Getting To You (Azucarera Series #2)

Kabanata 23

Kabanata 23

Proud

Needless to say, it was a big scandal.

I was rushed to the hospital unconscious. I drank a cocktail with nuts on it. It was served on Soren's party from his hired bartenders. Hindi man naging malala ang pagkakabangga sa akin sa harap ng bahay nina Soren, naging mahirap iyon dahil sa allergic reaction ko sa ininom.

I was weak the next days. May pasa sa tagiliran at may sugat sa ulo, ayon sa pagkakasalpak ko sa hood ng sasakyan bago ako bumagsak sa daanan. Natural din na matindi ang pag-aalala ng pamilya ko. Umabot na sa punto na ang driver ko at si Ate Soling, na parehong matagal na sa amin, ay sinisante ni Daddy.

Helpless in the hospital bed, I kept hearing my father and my brother's words. Sometimes, my mother would but in with her equally harsh decisions. Tanging si Ate Peppa lang ang tahimik, siguro ayaw nang dagdagan ang nangyari.

"Sinasabi ko na nga bang walang magandang maidudulot 'yang Soren Osorio na 'yan!" I heard my brother.

"Kaya kailangang tanggalin na rin sila, Manolo!" si Mommy na agad sinagot ni Ate.

"Mommy, I don't think that's just. I mean... sige at may kasalanan si Alonzo pero ang mga magulang niya, wala!"

Maraming sinisi ang pamilya ko sa nangyari. Unang-una roon, s'yempre si Alonzo.

It was a scandal. Kumalat sa buong Altagracia ang video namin. It was cut in a very malicious way causing Alonzo's latin honors stripped off him, and all his offers out. It was heartbreaking.

Kahit anong ulit kong pakiusap at paliwanag sa mga magulang ko sa nangyari, kung hindi man sila galit, ipinapaliwanag din nila sa akin na nasa tamang proseso iyon dahil nasa batas daw.

Walang kaso at walang trial na kahit ano dahil bukod sa video, walang sapat na ebidensiya at nakiusap na ang mga magulang ni Alonzo kay Mommy at Daddy na huwag nang gawin iyon. My Mommy and Daddy panicked the first days, but eventually, they saw reason and decided that it's enough that Alonzo lost his latin honors and all the offers stripped off him.

Hindi na ako nakabalik sa eskuwela kahit pa may exam pa dapat na tatapusin. It was my family's power that made the school rules bend. I have my exams here at home with the prefect of discipline as a proctor.

Bukod kay Alonzo, pinaimbestigahan din ni Kuya Manolo si Soren. It was his party and the liquor was from it. Eventually, Steffi was pointed as the one who gave me the cocktail. Kaya lang, nagsisisi raw siya sa ibinigay niya at hindi niya naman alam na may allergy ako sa mani.

Steffi was further investigated, too, for the video. Sinabi ko na siya ang kumuha noon. Sinabi ko rin na sinadya niya iyon para tuluyan nga'ng sirain ang imahe ni Alonzo. But then, other than that, it felt like the investigations for her was futile.

Noong una, akala ko dahil mayaman si Steffi, gaya ni Soren. Kaya niyang baliin ang batas pero kalaunan, nang idiniin ko pa lalo sa kanya ang sisi, sinabi ni Kuya Manolo sa akin ang isa pang dahilan.

"The investigations proved that Steffi didn't know that you're allergic to nuts. At hindi rin niya napansin na may ganoon sa cocktail," si Kuya Manolo.

"Even so, Kuya! She documented a private moment! Para masira si Alonzo!"

"Para riyan, dapat sina Alonzo ang magfile ng kaso. Hindi tayo. Now, Sancha. When Alonzo was asked if what he said... on that video was true..." My brother shook his head. "He didn't deny it."

"P-Pero, Kuya! Hindi ba labag pa rin iyon sa batas? Na v-in-ideo niya 'yon?" I said in a frustrated tone.

Nagdilim ang tingin ni Kuya Manolo sa akin. "Hindi iyan ang dapat nating pagtuonan ng pansin, Sancha. Ang dapat nating pagtuonan ng pansin ay ang ginawa mo sa video na 'yon! You are at fault, too! You let him do that to you!"