*JAKE*
Nakatingin lang ako sa batang katabi ko.
Hindi ko alam kung nasan kaming dalawa, but she was crouched behind a drum. Madilim yung paligid namin, and she seemed to be breathing heavily, halatang halata sa panginginig ng katawan niya yung takot.
"I want Mommy." Ang mahinang iyak niya. "Gusto ko si Mommy."
She was a little girl, about three or four, straight yung itim na buhok niya but the ends on cute little curls. Naka green na polo shirt siya, but it was dirty and halatang medyo matagal na hindi napapalitan. Her beige shorts and her white sneakers covered with dust and specs of dirt.
She didn't seem to be hurt, pero nakabaon sa tuhod niya yung mukha niya and I can't see her face. Hindi ko alam kung nasaan kami kasi parang madilim, pero I wanted to see her face, para malaman ko kung okay lang siya.
As if reading what I was thinking, tinignan niya ako at nagulat ako.
It was a younger version of Thea. But there was something different. She was much younger than the first time I met her. There was something in her as well na nagsasabi sa akin na this wasn't Thea.
I wasn't sure how I knew it, I just knew.
"Andrea." I found myself saying.
Hindi ko alam kung paano ko nasabi yun, but it seemed to do something. She moves and she goes papunta sa akin and I take her in my arms, hugging her dahil sa hindi ko malamang mga kadahilanan.
Nakaramdam ako ng takot at kaba habang nanginginig siya sa mga braso ko.
"Daddy." Iyak niya sa mga kamay ko.
Daddy?
"Okay ka lang ba? hindi ka ba nasaktan?" I asked her.
I didn't know kung saan ko nakukuha yung mga itinatanong ko. It just seemed so natural.
"Balik na tayo kay Mommy."She cries. "Please..."
I just hugged her. "Shhh. Wag kang maingay."
"Si Kiki." Sabi niya sa akin. "Si Kiki, wala na"
Hindi ko kilala si Kiki, pero inakap ko lang siya. Sobrang napapanic ako sa pag iiyak niya, but I was already calculating. Ano bang nangyayari, anong magagawa ko, at pano ko siya ihahandle.
"Daddy..." She says again.
Sobrang gaan ng loob ko sa kanya. I didn't know why. She was crying silently sa mga kamay ko, as if trying not to make any more noise
"Andrea, listen to me okay?"
Tinignan niya ako, her eyes full of tears and I see yung kaibahan ng batang ito kay Thea. Hindi siya si Thea pero may pagkakahawig lang sila. Ganoon pa man nadurog yung puso ko.
"I'm scared too, pero babalik tayo kay Mommy ha?" Sabi ko sa kanya. "We just have to be brave."
"Brave?"
"Di kita iiwan, pero kailangan nating magtago."
"Saan?" Tanong niya. "Saan magtata--NOOOOOO!"
BINABASA MO ANG
Back at Step One (COMPLETED)
Romance"Would you be able to put up with me, if we both go back to step one?" Thea isn't your typical girl. She plans and she gets things done. But what happens when everything unravels and she's forced to confront the past? COMPLETED | NOT EDITED. All r...
