Blazing Mirror

BM01

I'm about to kiss the guy I met at the dance floor when someone's fake cough interrupted me. Mariin akong napakapit sa balikat ng lalaki bago tumayo at sumunod sa kaniya.

Oh my god, he is so annoying!

"What?" I'm raising a brow.

He ruined my cloud nine! Damn, that was Bryan, South Korea's hottest bachelor! Oh, dammit!

"Your presence is important and tomorrow you will go home."

LOL, I thought my presence in that house is like an ant? Anong mayro'n?

I just nodded to Daven in a boring way. There are days that I wanted to go home but they didn't allow me and now that I don't want to go home anymore, they want me to back.

How ironic it is, isn't it?

Umuwi akong tipsy sa aking condo. I don't drink hard liquors dahil mababa lang ang alcohol tolerance ko.

I don't want anybody get into my heart, so I'll have nothing to lose, simula noong nakaraang linggo lahat ng calls and messages ni Mommy ay hindi ko na sinasagot.

I was ten years old when they adopted me. Hindi ako nagtagal sa mga puso nila dahil nahanap kaagad naman nila ang anak nila. At first, I felt jealous of Ariella, their real daughter, but I've realized later on: binihisan, pinakain at pinaaral nila ako kaya sa halip na magselos bakit hindi na lang ako magpasalamat at maging masaya para sa kanila?

Dahil sa kaniya naranasan ko ang marangyang buhay kahit sa maikling panahon lang.

I tried asking my mother where my real parents are, but she just shook her head and stood up. I don't want them back into my life, I just wanted to know where they are.

I can still sense her love for me after she found her real daughter and I am very thankful for that. Kailanman ay hindi niya ako dinispatsa. As for Dad, we're not that close ever since, palagi siyang out of town but I cared and loved him too.

I was eighteen years old when mother sent me to South Korea. No'ng una ay hindi ako pumayag, ayokong malayo sa kanila. They said that they wanted me to study here, but they still didn't want me to go home when I finished my studies.

"Tawagan mo na," he said, encouraging me.

I nodded before I happily dialed my mother's phone and after so many years, finally, ga-graduate na ako! I can't wait to that day!

Umalis si Daven para bumili ng corndog, he wanted me to have some privacy too.

After five rings, she picked up.

"Hello, Sweetie..." she welcomed me with her sweet voice.

"Mom, makauuwi na ako d'yan. Finally!"

Hindi ko alam pero bumagsak ang balikat ko nang maramdamang wala siyang reaksyon sa sinabi ko. Sa halip ay sinagot niya ako ng isang malalim na buntong-hininga.

"W-Why?"

"Sweetie, that's the thing. I want you to run the real-state business my sister left for me—"

"You promised, right? You're not about to break it, are you?"

She laughed softly. "Sweetie, calm yourself down."

Damn, I didn't know I had my voice raised against her! That's why when I'm disappointed, I hate it! Hindi ko alam pero napahikbi ako nang makita si Daven na may dala-dalang corndog at lalo na nang tinanong niya ako tungkol sa sagot ni Mommy.

Now that I'm 28 years old, old enough to raise myself alone, ngunit parati kong naiisip ang utang na loob ko sa kanila, kaya hindi ko maiwan-iwan ang maliit na kompanyang ipinahawak nila sa 'kin.

Kinabukasan, I found myself sleeping in the bathtub. I just planned to wash myself but I dozed off. Napasarap ang tulog ko kaya hindi ako nakagising sa oras na pinag-usapan namin ni Daven, so he's now sulking while he's on his phone. We just missed a flight…

"Look what you did, Alexandra!" bulyaw niya nang matapos ang tawag sa kaniyang cellphone.

Napayuko ako, I just let him rant me out, but we both know his anger can't last any longer, hindi niya kayang magalit sa akin nang matagalan. Daven is my cousin and my secretary as well, he is assigned to take care of me. Noong una ay hindi kami masiyadong komportable sa isa't-isa but now we're friends, not just a friend but a bestfriend.

I wore a light pink coat at sa loob niyon ay isang bandeu dress, that hugged my curves perfectly. I matched it with a color matte black stilleto.

"Why do I have to go home?" kapagkuwang tanong ko nang makasakay na kami sa eroplano.

I heard him sigh. "Coz, they miss you—"

"We both know that it isn't the reason."

"I don't kow either..." Halos pumiyok siya sa huling sinabi.

I tried to plaster a wide smile.

Our flight was smooth. Nang makarating kami sa airport ay kaagad kaming sinalubong ng driver. Habang nasa biyahe, puno ng puri ang bibig niya sa 'kin.

"Naku, hindi ko na alam kung kailan kita huling nakita, Alexandra!" he said cheerfully.

Ngumiti ako nang magtama ang mga mata namin sa review mirror. Hindi ko mapigilang mapalingon kay Daven, he's busy on his tablet, ignoring all the compliments.

"Naalala ko pa noon, nagkaroon ako ng trabaho dahil sa 'yo at kay Delia—"

He smiled awkwardly not finishing his sentence. Mas mabuti na rin 'yon ang daldal niya kasi.

Kahit ilang taon akong nawala sa Pilipinas, I can still remember where our house is located. Kaya sa buong biyahe ay nalilito ako dahil ibang daan ang tinatahak namin. Kahit naguguluhan, hindi ako nagtanong kay Daven.

"Andito na po tayo," anunsyo ng driver.

"There is something wrong," I whispered in the air while looking at the old-fashioned house in front of me.

Where are the Tolentino's mansion that always makes you look in an awe? Alam kong nararamdaman ni Daven ang lito ko but he didn't bother to ask why.

