The Perfect Revenge

Twenty-one

Jake

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Fuck.

For the millionth time, I picked up my phone from the center table only to throw it across the couch. Napalakas yung hagis ko kasi instead of landing on the cushion, it fell towards the floor with a loud clash. Hindi na ko magtataka kung basag ang screen nito.

Bakit ba kasi walang cellphone si AJ?

Isang oras ko na siyang hinahanap pero I can't even say na hinahanap ko siya kasi andito lang ako sa bahay. I can't take the chance na umalis ako kasi inisip ko kanina na baka may binili lang siya sa corner store dahil baka nagugutom na siya. Dinnertime na at malamang gutom na siya, Jake. But then an hour had passed at wala pa ring AJ. Wala man lang siyang iniwan na note indicating her whereabouts. Magre-report na ba ko sa pulis ng missing person file? But I know may number of hours na kailangan bago mo ma-report kung nawawala talaga siya and even that, I don't know.

Decided, I grabbed my phone from the floor pati na rin yung keys sa may foyer table and headed for the door. Napa-step back ako nang bumuka ang pinto and came face-to-face my sister's radiant smile. It made me stop kasi matagal na simula nang huli kong makita ang ngiti na 'yon.

"Hi brother. Binili ka namin ng dinner. You're welcome." She kissed me on the cheek saka niya ko hinila papasok ng unit ko.

That's when I noticed yung bitbit niyang paper bags. "Jesus, did you buy the whole store?"

Nag-sparkle yung mata niya as if she was keeping a secret and I am not in on it. Maybe she did buy the whole store.

But that is the least of my worries. Nawawala pa rin si AJ and I was just about to share the fact when there was a knock on my door. Ngumiti si Vivian and shoved the bags at me. "Ayan na yung dinner!"

Nag-rush siya papunta sa foyer and opened the door. Nang makita ko si AJ sa kabila, a knot loosened on my chest. Isang knot that was getting tighter the longer she was gone. At nang maramdaman ko yung relief came the anger.

Immediately, inilapag ko yung shopping bags and stalked toward the door. "Where were you? Isang oras na kitang hinahanap but there was no way to contact you!"

She opened her mouth to explain but I am having none of it.

"'Wag mo na ulit gagawin iyon. Don't go out without telling me, okay?"

Na-offend ko ata siya because her features started to match mine. She was angry. Naisip ko na wala siyang dapat na ikagalit after what she did, which made me angrier. "Hindi kita tatay kaya wala kang karapatang pangaralan ako na para kang magulang."

"I would not lecture you kung in the first place, nagsabi ka kung saan ka pupunta!"

"Hindi naman ako aalis kung hindi ako nabuburyong sa loob ng bahay mo."

"Uhh, guys. Maybe you should take this inside," suggestion ni Viv, looking past AJ's shoulder. I directed my gaze there para makita yung neighbor ko, a businessman in his late forties, na nakadungaw sa maliit na space ng binuksan niyang pinto. Nakatingin siya sa amin, his face obviously letting us know na hindi kami ang favorite neighbors niya at the moment.

I did not bother apologizing. Pinapasok ko si AJ sa loob na dumiretso sa kusina tapos sa kwarto niya. Si Vivian naman ay in-excuse ang sarili niya and gathered her things.

She kissed me on the cheek nang ihatid ko siya sa pinto. "Don't blame her. Inaya ko siyang maggala because it was obvious that she's out of her element dito sa atin. Kaya kung may dapat kang sisihin, it should be me. Dapat nag-text ako sa'yo. Kaya sorry, Kuya."