Mirage

twenty four

"Nasan na ba yun? Jusq naman!" Sam complained as she walked out of the village she was in earlier. The girl was searching for someone but they're not home to where they were supposed to. The neighbor said, there's another place that the guy she was looking for goes.

It's in the upper hills, a vacation house by the oak woods.

Almost half an hour since Sam started walking in the rain with an umbrella. She could finally see the structure of the house from where she is. Maybe just a few distance left and she'll be there before she freezes to death. Oa pero ang lamig talaga dapat pala nagdalawang jacket ako.

When Sam finally reached the house, she immediately tried to open the door.

"Bat ba ko naglakad, napagod tuloy ako." She muttered as she put her umbrella to the side of the door.

Sam went in and looked around. Mukhang nandito naman siguro siya?

"Tao po." She called out. "Kuya James!"

She put down her bag and grabbed some documents from inside. "Kuya lumabas ka na diyan dali! Babalik pa akong Manila!"

"Sam?"

Sam was startled when she heard the voice.

"Mira?!"

Both girls looked at each other in shock.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito? Nagaalala si ate Liyah sayo!"

"Ikaw anong ginagawa mo dito? Pano mo nalaman tong bahay na to? May nagpadala sayo?" Mira asked continuously as she eyed Sam cautiously.

"Huh? Anong nagpadala? Nandito ako para kay ano..." Sam scratched her head, not knowing if she should say it.

"Ano kasi..." she sighed. "Maski si Jo hindi pa to alam."

Mira raised an eyebrow. "Ano?"

"May ibibigay ako sa kuya ko." Sam said.

"Kuya?"

"Oo may aayusin ako...pasakit kasi ung walang kwentang ama namin." Sam mumbled the last part but Mira still heard it.

"Step brother ko yun, alam naman ni Jo pero hindi niya alam kung bakit ako nandito. Kaya quiet ka lang ha, wag mo muna sabihin kay ate liyah malamang malalaman agad ni Jo un!"

Mira cringe at Aliyah's name and avoided Sam's eyes. This made the latter frown. "Hindi mo parin kinocontact si ate Liyah? Bat ka ba biglang umalis?"

The girl turned around and said, "Wala ka na don."

Sam scoffed. "Edi wow. Kung ako sayo bumalik ka na ng Manila."

"Walang ibang tao dito, umalis ka na."

"Hoy tropa, baka nakakalimutan mo magkaibigan tayo."

"Wala akong kaibigan." Mira started walking up the stairs.

Sam looked at her in disbelief. Seryoso ba to? Okay naman to nung nakaraan ah.

"Saglit nga lang, ano ba problema? Mira hoy!" Sam followed the girl upstairs after putting the documents she was holding over her bag. Mira was going in one of the rooms.

Sam caught the door before Mira could close it. "Ano bang nangyayari sayo?"

"May tinataguan ka ba?" When Sam asked that Mira immediately faced her with a glare.

"Wala."

"Kung ayaw mo magkwento sakin, kay ate Liyah na lang. Tawagan mo na siya."

Mira sighed loudly, annoyed. "Bakit ba Liyah ka ng Liyah?!"

"Nasa kanya na ba mundo ko?!"

Sam didn't expect the girl's outburst. She was dumbfounded. "Nagaway ba kayo?" She asked quietly.

"Hindi." Mira said firmly. "Hindi lang ako pwede sakanya."

Sam was confused, she couldn't understand what the girl meant. Mira, seeing Sam's face, shook her head.

"Basta! Mas okay ako magisa, dito lang ako."

At Aliyah's unit

"Di ka okay." Guia stated. Her and Aliyah were in the latter's unit while the others are in Jo and Stell's. Aliyah went straight to her place since she wasn't feeling well and Guia told them she'll talk to the girl.

Aliyah didn't respond but leaned her head on Guia's shoulder.

"Tungkol kay Mira to noh? Nagaalala ka sakaniya."

"Hinahanap siya ng pulis." Aliya mumbled. "Tas biglang nawala, sino hindi magaalala."

"Hindi naman siguro sya criminal ano?"

Aliyah frowned at her best friend. "Mukha ba siyang criminal?"

Guia shrugged her shoulders. "Hinahanap ng pulis eh sabi mo."

The girl sighed so Guia side hugged her. "Gusto mo talaga sya."

"I don't know...Do I like her Gi?"

Guia chuckled. "Bat ako tinatanong mo? Feelings ko ba yan."

"Pero alam mo, obvious naman eh." She continued.

"Obvious na ano?" Aliyah asked.

"Na gusto mo si Mira."

Aliyah pursed her lips. Thoughts filled her head, all of it makes her confused on what she wants to do.

Yes, she could feel that Mira was starting to be someone special to her. Aliyah likes her but she doesn't know what to do with it.

"Nakakapanibago nga eh."

Aliyah looked at Guia, curious. "Ang alin?"

"First time mo kaya magkagusto. Mga crush mo dati puro celebrity lang."

Guia laughed. "Grabe ung mukha mo kapag kasama mo si Mira."

"Anong mukha, grabe ka ah."

"Hindi, ung alam mo ung parang umaaliwalas mukha mo ganon."

"Ang saya mo kapag kasama mo siya." Guia smiled ang hugged Aliyah tighter. "Proud of you beh."

Aliyah smiled slightly. "Proud ka kasi nagka crush na ako na hindi celeb?"

"Oo hindi lang crush, in lababo pa."

The girl got out from the hug and threw a pillow on Guia's face.

"Aray!" Guia exclaimed while laughing. "Mapanakit ka ah."

Aliyah shook her head with a smile. "Bahala ka dyan."

Guia stopped from laughing and looked at her best friend softly. "Okay ka na?"

"Mira will be fine. Nandito tayo para sakaniya and if she needs us, we'll be there."

The girl nodded her head and sighed. "You're right."