FALSE GOD Series: Phillip Warren (COMPLETE) Series #1

Chapter Five

I'M curious. I'm super curious about what happened!!! God! Nung tinanong niya sa akin kung may tanong ba ako muntik ko na di mapigilan ang sarili ko. Look, I'm a journalist. Pag may ganitong bagay na nangyayari, ang una ko agad na naiisip ay isulat ang lahat ng detalye ng kaso. But I'm not an asshole so I didn't kahit na alam ko kung gaano kalaking oportunidad tong nangyari ngayong araw.

I know that sounded heartless, but if you want to work in this industry, you have to be callous. I write tragic events everyday. I know it's someone's family member who almost died but if you start seeing them as people, you wouldn't be able to write anything. Interviewing a victim after a traumatic crime is heartless. Broadcasting it or writing it online, explaining the detail of how it happened knowing a loved one might read it is heartless. This isn't a very compassionate industry. Even news is considered entertainment. But you have to give your best to present people interesting stories. I have to write what I have to write and hope that even when people see me as a heartless tin of a can, my article will somehow spread awareness and maybe even help the authority with their investigation.

But the thing is, I wish I'm that kind of person coz sadly, I am not. I have enough passion for my job to keep going. I just couldn't pass that line between my weakness and strength.

"So, tell us. What's bothering you?"

Right, I'm currently in a hot seat. So because of what happened, napagdesisyonan nina tita at tito na i-delay muna ang house blessing nila hanggang sa gumaling si Phillip. Ang sama naman kung itutuloy namin ang party habang nasa hospital yung tao, diba? Saka pagod lahat. Kakagaling ko lang ng police station. Nagbigay na ako ng statement ko as a witness. Aware din ako na isa ako sa mga suspect dahil ako lang yung taong andun nung nangyari yung krimen. Though, there isn't evidence I'm the suspect, wala ding ebidensyang makakapagpatunay na inosente ako. But it's not like I'm going to jail or anything. They're just keeping my name on the suspect's list until the DNA and fingerprint result from that knife is out. I heard they found two fingerprints and two DNAs which could possibly be Phillip's and the suspect. The knife is Phillip's which is why they found his DNA on it. Again, I'm familiar with this situation so I know how this goes.

What I find weird is that why did the suspect threw the knife outside the house where anyone could see it? If he meant to leave it so people could find it anyway, why didn't he just leave it in the room? Or place it back to where he took it? Why threw it out? I don't get that part, especially, when he knows he left his DNA and fingerprint on that knife. And also, there were two knives used to stab Phillip. They didn't find the other one so it's safe to say he brought it with him and probably discarded it somewhere. So sketchy, right?

"Shantal." Joey snapped his fingers in front of my face. "Are you listening, girl?"

Nakalimutan ko na namang nasa harapan ko sila. Nangako ako kay Tiff kanina na ipapaliwanag ko kung bakit nasa harapan ako ng bahay ni Phillip nung oras na yun kaya ngayon ginigisa nila ako ng tanong.

"Tiff told us you weren't in your room last night. So tell us your excuse, girl. Did something happen between you and Phillip?"

I looked at them wide-eyed. "No! Ano bang sinasabi niyo?? Saka anong wala ako sa kwarto ko kagabi? You guys have wild imaginations."

Tiffany crossed her arms. "I checked all your rooms last night and you weren't there. Una, akala ko lumabas ka lang saglit but then maririnig namin na kasama mo si Phil--"

"You guys are crazy." Putol ko sa kanila. Now I know kung bakit iba ang tingin ni Tiff sa akin kanina. "I barely know the guy. You all know me. Tingin niyo ba sasama ako kung kani-kanino lang? Saka Oo, lumabas ako ng kwarto ko last night. Nagtungo ako sa kusina para kumuha ng maiinom dahil nauhaw ako. Maybe that's when Tiff checked my room. And this morning...."

Sandali akong tumigil at ilang beses na nagbuntong-hininga.

"What girl? Spill it. Masyado kang pa-thrilling. Are you sure nothing is going on between you two? I mean, kakakilala niyo lang kahapon but you are both good-looking. Malay ba naming may namuong spark? Nahuli din namin kayong nag-uusap kagabi ng kayo lang. To be honest, I was super suspicious last night after seeing you guys. He asked to talk to you alone inside his hospital room this morning too. So suspicious. Kung sa isa sa amin toh nangyari, It's normal. But you... You're always secretive. You never tell us anything about your love interest. So...."

