Sarang

Chapter 14

Dere-deresto lang ang lakad ko papunta sa Restaurant ni Asher. Sarado na halos lahat ng nakapaligid dito dahil anong oras na rin. Ang tanging nagbibigay nalang ng liwanag ay ang mga streetlight.

"Sia!" Rose shouted for the nth time but I didn't look back. "I swear, you will not like what you---"

I could no longer understand what she was saying when I saw what was happening in front of me. "Asher..." I whispered. He tries to dodge all the blows given to him. "Asher!" I shouted and quickly approached him.

I kicked the man in the stomach before I looked at his condition. "What happened to you? Are you okay? Why did you turn off your phone?!"

He suddenly grabbed me by my shoulder and pulled me away from our place with all his might. I turned to the man and saw that he was holding a stick. I stood up and closed my eyes firmly. After a few seconds, I opened my eyes and look at him. I shifted my gaze to the pole so he bumps there.

"Are you okay?!" I asked him again. He weakly nodded at me. "Don't close your eyes, I'll bring you to the hospital."

"Sia!" Rose shouted. I quickly disappeared and brought Asher beside her. "Are you okay? Let's just leave this place!"

"No, I will face whoever that person is," I said fiercely before going back to where he is. I constantly attacked him while he also constantly avoided me. I'm trying to remove the covering from his face.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked seriously while holding his neck tightly. He kicked my stomach which made me let go of his neck. Iniiwasan ko ang bawat atake niya sa akin hanggang sa makakuha na ako ng pwersa. Buong lakas akong tumalon sa poste saka muling hinawakan siya sa leeg, this time, I have no intention of letting him go.

Mabilis siyang bumagsak sa sahig habang pilit kumakawala sa pagkakasakal ko sa kaniya. I used all my strength to remove the cloth on his face. I was stunned when I finally saw the face behind those masks.

"Aeries..." I said, trembling. She angrily removed my hand on her neck before pushing me so she could stand up. "You're alive... how come you're..."

"Of course, I am! I am alive!" she shouted. Ilang beses akong kumurap dahil hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang nasa harapan ko ang kapatid ko ngayon.

"What are you... why? How did you..." I can't finish my words, I don't know what to say.

"What? Are you surprised that I'm alive? Yes, I am still alive like you!"

I hurriedly approached her and hugged her tightly but I was surprised when she suddenly pushed me. She looked at me with disgust on her face.

"How dare you hug me?!" iritadong tanong niya.

"Aeris..."

"Don't call me using my name!"

"What are you going here? What's going on?" I asked in confused.

"I'm here to..." bigla siyang nawala sa harapan ko. "...kill this man." My eyes widened when I saw him standing beside Asher.

"No." Agad akong tumakbo palapit sa kaniya at hinampas ang espadang hawak niya. "Don't touch him," matigas na sabi ko.

She faked laugh. "Why? Sino siya para protektahan mo? Your lover? Mabuti pa siya nagagawa mong protektahan," she said bitterly.

"What do you mean?" kunot-noong tanong ko.

"How I wish you could also protect us the way how you protected him."

I gradually weakened because of what she said. "What are you saying? I protected you with all my might! I risked my life to protect you!" I defended myself .

"Really? But where are you while we were trying to hold our breath to stay alive? Where are you that night? Aren't you behind those trees trying to hide? Aren't you there because you wanted to save yourself while watching your family being killed?"

"What are you saying? Aeris, I was there to save you! I was ready to fight so I can save you all but Dad didn't let me..."

"You were late! Kung sana maaga kang dumating ay natulungan mo si Daddy na itakas kami! Dad was weak that time! He couldn't protect his family! And you? Where were you that time?! Nagpapakasaya ka sa buhay mo! Kung hindi ka sumali sa grupong 'yon ay sana hindi madadawit ang pamilya natin sa gulong 'yon!"

"Aeris... you know I joined that group so I can have the power to protect you."

"Well, congrats! You just put our lives in danger. You killed us! You killed your family!"

"I didn't!" I shouted back. "I wasn't able to protect you but that doesn't mean that I didn't do anything to avenge you! I barely survive after my family got killed! You don't know how desperate I was that time! Don't you dare blame me for your death because I did everything to avenge you!"

"What do you want me to do then? Thank you? Wow! Thank you for doing nothing to avenge us! I'll do it myself."

"Is it you?" I asked her seriously. "Is it you who's trying to kill him all this time?"

"Yes. I am. I was jealous because you are able to protect him. You can't even protect Marc in this life!"

"W-what do you mean?" naguguluhan ng tanong ko.

"That kid, it was Marc! He was reincarnated after a long time of waiting! And what did you do? You just let him stay in that police station! Ni hindi mo man lang naisip na kailangan ng bata ng matitirhan dahil sa walang hiyang Tatay niya!"

"I didn't know..."

"Hindi mo alam! Palagi ka nalang walang alam! Ni hindi mo alam na ikaw talaga ang punot dulo kung bakit kami namatay! Kung bakit nasira ang pamilya natin! You killed us, Alessia! You killed me, Marc, Mom, and Dad! You killed all of us!"

My knees and hands started to tremble as I look at her. Her words are like swords to me, it's starting to kill me. It feels like he just shot me by her words.

"I'm sorry..." That was the only word that came out of my mouth. "I'm sorry if I made you think that way. I'm sorry for making you feel that way..."

