What Lies Within Her

Chapter 22: Part 1: What Lies Within

Reese's POV

Four years ago...

"Reese, tingnan mo 'to. Dali!" sigaw ni Cielo sa akin kaya lumapit ako sa kaniya at tiningnan 'yong hawak niyang ticket para sa liquor event sa may Laguna. Naikuwento na niya sa akin 'yon before na gusto niya roong pumunta, but I didn't know that she'll really buy tickets for the both of us. "It's tomorrow night! Be ready, okay?!"

"Teka lang. Baka pagalitan ako ni Ramiel kapag umalis ako bukas, e birthday naming dalawa," sabi ko sa kaniya. I really want to go there. It's been a while since Cielo and I went out for a party. Pero kasi, iniisip ko na birthday namin ni Ramiel tapos malalaman niya na aalis ako.

"Edi isama mo si Ramiel! Bumili siya ng sarili niyang ticket. Kasi dalawa lang nabili ko," aniya kaya napabuntong hininga na lang ako. Hindi rin naman gugustuhin ni Ramiel na pumunta sa ganoong event dahil maraming tao and he hates it so much.

"Sige, magkita na lang tayo bukas. I'll tell him about it," sabi ko pero sa totoo lang ay hindi ako nagpaalam kay Ramiel. The only thing I told him was that Cielo and I will go to the mall and I will be staying overnight at her place. I sounded convicing siguro kaya tumango na lang sa akin si Ramiel at kinabukasan ay nagkita na kami ni Cielo.

"Anong sabi ng kapatid mo? Ayaw niya talagang sumama?" tanong niya sa akin. Hindi ko na rin sinabi kay Cielo na hindi naman talaga ako nagpaalam at nagsinungaling pa ako.

"Oo, he said it's too crowded. Kaya tayo na lang," pagsisinungaling ko. We went to Laguna at exactly three in the afternoon. Ilang oras lang ay nakarating na kami roon at pagkapasok namin sa venue ay napakarami ng tao.

Some are already drinking habang ang iba naman ay naghahanap na ng makauusap. This is the purpose of this event, after all.

"You sure you're okay?" tanong ni Cielo sa akin nang mapansin niyang nakatago lang ako sa likod niya. The song is ringing through my ears and it's too loud. Para na akong mabibingi.

"I'm fine. Hahanap lang ako ng mauupuan," sabi ko sa kaniya at mukha namang wala siyang balak iwan ako.

"Sasamahan na kita," aniya pero umiling ako. Cielo loves this kind of events kaya ayaw kong masira 'yong mood niya dahil lang sa akin.

"Ayos lang ako, ano ka ba? I can find it myself." I tapped her shoulder at naghanap na ako ng mauupuan sa gilid. I found a seat and I was about to take it when someone bumped on me.

"Sorry, Miss! Are you okay?" Napatingala ako sa lalaking bumunggo sa akin at napangiwi. He's too tall, kaya rin siguro medyo nasaktan ako sa pagkabubunggo sa kaniya.

"N-No, I'm okay. It's your seat. You should take it," sabi ko sa kaniya at aalis na sana nang mapansing wala ng ibang available na upuan. I sighed. I like to go to parties pero kapag nandoon na ako sa actual party, nagiging party pooper na ako. Buti nga at hindi nagsasawa si Cielo na isama ako sa mga gala niya kahit ganito ako.

"Still want to give this seat to me?" ani ng lalaki na bumunggo sa akin kanina kaya napalingon ulit ako sa kaniya.

"Can I take it back?" pagbibiro ko na ikinatawa niya naman. "Forget it, thanks!"

Lalagpasan ko na sana siya nang magsalita na naman siya. "You know what? Let me accompany you instead." Iniwan niya 'yong seat at naglakad siya sa tabi ko. He doesn't look suspicious. In fact, he's handsome. Para siyang hollywood actor at para bang may lahi siya pero straight naman siya magtagalog. I want to ask him but I don't want to make him uncomfortable. "It's so loud here," reklamo niya.

"I know, right?" halos pasigaw ko nang sabi dahil lalo lang lumakas 'yong music. Pumunta kami sa counter at kumuha ng cocktail drinks. Pumwesto kami sa bandang gilid dahil doon lang medyo hindi siksikan.

