One, Two, Three | Published Under PaperInk Imprints

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“Don’t say things like that, Shaina. Mamaya may mangyaring masama.”

Aliyah glared at me before turning her back. Rinig ko naman ang tawa ni Mira habang nakatingin sa kaniya.

“Tapos kaya pala worried si Aliyah kasi siya papatay sa’yo ‘no?” Mira added making Kleo glared at her.

We all looked away when Aliyah looked at Mira with annoyance. Mabilis namang hinigit ni Kleo si Mira upang mapigilan ang nagbabadyang away sa pagitan nila.

She needs to worry about herself. Ako ang papatay sa kaniya.

Fear was visible on their faces when the sky turned black. We set up a bonfire in front of us while we were sitting next to each other.

“Why don't you sleep na guys?” Aliyah asked.

Mayroong mga kahoy na nakapalibot sa amoy at nagsisilbi itong upuan namin. Ako katabi si Mira at sa aming harap ay si Kleo ag Aliyah.

“Eh bakit ikaw rin naman hindi pa tulog,” ani Kleo at tinawanan si Aliyah.

I sighed and surveyed Aliyah's face. She was pouting while her cheeks turned red.

“Paano ako matutulog, eh mag-isa lang ako sa tent?” she added.

“Pabebe nito,” ani Mira at tumayo sa kanyang pagkakaupo. I watched her head inside our tent and when she went out, she was already holding a liquors.

I heard Kleo laughed maniacally while praising her sister. Habang ako ay pinagmamasdan ang itsura ni Aliyah. Ganitong-ganito rin ang aking naramdaman noon kay Candice, ngunit hindi ko mawari’y bakit mayroong kahalong galit ngayon?

I blinked few times when Aliyah's face was blocked by a liquor Mira’s waving to me. I felt annoyance when I saw mockery in her face.

“Stop staring at her, baka matunaw,” saad niya.

Nagsimula kaming mag-inuman at halos nakailang balik na si Mira upang kumuha ng panibagong inumin hanggang sa mismong cooler na ang kaniyang dinala. Halos tatlo o apat na shots lamang ang ginawa ko habang ang magkapatid ay parehong ayos pa rin ang itsura dahil malakas maginom. While Aliyah is getting talkative every minute passes by.

“I’ll tell you a secret, guys!” She suddenly shouted.

Hindi ko siya nilingon at pinili na lamang kumain ng mga chichiryang galing kay Mira.

“Do you know that I have a cousin? Kristana!” aniya.

Mabilis akong napalingon sa kaniya at onti-onting napangiti ng makita ang kaniyang kalagayan. Her eyes were closed, her hair was disheveled, her clothes were already ragging up and it making her show skins. I can't help but to smile when I saw how shiny her leg was.

“She’s my ghost writer!”

Kita ko ang pagkatigil ng magkapatid sa kani-kanilang mga ginagawa at nanlalaki ang paninging tumingin kay Aliyah.

“W-what?” tanong ni Mira.

“Uh-huh, She's my ghost writer,” aniya at umayos ng upo ngunit halata pa rin ang kaniyang kalasingan. “But she was always telling me that I just plagiarized her!”

Malakas na ibinagsak ni Mira ang hawak na bote ng alak dahilan upang gumawa ito ng isang malakas na tunog. Mabilis na napatayo si Kleo upang pakalmahin ang kaniyang kapatid ng makitang bigla itong tumayo.

“Plagiarized, psh!” ani Aliyah, “I am Aliyah Montesori. Mas kilala ako sa kaniya kaya’t mas deserve kong ipublish ang librong gawa niya. She should be happy!”

I felt a heated rage inside me when I heard how she bragged her name. Sa hindi malamang dahilan, unti-onti akong napahakbang papalapit sa halos nakahigang si Aliyah. I grabbed her hair tightly and made her face me.