CHAPTER 11

"Ano ng gagawin natin ngayon? Papaano tayo aalis dito?" Dianne asked.

I was beyond pissed and calm because of the scene. Ack! What the fucking hell!

I shrugged the thought off and answered her. "Gagawa ako ng paraan para maka-alis kayo dito ng ligtas. I won't let anything happen to all of you,"

She sighed in relief and hugged Levi more. "Sana walang masamang mangyari sa 'tin."

I bit my lower lip and faced the little girl. She's combing her hair while playing with the rocks, nagsimula na ding kumalam ang sikmura ko kaya tumayo ako. Kung gutom ako, sigurado naman akong mas gutom ang bata sa 'kin. Hindi lang sinasabi.

Naglakad ako palabas pero pinigilan ako ni Levi. "Where are you going?"

"Maghahanap ng pagkain,"

Inalis niya ang yakap ni Dianne sa kaniya at tumayo. "Sasamahan na kita,"

I shook my head. "No need, it's daylight we can't risk it. Kung ako lang, I know I can move freely. Kaya huwag na,"

He sighed. "Let's say that you're a skilled agent but we can't change the fact that you're still a woman. Let me help you,"

I shrugged it off and didn't say anything. Mukhang hindi ko naman siya mapipigilan. Sinimulan ko na lang maglakad palabas ng kuweba at naghanap ng makakain. Una kong pinuntahan kung saan kami natulog, pagdating namin doon wala na ang mga katawan ng mga nabaril namin kanina.

Siguro bumalik ang mga kasama nila at kinuha ang mga bangkay.

Naghanap ako ng pagkain at may nakitang mga alagang manok sa likuran. Kumuha ako ng dalawa at pinakawalan ang mga naiwan, hindi na naman sila maalagaan kaya mabuti pang pakawalan na lang.

Sunod kong pinasok ang isang bahay at naghanap ng kanin. Kinuha ko na din pati ang kaldero, we needed it the most. Fire is not a problem, I'm an expert.

When we were done, Levi helped me carrying all the stuff.

"Kailan ka pa naging ganito?" He suddenly asked in the middle of our walk.

"Ang ano?"

"You, independent and intimidating."

"Matagal na akong ganito, why are you asking?"

He suddenly stopped walking and stared at me. I stared back and raised a brow.

"I wonder how your lips taste like right now." He suddenly said and stared at my lips.

I swallowed and smirked. "Uh-huh? So you're thinking about our kiss? Am I too addicting Mr. Coy?"

He tsk-ed and turned his back. "Someone just remind me of you, I don't even like you."

I chuckled and laughed sarcastically. "Yeah? I don't like you, too. I don't even know you so why bother?"

"Right, you shouldn't. I'm not good as what you think."

I just stared at his back when he started to walk again. I sighed and run to him, I was roaming my eyes around to see if there's a water. Minutes later, I heard a sound of a water, by hearing it, I know it's a falls.

Iniba ko ang dinaanan ko kaya nagtaka si Levi. "Where are you going?"

"I need to get a water, kung gusto mo ng mauna puwede naman. Pero kung gusto mong sumama, sumunod ka na lang sa 'kin."

I started to walk away and let him what he wanted to do. He just followed me anyway.

When we reach the water, I started to pick some logs. I was planning to cook the food there, at least I won't be able to come back and forth to get some water. I'll just bring them the food.

I was busy settling the fire while Levi, on the other hand, cleaning the pot. When I was done, I called him. He immediately come over me.

"Ano yun?"

"Hawakan mo ang pakpak at ang paa ng mabuti."

He did what I told him while I hold the chicken's head and was ready to kill it when he stopped me.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Kailangan ba talagang patayin to? Hindi pa puwedeng huwag na lang?"

My mind went black for a moment. "What. . .?"

He sighed and stared at the chicken. "Kawawa naman,"

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from laughing but I just can't help but to gave in. Tawang tawa ako sa mukha niya, he even looked at the chicken lovingly! Oh my god this is so hilarious!

"My god!" I said as my laughter echoed.

