Bad Times at Sunrise (La Fortuna Series #3)

Kabanata 48

Kabanata 48

Truth

I stood before a run-down motel. Unang tingin pa lang sa pundi nitong LED signage at madilim na paligid ay agad nang umusbong ang pag-angal at pag-aalala sa aking sistema. Atlas told me Sunny checked in to this worry-inducing place. 

My gaze went to the Chevy that was parked in front of the establishment. The smashed hood magnified the fact that she was involved in a car accident. Mas lalo lang akong nag-alala sa kaniya. I had the sudden urge to get her out of here. The thought of the unsanitized beds, cockroaches, and termites horrified me. 

I wanted to transfer Sunny somewhere safe, clean, and warm. Somewhere I could easily see her and check whether she was unscathed. Somewhere better — because that's how I always wanted it when it came to her. 

Alanganin akong pumasok sa nasabing establisyemento. I went to the receptionist to ask about Sunny, albeit a bit hesitant and fearful of the germs permeating this hellhole. 

"May I ask which room Sunny Vega is staying in?" 

I knew they were not supposed to disclose that kind of information to me, but this motel looked anything but law-abiding, so I still tried. I wondered how many acts of infidelity were committed in this place. Probably a lot.

"Ah, Sir, hindi po kami pwedeng magbigay ng impormasyon tungkol sa mga guest po namin."

"Right." Gotta protect the anonymity of cheating bastards.

I pulled out my phone to call Atlas. Alam kong may paraan siya upang makuha ang impormasyong gusto ko. Iyon nga lang, nagri-ring pa lang iyon nang bumukas ang elevator at iluwa no'n si Sunny.

"Ano pang kailangan mo?" Atlas sounded pissed on the other line. "I'm with Iowa right now so if you could please—"

Ibinaba ko ang tawag. 

Umawang ang labi ko habang tinitignan si Sunny na naglalakad, mabagal at walang bakas ng pagkagulat, palapit sa akin. Her eyes, so sweet yet so fierce, was pulling me in. Milagro ang pananatili ko sa aking kinatatayuan ngayong nandito siya at papunta sa akin.

My eyes searched over her body for any signs of injury. I could not be so sure but, at a glance, she looked okay. Beautiful, even. Mesmerizing. Spell-binding. She was living up to La Fortuna's allegations of her unforgettable allure. 

Nang nasa harap ko na siya ay doon lang naproseso ng utak ko na nandito siya. 

Nandito siya. 

Any minute by now, our skin could touch, our eyes could meet, our souls could recognize each other, and the anticipation alone drove me crazy. Ilang beses ko na siyang nahawakan, pero hanggang ngayon, parang hindi pa rin ako nasasanay. Parang hindi pa rin ako karapat-dapat.

There were a lot of truths about Sunny Vega, one of which was how she belonged to no one but herself. You could call her your girlfriend, your wife, the love of your life, and yet even then... you would still not feel adequate enough for her. You would still feel like she could leave you for something better.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" malamig niyang bungad. Her voice was like a spear piercing through my heart.

"I came for you."

Umiwas siya ng tingin. It broke my heart every time she evaded her gaze from me. It felt like her way of depriving me of the most beautiful thing on this planet — her eyes. 

Lagi akong naliligaw sa mga mata niya. She had soft brown eyes, but it's not really the color that made them irresistible. It was the soul behind it. The fierceness, courage, and wildness.