The Sixth Girl Book 4

Chapter 2

Akala ko ang hirap na ng buhay ko.

Akala ko ako na ang merong pinakamahirap na pinagdaanan sa mundo.

Akala ko wala nang mas sasaklap pa sa buhay ko.

Akala ko lang pala iyon.

If this is some kind of a sci-fi movie, then this will surely blow my mind out.

But as I looked at the beautiful girl sitting in front of me, I think may pinagkukunan nga siguro ng idea ang mga pelikula o palabas sa t.v mula sa totoong buhay.

She is literally a living weapon.

Behind that pristine face lies a woman trained to kill without remorse. Unlike me, she doesn't need any reason, motives or drive to kill someone.

All she needs are oders to do so.

Yung nakita kong itim na bakal in place of her bone was a real titanium metal. No wonder she can still stand after being punctured by bullets and shoot back.

Kaya kahit mas malala ang tama niya sa akin ay mas mabilis siyang nacarecover is because she was engineered to do so.

When she was acting as Lyle, an agent to the dukedom, she was ordered to a mission she knew she wouldn't survive. When she thought she was dead, an American soldier found her barely living and took her in. She developed an amnesia and was made to believe that she lived her whole life in the United States.

She strives and succeed in become a singer.

She was at the peak of her career when she toured in Versalia Island years ago.

Then "things" happened.

She started to lose motivation and sense of purpose.

Took a break from singing and assumed the identity of Ryna. A boring girl vacationing in UK.

That's when she meets Travis again.

Hindi ko alam kung totoo nga ba ang fate or something pero I would like to think that in their case, it is real.

Maybe they are unconsciously drawn to each other.

They met, they fell for each other, they enjoyed each other's company and then they said goodbye.

"I thought my career was officially over when Travis left me," nakangiting sabi sa akin ni Winry, "No, not because I lost inspiration or something. It's just that he showed me how much I was missing from my life. And maybe, just maybe because he reminded me of the fun, sick and dysfunctional school days we have together that I thought I lost forever here," she pointed her head and laughed a little.

Huminga siya ng malalim bago tumingin sa labas ng bintana, "Well, everything is different now. No more running, no more pretending to be someone else. I have to accept who and what I am, Verna. I just know that's what he wanted my life to be," makahulugan niyang sabi.

I still remember clearly what Dex told me in my dreams or wherever we met not too long ago.

So I decided to ask once and for all to finally try and connect the ghostly dots.

"Winry, may kapatid ka ba?" tentative kong tanong sa kanya.

Napakurap siya bago ngumiti nostalgically.

She nodded and pulled out a picture from her purse and looked at it lovingly before showing it to me, "This was my twin brother. Winston Dexter Freedel or Windex. Pero sabi niya tunog bathroom cleaner daw kaya Dex na lang. He passed away ages ago in an accident where he and my parents left me all alone."

I trembled as I looked and recognized the boy in the picture. Siya nga talaga. Si Dex nga!

Same face, same stupid grin and same expression.

"Verna? May problema ba?" alalang tanong niya sa akin ng mapansin niyang tuloy ang tulo ng mga luha sa aking mga mata.

"Mahal na mahal ka ng kapatid mo, Winry. Ang swerte-swerte mo," hagulhol ko sa kanya as I can't stop my heart from finally realizing the great lengths and sacrifice his brother went through even beyond death para lang alagaan ang kapitid niya.

Naguguluhang hinawakan ako ni Winry, "Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

I took a breath and try to looked at her. Now that I noticed it, they are really twins. Magkamukhang magkamukha sila. Sa facial expressions lang talaga sila nagkakaiba.

I started narrating how I met a boy at the castle and almost everything he told me.

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Sa una parang hindi siya naniniwala sa sinasabi ko.

I mean, even if I am in her shoes, I would find it hard myself to believe that someone from far away not related to you by any chance suddenly said to me that she knows my brother. A long dead one if I might add.

But when I started to describe in complete detail his appearance his clothes and especially his wounds together with his behavior and facial expressions, she suddenly drops all the suspicion and believed me whole heartedly.

"All I ever want is to let her live her life the way she wanted it to be. Not because she has to do what I can't finish myself. Not because she is something else and not because she has to fulfill her duty"

Finally, nasabi ko na din sa kapatid ni Dex ang matagal na niyang gustong sabihin pero hindi niya magawa.

"Those words... Those words he said to you. I think I'm finally free now, Verna. Free to live my life the way I wanted it to be," mahinahon niyang sabi more to herself than me.

Tumango naman ako at tumingin ulit sa picture ni Dex, "I guess he finally finished his mission. I saw him walking out of that door and into the light."

"Finally, makakapamahinga na din siya. Hindi na niya kailangan pang problemahin ang buhay ko. This time, I will do it myself. He has done enough in his lifetime and even more after that," natatawa niyang sabi habang tinulungan niya akong iayos ang aking pagkakaupo, "He also showed himself to me without introducing himself as my brother when I was suffering from amnesia. He helped me get a career and thrive as a singer. I have to make sure it will not all be in vain," pangako niya sa akin.

Tumango tango naman ako bago ko napansin ang mala perlas niyang makinis na balat.

"Winry, anong pinapahid mo sa balat mo at sobrang kinis?!" demand ko sa kanya.

Hinaplos naman niya ang kanyang balat bago ipinamoy sa akin.

I suddenly smelled something familiar. Amoy kakaiba. Parang amoy gamot or something.

"Dr. Kaufmann's Sulfur. ‘Yong dilaw!" proud niyang sabi sa akin sabay kurot sa kanyang rosy skin, "I was such an acne menace before we met years ago. Literal na mukhang araw ako. Dilaw na buhok at mukhang may sunspots sa sobrang daming tagyawat! Pati likod ko hindi pinatawad! Buti na lang sinuggest sa akin ng kapitbahay at guardian kong si Lucresia ang Sulfur soap na iyon! Grabe! Ang laki ng ginanda ng balat kong mukhang laging may excavation site! At ang the best pa ay almost one dollar lang siya! I never tried other soaps besides it ever since. Try mo! Tiisin mo nga lang amoy," convinced niya sa akin bago pinahawak sa akin ang kanyang mukha na kasing kinis ng ivory.

Kung ano ano napagusapan namin ranging from ph care to menstruation pads ng bumukas bigla ang pinto at pumasok sila Drei at Travis kasunod ng isang nurse.

"Pati ba naman napkin pinaguusapan ninyo na rin?" inis na sabi ni Travis sa amin habang inabot niya ang isang bowl ng instant noodles sa akin.