Flickered By Innocence (Crossing The Line Series 4) ✅

F.B.I-15

"Anak, bumangon ka na."

Minulat ko ang aking mga mata nung marinig ang pamilyar na boses. Napaupo ako nang masilayan ang mukha ni Nanny Fe na siyang gumising sa 'kin. Dali-dali ko siyang niyakap. I miss her so much that it makes me feel emotional.

"N-nanny, a-akala ko po... h-hindi ka na po babalik," I said between sobs.

She caressed my back. "Maari ba namang hindi ko balikan ang tinuturing kong anak? Bumangon ka na't papasok ka pa."

I wiped my tears streaming down to my face. Hinalikan ko siya sa pisngi bago ako pumasok ng banyo para maligo. I was already wearing my uniform when I went down to our living room.

"Zein! Kumusta, anak? Tumangkad ka, ah?"

I was jumping for joy when I saw Mang Noel sitting with my parents at the dining table while eating their breakfast. I sat beside Mang Noel enthusiastically. I greeted my parents and said "Good Morning" before I looked at Mang Noel, who was wearing his full suit uniform.

"Hindi naman ako tumangkad, Mang Noel, eh. Ihahatid mo na po ba ako... ulit?" Pag-iiba ko ng usapan.

My dad put a pancake on my plate. "Oo, anak. Hindi na ulit aalis sila Nanny Fe and Mang Noel para di ka na umiyak tuwing gabi."

"Dad! Aasarin na naman po ako nina Nanny Fe na baby," My mouth was hanging wide open from the sudden embarrassment.

Mom chuckled. "That's fine, anak. You're still a baby, so no need to be shy, right Mang Noel and Manang Fe?"

"Oo naman. May pasalubong nga kaming rubber duckies para sa baby nating lahat na si Zein," Pang-aasar ni Mang Noel.

Napapangiwi nalang ako habang pinapakinggan sila. Mabuti't maganda ang gising ko kaya't hindi na ako sumabat. Hindi mawala ang ngiti sa aking labi habang pinagmamasdan si Mang Noel na nagmamaneho nang muli ng aming van. Ang iba naming sasakyan ay naibenta na ni Dad noong nakaraang linggo kaya't ito nalang ang natira maliban sa kotse nila ni Mom.

"Gellia–"

Napatigil ako nung makitang nakahawak sa kamay niya si Krisha pagbaba ko ng van. Marahil ay hindi niya ako narinig dahil malayo sila sa akin at napakaraming estudyante sa paligid. Nagpaalam naman ako kay Mang Noel bago naglakad papunta sa aking klase.

I was surprised that my classmates didn't badmouth me like last week. Some of them avoided my gaze, and the others apologized for their rude behavior from last time. I just smiled at them awkwardly before I sat beside Ezra and Kyle.

"Mabuti naman at natigil na ang tsismis," Kyle facepalmed while writing his notes.

Ezra nodded. "We're so happy that the issue has been resolved, Zein."

They abruptly hugged me, which made me shrug. I just tapped their arms when I noticed our classmates were looking at us questionably. I'm so grateful that all of my friends are with me during my hardest time.

"Hindi ka ba sasabay sa 'min, Zein?" tanong ni Kyle nung oras ng recess.

Ezra put his things in his bag. "You'll go with Gellian, right?"