This chapter is dedicated to: liahcentilles
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As I saw my parents' car went out of my sight, I run towards the exit of our mansion while carrying my brother's toy. It was a part of his marching band set. Isa lang ang dala ko, 'yung may hawak na drum. Baka kasi mapansin ni Mommy kapag marami ang nawala.

Dire-diretso ang aking takbo hanggang sa tumataas at baba ang dibdib na nakarating ako sa mansyon na katapat lang ng sa amin. The yellow dress that I'm wearing swayed with the wind as I run.

I caressed my braided hair at both sides of my head, takot na nagulo iyon dahil sa pagtakbo.

Nang makitang bukas ang gate ng mansyon ay walang pagaalinlanggang pumasok ako roon.

I stood in front of the large door. I looked up at the door bell as I raised my free hand. Iniangat ko ang sarili at sinubukang abutin iyon ngunit bigo ako. I knocked thrice before tracing the design engraved at the wooden door, like what I'm always doing while waiting for it to open.

Muli akong kumatok nang matagalan sa kakahintay ngunit nabitin sa ere ang aking kamay nang biglang bumukas iyon.

Mabilis na sumilay ang ngiti sa aking labi nang makita ang aking pakay. The gray color of his eyes is the first thing I saw. Siya pa lang ang nakikita ko na may ganoong kulay ng mga mata. Even her mom and dad's eyes looks just the same as mine, black. I wonder why Maverick's were different.

"Maverick!" An excited voice came out of my mouth. Bahagya iyong napalakas kaya naman bahagyang namilog ang mga mata niya sa akin.

He placed his forefinger in his lips as he hushed me. "Shh, pagagalitan ka ni Dad."

Mariin kong naitikom ang bibig at namimilog ang mga matang itinakip ang kamay doon nang maalala ang daddy niya.

"Why are you here?" Kunot noong tanong niya sa akin bago isinarado ang pinto sa kanyang likuran. His natural blonde, near white hair's following the direction of the wind.

Inilahad ko sa kanya ang dalang laruan. "Sa'yo na lang."

His eyes narrowed at me as he eyed the toy with an indifferent stare. He tsked. "I'm too old to play that thing."

I shook my head. "No, you're not!"

Kumunot ang aking noo nang makita ang ibang kulay ng kanyang balat malapit sa kanyang labi.

Iniangat ko ang aking hintuturo. "What's that?" I asked, pertaining to the violet color at the side of his lips who didn't compliment his almost pale skin. Madalas ko siyang makitaan ng ganoon. Minsan naman ay sa gilid ng kanyang pisngi, malapit sa kanyang mata.

He trusted his hands on his pocket. "Nothing."

I tilted my head while still smiling. "Let's play! Then this is yours!" Masiglang sambit ko habang iwinawagayway sa kanya ang laruang kinuha ko mula sa tatlong taong gulang na kapatid.

"I'm five years older than you, kid. I don't play."

Bahagya akong napaisip. He's just older than me but he's still a kid too.

I pouted my lips. Bagsak ang mga balikat na tinitigan ko siya.

Mataman siyang nakipagtitigan sa akin. And the smile in my face returned when I heard him sighed. Because I know I won again.

"I know what you want, let's go."

Tama ang hinala ko nang muling marining ang mga salita niya. Siya lang ang kalaro ko na hindi ako inaaway, kaya kahit minsan masungit siya ay lagi ko siyang pinupuntahan. Though sometimes while I'm playing, he's just looking at me like what my nanny's always doing.

"Yes!" I shouted as I started walking towards their gate. Patalon talon akong lumakad palabas at nauna pa sa kanya.

"Hey, wait for me!" Narinig ko siya kaya naman natatawa akong lumingon.

"Bilisan mo kasi!" Sigaw ko habang napapikit ang isang mata nang mahagip noon ang hindi na gaanong tirik na sinag ng araw.

He shook his head on me while a glint of smile is evident in his face.

"Why are you even wearing that?" Tukoy ko sa midnight blue na longsleeves na suot niya. "Hindi naman malamig?"

He tsked. Muling tumalim ang mga mata niya kaya naman naitikom ko ang aking bibig.

