Chapter TWENTY-TWO

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“Why?” I asked when Waxton suddenly burst into my apartment looking so nervous.

“You need to leave this apartment right now,” he said. I looked at him feeling confused but he only grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside of the building. His car was waiting outside with Julius and as soon as we hopped inside, he started the engine.

"What the hell, Waxton. What's going on?!"

“I think you are bugged,” Julius said while driving.

“What?"

"Someone sent us this—" Iniabot niya sa aking bigla ang kulay itim na sobre. Hindi na ako nag tanong pa at agad na binuklat iyon.

"What's this?" Kunot-nuo kong sambit. Inis na inagaw sa akin ni Julius ito saka iniabot kay Waxton.

"She probably don't know how to use that," he said. Takang kinuha naman ng isanang cellphone niya sa bulsa.

"Grabe Liv, hindi mo alam ang memory card?" Tila natatawang sambit ni Waxton. Humalukipkip lamang ako at pinanuod ang ginagawa niya. Maya-maya pa'y isinaksak niya ang cellphone sa speaker ng kotse at duon ay natigilan ako sa mga narinig.

"What the hell!" sigaw ko.

Sa recording, maririnig ang usapan namin sa office ni Julius. Kung paanong hinahalukay namin ang impormasiyon tungkol sa mga Thana. Simula hanggang huli. And if they are right, it only means one thing, I am a treat to them. I may become the reason of their death.

“Don’t cry, Liv,” sambit ni Julius na may kasama pang pagtawa. Mukhang nababakas niya ang rumerehistrong takot sa aking mukha ngayon.

“What are you laughing at?” kunot nuo kong tanong sa kaniya.

“Because you appear anxious, not for yourself, but for us. Pag nalaman to ni Noah baka mag puso-puso ang mata nuon,” dagdag nito na lalo kong ikinainis.

"How come you find that funny? Do you not realize that I may cause you harm or even worse, kill you? With what are you meant to laugh? Do you find it amusing that I'm currently depressed? You old man, come here! When I attempted to strangle Julius—who is still laughing uncontrollably—Waxton grabbed my hands.

“Hey relax, Liv; I told you we’re on your side,” Waxton said, but I only pointed my blazing eyes at Julius. He was not looking at me; our eyes are fixed on the rearview mirror.

"I laughed because you are not only deserving of something important that you have earned, but you are also returning the favor. In other words, you're starting to allow yourself to be normal. You are terrific; you are doing fine, even though you are miserable right now," aniya na nakapag pa hinto sa akin. Sumandal ako sa aking kinauupuan at tiim bagang na huminga ng malalim.

Liv, he is correct. It's awful that you feel miserable now that you could hurt us, even though at first I felt it was impossible for you to trust us or me. Waxton replied. From the mirror, I saw how Julius formed a small smile and nod at me.

"You've transformed into the Liv Miller you desire to be."

"I don't know how, when, or why, but Noah did this eventually," I said.

“Let’s go, he’s waiting.” Sabi ko nalang at ibinalik sa labas ang aking tingin.

Nakarating kami sa hospital, si Julius ay dumeretso naman sa nurse station kaya't umuna na kami ni Waxton sa silid ni Noah. Naabutan naming nakaupo na ito sa kaniyang hospital bed at kumakain ng mansanas. Sa gilid nito ay si Tita Norma na bakas ang pag-aalala sa anak. Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang hindi makonsensiya. Kalalabas lang niya ng hospital, ngayon ay si Noah naman ang nandito. 

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