Comrades in Action: Chase Vonn Book 6

Chapter one

Julliard School New York

She's walking inside the campus. Taking the long route to her class instead of shortcuts to give herself a chance to admire her surroundings.

It's autum. Her most favorite season of the year where trees change color and shed their leaves.

She stood still and looked up as she breathed in the crisp and cold autumn air. Her eyes focused on the trees around her. She watched how their leaves fall to the ground quietly.

She smirked.

Whenever she watch their leaves fall.. it's as if it's teaching her an important lesson--- letting go and starting a new beginning. To always go forward and never look back..

Something that she'd been having a hard time to do---- forgive and forget.

Naputol ang pagmumuni muni niya ng maramdaman ang pag-vibrate ng cellphone niya sa bulsa. Ng makita kung sino ang tumatawag ay napangiti siya ng maluwang.

"Kuya, I miss you!" She said over the phone. "Bakit ngayon ka lang sumagot sa mga tawag ko? I've been calling you all day!" Himutok niya bago ipinagpatuloy ang pagalalakad.

Her brother Cayden only chuckled. "I'm busy working here at the hospital, pumpkin. Katatapos lang ng duty ko. Sorry ngayon ko lang nasagot ang tawag mo. Huwag ka ng magtampo.."

Marahan siyang napangiti. Papaano naman tatagal ang pagtatampo niya kung ganito kabait ang kapatid niya?

"You know I could never get mad at you for too long, kuya." She chuckled.

"Hm, bolera."

"Hindi kaya!"

"O siya, let's talk about something else.. Sandali lang at isasara ko lang ang bag ko." She waited until she heard the zipping of his bag. She heard him shuffle around. "Dadaanan ko lang iyong isang pasyente ko bago umuwi."

"Uuwi ka na agad ng condo mo? Kumain ka muna!" She nagged.

"Tsk, tapos na po 'ma." Natatawang sagot lang ng kapatid niya. "Isa pa, hindi ako sa condo ngayon tutuloy.."

Nawala ang ngiti niya doon. Silence enveloped them because they both know that what he meant is the sore subject she always refused to discuss.

"Ayen..." Umpisa ng kapatid niya using her childhood nickname. "It's December... don't you think we should at least get together kahit sa christmas eve man lang...?"

Bakit pa? What so good in spending christmas with that good for nothing man you call father? She wanted to shout but bit her lip to hold herself. For sure papangaralan lang siya ng kapatid niya. Afterall, her kuya Cayden is always the kind one. Iyong tipo ng tao na nakakakita pa din ng kabutihan sa iba sa kabila ng kung gaano sila kasama at kawalang kwentang tao.

"Ayen..."

She sighed. "It's December kuya... you know naman how crammed school is every December, di ba? Recitals, exams, essays, concertos and presentations... Hindi ko alam kung saan isisingit ang paguwi.." She explained. All the while crossing her fingers na sana ay maniwala ito sa palusot niya.

"You're crossing your fingers aren't you?"

She almost gasped. Almost. Mabilis pa sa alas kwatrong tinanggal niya ang pagkaka-krus ng mga daliri.

"H-hindi ah."

"You stammered. It's means you're not telling me the truth."

She almost cussed at that. Minsan talaga, she wish na sana ay hindi siya nito ganoon kakilala.