"What's your name?" he asked while drinking the cocktail. Titig na titig lang siya sa akin na para bang wala na siyang iba pang gustong tingnan.

"Reese, you?" pagbalik ko ng tanong sa kaniya. Weird. I don't feel uncomfortable around him at all, kahit kakakilala pa lang namin.

"Caeden. Caeden Romero," aniya. He said his full name to me as if he trusts me. "May kasama ka ba o mag-isa ka lang pumunta? Boyfriend or anything?"

I shook my head. I knew where the topic was going. He's trying to find out if I have a boyfriend. "I'm with my best friend, but she's out there. She's the life of a party so, I didn't stop her from enjoying the party."

Tumango-tango naman siya na para bang satisfied siya sa sinagot ko. "So, you don't like parties like this?"

"Not really. I prefer silent places," sabi ko na ikinangiti niya.

"Funny to say this to you but, we're the same." Napangit rin ako. Caeden wasn't hard to talk to. In fact, I keep on talking to him even though we are both strangers to each other.

I knew right then that I might be in trouble. The look on his face that day, the way he speaks, the way he plays with his words, I really am in trouble. But I didn't stop myself in spite the warning from my brain.

"Do you want to go somewhere quiet?" tanong niya at walang pagdadalawang isip na tumango ako.

"Let's go," sabi ko at sumunod na ako sa kaniya. I texted Cielo saying that I went out with a guy and she doesn't have to worry about me. Sinabi ko rin 'yong pangalan ni Caeden para alam niya rin kung kanino ako hahanapin kung sakali. "Saan tayo pupunta?"

"Somewhere peaceful," aniya at ilang lakad lang ay nakarating kami sa seaside. It was a peaceful and cold scenery indeed. Napangiti ako at umupo kami sa buhangin. "Here." Napapitlag ako nang ilagay ni Caeden 'yong suot niyang leather jacket sa balikat ko dahil simpleng polo lang ang suot ko at napansin niya rin sigurong nilalamig ako.

"Why did you approach me?" tanong ko nang tumahimik na kami pareho habang pinagmamasdan 'yong paghampas ng alon sa malalaking bato na malapit sa dagat.

"You look so lost," natatawa niyang sabi kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "You peaked my interest."

Napangiti ako at napailing. "So, Mr. Caeden Romero, if I didn't peak your interest, you wouldn't approach me?"

He laughed and shook his head. "Nah. I'd probably approach you in a lot of reasons anyway."

"Are you kidding me?" natatawa kong tanong. Isang baso pa lang naiinom ko pero para bang may tama na ako. "You're good with words, huh?"

"Why? Are you falling in love with me now?" pabiro niyang tanong pero nagkibit balikat ako para sabayan siya sa pang-aasar niya.

"Maybe," I said. "Bakit ba kanina pa tayo english nang english?"

"Sorry," paumanhin niya. "English is my first language, so..."

I feel like there was a connection that binded us that day. A string that attached me to him. Pakiramdam ko nang mga oras na 'yon ay gusto ko siyang makilala pa lalo.

"It's a shame we have to part ways now," sabi ko kay Caeden nang bumalik na kami sa venue. Nag-text na kasi sa akin si Cielo na gusto na niyang umuwi dahil anong oras na rin.

"You know, we don't have to part ways completely." Kumunot 'yong noo ko dahil sa sinabi niya na 'yon. "Let's meet, Reese."

Tumango naman ako at napangiti. "Yeah, let's do that."

After that day, Caeden and I met for a few times. Napag-alaman kong taga Manila lang din siya kaya malapit siya sa condo namin ni Ramiel.

It wasn't so hard to get close to him. In fact, he was so transparent in front of me. His personality, it was as soft as his appearance. Mabilis niyang naka-close sila Cielo at Andrea. Pati na rin si Mommy, Daddy, at Ramiel. That made me fall in love with him.

Caeden was different. He made me experience things I've never experienced before. Minahal niya ako katulad ng pagmamahal na hindi ko pa nararamdaman. Maybe that's the reason why I fell for him harder than I could ever imagine.

Sa sobrang pagmamahal ko sa kaniya ay dinepende ko 'yong buhay ko sa kaniya. Every plans, every steps I take, I considered how he felt because I want us to be together in everything. He did the same thing too.

Until something happened to him that changed everything. No, he changed. The Caeden Romero that I once loved vanished.