"I don't need your sorry! Your sorry won't bring back the life of our family! I was just 12! Marc was just 4! Mom and Dad just celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary!"

"I'm sorry, please... let explain----"

"I said, I don't need your sorry!" she shouted.

"Aeris, believe me. I tried to protect you that night. There's just something came up..."

"What? You helped someone while you were on your way home?" mapakla siyang tumawa. Hindi ako nakapagsalita dahil 'yon ang totoo. "Right, you were also a superwoman back then. But that doesn't change the fact that you watched us dying---"

"She didn't kill anyone in her family," singit ni Rose.

"Of course, you will side on her my dear beloved deity because she's your friend. I suggest, just shut your mouth and let her know what she did to her family!"

"She didn't kill anyone! She did not order those people to kill you so that it would be all her fault---"

"Stop talking! I'm not asking for your opinion!"

"Your anger towards your sister is not valid! She didn't do anything! The truth is she---"

"Rose..." I cut her off before slightly shaking my head. "You don't need to explain my side. Don't tell anything to her. Just don't."

"Why? Why don't you let her explain your side?! Let her tell me something that I didn't know!"

"Will you believe her? Maniniwala ka ba sa kung anumang sasabihin niya na may kinalaman sa akin at sa insidenteng nangyari sa pamilya natin?" I asked her. She was stunned because of that. "See? Your eyes can clearly tell that you won't. So, what's the point of explaining?"

Tumalim ang tingin niya sa akin bago niya nilipat 'yon sa lalaking nasa likuran ko. "Who is he? Why are you trying so hard to protect him?! Do you love him?" she asked but I did not speak. "Do you love him?! If no, then get out of my way!"

She was about to stab him using her sword but I quickly stood up and look directly into her eyes which is why she was unable to move her hand. "I'm not allowing anyone to hurt him, even you," matigas na sabi ko at buong lakas na tinulak siya gamit ang matalim na titig ko sa kaniya.

When she fell on the floor, she looked at me in disbelief. "You're even hurting me because of him," hindi makapaniwalang sabi niya.

"I'm protecting what I should. Drop your sword, Aeris," matalim kong tiningnan ang kamay niya dahilan kung bakit unti-unti niya iyong nabitiwan.

"Killer! Hindi ako magsasawang sabihin sa 'yo na ikaw ang pumatay sa pamilya natin!"

"She didn't---"

"Shut it," I cut Rose off. "There's no need to explain to a closed-minded person who doesn't believe the truth. Let her be mad at me. Try everything to kill me, I will definitely welcome every punch you'll give me. Just don't touch him."

"What?" inis na tanong niya.

"Blame me as much as you can. Curse me as much as you want. That won't change the fact that I didn't kill anyone from our family, I know you know that. Stop being so narrow-minded and reflect on what you did to me today."

I felt Asher touch me on the shoulder so I looked at him for a moment before looking at my sister again. "It was nice seeing you again. I'm happy to see that you can protect yourself now. I... missed you." I smiled weakly at her before turning my back. I quickly helped Asher into his car and I drove to his condominium.

"Do you want me to bring you to the hospital?" I worriedly asked him.

"I can still walk," he told me. I was even surprised when he pushed the rooftop button on the elevator. I just quietly following him until he sat in his usual place.

"Why did you go here? Do you need something?" I asked him but he didn't answer. Tinapik niya lang ang pwesto niya kaya umupo ako ron. He remained silent after that, he didn't utter a word which made me feel nervous for no reason.

"Why aren't you asking anything?" I asked him.

"Do you want me to ask everything that's on my mind right now?" he replied. I blinked thrice because of that. "I have so many questions but I don't want to force you to answer all of that."

"You can ask me anything. Just don't sit there and be quiet. I am not used to it," I told him before looking away but he still didn't speak. I sighed before I averted my gaze from him.

"Did my... sister hurt you?" I asked him. I felt him look at me but I didn't look back. "I'm sorry... for being late. Somehow I gave her the chance to hurt you."

I looked at my hand when he suddenly touched it. "You heard everything. Yes, that girl was my sister. What can you say to her? Isn't she pretty? She was shining."

I sighed a few times before speaking again. "You were right, it seems like I can't really answer all the questions that's on your mind." I smiled weakly at him. "Asher, what can I do? My sister hates me. She was... blaming me for everything, I cannot take it. Ang sakit..."

I felt his grip on my hand tighten but he didn't try to speak. "She was right, I wasn't able to protect them back then that's why I'm trying my best to protect you. So I won't do the same mistake I did before..."

"What can I do? Her words are like bullets to me. I can't... I can't take it anymore. The fact that she can clearly remember what happened that night. She saw me... she saw I how tried to hid myself on the tree that night."

"You don't have to speak so I can understand what is happening. And please, don't blame yourself. You were both hurt by what happened..." he stood in front of me before slowly put his hand on my eyes. "It's okay, you can cry. I won't look..."

I closed my eyes firmly but no tears drip my eyes. "I want to but I can't," I said weakly before removing his hand. "Do you still want to continue the deal? Can you still stay beside me even though there's a big possibility that I did... kill my family?"

I looked at him and what shocked when she suddenly pulled me closer to him so he can give me a hug. "What are you saying? We will continue the deal. I will continue to stay beside you. Continue protecting me Sia, and I will continue comforting you. Don't listen to her, she only says that because that's what she thinks is true."

"Thank you," I told him. "Asher, I may not ache physically, but my heart does..."