The driver guided us inside while holding our luggages. Habang ako ay palinga-linga, this house is kinda…

"Alexa..." a gentle voice that made me look back.

"Mom..." I can see her tiny white hairs now and her eyes are so deep.

Is she stressed?

Lumapit ako sa kaniya at kaagad siyang niyakap. When I heard her little sob, I instantly unclasped our hug. Kita ko ang malalim ng buntong-hininga ni Daven sa malayo habang kausap ang hand maiden ni Ariella na umiiyak habang dala ang mga bag.

Ano ba kasing nangyayari?

Hinawakan ko ang magkabilang balikat ni Mommy. "What happened? Tell me the truth, Mom!"

"S-Si A-Ariella…"

Tulala ako ngayon sa lahat ng nalaman at nangyari sa lahat ng taon na wala ako sa bahay.

Our company is now in the edge of cliff at ang kompanyang pinapatakbo ko ang siyang tanging inaasahan na lang ngayon ng mga Tolentino but that's not the important thing here.

Ariella killed someone… and now she's in another country, fleeing. Father sent him there. Ang daming nangyari nang umalis ako and Mom went all through that alone…

She's crying in my arms. Halatang kulang siya sa tulog. I'm so f*****g bad! Kung alam ko lang edi sana sinagot ko na lahat ng tawag niya!

"I'm sorry, If I wasn't there, Mom…" naiiyak kong wika. "Ariella takes care of you when I'm away, right?"

Mas lalo siyang napahagulhol at umiling. "Ariella changed, Alexa. She's involved with drugs, she's a drug user..."

"What…?" Napaawang ang bibig ko. How did a gentle girl turn into some kind of that? I can't believe it! Ariella and I may not have been that close, but I knew she can't put herself in that position!

"Ano po ba kasi ang nangyari, bakit siya nakapatay?" mahinahon kong tanong sa kaniya.

"Hindi ko rin alam, Anak. R-Rudolfu just informed me that A-ariella k-killed someone, hindi ko a-alam kung paano! Kung b-bakit! Basta na lang niya ipinadala ang kapatid mo sa ibang bansa..." she was having a hard time saying that.

Kaagad kong kinuha ang phone ko, I hope she still didn't delete her accounts. "I'll try to contact her…" paalam ko sa kaniya bago tumayo at maghanap ng signal.

"Oh! She answered!" Kaagad kong nakita ang kaunting saya sa mga mata ni Mommy.

"Ariella… it's me Alexa."

She laughed. "I know." Nakarinig ako ng mga basag ng bote nang tumayo siya. Is she drunk?

I turned it in loud speaker, "Mom is worried—"

"S-So now you're home? My little impostor is with my family now at home..." Lasing nga siya! "Is there a party? A welcome party?"

Nagkatinginan kami ni Mommy bago siya bumuntong-hininga at marahang inagaw sa 'kin ang cellphone.

"Anak…"

She was acting as if she were surprised. "Andiyan ka pala, M-Mommy! Now are you happy? Because now your oh-so-called daughter is in your arms again?"

Ano bang pinagsasabi niya? She was acting like she was jealous of me!

"Hoy, Alexa! Nakapatay nga pala ako," aniya bago nagbasag ng bote, napaigtad kami pareho ni Mommy dahil do'n. "Masaya ka na—"

"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo—"

"Shut the f**k up, Alexa! H'wag ka ngang magmalinis! Alam kong ikinatutuwa mo lahat ng nangyari sa 'kin ngayon!"

Kinuha ko ang cellphone sa mga kamay ni Mommy. f**k, napipikon na ako, ah! Walang ibang magawa si Mommy kundi ang umiyak lang.

"Bigyan nga mo ako ng isang rason kung bakit ako matutuwa—"

"Dahil na sa 'yo na ang atensyon ni Mommy ngayon! Well, all the time you haven't been there, Mom is always concerned if you're sick! You got all her attention, nakalimutan na nga niyang hindi ka niya totoong anak! Na mayro'n siyang totoong anak na uhaw na uhaw sa atensyon niya!" her voice broke.

"H-Hindi 'yan t-totoo, Ariella…"

"H'wag ka nang magsinungaling. Hindi mo ba tatanungin kung bakit ako nagkaganito? Because of you! You never looked at me just like how you stare at Alexa! God knows how hard I tried to get your attention, but on so many ways I failed! I'm sick of it! Sick of Alexa!"

Dahan-dahan kong nararamdaman ang mga luhang namamalisbis sa pisngi ko. She's jealous of me? Hindi ba niya alam na nagseselos din ako sa kaniya? Selos na selos?

"Hindi totoo 'yan, pantay ang pagmamahal ko sa inyo…"

"Pwes ayoko ng pantay! Gusto ko mas higit ang sa 'kin dahil ako ang totoong anak mo! Hindi siya! Ako! Ako!" she shouted like a lion, before she cried like a baby.

Napaawang ang bibig ko, that was harsh! That made my mother broke down. She cried so hard, mumbling a thousand words at isa lang ang naintindihan ko ro'n.

"I'm sorry, I was unfair."

I wanted to express my myseries to her too, but I don't want her to feel any more pain. Alam kong malaki ang nagastos niya sa pag-aaral sa 'kin sa labas ng bansa, I know she just wanted me to have a bright future, pero sana man lang inalam niya na hindi 'yon ang gusto ko! Na sapat na sa 'kin ang makasama sila bilang isang pamilya.

I consoled her. As we are crying, my dad went into the living room where we are. Sa likod niya ay si Daven na may sugat sa labi.

"My daughter, Alexa!" Then he welcomed me with wide arms.