Pagkarinig ko nang sinabi ni dad ay agad akong bumalik sa loob upang kunin ang susi ng sasakyan ko. Habang si mommy naman ay sumama kay dad.

Mabilis ang takbo ng sasakyan ni dad, kaya ganun din ako. Binilisan ko ang takbo ng kotse na para bang may humahabol sa 'kin.

In the middle of my driving, my phone rang for a call. I took it out from my pocket and answered the call without getting my eyes out of the way.

"Yes?"

"Miss Jamez, natapos mo na bang isulat ang libro mo? We have to meet its release date," it was Shella, my editor.

"Na sa chapter 20 pa lang ako," I answered without a hint of apology in my voice.

"20? It's due next month. Can you write the 20 more remaining chapters in just a month?" she snapped out. Sounding worried and exasperated.

"Yes I can. I have to go," tipid kong sagot at agad na pinutol ang tawag.

Nang makarating kami sa police department ay agad nagtungo si dad sa opisina ng detective na s'yang nag-iimbestiga sa kaso ni Elly.

Mom and dad looked so anxious.

"Good morning, Mr. Jamez," the detective greeted dad.

"Good morning, Detective," dad greeted back and exchanged hands with him.

"Take a seat please," he said and gestured us the chairs inside.

I took the seat next to dad while mom is upfront me.

"So, kaninong fingerprint, Detective?" walang paligoy-ligoy na tanong ni dad. The detective hemmed first and composed himself before looking at dad in the eyes to answer his question.

"Unfortunately, wala pa po kaning lead kung kanino. And that is the reason why I called you here. To tell me everything you know. If whether may kaaway ba sa skwelahan ang anak n'yo," the Detective stated in a professional manner.

"Kaaway? No. Our Elly is a kind girl. Ni minsan ay hindi s'ya napaaway sa school," Mom answered in a defensive tone. I just rolled my eyes on her answer. As always, they know Elly as the kind girl.

"Kung ganun po Misis Jamez ay mahihirapan po tayo sa kasong ito. The fingerprint we found will be useless if we don't have any persons of interest. The ones who has the potential of being behind your daughter's case," the Detective frankly stated. Dahilan para mapahilot na lang sa sentido si dad.

"What about Olivar, Detective? What if he was killed not because of the knowledge he has about our daughter's case. Maaaring pinatay s'ya ng kagalit n'ya," suhestyun ni dad na saglit nagpaisip sa 'kin. It's possible tho.

"We already looked in that angle Mr. Jamez. Pero malabo po ang sinasabi n'yo. According to Olivar's parents and acquaintances, he never gotten into any fight. He's a good kid," the detective answered. Napailing na lang ako sa sitwasyong ito. They. Are. Both. Good. Kids. How stupid.

"Then what now? Ano na ang gagawin natin? Kung wala rin naman palang silbi iyang fingerprint na 'yan, then what are we going to do now, detective? We need to bring back my daughter as soon as possible," wika ni dad gamit ang boses na tila ba pilit hinahabaan ang pasensya.

"Mr. Jamez, don't worry. We're working on it," the detective assured dad. Pero tila wala iyong epekto.

"Detective, you said kaaway ni Elly, right?" I butt in. The detective's eyes went on me as well as mom's and dad's.

"Why Melly? May kilala ka ba? Napaaway nga ba ang kapatid mo?" Mom asked with curiosity drawn on her face.

I didn't mind her question and just fixed my eyes on the detective's instead.

"A week before Elly went missing, I found her exchanging sour words against her best friend," I stated with a voice sounding so sure.

"You mean Loua?" Mom clarified.

"Yes," I answered with a stoic face.

"How? I don't think so, Melly. They're close to each other more than sisters," I mentally rolled my eyes on mom's words. Tinutulungan na ngang mahanap ang anak nila, dinedepensahan pa.

"We don't know, Mom. But it's up to you. If you don't wanna investigate her by cause of the scene I saw and have the chance of finding Elly, then okay," I answered with a disappointed expression. I smirked when mom heaved a sigh.

"What's her name? We'll invite her now for interrogation. We'll match her fingerprint too," wika nung detective. Kaya napangisi na lang ako. Siguro namang at hindi na ako ganun kasama na kakambal at kahit papaano ay nakialam na 'ko sa kasong 'to.

"Loua Fetizan," maikli kong wika. I mentally rolled my eyes again when I saw the hesitation on mom's eyes.

“Alright. Thank you for the information. We'll bring Miss Loua Fetizan here right away from the investigation. We'll ran a fingerprint tracing on her. You can come back here after two days when the result is out," pagtatapos ni detective saka tumayo bilang tanda na tapos na ang usapan nila. How quick.

Dad and mom stood up as well.