He just stared at me as I calmed down. Pinahid ko pa ang luhang nahulog kakatawa ko.

"Seriously, man? Naaawa na talaga sa manok?"

He tsk-ed and shut his eyes. "Okay, kill it now. Habang nakapikit ako,"

I bit my lower lip again and shook my head. What a cutie.

Matapos kong ihawin ang dalawang manok, sinimulan ko nang lutuin ang kanin.

Habang naghihintay na maluto, umupo ako sa isang malaking bato at tumitig sa tubig na nagsi-laglagan. Hindi nagtagal, tumabi sa 'kin si Levi at tumitig din doon.

"You know you look familiar," I started the conversation.

He looked at me. "Really? How do you say so?"

"I saw you in my dreams, that dreams reminisce my past." I looked at him and stared at his face. "Nabanggit mo sa 'kin noon na may kamukha ako. . . your baby. Ako ba yun?"

He stared back at me. "I told you, she's dead."

I was so curious. Gusto kong malaman ang nakaraan ko, gusto kong maalala lahat.

"You saw her body in the funeral?"

He nodded. "It's her body, I know it's hers."

I sighed and looked back at the water.

Then, who's the man in my dreams? Am I just hallucinating? Does my mind just creating something in my mind? Fuck, this is fucking frustrating.

I heard a boiling sound making me wake up from my reverie. I stood up and run to it and open the pot.

When everything is cooked, Levi carried the pot with a rice in it while I, on the other hand, was carrying the two grilled chicken.

We both reach the cave and the worried Dianne welcomed us. She immediately run towards Levi and hugged him.

"Oh my goodness, Leviste! I thought something happened to you!"

Levi smiled and spoke. "Nothing happen to me, Dianne. We just cooked something to eat, we took a lot of time."

Dianne just hugged Levi even tighter. I ignore the both of them and went inside, I immediately saw the little girl crying in Kit's arms.

"What happened to her?"

Kit looked at me and looked at the man's body. "H-he's gone, he's Aeina's guardian."

I was shocked. I looked at Aeina when she looked at me and called me.

"Yes? What do you need?" I asked softly.

"Hungry,"

I was stunned for the second time. I didn't know she know how to speak English, or maybe she's just a pro and a witty baby.

I smiled and tapped her head softly. "Hmm, I'll just ready the foods, okay?" She nodded at me as a response and buried her head on Kit's chest again.

On the other hand, I called Dianne to hold the chickens so I can get a banana's leaves. 

Naghanap pa ako sa kung saan bago ako nakakita nito, I also saw a mango tree so I picked some of it. I came back with a mango and banana's leaves. I settled the leaves on the ground one by one and put the rice on it together with the chicken.

When I was done, I called the two and walked towards Aeina and Kit.

"Aeina? Let's eat,"

She sobbed and run towards me and hugged me. I immediately hugged her back and smiled at Kit.

"It's okay," I tapped her back gently as I say those words.

I sat on the ground and we had a little prayer and started eating. Sinubuan ko na din si Aeina at pinilit kumain kahit umiiyak pa siya.

"Here, last one." I told Aeina when she refuse to eat.

Marami na siyang nakain but I know it's not enough. Plano kong umalis na kami pagsapit ng gabi, and we couldn't ignore our stomach if it growls later night.

She swallowed the last one and I started eating too since I didn't eat that much earlier.

"Ahh! Sarap! Ikaw nagluto, Cap?"

I looked at Kit and nodded. He smiled cheekily and stared at me. "Cute mo, Cap."

I raised a brow when he started to caressed his little bump.

"I'm not cute, cut the crap."

Of all things, I hate being called cute. I hate it, I refer being called a killer than that. It giving me some chills like, what the fuck dude, I'm not a killer to be a cute.

I heard him chuckled when I adverted my eyes on him. I just shrugged it off and let Aeina drank the water I haul earlier. It's just  a bottle of water, and it's not enough for three person so I need to go back to the falls.

