ay si Daddy kaagad ang hinanap ko sa audience.

I flashed a wide grin at him. Nang makuha ko ang belt ay bumaba ako kaagad para isuot 'yon sa kanya. The crowd clapped but the only thing that mattered to me was my father's proud look on his face.

Ang gwapo ko pagtanda. Buti na lang ito tatay ko.

"Sasabay ka na ba sa aming umuwi?" Daddy asked.

"Yes, Dad but I'll drop by at Crystal's place before I go home."

"Wala pa rin bang malay?" tanong ni Ninong Beun.

I sighed and shook my head. "Nawawalan na ng pag-asa ang kapatid niya. Ako lang ang kumukumbinsing huwag tanggalin ang life support."

"Sayang ang career ng batang 'yon," ani Daddy habang tinutulungan akong tanggalin ang nakakabit sa kamay ko.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. Nang mapansin ni Daddy ang pananamlay ko ay tinapik niya ang aking balikat.

"Hey. It's not your fault."

I clenched my jaw. Isn't it? Kung hindi dahil sa obsessed fan ko, hindi naman siya mababaril at mako-comatose kaya paanong hindi ko naging kasalanan?

People may see me goofing around, but most of the time, I still blame myself for what happened to Crystal. Idinadaan ko na lang sa pag-party para hindi maramdaman ng mga taong nagi-guilty ako, pero tuwing nalalasing, hindi ko pa rin maiwasang ilabas ang sama ng loob ko sa sarili ko.

"Your uncle Kyro said he's proud of you," sabi ni Daddy habang nasa kotse kami papunta ng airport kung nasaan ang private plane na sasakyan namin pauwi ng Pilipinas.

"When is he coming home?"

Daddy put his phone away. "Wala pa siyang sinabi." He looked at me. "Make sure you'll be home early. Your Mama Khallisa promised to make your favorite."

I smirked. "Of course I'll be home early. Mamaya ubusan na naman ako ni Keios. Akala mo talaga siya lang anak ni Mama."

Dad shook his head. "Ang lalaki na ninyo." He sighed. "Give your Mama Lisa a break, Kreige."

"Hey, I'm your most well-behaved son?"

Nayayamot akong tinitigan ni Daddy kaya nagtaas ako ng parehong kamay. Nang bumuntonghininga siya't kinausap na lang ni Ninong Beun na nagmamaneho ng kotse ay ngumiti na lamang ako habang pinagmamasdan si Daddy.

It feels good to be this way with him. Dati pangarap lang namin 'to ng mga kapatid ko, at ngayong nagpapakatatay na siya sa aming lahat, parang wala na kaming ibang mahihiling maliban sa mas mahaba pang buhay para sa kanila ni Mama Khallisa.

That wonderful woman. What would we do without her in our lives?

Our flight took a total of five hours. Naghiwalay kami nina Daddy pagdating ng airport kung saan nakaabang na ang kotse ko. I promised to go home early before I left to go visit Crystal. Nang marating ko ang bahay nila ay ang nakababata niyang kapatid na si Caya ang nagbukas ng pinto sa akin.

She's wearing a cute outfit matched with a nice pair of pearl earrings. Ang ngiti ay matamis at ang mga mata ay parang kumikislap.

"Hi!" she greeted. "I watched your fight. Ang galing-galing mo."

"Thanks." I scanned her. "May lakad ka?"

"Uh, wala naman." She pushed a few strands of her long brown hair towards the back of her ear. "I just. . . wanna look presentable."

I jerked my head. "You look gorgeous, Caya," I said. Not because I was hitting on her, of course. Caya is a beautiful girl and she deserves the compliment.

She pursed her lips and smiled shyly. "Thanks, Kreige."

Medyo hindi pa rin ako sanay na hindi niya ako tinatawag na kuya kahit dalawang taon ang tanda ko sa kanya. Kung sabagay, si Keios ngang tunay kong kapatid hindi naman marunong mag-kuya. Si kuya Kon lang ang tinatawag no'n nang gano'n.

"Kumusta na ate Crystal mo? May signs na ba ng improvement?" tanong ko habang papunta kami sa kwarto ni Crystal.

Caya lowered her head then sigh. "Hindi pa rin. Hindi rin in-approve ni Mommy ang pag-transfer sa kanya sa Kelton nang may magbantay palagi sa kanyang nurses."

"Bakit hindi pumayag eh madalas bumaba ang vital signs ni Crystal?"

"You know Mom. She'd rather spend ate Crystal's money on her boy toys."

Umigting ang aking panga nang maalala ko ang tunay kong nanay. Mom is so like Crystal's mother.

Hindi na lang ako nagkumento. Nang makapasok kami sa kwarto ni Crystal ay naupo ako sa gilid ng kama niya saka ko hinawakan ang kamay niya. I know what we have ended the night she turned down my proposal, but I still care, lalo na kung ako ang dahilan kung bakit nasa ganitong kalagayan siya ngayon.

Gaya ng palagi kong ginagawa tuwing binibisita ko siya, nagkwento ako tungkol sa nangyayari sa buhay ko. We never really had a chance to have deeper conversations back then, that's why it's ironic that I get to talk about things like this to her now that she's in deep coma.

Tinamaan ng bala ang isang importanteng bahagi ng nervous system niya. The doctors said Crystal could still hear us. It's just that her body isn't responding like it was supposed to.

After thirty minutes of talking to her unconscious body, I pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Nasa bungad na ng pinto si Caya, at nang tumingin ako sa kanya ay kaagad siyang umiwas ng tingin.

"Una na ko, Caya."

She drew in a sharp breath then looked at me. "Sige. Mag-iingat ka."

I jerked my head. Nang ihatid niya ako sa labas ay tinapik ko pa siya sa balikat saka ako sumakay sa kotse ko.

I drove home with a heavy heart, knowing that Crystal wouldn't wake up anytime soon. Naihilamos ko tuloy ang palad ko sa aking mukha saka ko mas tinapakan ang gas.

The moment I got to the subdivision, I was surprised by the group of police waiting outside my parents' house. Nag-aalala akong lumabas sa takot na baka kung ano na ang nangyari. Lalo pa akong kinabahan nang maabutan ko si Mama na umiiyak habang galit na galit namang kinakausap ni Daddy ang mga pulis.

"What's going on?" I asked worriedly.

Mama sobbed. "Hinding-hindi magagawa ni Kreige 'yon!"

My forehead wrinkled. Magagawa ko ang alin?

The police turned to me. The next thing I knew, I was already getting handcuffed while the other officer was reading my warrant of arrest.

"Kreige Ducani, you are hereby being arrested for s****l harrassment filed against you by Geneva Punzalan. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning."

"What the f**k?!" I gritted my teeth. "Hindi ako pinalaking rapist!"

Sinubukan kong manlaban ngunit mas lalo lang silang naging agresibong isakay ako ng mobil.

"Call Bea!" I heard Daddy shouted to Ninong Beun. "I won't let my son go behind bars for this nonesense accusation!"

I rubbed my palms on my face as soon as the mobil started moving.

Sexual harrassment?

Putangina!