"What do you mean you saw Landon? The Landon?" Ate Pat responded with a nod, making mama continue. "How on earth did that happen?"

"I don't know! One minute we were just eating, next minute ay nandoon na ang gago!"

"Where have you two been ba?!"

"Mama, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down, Jessica Marie. Your sister's molester is walking freely." Mama turned back to us. "Saan ba kase kayo?"

"We ate o-out..." I was the one who answered dahil baka madulas pa si ate Pat sa pagkagalit niya.

"Saan? Nang masabihan natin ang mga police." She began to fish her phone. "Alam na ba 'to ng pamilya nila?"

"Nicolette, it's better for you to not go anywhere other than sa school."

"Ate Aika is right, Cole. Pagkatapos sa school, diretso uwi." God, no...

"Mas lumayo ka rin sa Maureese na 'yon." What ate Jill said made my blood boil. What's Mars got to do with this? Again? Dahil lang kapamilya niya ang gagong 'yon?

"What? Eh magkapareha kami ng club, partners pa." I tried to defend my friend. Okay lang naman sila kung part lang sa club ako nakikipagusap kay Mars. "And what's she got to do with this?"

"Stay away from her." Mama said. "Just like what you're currently doing. Just like what we told you to do."

"Hindi niyo ba naiintindihan? She's my club partner!" I started to yell because they're not listening. "She did nothing wrong!"

"Then we will tell the school to change your partner." Gago? Patapos na ang school year?

"Bakit ba ang init-init ninyo kay Maureese? Eh wala naman siyang ginawang mali sainyo, ah?! Saakin! Wala siyang ginawang mali, can't you all understand that?"

"Baka nakakalimutan mong tyohin niya ang nang-abuso sa'yo, Samantha, ha."

"Ma, I know that. But what the hell? What the actual hell, ni hindi naman si Mars ang gumawa, ah. Kaputangina 'to, ha. Walang ginagawa 'yung tao, pinag-iinitan niyo na naman."

"'Yan! 'Yan ang napapala mo sa Maureese na 'yan." My head swiftly turned to where ate Pat was the moment she said that. "Alam niyo bang hindi lang sa club nagkakausap 'yang si Nicolette at si Maureese?" She gave out a sarcastic laugh. "Pinapaikot lang kayo niyang ni Cole. Parang hindi nga ata sinunod ang sinabi sakanyang 'wag nang makipaglaibigan sa Maureese na 'yon, eh."

"Ate...?" Hindi ko makapaniwalang sabi. "I-..."

"Ano, Nicolette, sabihin mo sakanila kung saan tayo kanina. Saan tayo kumain at saan natin nakita ang putanginang Landon na 'yon." I felt a tear escape my left eyes. I didn't expect this from my ate Pat. "Sabihin mo, Nicolette!"

I felt defeated. I felt betrayed. "Kila Maureese." Tuluyan nang nag-uunahang lumabas ang mga maiinit kong luha. "We ate sa bahay nila at doon namin nakita si L-Landon..."

"Nicolette naman!" My eldest sister yelled in disappointment towards me na hindi ko bilingan ng tingin. Instead, I turned to our second.

"Masaya ka na?" I asked in a monotone. "Magaan na ba 'yang lagay mo ngayon, Tricia? Gago, pinagkatiwalaan kita, ate!"

"Hindi, dahil may hindi ka pa sinasabi saamin, Nicolette. Sa tingin mo hindi ko malalaman? Ha?" I furrowed my eyebrows, getting lost to what she was saying. "Ano pang kailan naming malaman na ayaw mong sabihin, ha, Nicolette?"

"Ano bang gusto mong ipalabas ngayon, ha?! Na marami akong sikretong tinanatago sainyo, ha? 'Yun ba Tricia?!" I mean, true naman pero akin na lang 'yon. Iwas alala sakanila. "Na sinungaling ako?!"

"Bakit? Totoo naman, diba?" Ang alin?

"Edi sinungaling, putangina." I tsked.

"Samantha!" Hindi ako nagpatinag kay mama.

"Ilang buwan mo kinimkim 'yan?" I laughed at my sister sarcastically. "Gago, akala ko..." I didn't finish what I wanted to say and began to walk towards my room.

"'Wag mo kaming ma gago-gago, Cole! Sumusobra ka na, ah! Bumalik ka rito!"

"Patricia!"

"Ano, Ma? Hindi ka pa ba galit sa pagsisinungaling niyang magaling mong anak?" I heard her pause. "Do you know that–"

"Ate Patty..." Jill called out Patricia who didn't acknowledge her. "Tama na..."

I couldn't take them anymore so I just did what I usually do everytime this situation happens. Talikuran sila at hayaang hindi malutas ang problema.

"Come back here, Samantha! Hindi pa tayo tapos mag-usap!" No, we're done. "Sam!"

"Hayaan mo 'yon, Ma. B-Bastos talaga." How could you do this, Pat? You made a promise na you'll keep it a secret. Na hindi mo sasabihin kila mama na I'm still talking to Mars. Dahil, diba "as long as masaya ako, doon ka." Saan na 'yan? Anong nangyari jaan?

I was sitting like a ball in the corner of my room when I heard a loud knock on my door. "Cole, open up." I heard ate Aika's voice follow after hard knocks on the door.

"No..." I whispered to my self, beginning to rock myself back and forth. "No, please."

"I said buksan mo 'to!" She banged my door again. "Bunso!"

"No..." I said in a panicky voice as my entire body began to shake out of sacredness. "No, no..."

I just kept saying 'no's repeatedly while my sister kept banging my door. Sa pagkakatakot ko ay hindi ko ma namalayang sinusihan na pala ang pinto ko.

That's where I lost everything that's currently happening around me.

"Cole." Someone quickly went near me. "Hey, hey! It's me..." They said in a confused voice. The sound, it began to echo in my ears.

Stop!

"Ate? What's happening to Cole?"

"I don't k-know, Jill. Close the door! Don't let anyone enter, go!" I After that, I heard my door being closed. I really don't know what's happening. Basta hinahabol ko ang hininga ko at hindi ako aware sa anong nangyayari sa matawan ko o kung bakit ako nagpa-panic. "C-Cole..." I flinched, covering myself with both my hands forming a cross in front of me when she held her hand up in the air to hold me.

"No! Don't h-hurt me, please..."

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