I rolled my eyes. "The guy almost died and eto talaga ang pinag-uusapan natin? Jesus."

"Just answer our question, okey?" Anang si Torre.

"Fine. I'll tell you everything. Ayaw ko sana sabihin sa inyo toh dahil ayaw kong sirain yung mood. Pero since di na rin naman matutuloy yung party, might as well tell you before we come home." Simula ko. "Remember when I excused myself from the table yesterday? I was talking with my manager. I f****d up. I made a mistake so she gave me an earful. And after that, she told me that she's only giving me one more chance. One more chance to prove myself. If I fail to present them a scoop next week, I'm done. She said that I should forget about coming back to work coz I'm fired. So... So since opportunity presented it to me, I thought about asking Phillip Warren a favor. He's my only hope. While everyone was asleep, I decided to come by his house and talk to him, maybe even beg him. But I didn't even get the chance to, coz someone tried to kill him. Are you guys happy now?"

Walang nagsalita sa kanila. Mukhang nagulat sa sinabi ko. I don't think that's the answer they expected. Geez. Hindi ako makapaniwalang naisip nila yun. Sure, he's attractive. But god, I didn't even think about sleeping with him. Hindi ako ganung klaseng babae, okey? Ni hindi ko alam kung saan nila nakuha ang ideyang yun. Although, I'm not totally surprise. Lahat naman ng lalaking nakikita nilang kasama ko agad nilang pinaghihinalaan. Tingin ko dahil yun wala pa akong pinapakilala sa kanila na naging karelasyon ko. Hindi ko alam kung overprotective lang ba sila o sadyang malisyoso lang.

"So... You might lose your job and... And you thought maybe if you interview Phillip, they might spare you?" Pagkaklaro ni Tiffany.

Tumango ako. "Exactly. Klaro na ba sa inyo? May tanong pa ba kayo?"

Sabay silang bumuga ng hangin. "Why didn't you tell us?" Ani Rina saka pinalo ako sa braso. "Kung sinabi mo ng mas maaga eh di sana mabilis nating nasolusyonan ang problema."

Lumapit si Joey sa akin at niyakap ako. "Sorry. I should have known. I'm really sorry."

"It's okey. Just forget it. The week's almost over anyway. I'll just have to fínd a new job."

"No. No. Hindi kami papayag. Alam namin kung gaano kaimportante sayo ang trabahong yun. May isang araw pa tayo. We'll find something." Sumali na rin si Tiffany sa pagyakap sa akin pati na sina Torre, Lana and Rina.

Medyo gumaan gaan ang loob ko. This is the positive thing about sharing your worries to people who matters to you. Alam mong handa silang tulungan ka kahit ano pa yan. Kahit nga wala silang gawin, yung feeling lang na nasa tabi mo sila at buong puso kang susuportahan, enough na para bigyan ka ng lakas na harapin ang problema mo.

"Maybe we should ask Phillip a favor?"

I groaned. "No. It's okey. He went through some s**t. I don't want him to feel indebted and do something he doesn't want to. Okey lang ako. I love my job pero marami pa namang kompanya diyan na nangangailangan ng journalist. Saka malay niyo, maawa sa akin yung manager namin at di niya ako i-fire, diba?"

We all laughed. "Masyado kang positive. Walang makakatalo sayo."

"Tama na nga. Masyado na tayong madrama. Saka gutom na po ako."

"Right. I ordered some food online kanina dahil mukhang di makakauwi sina mommy at daddy. They already called Phillip's manager but he's in Cebu right now and mukhang bukas pa siya makakarating."

"I vote we sleep in one room tonight and have some girls' night." Ani Joey.

Napangiti ako sa ideya niya. It's been a long time since we slept in the same room. "I second the motion." Wika ko habang naka taas ang kamay.

"I vote yes to your idea." Sabay na sagot nina Lana and Rina.

After everything that happened today, I'm glad we could still smile. I'm thankful to Joey for presenting that idea too. Tingin ko hindi ako makakatulog ng maayos ngayong gabi ng ako lang mag-isa. I don't think the suspect saw me but it bothers me that someone like him's still free somewhere out there. I really hope they catch him soon.

THE next day, me and my friends decided to visit Phillip. Pauwi na kami mamayang hapon. May trabaho na kami bukas... Or maybe sila lang. Anyway, andito na kami sa hospital. Bumili kami ng prutas at kung ano mang pwede niyang kainin. Ang sama naman kung bumisita kaming walang dalawa.

