One, Two, Three | Published Under PaperInk Imprints

III

"Will you please calm down, Aliyah?"

Iritable ang boses ni Mira at hinarap ang umiiyak na si Aliyah, hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya mapakali, she even called her parents to said her I love you's in case mawala siya.

"Why do you have to show me that? This is your fault!" aniya. Nasa kaniyang likuran si Kleo na ngayon ay mukhang stress na stress na din habang pinapatahan si Aliyah.

Habang ako ay nakaupo sa kanilang harapan at pinagmamasdan ang kanilang mga reaksyon. Hindi mapigilan ang mabilis na pagtibok ng aking puso dahil sa tuwa. Tuwa dahil ramdam ko ang kasikatan ng aking libro, hindi ko hinangad na sumikat ako, ang gusto ko lamang ay makilala ang aking gawa.

"I'm being anxious, Mira. Paano kung mag-isa lamang ako rito at biglang may dumating? Oh my God, I don't know what to do!" aniya sa isang pasigaw na boses.

Pagod siyang tinignan ni Kleo bago naglakad patungo sa akin, while Mira started arguing with Aliyah.

"Hindi ka ba napapagod sa dalawang 'yan?"

Napatingin ako sa aking katabi. Kleo was pouting while looking at me, I rolled my eyes at him.

"Napapagod ka ba, e' mukhang tuwang tuwa kang patahanin siya?" tatawa-tawang ani ko, kita ko ang pamumula ng kaniyang mukha patungo sa kaniyang tenga at leeg.

Napailing na lamang ako. Hindi ko talaga gusto ang pagmamahal kuno na tinutukoy nila, I never loved anyone and I think I have no time for that, even my family, I don't feel any loved for them.

I killed her, the one who gave birth to me, my mother, because she was the one who thought me about meats, that was our dirty little secret but I was greedy, I am in need and hungry for meats and her skin was too soft, I ate her. When her husband found out, he tried to kill me but I was too quick to stab his chest. I'll give my self an applause for that, sayang nga lang at hindi ko siya nakain.

"Pwede bang makituloy sa inyo, Shaina?"

Napukaw ang aking atensyon dahil sa sinabi ni Aliyah. Her offer was tempting and I felt my heart began beating wildly, I almost smiled widely but I might kill her, I might kill a person who doesn't have mental health problem, that thought makes me ill.

I smiled awkwardly at them before shaking my head off.

"You know how OC Shaina can be, right? Ang gulo gulo mo eh," ani Kleo.

Mira nodded her head and looked at Aliyah with pity in her eyes. Sa tingin ko, totoo ang pag-aalalang nararamdaman niya kay Aliyah ngunit hindi niya ito gustong iparating kaya't inaaway niya ito.

Panibagong uri ng pagmamahal, pagmamahal para sa kaibigan.

I never had friends. Simula pagkabata ay pinagbawalan akong makipag kaibigan sa kung sino dahil baka raw gawin ko silang pagkain. Some tried to be friend with me but I never treated them as one, unless they'll tell me that they have mental issues, I'll gladly be friends with them but they will end up as one of my meat.

"You can stay in our house, we have lots of guestrooms." Kleo suggested.

I raised my brow when I saw that Mira rolled her eyes but also nodded her head, agreeing with Kleo. Dali-daling tumayo si Mira at umakyat sa kaniyang kuwarto, tingin ko ay para maghanda ng kaniyang gamit.

When she was already out of our sight, Kleo glared at Mira but she only mouthed him 'what?' and shrugged her shoulders.

"Bakit kailangan mong ipakita sa kaniya 'yan? You know how sensitive Aliyah was, Mira." Inis na boses ni Kleo ang narinig ko.

Nilingon ko sila at ngayon ay parehas nang nakasalubong ang kanilang mga kilay at masama ang tingin sa isa'- isa.

"I was just checking the possibilities! Aliyah is a public figure, kilala siya, paano kung siya pala talaga ang tinutukoy dyaan?" sagot rin ni Mira at bahagya nang lumalakas ang kanilang boses.