Dahlia's Lover

CHAPTER 01

The Man In The Orphanage

Tears are keep flowing down on my cheeks. My pale hands are sweating and trembling with fear. Nanlalabo ang aking paningin. I feel dizzy, and I think any time ay mahihimatay na lamang ako dito sa loob ng kotse.

Someone fell... a kid...

"I had that nightmare again." i whispered.

Napabalik ako sa reyalidad nang marinig ko ang mga busina ng sasakyan. I looked at the stoplight and it's green, pinaandar ko ang kotse habang naglalayag pa rin sa isipan ko ang nangyari.

I always dream of such a scenario. When I feel tired and biglang nakatulog, it will suddenly appear to haunt me. It was always the same place, same situation. And I don't even have a single idea why it always comes into my mind. Hindi maliwanag. The details... the place... everything. It keeps creeping me out.

Binuksan ko ang glove compartment ng kotse at kinuha ang medicine ko. This helps me calm and reduce my nervousness. My worries lessen when I'm always taking this. It's circle and white in color. Kumuha ako ng apat na piraso at inilagay sa aking palad. I immediately took it inside of my mouth and swallowed it all.

I take many deep breaths, as i continue to drive again.

"Dahlia Airelle Prescott!"

Gertrude run towards me smiling ear to ear. I smiled back and hugged her. Currently akong nasa university. Yep. GD University.

"No need to shout my name, Ger."

Bumitaw sa pagkakayakap si Gertrude habang nakahawak pa rin sa magkabilang balikat ko. Gertrude is one of my closest friends. I met her since high school. We're more like sisters. I treat her as my sister dahil na rin only child lang ako. Sa aming dalawa, siya ang pinaka-maingay at mahilig magpatawa. She's always the first to open the topic whenever we have a conversation.

Unlike me, Gertrude is single. Mas matanda siya sa akin ng tatlong taon and she has this so-called motto that 'fling-are-better-than-commiting'. That's why in her thirty-three years of existence, busy pa rin siya sa pakikipag-entertain sa mga taong natitipuhan niya.

And, she, too, is a teacher. Elementary teacher. Siya ang nag-recommend sa akin na magturo sa GD University since it's a free university and any students are welcome to join in and study.

Humilig si Gertrude sa balikat ko. "Miss na miss na kita super! Feeling ko nagbago ang face mo dahil sa tagal nating nag-meet. Kasi naman... we haven't been seeing each other these past few days." the tone of her voice is sad. "We're only chatting thru phone yet pati pag-r-reply ay kinakatamaran mo na." humiwalay siya sa akin and stare at me. "Be honest ka nga, are you pregnant na ba?"

A short chuckle ang lumabas mula sa bibig ko. "I hope so." If that's the way to change everything.

Gertrude tsked. "Duh! It's not impossible! Look at your age, thirty! So young! Kung hindi nga kita kilala ay for sure na mapagkakamalan kita na twenty." she said at tumango-tango pa.

I just laughed softly. Gusto ko man paniwalaan ang mga sinasabi niya but I can't because of the reality na nangyayari sa akin ngayon.

"Huy, oks ka lang ba?" she pinched my arm.

I blinked three times. "Of course. Bakit naman hindi?"

Ngumuso siya at inirapan ako. And then she pointed my face. "Umamin ka nga sa akin...."