Papasok palang kami ng hospital ay pansin na namin ang napakaraming mga taong nakatayo lang sa labas. May mga guards na nakabantay sa labas ng pinto, pinipigilan yung ibang makapasok. They must be reporters. Malamang ay andito sila matapos marinig ang nangyari kay Phillip. Bumalik na naman yung urge ko na interviewhin si Phillip but no... I will not do that. You shouldn't, Shantal. Have some common decency, girl.

"Hirap maging sikat noh? Muntik ka na mamatay pero ang iniisip lang ng iba ay makapasok at makakuha ng statement mo. For everyone, even your death is only an entertainment." Wika ni Joey saka inakbayan ako. "This is why you're different, Shantal. Nasa harap mo na ang opportunity, pinalipad mo pa. You're too nice. But minsan iniisip ko kung positive ba yun o negative. As a person, I'll applaud you. But as a journalist, girl, you might lose your job."

I sighed. "Stop reminding me. For now, wag na muna natin pag-usapan ang tungkol sa bagay na yan."

Pagpasok namin sa loob ng kwarto ni Phillip, naabutan namin sina tita na nag-uusap. There are two other people inside too. Nakilala ko sila agad. They're Phillip's assistant and manager. I wonder if they still recognize me? I hope not.

Tumingin sa amin si Phillip pagpasok namin. Binati namin siya at kinamusta.

"We brought some fruits and food in case you don't like hospital food." Anang si Tiff nang makalapit kay Phillip. Narinig kong nagpaalam saglit yung manager ni Phillip sa kanya para sumagot ng tawag. It looks like they don't recognize me. Well, tatlong taon na rin naman ang nakalipas simula nung nagpumilit akong makakuha ng interview kay Phillip. Saka, I'm sure di lang ako ang araw-araw na nakasunod sa kanila nun.

"He's still fasting. Hindi pa siya pwede kumain until tomorrow." Wika ni tita.

Tumangu-tango kami. "Sorry."

Napansin kong dumako ang tingin ni Phillip sa akin. Ngumiti ako sa kanya. "You look a lot better than yesterday." Puna ko.

He smiled back. "Yeah. I feel a lot better too. Masakit lang ng konti yung sugat pero may painkillers naman."

"I heard you're a journalist." Bigla niyang sabi.

Napaubo ako. Paano niya nalaman? Maybe tita and tito told him? They probably did. Knowing them, malamang kinuwento din nila ang life story ng bawat isa sa amin buong magdamag kay Phillip. Wala namang kaso sa akin na malaman niya ang trabaho ko. I mean, being a journalist isn't a crime. I just don't think it's necessary or important for him to know. Isa pa, baka anong isipin niya.

"I'll give you an exclusive interview."

Halos mabilaokan ako sa sinabi niya. Pati ang mga kaibigan ko ay tila gulat. Tama ba ang narinig ko? Am I just hallucinating? Hindi lang ako makapaniwalang marinig iyun mula sa kanya.

"E-excuse me? What did you say?" Hindi ko makapaniwalang tanong.

"I don't want to feel indebted towards anyone. You saved my life. It's only right to pay you back. I kind of ask my assistant to make some research about you and he told me, after hearing your name, that you tried to get an exclusive interview with me years ago. So I assumed an exclusive interview is enough to pay you back."

Hindi ako agad nakapagsalita. I mean, anong isasagot ko dun? I don't want to say yes right away dahil baka isipin niyang naghihintay lang ako na siya mismo ang magsabi nun. I don't want it to look like I want to take advantage of him.

Bago pa man ako may masabi, nagulat ako nang hatakin ako ni Joey. "She'll do it. She accepts your offer."

My eyes widened. "Joey!" Sita ko dito.

"Kailangan mo toh, girl. Siya na yung nag-offer kaya tanggapin mo na." Bulong nito.

"Yeah, I know. But--"

"Shut up. Just take it, okey? Wag ka na mag-isip pa. You know how it goes, the moment you start doubting, you already lost. So just go with the interview."

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. Narinig naming tumikhim si Phillip. "Ilang araw akong mananatili dito sa hospital so I don't really have things to do. I'm free when you're free. Just tell me when you want it."

Huminga akong malalim. Joey's right. It's my time to shine. I'll do it. Bahala na. "If it's alright with you, then okey. Let's do it."