After that, both of us, Kit and I carried Aeina's guardian body to the nearest lot. I had no choice but to glut the body with a soil and a lot of rock on it. We don't have a shovel to use, also, I can't just let the body sting in here.

"Bumalik ka na lang doon, bantayan mo ang dalawang babae." I told Kit and he immediately nodded.

He left while I started to walk to the falls. When I arrived, I undress myself leaving me in my brasserie and panty before I jump off the leap.

I washed my suits and put it under the sunlight.

I also washed my body as I enjoy the scenery. It was so refreshing, it was so serene not until I felt someone held my waist.

Napatayo ako ng maayos sa gitna ng tubig at tumingin sa kaniya. "What are you doing here?"

He just smiled and let himself drown in the water. Pero bigla siyang umahon habang namumula ang mukha niya, hindi pa siya makatingin ng deretso sa 'kin kaya napataas ako ng kilay.

"What's your problem?"

He shook his head and adverted his eyes on me. I shot my brows in confusion but he just took a simple glance at me from time to time and suddenly he got blushed and then he will look away. Sometimes he's cute, but mostly he's a weirdo.

A Coy to be exact.

"C-can you put s-something on?"

I looked at myself and smirked. Hindi ko napansin 'yon ah.

"Hindi puwede, wala akong dalang damit. Hindi ko na problema 'yan."

He sighed and looked away.

"Damn."

I chuckled surreptitiously and swim to the edge. After that, umahon na ako at kinuha ang damit ko sa gilid na natuyo na. Nagbihis ako at tinignan siya.

"Sasabay ka ba?"

Nagbibihis na din kasi siya at nilalaro na ng kamay ang buhok niya.

"Yeah,"

I started walking and reach the cave. I immediately saw Kit and Dianne together with Aeina, she's sleeping peacefully on Kit's chest.

"Ako na ang bahala sa kaniya, maligo na kayo sa talon kung gusto niyo." I said and carry Aeina to my arms.

Kit nodded and helped Dianne to get up. They both left and Levi and I left again.

"So. . . how does it feel to be an agent?" He suddenly asked.

"How did you know?"

"Because it's obvious? And you're crew keep on calling each other by names so yeah, it's obvious."

I looked at him emotionlessly. "It's. . . vivacious. I feel alive everytime I solve a crime and bring justice."

He smiled bitterly. "That's you, the real you."

Nagtaka ako. Ang sabi niya hindi niya ako kilala, pero bakit parang kilalang kilala niya ako base sa salita niya. Hindi naman siguro ako nagkakamali dahil alam kong konektado talaga ang mga panaginip ko noon.

"You know me, right?"

"Y-yeah,"

I scoffed and looked away. Sabi ko na nga ba.

"So. . .  you really know me. Bakit ka nagsinungaling?"

"I don't know. Maybe because I'm not sure?" I looked at him when he paused but then he spoke. "I saw her inside the coffin, it's not just a show. Papaanong nabuhay kung nakita ko ang mukha niya bago siya ilibing?"

I blinked numerous times but I keep my mouth shut and just listened to him.

"I'm not really sure but you two are a complete replica. The voice, the face, the laugher. Everything. Ang ugali lang ang nagbago."

I was curious. Ako ba talaga yun? O may kamukha lang ako.

"What's her name?"

Hindi ko na napigilan. Papaano kung parehas pala kami ng pangalan? Anong gagawin ko? Pipilitin ko ba ang sarili ko na alalahanin ang lahat? Pipilitin ko ba ang mga magulang ko na pagalingin ako dahil gusto ko ng malaman ang nakaraan ko?

Paano kung hindi maganda noon ang naging buhay ko? Paano kung masaya? Paano kung perpekto pala at walang problema?

Madaming what if's sa utak ko pero alam kong hindi ko 'yon masasagot kung hanggang katanungan lang ako.

Gugustuhin ko bang malaman ang nakaraan ko?

'Yan ang hindi ko alam.

Hanggang sa nagsalita siya, at mukhang wala na akong magagawa.

"Her? Aizhalie Zhail Villorente. A perfect and beautiful name for my baby."