"Do you wanna play?"

I nodded as I pouted my lips. "Yes, yes!"

"Then stop asking."

Muli akong tumango ng paulit-ulit. I returned walking while jumping while he's beside me.

Abot langit ang aking ngiti nang makarating kami sa playground ng subdivision.

Inilibot ko ang tingin at malawak na napangiti nang makitang walang tao roon. All rides are mine!

I immediately climb the slides and went at the top of it. Nang makarating sa tuktok noon ay tumayo ako upang hanapin si Maverick. My eyes immediately landed at the three swing in front of the slides, kung saan lagi siyang dumidiretso sa tuwing nagpupunta kami rito.

I widely waved my hands on him. Mataman niya akong tinitigan habang nakaupo sa gitna ng tatlong swing na magkakalapit.

"Come here, Mav!" I shouted and he lazily shook his head on me, like what he's always been doing.

I giggled as I sat on the slides and raised both of my hands. I shrieked and let my body move down swiftly along the surface.

Matapos tumapak ng aking mga paa sa lupa ay agad akong tumakbo patungo sa direksyon ni Maverick. While his eyes were fixed on me. Sinusundan niya ng tingin ang lahat ng aking tunguhin.

I sat on the swing at his right. Sapat lang ang taas noon para maabot ko.

"Dun tayo!" I pointed the seesaw just beside the slides.

He, again, shook his head on me. "No, Rylli. Not that one."

Kumunot ang aking noo habang naalala ang sinabi niya noong nakaraan. "What? I thought you said the last time that I can ride all I want?"

"The safe ones, I said. You can't ride that without someone supporting you on your back. You're still a kid, you'll surely fall." 

Napabuntong hininga ako sa sinabi niya. Muling itinulak ng aking paa ang lupa upang umugoy ang swing. Ilang sandali lang ay muli akong tumayo at muling nilibot ang lugar.

Hindi ko na alam kung ilang minuto o sa tingin ko ay may ilang oras na akong paikot-ikot sa palaruan nang tawagin ako ni Maverick. "Rylli!"

"Rylli!" Muling tawag niya. Sinalubong niya ako nang may pagaalala sa mga mata.

"We need to go. I saw your father's car."

Agad na namilog ang aking mga mata at ilang ulit na napatango. "S-sige."

"Here." Inabot niya sa akin ang laruan ni Romulus. "Return this to your brother. Your mother will be mad again."

"S-sa'yo na 'yan. Tara na, uwi tayo." I started fidgeting my fingers as I hurriedly walked back to our mansion. Si Maverick ay tahimik na nakasunod sa akin.

Bakit ba kasi masyado akong nalibang. Mommy will surely be mad again. Ayaw na ayaw niya na lumalabas ako ng bahay para maglaro. Gusto ko lang naman maglaro sa labas. I have no playmate inside the mansion. My brother is too young to play with me.

I've played with him once but I accidentally tripped him and he fell on the floor. Mommy confiscated my toys for a week because of that, and she shouted at me again.

Looks like it'll happen again later. Lalo na kung mahuhuli niya akong galing sa labas at papasok ng bahay.

Pinaglaruan ko ang aking labi hanggang makarating kami sa tapat ng aming bahay.

Hinarap ko si Maverick at itinuro ang mansyon nila na katapat lang ng sa amin. Ang bahay nila ang tanging pinakamalapit sa amin. "Umuwi ka na. Papagalitan ka ni Mommy kapag nakita ka niya."

I even pushed him as I heard the opening sound of our gate. "Go home!" Impit na sigaw ko ngunit huli na at nakabukas na ang aming gate at ngayon ay nasa harap na namin si Mommy.

Natigil ako sa pagtulak kay Maverick at tuwid na napaharap kay Mommy. I lowered my gaze, afraid to met her eyes. 'Cause I already know how it looks like.

Ngunit kahit hindi ko makita ang kanyang mga mata ay tila ba nakatatak na sa aking isip ang itsura noon. Her upturned eyes even appeared in my dreams.

"Where did you go, Amaryllis?" My shoulders jumped on her voice. She isn't even shouting.

