A Bloodless War

Kabanata 14

Kabanata 14

ZEIJAN'S Mom, Lena, is pretty. She seems familiar pero hindi ko lang maalala kung saan ko siya nakita. His father, Ejercito, is handsome too.

Hindi na nakakagulat na ang ga-gwapo nila. They looked foreign, siguro ay sa mga ninuno nila? Their blue eyes are one of the kind. They must have got it from their father.

"Dash finally has a donor!" his father told them, and I was just listening. I saw their happy faces, naiyak pa ang Mommy ni Zeijan na nakaupo sa wheelchair habang yakap-yakap ang Daddy niya.

Thallia, on the other hand, is crying as he hugged her husband at nang sumulyap ako kay Zeijan ay nakita ko siyang nakatitig sa akin, teary-eyed.

I smiled at him and spread my arm, naglakad siya palapit sa akin at kumabog ang dibdib ko nang hablutin niya ang baywang ko at tumungo sa balikat ko.

"Misis..." he sniffed. I chuckled and caressed his back.

"Are you happy?" I asked. He nodded on my shoulder.

"Yes," bulong niya sa akin at may kung anong humaplos sa puso ko. Seeing them happy makes me happy. Nakakatuwa pero hindi ko rin maiwasang mainggit sa pamilya nila.

They're lovely, kita ko ang pagmamahal nila sa isa't isa. If only I have a simple and happy family like theirs, I would be really happy.

Tita Lena and Tito Ejercito welcomed me lovingly, I saw their sincerity. Tuwang-tuwa si Tita Lena habang kausap ako at kita ko ang ngiti sa labi ni Tito habang nakikinig sa usapan namin ng asawa niya.

"Hija, magkaibigan lang ba talaga kayo ng pangalawa ko?" malumanay na tanong ni Tita. I stopped.

Nakita ko ang nanliliit na mata ni Zeijan sa akin kaya napatawa ako.

"Opo, Tita..." I answered. Someone harshly cleared his throat, napangiti rin si Tita at inabot ako.

"You're pretty, hija..."

"Salamat po," I smiled.

"Alagaan mo ang Zeijan ko, huh?" she asked lovingly, and I stopped.

Napasulyap ako kay Zeijan at nakitang nilalaro na niya ang kambal nina Iñigo habang buhat ito ng Kuya niya.

I smiled and stared at Tita Lena's hoping eyes then nodded.

"Opo..." I answered.

It was ecstatic, the feeling of joining parties without someone harassing you, being with lovely people, 'yong walang naiisip na iba, napakasaya.

I wish my daily routine was like this, but it wasn't.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

KINAGABIHAN lang ay nakatanggap ako ng tawag mula kay Trece na nagpaguho ng mundo ko.

"Archer's alive, Alyx." Nanuyo ang lalamunan ko at pabagsak na naupo sa kama.

"W-what?" nanginig ang boses ko.

"Hindi si Archer ito," ani Trece sa mahinang tono.

"P-pero 'di ba, siya 'yong nakalaban ko... 'yong..."

"Last night, 'yong operation ni Hawk sa Spain, may nakatunog na naman," he sighed. "Who would do that other than Archer? Wala 'di ba? Siya lang ang kilala kong kayang gumawa nito since you know how hard it is to enter our website."

"Pwede namang iba! I mean, he's already killed! Paanong—"

"No one can sabotage us but him!" putol naman niya sa akin. "I know how irritating is this, but I really think that wasn't Archer you killed."