We Said Never (City Series #3)

Chapter 28

Everything else was pushed back. All my scheduled photoshoots, all my meetings, everything. I told people that they could contact me through my e-mail, but I had an emergency to take care of.

Because.. it is an emergency.

"Water?" tanong ko kay Zach na nagmamaneho.

Umiling siya.

Nasa NLEX palang kami, pero mabilis na lang naman siguro ang byahe namin pa-Baguio dahil hindi naman weekend ngayon.

Uminom ako sa tubig na binili namin kanina sa stop-over. I rested my head on my seat and looked over at Zach. Kanina pa siya tahimik.

"Kinakabahan ka ba?"

Lumingon siya sa akin, ngunit binalik niya rin ang tingin niya sa daan. He cleared his throat and shook his head.

"You don't have to do this, you know.."

"Selena," mariin niyang sabi.

Ilang beses na namin ito pinagusapan. It's only been three days since that night in Alabang, but Ezra has already called every one of his sources. Si Zach na mismo ang lumapit kay Ezra at tinanong kung anong maitutulong niya.

Matigas rin ang ulo ko, so I told Ezra that I wouldn't allow him to do anything if I wasn't involved. I needed to be there. I lost that baby.

So Ezra told Zach to keep an eye on me. At ngayon, papunta na kami ng Baguio. Sa pagkaka-alam ko, nandoon na sa Baguio si Chino, Apollo, at Kai. Umuwi pa si Apollo ng Pilipinas galing New York para lang dito. I guess that's how solid their friendship really is. Isang tawag lang ni Ezra, bitaw agad sila sa mga ginagawa nila.

I was angry at Zach. But on the way home to QC, he explained everything to me. How his brother threatened Zach if he spoke. Malaki ang kapit ng mga Alverez. Sa pulitiko, sa mga malalaking pangalan dito sa Pilipinas, sa mga kumpanya.

Zach wasn't protecting me, though. Partly, he was.. but mainly, he was protecting Ezra. Sabi ng kapatid niya, pwede niyang ilabas na si Ezra ang nagpasimuno ng race wars doon. Ezra could go to jail if Zach spoke about that night. His future would be ruined. And he chose to protect Ezra.. because he knew how that would affect me.

"May tanong ako," I started.

Tumingin ulit si Zach sa akin at nagtaas ng kilay. "Hmm?"

"Hindi mo ba naisipang bumalik sa pamilya mo?" I asked. "I mean.. I'm sure this isn't the life you've always dreamed of. Right?"

"I was sick of them. Noong nalaman ko ang ginawa ng kapatid.. ng lalaki na 'yon.. they invited me back to the family. Even my dad was encouraging me to come back." Umiling si Zach. "But I don't want that kind of life."

Kinagat ko ang labi ko at tumingin sa labas.

He chose this life even before he found out. He chose to protect the man I love, because he knew that it would destroy me if anything happened to him.

I know how hard this is for him. Going back to Baguio, re-opening old wounds. His brother isn't even his full brother.

And to add even more to that, he never asked for anything in return. Ever.

"Hello!" bati sa amin ni Jolo. "Ena! Long time, no see."

"Mas pumogi ka ata, Jolo?!" I laughed and gave him a hug. "It's good to see you."

"Tara sa loob. Nandoon na sina gov."

I smiled at how he still called Ezra 'gov' even after all these years. I guess the name's stuck with him.