"Don't h-hurt me, please..."

My eyebrows furrowed the moment those words came out of my sister's mouth.

I was beyond confused sa mga actions niya ngayon.

Shielding herself when I raised my hand; I just wanted to caress her. Saying not to hurt her. Body, shaking. Flinching whenever I try to touch her. She was panicking like she doesn't know what is truly happening around her.

What happened, Cole?

"Cole...?" Malumanay kong tawag sakanya at umupo ng maayos sa harapan niya. "This is your Ate Aika... Hey." I introduced myself as I softly patted her tear-wet cheek. "Hey," I shook her body again.

"Ate?" She began to cry when she looked up and saw me in front of her. Hindi niya alam na ako 'to? Nabigla nalang ako nang yakapin niya ako ng mahigpit. She's hugging me so tightly na para bang ayaw na niyang bumitaw. "Ate...!"

"What happened, Cole?"

"I... I thought you were going to hurt me." She cried even more. "I thought you were them! I saw them, they're here. They're here, Ate! They are going to get me. They're going to hurt me."

My mouth was agape. "Who's going to hurt you, Cole?" I asked in a forced, soft voice. I'm really trying my best to stay calm now. "Who hurt you, Cole?"

Instead of answering my question, she just repeatedly shook her head that was on the crook of my neck. "They're gonna hurt me! Again." She cried out. "Don't let me go."

Putangina, sinong nanakit dito sa kapatid ko?

"Who, Babu? Breathe properly first, kinakapos ka ng hininga, bunso, breathe." I felt her melt in my embrace when I used my endearment for her when she was still at a age. "Sila... Sila L-Landon ba? Babu, I promise you, hindi ka na nila masasaktan ulit."

"No..." She shook her head. "They're going to get me, Ate!" She sobbed loudly.

"Landon or Jeremiah can't get to you, Cole. I'll keep you away from them." I shook her body. "Huminga ka, Cole, follow my breathing."

"N-Not them!" She yelled. "T-They tried to force me into a van. They tried to but I used the pepper spray at them. T-The one you secretly placed in the small pocket of my bag." Thank God she found out that I sneaked-in a protective spray into her bag. "I was scared, Ate, I was so scared."

"W-When did this happen, Babu?" I talked to her in a calm way. Dapat kang kumalma, Aika. "Tell me, when?"

"It happened three times now, Ate..." She mumbled, followed by a series of coughs. Hindi na ata nawala-wala ang ubo nitong walang halong plema. Nakaka-worry na't baka mapano pa ang lalamunan nito.

She took a very deep breath and started to talk again. "I almost didn't get away yesterday." Yesterday? I froze when I remembered how my sister looked yesterday. She was so pale and ang reason niya lang ay pagod sa practice. Kumain at nakisaya pa siya saamin kahapon. Jusko... "The man... He tried to offer me money."

Kung isa man 'tong panaginip, gisinging ninyo ako.

I've seen news about kids being kidnapped but I never thought that it would also happen to us.

"Ate, I-I didn't take, I promise! I tried to run away from the van but they c-caught me. They got hold of me, Ate, a-and the moment they got me to enter the car, they either hit me o-or..." She sobbed again without even finishing her sentence, then opened up her top. Napaiyak ako sa nakita ko. Pasa-pasa ang 'tong parte ng katawan ni Nicolette at halang bago pa. "It hurts, Ate Aika." I thought about her bruises, thinking it was the one that hurts.

"Aika! Anong nangyayari jan?!"

"Mama, hayaan muna natin si Ate Aika na kausapin so Cole, please." I heard Jill from outside Cole's room. "D-Doon- Balik muna lang tayo sa sala."

"Hindi, Jill. Gusto kong makausap ang kapatid mo." Mama said. "Aika, buksan mo 'tong pinto!"

"Mama, 'wag na muna, please. K-Kanina po, parang t-takot na takot si Cole, eh."

"Natakot 'guro dahil akala'y mabubunyag ang sikreto niya. Oh, baka naman nagtatakot-takotan para hindi na mapagalitan." Nakakulo ka nang dugo, Patricia, kanina ka pa.

I immediately, slowly pecked Cole a kiss onto her temple and guided her up towards her bed. "I'll be back, Babu. Tell me everything, alright? Ate Aika is going to listen to you, Babu."

"Don't leave me, Ate..." My sister cried for the nth time, breaking my heart into pieces. She looked so fragile right now. I've never seen her in this situation before. "Ate, it hurts." Daing niya. "Ate Aika, it hurts!"

Nakakapanibago.

The thought of her, bottling up all her emotions for years saddens me. But that'll change now, because I'm going to be here for you, bunso. Kahit pa na you'll push me away, hindi na kita iiwang mag-isa ulit. Hindi na kita hahayaan pang matulog na manigat ang iyong damdamin.

Ate will be here for you from now on.

*Ate will be back, Babu." I finally said and closed the door behind me. I was now facing the three other girls of this house. "Bakit ka ganyan, Patricia?"

"Saan ang kapatid mo, Aika?" Mama tried to push me away from Cole's door but hindi ako nagpadala. "Tabi, Jessica Marie. I'm gonna talk to your sister."

"Walang papasok."

"Huy, Ate Aika, sino ka para diktahan ang mama?"

"Ano ba, Patricia? Uulitin kitang tatanuning, anong nangyayari sa'yo, ha? Ba't ka nagkakaganyan?" I'm confused as to why she was acting this way right now. She snitched on Cole, who, may I add, is her best-buddy. Si Cole na pinakamalapit sakanya. Si Cole na siya lang pinagkakatiwalaan sa mga bagay-bagay. "She trusted you, Tricia, gising!"

"You snitched on our sister, Tricia. How could you do that?! Tapos gusto mo pang sabihin niya ang mga sikreto niya. Sikreto nga, diba?! So I'm gonna ask you, again, Trish. Anong nangyayari sa'yo?!"

She just looked down on her feet. "I... I was mad." Yun lang?! Putangina, 'yon lang?!

"Ang babaw naman niyang dahilan mo! Galit ka dahil? Kung galit ka, ba't mo dinadamay ang sikretong ipinaglaluob sa'yo ng kapatid natin? Jusko, Tricia, ambaba!" I can't believe her. Dahil lang galit siya; kaya niya sinabi ang tungkol kila Maureese at Cole. "Sagot! Saan ka galit! Bakit ka galit!"

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