"Loua is my god-daughter. Our families is close to each other, detective. As a friend of her father and as her god-father, I do not support the enunciation of an investigation on her. But as the father of my missing daughter, I am desperate to find my daughter in any way possible. However, I highly doubt that Loua is responsible for the traced fingerprint. Please do anything you can, detective. Find my daughter," dad uttered and the detective just nodded as a response.

Nang makauwi kami sa bahay ay umikot na lang ang mga mata ko nang agad kinuwestyon ni mommy ang sinabi ko kanina kay detective. I know they don't trust me. Lalo na at si Loua ang pinag-uusapan. Si Loua na mas anak pa nilang ituring kesa sa 'kin.

"Are you really sure, Melly?" I clutched the phone I'm holding when mom asked again.

"Do you really don't trust me, Mom? I saw them fighting a week ago before Elly went missing," I insisted while trying to lower my voice on her. She's getting to my nerves.

"Your mom is just making sure, Melly. Since Loua is like a family to us," Dad intervened, pulling my trigger.

"And I'm not?" exasperated, I can no longer take a hold of myself and explode on their faces.

"Wala kaming sinabi!" mataas din ang boses na giit ni daddy.

I stood and faced them. "Fine. Whatever," I uttered in my monotone voice and walked out from the scene.

"Where are you going, Melly?" Mom yelled. Pero sa halip na sagutin s'ya ay nagdire-diretso lang ako palabas ng bahay. Dumiretso ako sa kotse ko saka pumasok dito at pinaharurot ito patungo sa sea side ng Norville.

When I attempted to get out of the car, the sun was setting high in the azure sky that dazzled my eyes and was kissing torridly my skin. So I went back inside the car and out on some sunblock and wore my sunglasses before getting out.

I held my head high and let the bricks beneath my feet kiss my newly bought boots with killer heels. But at the most annoying moment, I was halted by a teenage girl.

"Miss Jamez!" She yelled with her thrilled voice. Napapikit ako sa ginawa n'ya. We're like few inches away and she really have to scream like that? Stupid.

"Yes?" sagot ko na pilit nilalambutan ang boses. Isa ito sa mga bagay na ayaw ko ngunit nangyayari na dahil sa pagiging isang sikat na writer ko.

"Oh my god. Can I have your autograph po?" masaya n'yang wika na talaga namang makikita sa malawak n'yang ngiti. Her braces are even saying hi to me.

"Sure," maikli kong wika saka kinuha ang notebook na hawak n'ya. I quickly signed it and gave it back to her.

"Thank you so much po! I really love your works," she uttered after getting back her notebook.

"No worries. Thank you," I replied and flashed a forced smile before leaving the scene.

Pagkalayo ko sa kan'ya ay napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. Energetic people really drains the energy out of me.

I heaved a sigh as I took a seat on the bench facing the sea. I could clearly hear the crashing of the waves beneath me and the deep turquoise waters could almost entice me in getting lost to its void. I wonder how it feels like to be drowned.

As I faced the dazzling water with the view of mountains at its back, a memory of me and Elly when we were just kids came crashing to my mind seducing my tears.

We were at the beach and I was busy throwing stones in the sea while Elly is nagging me to play sand castle with her. Mom and dad is behind us from a distant and taking good watch on us.

"Melly! Let's create Rapunzel's castle!" she enthusiastically called me for an invitation. But I just despised her and continued throwing stones in the sea. Naiinis ako sa paulit-ulit n'yang pagtawag sa 'kin.

"Shut up, Elly!" nakasimangot kong sigaw sa kan'ya. Dahilan para saglit s'yang sumimangot ngunit agad ding nagtatakbo patungo sa 'kin.

"What are you doing?" mataray kong tanong sa kan'ya ng tumayo s'ya sa gilid ko at inilahad ang kamay n'ya bilang paanyaya sa pagtayo ko.

"You like that doll right? The one mome gave to me yesterday," she stated with her innocent voice while I nodded with still an upset face.

"How about this. You create Rapunzel's castle with me and when we get home, I'll give you that doll," napangisi ako sa narinig ko. Mom brought that doll from Germany on her business trip weeks ago and brought it home for Elly. It was a very beautiful doll and I was mad when mom only gave me a doll that she just bought from the Norville's county mall.

"Okay," maikli kong sagot sa kan'ya saka tumayo. Not minding her hand. So, we end up creating Rapunzel's castle and even created Rapunzel's figure. I had a good time. And when we got home, Elly gave me the doll.

Elly is stupid. That's all I know. She's mom and dad's favorite and I hate her for that. But throughout the years we've been together, not a single time she treated me like how my parents treat me. I'm always a family to her.

Madalas man akong mag-maldita sa kan'ya pero mahal ko s'ya. And now that she's missing, I think it's time for me to make her feel as my family. To give her back her kindness. I still hate her tho.

That stupid bitch, I'll find you. I'll bring you home, Elly...

***