Chapter 6: Disgrace
756 Words
Clarissa has always felt that she doesn't belong to the family. That she is not enough for her father to love her as how he loves her half-sister.
Pero hindi maiwasan isipin ni Clarissa na tama lang iyon dahil sampid lang naman siya. She is an illegitimate daughter, a bastard, nothing more. Kaya hindi rin niya magawang magalit sa kapatid dahil alam niyang may nagawang hindi maganda ang ina niya sa pamilya ni Annie.
Simula pagkabata ay pakiramdam niya ay nakikipagkumpetisyon na siya kay Annie sa atensyon ng ama nila. Their father favors Annie in anything that she does. Palaging ito ang tama, ito ang magaling, ito ang masusunod. She's been living her life as Annie's silhouette, always the second one, always the loser when it comes to her and her half-sister.
People would label her as anak sa labas because that's what she is. A child born out of wedlock. She thinks lowly about herself dahil na rin sa estado niya sa buhay. Kahit na ngayon ay kasal na ang parents niya ay hindi pa rin maaalis ang brand sakaniya ng ibang tao na anak siya sa labas ni Arnold Cordovia.
Now that Annie's missing for a couple of days now hindi niya maiwasang isipin na papagalitan ang lahat ng tao sa bahay ng Papa niya.
Shit.
Clarissa should have listened to her gut that something is not right when Annie left to stay at her mother's mausoleum.
"A brainy b***h, she is," She mumbled.
Nagulat nalang siya nang isang araw ay dumating ang punong bodyguard ng Papa niya sa bahay at hinahanap si Annie.
"Bakit ninyo hinahanap si Annie dito? Hindi ba't binabantayan ninyo siya sa musoleo?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Clarissa.
Napa-iwas ng tingin ang lalaki.
"Don't tell me that Annie ran away and you didn't notice?" Tumaas ng bahagya ang boses ni Clarissa.
The man tried to reason out but Clarissa stopped him. Kailangan niyang makaisip ng paraan para mahanap si Annie sa lalong madaling panahon bago pa makauwi ang Papa niya.
"Don't tell this to Papa. Hanapin ninyo si Annie. Halughugin niyo ang buong sementeryo para makahanap ng kahit anong bakas niya. Kung maaari ay ipakalat mo ang mga tao mo para hanapin siya sa buong Metro. You don't stop until you found something about her disappearance. You get me?"
Tumango ito at umalis.
Clarissa slowly sat on the couch.
This is bad. Really bad.
~~
Clarissa was busy the whole week. Tumutulong din siyang hanapin si Annie. But she's so frustrated dahil walang kahit anong bakas na iniwan ang kapatid niya. She planned everything smoothly.
"Argh!" She groaned and threw the nearest thing she can grab.
"Where the f**k are you, Annie?!" She frustratedly called out.
"What are you talking about?" A voice said.
Clarissa froze. Her father's voice echoed around the house.
"What do you mean earlier, Clarissa?" Lumapit ang ginoo sakaniya.
Clarissa stood up with a shaky legs.
"Pa—Papa— you're h-home early." She managed to smile.
Her father nodded. "Maaga lang natapos ang mga gawain."
Her mother emerged from the door.
"Oh, anak. Buong araw ka lang narito sa bahay?" Tanong ng ginang.
Tumango si Clarissa, not knowing what to actually say.
"And Annie? Where is Annie?" Tanong ng Papa niya.
Clarissa gulped. She doesn't know what to say or even how to say it!
"Uhm— Papa, ano po, kain muna po kayo—"
"Where is Annie?" Matigas na sabi ni Arnold.
Naluluha na si Clarissa.
"Clarissa," Muling tawag ng ama.
"P-papa, I'm sorry. Pe—pero wala po si Annie rito," she almost whispered with fear.
Kumunot ang noo ng ginong. "What do you mean?"
Clarissa blinked a few times before she looked at her father's eyes.
"She—she ran away."
Tila tumahimik ang buong paligid. Walang nagsasalita. Bakas ang gulat sa ina ni Clarissa, but her father's face remained calm and stoic.
"When did this happen?"
Clarissa gulped. "La—last week po—"
Arnold slapped Clarissa. Hard enough for her to feel numb.
Napahawak nalang si Clarissa sa pisngi niya.
"Arnold!" Sambit ni Crizelda at lumapit sa anak niya.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Unti-unting tumulo ang mga luha sa mata ni Clarissa.
"Alam ko pong busy kayo at— at ayoko pong g-guluhin kayo sa pagta-trabaho," She cried silently.
Tumingin sakaniya ang kayang ama na walang nakikitang emosyon sa mukha nito.
"Next time you'll take matters like this in your own hands, make sure that you'll achieve something rather than nothing,"
Lalong tumulo ang luha ni Clarissa.
"I assume that you found nothing about Annie's disappearance?" Arnold asked.
Clarissa nodded while tears escape in her eyes.
"Do not ever hide things like that from me again, Clarissa. Are we clear?" With a stern voice, he said.
"Y-yes, Papa."
Naglakad paakyat ng bahay ang ama niya. Tumigil ito nang makahakbang siya sa unang akyatan ng hagdan.
"Stop being a disgrace, Clarissa."
Stop being a disgrace.
Stop being a disgrace, Clarissa.
I'm a disgrace.
- Writer
