Koi No Yokan

Chapter 17

Rainey

Spotting Elle in the campus is so easy. Hanapin mo lang kung nasaan yung mga tambayan na lugar ni Tris. Siguradong nandoon na din ito. And I really hate the fact that Tris has that kind of hold on her.

Gaya na lang ngayon. Kung dati ay magkasama kaming tatambay sa bahay ng ganitong oras para manood ng kung ano-ano, o kaya ay magluto, o kaya ay maglaro ng board games, Elle is here in the gym. Reading her book while waiting for Tris to be done with her volleyball practice.

Marahil napansin na din ng mga ito yung presensya ko dahil napatigil sa paglalaro yung nasa court. Sakto naman kasing si Tris yung magseserve. Masama agad yung tingin nito nang makita ako.

Elle, being aware of her surroundings, lifted her gaze towards my direction. Ngumiti pa nga ito at kumaway nang makita ako. Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang maiiyak ako nang makita ko iyon.

That familiar sweet and kind smile.

It felt like coming home. Something that I terribly miss these past few weeks. Lalo na at kahit gustong gusto kong tawagan si Mommy at sabihin na okay lang ako kaya wag syang mag-alala ay hindi ko magawa.

I once sneaked infront of our house. I waited for three hours before seeing Mama's familiar car coming out of our huge gate. Kasunod pa niyon ay yung pagbaba nito ng bintana ng kotse nito para maglambing ng kiss kay Mommy na ipinagbukas ito ng gate kahit electric naman iyon.

They look so happy together. Maybe, even way happier and contented than those times that I am staying with them. Siguro kasi wala na silang sakit ng ulo. Wala na silang problema. They should call Priam to go back now. I am already out of the picture. Hindi na matatakot si Priam umuwi dahil wala na ako. I will no longer trigger his trauma. And finally, they can become a happy family once again. Without me.

"Rainey." I heard Elle's soft voice calling my name. I could sniff her calming scent just almost beside me.

Ang plano ko sana ay awayin ito dahil sa perang ibinayad nito kay Cariette. Sabihan ito na wala itong karapatan na magdesisyon para sakin dahil nagtatampo ako sa ginawa nitong pagsusumbong kina Mama. Kasalanan nito na napalayas ako.

Pero ngayong kaharap ko na ito, nakangiti na akala mo walang ginawang hindi maganda, hindi ko naman magawang tuluyang magalit dito. Elle is the type of a person who reflects what you do. If you hurt her, she'll hurt you twice. But she isn't a liar. She's the most honest person I've known.

Thinking back, lahat naman talaga ng sinabi nito kina Mama ay totoo dahil hindi naman nito narinig kasi yung sinabi ni Tris. Hindi naman nito alam kung bakit bigla akong nanakit. But compare to my parents and to her, Elle is the only person who's doing a bold action to make sure that I'll end up safe and good. Even if it means that I will be asking other's help other than hers.

But Cariette will be hurt if I tell her that.

Lumapit ako dito at inilabas mula sa bag ko yung sobreng madaming pera. Oo, gipit ako. Pero hindi naman gipit na gipit na lahat ng nag-aalok ng tulong, lilimusin ko agad. At least kay Cariette, sisingilin ako noon kaya hindi ako mahihiya. Si Elle kasi hindi. Mababaon lang ako lalo sa utang na loob.

"Don't do that again, Elle." Inabot ko yung sobre sa kamay nito. "Cariette is a nice person. Sabi mo di ba? You can't pay one's act of kindness with money. So stop insulting Cariette with this."

Ngumiti lang si Elle. Yung pamilyar na ngiti nito. Mabait. Sincere. "Okay." Hinaplos nito yung pisngi ko. "She's taking good care of you, I see. That's good enough for me."

Naiilang na tinabig ko yung kamay nito. Halata namang nasaktan ito doon.

"Uhm.." Nilibot ko yung tingin ko sa loob ng gym. Dumako iyon kay Tris na kulang na lang ay silaban sa sobrang galit habang nakatitig samin ni Elle. "Tris might misunderstand."