One and Only

War 24

Nagising ako sa tatlong sunod na katok mula sa pintuan ng kwarto ko. Hindi ko iyon pinansin. Babalik na sana ako sa pagtulog pero lumakas lamang ang katok.

Bwisit.

"Ano?!" Iritadong sigaw ko habang nakasubsob pa din ang mukha sa unan. Fuck. I can feel my lower abdomen started to hurt again. Shit! Sino ba kasi ang gumigising sa akin?! Mahimbing na ang tulog ko, eh!

"Zelene, you haven't eaten anything yet." Narinig ko ang boses ni Emerson sa labas. Ilang minuto ang lumipas at hindi ko namalayan na naka-idlip na pala ako ulit.

"I'm coming in."

"Wait, you can't just step inside without her permission."

"Who knows she is dead inside. Should we still need her permission?"

"No-"

"It is locked."

"I'll get the keys."

Huh? Sino 'yon?

After several minute, I hear someone unlocked the door of my room. Naka pikit pa rin ang dalawa kong mga mata. Narinig kong papalapit sila sa kung nasaan ako.

"Hey, get your ass up." Narinig ko ang boses ni Ged. Nadagdagan lamang ang rason na ayaw kong bumangon. Napamulat ako ng mata ng biglaan niyang tinanggal ang unan ko. This rude motherfucker!

"Ano ba?!" Sigaw ko sa kaniya. Tumaas lamang ang kaniyang kilay at walang pasabing umalis ng kwarto ko. Mas lalong nag init ang ulo ko.

Kaagad akong tumayo at aakmang susundan siya pero pinigilan ako ni Emerson. I glanced at him. "Just kick his ass on other day. You need to eat. Nagluto si Randolph ng favorite mo." Sabi niya at ngumiti ng napakalaki. Just thinking of what the favorite food he just said somehow lessen the anger inside of me. Right, let's not let this day end with a bad mood just because of that jerk.

"Fine."

AFTER fixing myself, magkasama kaming bumaba ni Emerson. It's almost 8PM when I took a glance of the clock earlier. That means I got more than an hour to sleep. Medyo sumakit nga lang ang ulo ko dahil sa biglaan nilang pag gising sa akin.

"Finally, she's here." Bungad kaagad ni Dwayne pagkapasok namin sa dining. All of them were seated including the asshole I plan to kill someday. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin bago umupo sa upuan ko. The food has been untouched and they didn't started to eat yet. Hinihintay ba nila ako?

That's new.

"How are you feeling, Zelene?" Ngumiti ng matipid sa akin si Kuya Henry.

"Fine?"

"We've heard that you got your period that's why we have cooked all of your favorite foods to at least make you feel better. Ito na rin ang peace offering ng apat sa ginawa nila sa 'yo kahapon."

I was speechless.

"WHAT?! WHO SAID THAT?!" Nanlalaki ang mata kong tanong. What the hell?! Naramdaman kong uminit ang buong mukha ko. I feel like as red as a tomato right now!

"That doesn't matter." Ged suddenly interrupted pero hindi ko siya pinansin. Nakatingin pa rin ako kay Kuya Henry waiting for my question to be answer.

"Ged is right. Dig in now, Zee."

What I am feeling right now? Mixed. What does mixed mean? I mean embarrassment because it feels like the period thingy being announced to the whole world like a serious type of crime that is embarrassing enough that needs to be hidden! Second, anger for the person who informed them about it! I wanted to kill him! Third, I felt like crying and I don't know why. Tanong niyo sa pagong.

"Are you tearing up?!" Napasulyap ako kay Dwayne na mukhang natutuwa pa sa luhaan kong mukha habang naguguluhan naman ang iba. Sumimangot lamang ako at nagsimula nang kumain and did not say anything the whole dinner. I was so embarrassed to do anything.

After the dinner, I excuse myself to them para bumalik na sa kwarto ko. I didn't wait for their respond and exit the dining right away. If only it's possible to lay down on my bed and do nothing I would definitely do it. Binigyan na din nila ako ng pain killer kanina even though I didn't ask for it.

I was about to sleep when I realized na si Drake, Tristan at David lang ang nakakaalam na meron ako ngayon. Posibleng isa sa kanila ang nagsabi sa mga demonyo. But David don't have a reason to do that though. Then that leaves me with Tristan and Drake.

Huminga ako ng malalim, "Just forget about it, Zee. Just fucking sleep." I murmured to myself before closing my eyes and sleep.

Third Person's POV

After the lady exits the dining, the atmosphere became silent. It feels like everyone was waiting for someone to crack the silence.

Tumikhim si Henry after gulping down his liquor, "Mom and Dad had been attacked recently while they were in their vacation." He said causing everyone to look up to him. His brothers listen to him intently setting down their fork and spoons and turning their attention towards their eldest brother.

"What? Are they safe?" Randolph muttered. Henry nodded.

"They handled the situation right away." Everyone sigh in relief.

"May lead naba sila kung sino ang gumagawa nitong lahat, Kuya?" The youngest asked.

"Do you know that Zelene's mom got into accident days before the wedding?" Napakunot naman ang noo ng lahat. They heard nothing about it. No one even bother to tell them.

Henry continued, "We suspected that it's the same person who hired those men to attack our parents and it's the same person who planned the accident." The room fell into an uneasy silence around the table. Hindi na bago sa kanila ito since they're in a mafia where every one might be your enemy but they feel something different about this matter. Parang hindi sila mapakali.

"Who are you talking about?" the second eldest, Randolph, asked, breaking the tension.

"I don't know," Henry admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But I plan to find out. And when I do, they're going to pay."

The brothers sat in silence for a moment, weighing Henry's words. They knew that their eldest brother was fierce and protective, and they trusted him to keep them safe. But the thought of someone trying to hurt their family again was terrifying, and they all knew that they would support Henry in whatever he decided to do.

"I have a different feeling about this. We should tighten our security." Suggested by Emerson which everyone agrees.

"Keep Zelene by your side if possible and keep her safe. We don't know kung kailan ulit sila kikilos."