"S-sorry, Mommy." I pressed my lips, still looking down while fidgeting my fingers.

"Didn't I tell you to stay inside!"

"Tita, I'm sorry. Don't be mad at her. I forced her to come with me," Mav interfered.

Namimilog ang mga matang umangat ang aking tingin kay Maverick.

"No--"

"You what?" Eksehaderang sambit ni Mommy.

I darted my eyes at my mother. Namimilog ang mga mata niyang nakatingin kay Maverick habang nagngingitngit ang mga ngipin.

"I'm sorry, I just want to play with her." Nakayukong humihingi ng tawad si Maverick.

"Mommy, its my fault--" Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili na hindi aminin ang kasalanan ngunit para bang sarili lang niya ang naririnig ni Mommy.

"Play?" Naeeskandalo ang tono niya. I can hear her sarcasm as she tilted her head to clearly see Maverick.

"Can you hear yourself? You're a lot older than my daughter then you'll tell me you'll play with her?" Nahihiwagaan niyang tinitigan si Maverick.

Malaya kong natititigan si Mommy dahil na kay Mav ang atensyon niya. I can visibly see the nerves in her neck as she spoke. Bakas ang pamumula ng mukha dahil sa galit habang ang mga mata ay lalong tumatalim.

"What did you do? Did you molested my daughter?"

I gasped at my mother's accusations. I may be young but I once heard that word from mommy already. Aksidente ko silang narinig ni Daddy. Mommy seems mad, the reason why I asked nanny what that word means. Noong una ay ayaw niyang sabihin sa akin ngunit nang paulit-ulit ko siyang kulitin ay sinabi na rin.

"Mommy, he didn't do anything--" Natigil ako sa pagsasalita nang marahas siyang bumaling sa akin.

"Shut up, Amaryllis. I'm not talking to you!"

Nasupil ko ang aking bibig at nakayukong nilaro ang mga daliri.

"I won't do anything against her, Tita. Lalo na ang molestiyahin siya, hindi ko po kayang gawin ang bagay na iyon."

I was expecting Mommy to calm down after hearing Mav but she didn't. Instead, the next words that came out of her mouth surely broke Maverick.

"Aba, anong malay ko kung nagmana ka sa tatay mong rapist? Your biological father raped your mother, right? At ikaw ang naging bunga, kaya anong malay ko kung kaya mo rin iyong gawin sa anak ko?"

Hindi man gaanong malinaw sa aking ngunit alam kong nasaktan si Maverick sa mga salitang iyon.

That day was a disaster. Mommy sent Maverick to their house. At sumama pa si Daddy habang ako ay naiiyak lang at walang magawa sa likod nila.

Maverick even smiled at me that time, assuring me he's okay.

Nang lumabas ang mommy ni Mav kasama ang asawa nito ay doon na lalong nagkagulo.

But the thing that is still clearly etched in my mind is when the husband of Mav's mother pulled Maverick towards their house in a harsh way.

Napapailing na lamang ako sa tuwing maaalala ko ang mga sinabi ni Mommy na iyon. At hanggang ngayon, hiyang hiya pa rin ako sa mga sinabi niya kay Maverick.

What am I even expecting? Ako nga na anak niya, wala siyang pinipiling salita. If she wants to curse at you, she'll curse at you even if you're her daughter. Ano pa kaya kay Maverick na kapitbahay niya lang.

Isa iyon sa mga huling araw na nakasama ko si Maverick. Months after that, his Russian biological dad brought Mav with him in Russia.

Nawalan kami ng komunikasyon sa mga lumipas na taon.

He came back when I was seventeen. That's when our relationship started. When I was so tired of my parents, he came. I was ready to come in Russia with him back then, I was already on my way to him if only shits didn't happen.

My car slowed down as a frown formed in my forehead when I saw the lights of the house in front of ours opened.

Ilang taon na nang umalis ang mag-asawang Santiago sa bahay na iyon. Years after I failed to run away with Maverick, his mother and its husband abandoned the house. Hindi ko alam kung ibinebenta ba ang bahay nila o talagang umalis lang sila. Nawalan na ako ng balita sa dalawa. Bumalik na ba sila?

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