(Finished) Stella Dominguez works during the day and goes to law school every night - well, after her law classes, she parties at clubs to have some fun. For short, she's the one whom everyone warns their boyfriends to stay away from. She's wild and...
Stella took a deep breath the moment she got out from the car that Javion rented. Dumating na kasi sila Guizo, Mandaue City, Cebu... the place was still almost the same after almost ten years she was gone. Halos magkadikit-dikit pa rin ang mga bahay na nandoon.
Bumilis naman ang tibok ng puso niya nang mapansin ang mga tao doon. Javion who just got out from the rented car as well went to her.
Parang hindi pa niya kaya.
Natatakot pa rin siya.
"Pangga?" Javi said to her softly, offering his hand to hold it. She gulped.
Hinawakan naman niya ang kamay nito. And somehow, she felt calm.
She didn't expect that the place they would go immediately was her family's house. Hindi nga niya inexpect na alam nito kung paano pumunta doon. Javion just drove as if he already know the place.
Nauna naman itong naglakad sa kanya at nakabuntot lang siya rito. Some of the people who are living in the slum area noticed them. Pinanuod pa sila ng iba habang papunta sa bahay ng pamilya niya.
"Mura lageg kaila ko ana niya." (Parang kilala ko siya)
"Murag kato man ng anak ni Celia, kato bitaw nilayas ug nikuyog sa iyang laki." (Parang siya yung anak ni Celia, yung naglayas at sumama sa lalake niya)
"Hala, lahia na niyang nawng uy. Nibalik pa lage na siya?" (Hala, ang iba na ng itsura. Talagang bumalik pa siya rito?)
"Nagdala na sad ug lalake!" (Nagdala na naman ng lalake)
Hindi naman pinansin ni Stella ang pinagsasabi ng ilan. Although some of them looked familiar to her, she didn't mind as she focused on following Javion's footsteps.
Matapos ang ilang minuto ay tumigil naman si Javion sa paglalakad. She stopped too and noticed the small house in front of them.
Her old house.
Napalunok naman siya. Javion then looked at her and nodded. She bit her lip as she walked and entered the house. Nakasunod naman sa kanya si Javi.
"Moy, mangaon na ta," Stella heard a familiar old woman's voice. (Moy, kakain na tayo)
Dumaan naman sa harap niya ang isang matanda lalake.
"Lolo," She called the old man's attention. Tumigil naman ito at tinignan siya. Kumunot pa ang noo nito na parang inaalala pa kung sino siya.
"Moy, kadugay nimo..." The old woman also stopped when she noticed her. (Moy, ang tagal mo)
"S-Stella?" The old woman finally recognized her.
"Lola!" Kaagad naman niyang nilapitan ang dalawang matanda at niyakap ng mahigpit.
"Apo," Her grandmother hugged her back, "Nibalik ka na rin... Pila ka-tuig ka namo gipaabot, naa na jud ka diri," The old woman told her. Bumitaw na rin si Stella mula sa pagkakayakap ng dalawa. She was almost crying when she saw her grandparents again. (Apo, bumalik ka na rin. Ilang taon ka naming hinintay, bumalik ka na rin dito)
"Sorry, La, sorry jud kaayo," Then she scanned the surroundings, she was trying to look for her mom, "Asa si Mama?" (Nasaan si Mama?)
Umiling naman ang Lola niya. Yumuko pa ito. Mas lalo namang bumilis ang tibok ng puso niya dahil sa ikinilos ng dalawang matanda.
"Stell, namatay na ang imong Mama..." Her grandmother answered, "Lima na katuig ang nilabay... dugay na." (Limang taon ng nakalipas, matagal na)
Unting-unti namang nagbagsakan ang mga luha niya.
Ang Mama niya.
Ang tanging dahilan kung bakit niya gustong maging abogado - para makapag-ipon siya at balikan ito sa Cebu.
Her mother is already dead.
And she wasn't even there when she died, during her mother's last breath.
"Hindi!!!" She screamed as she fell down into the floor, crying so hard and screaming, "Mama... Mama..."
She felt Javion's strong arms wrapping around her, hugging her tightly. He was carressing her hair softly. She continued to cry and scream.
Her heart was in so much pain.
She then looked at Javion who was now in the verge of crying as well, "Javion... Iniwan na nila ako... Iniwan na nila akong lahat... Wala ng nagmamahal sa kin, wala na si Mama, si Papa, si Dino... Wala ng natira sa 'kin... Wala na... Ayoko na... Ayoko na... Wala na akong dahilan para mabuhay... Wala na sila..."
Javion cupped her cheeks. He was now crying as well while looking at her, "I'm still here, Stella. If not for yourself, at least live for me, please, please..."
Stella just sobbed even more. Javion hugged her again as she cried into his chest.
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While I was typing this update, I was listening to At The Cross by Hillsong.
I think it's perfect for this chapter. I provide the music video above. Please listen to it.
