Author's Note: 👋🏽
This chapter was longer in OG draft outline but i decided to cut it short and update na. Gawin ko na lang Part 2 yung tuloy nito. But let me use this as peace offering kasi over six months na wala akong paramdam.
Anyway, i had to do so many things to get out of my writer's block and to get inspiration para gumawa ng update and part of that is writing (kahit draft lang so you cant expect me to publish it 😅) stories outside my main stories here para lang kickstart and i watched and read sooooo many horror stories trying to find my muse.
Ilang beses ko din binasa itong story na to nang paulit ulit 😆 it was a long road.
Anyway, re-reading this, this one's accumulation of almost all my fave horror movies' plots pala. You can put in comments kung ano sa tingin nyo yung horror movies na may influence sa story na to if you can (:
Also i was kind of dropping some easter eggs na. Sa major plot twist i was slowly dropping them na din 😅 sana nahalata or kung hindi man mas goods.
Anyway. Part 1 of this chapter 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
And thank you for always waiting 🤍
[ H A U N T E D ]
It's been two weeks since Dennise started watching, waiting for Jia's practices whenever she's available or able to.
At some point, nakahalata din sya na the kid has noticed her and so she got a feeling na iniiwasan sya mismo ng bata. She can't blame Jia though. She knows she's basically stalking her. And it'a definitely illegal to do so.
But she has to. There's something about this kid that draws her closer... The wanting to know the kid more.
She doesn't even care if it's because of Ali anymore. Maybe she wants to have some closure and Jia, who has that connection with Ali, she can do it properly. And maybe gain a friend on her.
"Ms. Dennise Lazaro!" She looked up to see one of the coaches call her up. "Why, we've been noticing you for days now. Madalas ka manood ng practice namin. You part of recruitment of the Lady Eagles now or something?"
She politely smiled and shook her head as she walked down from the bleachers. "Ah, no po. I was just watching the girls practice. Besides, there's a new kid in the block where the team seems to be excited about. Just looking if she's any good."
That excuse is so good even she believed that for a second there.
"Oh, right. Jia..." There's a glint of pride on the older woman's eyes as she talked about Jia. "She is such a smart kid. For now, we're just teaching her the basics since she's not naturally a volleyball player and we've been experimenting with her positions. She's good as a hitter. Decent in her flood defense but I think and Coach Tai and Coach Roger think she has a potential to be a great setter."
She got curious at that. "Oh really? How'd you say so?"
The woman seemed to be amused at her curiosity but didn't say so. "Oh..." She snorts. "That kid has the coldest poker face ever. And it seems natural for her. I saw her play with the high school basketball team. She's a natural point guard. A playmaker through and through."
She nodded. "Huh... You're right. She really was good as a point guard." She mumbled.
"You saw her play basketball na? You know her?"
Napalunok sya.
How careless of her. And from the looks of the woman, she's suspecting her. "Ah... Actually, LA was the one who helped her guardians na makapasok ng La Salle basketball team. Kinda, saw them playing one time when we had vacation in Batangas over a year ago."
Ganon na ba yon katagal?
"Ah, so kilala mo pala sila Kim and Vic."
"Yep! And Mela and Shiela too." She smiled when the woman seemed puzzled at the last one. "Bang, I mean... I forgot na she's using that name na over her first name."
The coach finally nodded with a sigh of relief. "So you know them. Di ka naman nagsasabi. Oh! Ayan na pala sya... Jia! Halika dito. May gustong makakita sa'yo."
The kid took a glance at her and hesitated pero alam mo din na she doesn't want to be rude.
"Kakilala daw nya ang mga kuya at ate mo. Bakit di ka makipagkilala?"
Jia gave her a small wave and she masked it perfectly as shyness.
"Hello po."
So instead of beating around the bush, she asked for the coach's permission. "Uhm. Can I take her for quick snack, coach? I promise it'll be quick. I can even leave my IDs here."
Thankfully, the coach seemed reassured enough that she knows Jia's acting guardians so she let her off easily.
[ H A U N T E D ]
"So..." She started.
"Saan mo gusto kumain?"
The kid looked at her. "Hindi ba ako male-late sa practice, Señorita Dennise?"
Well, that's new... She smiled at the kid. "Señorita? Jia, hindi mo naman ako tinatawag nyan di ba?"
The kid didn't respond so Dennise sighed and knelt in front of Jia. "Jia, galit ka ba sa akin?"
"Galit ka ba sa akin dahil sa nangyari?"
She tried to meet the kid's eyes but Jia looked anywhere but to her.
"I very sorry, Jia. Kung hindi dahil sa akin..." It's hard for her to talk about this. But being with a child, someone they ought to protect, even that night.
"Wala po kayong kasalanan." Mahinang sabi ni Jia. Now she's looking at her with sad eyes. Pinilit ng bata na ngumiti. "Ganoon lang po talaga si Kuya Ali. Kahit noon pa..."
She nodded. "Gusto mo kumain? Saan mo gusto?"
"J-jollibee po sana."
Ah. Ang pambansang fastfood chain ng mga bata sa Pilipinas. "Okay. I miss their spaghetti too. So good choice, Jia."
[H A U N T E D]
Dennise watched as Jia happily munched on her chickenjoy. Kakasubo pa lang din nito ng spaghetti kaya may sauce pa sa gilid ng labi nito but she looks so happy and content eating that Dennise doesn't have the heart to stop her and make her eat a little slower.
"May dumi po ba ako sa mukha?"
"May dumi ba ako sa mukha?"
Dennise blinked. She shake her head a bit to shake the thought–memory... Ali's memory, away. She smiled kindly at Jia. "May konting sauce lang sa gilid..."
She reached for a tissue and gently wipe Jia's face clean. "Ayan. Sige lang, Jia. Kain ka lang."
The kid slowed down her eating and looked at her almost untouched plate. "Uhm... Hindi po ba kayo kakain? Ayaw nyo po ba nito? Gusto nyo po ba ng ibang pagkain?"
She chuckle at what Jia said. Geez, this kid. "No, Jia I'm okay with Jollibee. Natutuwa lang ako panoorin ka kumain. Ang gana mo kasi eh."
Jia blushed. "Ah... Pasensya na ho kayo. Gutom ho ako eh."
Kumunot ang noo nya. "Hindi ka ba nag-snack? Wala ka bang allowance for that?"
"Ay, meron ho, Ms. Dennise. Yon lang ho naisipan ko ho kasi mag-meryenda na lang pagkatapos ng practice sana."
"But you shouldn't go to practice na gutom ka, Jia. And please, call me Ate Den na lang ulit or Ate Dennise if you're not that comfortable pa. Dadalhan na lang kita ng food."
Jia waved both hands in front of her. "Naku! Wag na ho! Ako na lang po bibili ng pagkain ko nakakahiya po."
Dennise looked at Jia seriously. "Basta dadalhan kita ng food mo every before practice, Jia. And hindi ka makakatanggi. Either ako mismo magbibigay or may uutusan ako magbigay. Kakainin mo yon okay? Para sayo din yon, Jia. It's not healthy na mag practice na gutom. Baka ka himatayin or worse."
Jia smiled, knowing na wala na sya magagawa para pigilan pa ang babae.
"Okay po..." She smiled softly. "Salamat po."
