"T-that won't be necessary, ma'am. I'm sure we can fix this matter naman po," halos magkandautal-utal na si dean while saying those words. Gone was the poise and authority that she usually has. Sa isang iglap lang, she was completely under the control and mercy of my mother.

If you ask me, I wouldn't opt to take things this far. Wala naman kasing kasalanan yung school sa naging away namin ni Mica. Yes, my classmates played a part especially when they chose to act as mere audiences and even had the nerve to take videos of whatever's happening but the school itself? Wala namang kinalaman at all. But knowing mom, she wouldn't stop hangga't hindi nagiging pabor sa sitwasyon niya ang mga bagay.

I was frozen in place when I felt mom hold my hand. Doon ko lang din napansing I was shaking already. If it was because of fear or anger, I am not quite sure. For some reasons though, I felt a little better when mom gave my hand a little squeeze. It was as if she was reassuring me that I am not alone in this fight.

"And what do you suggest we do to be able to fix this issue? My daughter could be traumatized because of this! It appears to me that this school isn't safe for people like Aisleen who have disabilities. Ganyan ba kababa ang tingin ng mga tao rito sa mga katulad nila? I'm sorry for my poor choice of words but for me, that's complete bullshit." Napaawang ang bibig ko dahil sa sinabi ni mommy. I never heard her cuss in public, ngayon lang. Does this mean na punum-puno na talaga siya right now?

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Echa—"

"Well, I'm sorry, too but walang magagawa 'yong sorry niyo sa damage na idinulot niyo sa anak ko. Aisleen, let's go." Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni mommy sa kamay ko at inalalayan na niya ako patayo. Naramdaman ko namang may lumapit sa amin ni mommy at tinulungan na akong makalabas ng dean's office.

Even from afar, I could hear the pleas of Dean Ocampo kay mommy para maayos at mapag-usapan ang issue. But of course, hindi na 'yon pinansin pa ni mommy. Deretso lang ang paglalakad namin. We only stopped nang may marinig akong tunog ng sasakyan which made me realize na nasa may parking na pala kami.

"Mommy..." halos pabulong kong sabi. Mom then held my hand again.

"Hush now, Aisleen. No one can ever lay a finger on you again. I won't stop until that girl rots in hell," mom said. Ewan ko ba but I don't really feel comfortable with that. Knowing mom, she would do things to manipulate the situation.

And then it suddenly clicked.

Cliche as it may seem but mom would probably do something to their business. Gano'n naman si mommy e. Pailalim kung tumira. And when she said that she will make Mica rot in hell, she won't stop until she makes sure that it happens. Mica's family doesn't deserve it but at the back of my mind, I can't help but think that I didn't deserve to be treated like shit, too. I couldn't really say that we could call it quits when mom's done with her plans but I know there's no way for me to stop her anymore.

***

Pagdating namin sa bahay, hindi nagsasalita si mommy. I have a bad feeling about this. Feeling ko, may iba pa siyang ginawa o gagawin kaya ganito. And my hunch was never wrong.

Ano na naman kayang plano nito?

"Aisleen, you know that everything we're doing is for your own good, right?" panimula ni mommy. At that moment, kinabahan na ako. What if ipadala nila ako sa malayong lugar? What if they chose to forget the fact that I'm their daughter? What if they chose to give up on me and my situation? Sobrang daming what ifs na tumatakbo sa isip ko. Lahat negative. Lahat, masama ang ending.

"Aisleen..." mom said at hinawakan niya ang kamay ko. I, on the other hand, remained silent. It was as if I was not just visually impaired. I became mute and numb, too. I'm just so scared of the possibilities that were about to come.

"A-Are you sending me away?" with my heart on my sleeve, I finally asked mommy. How I wished I could see her face right now para malaman ko kung ano ba ang reaksyon niya sa tanong ko. I wanted to know if she was actually happy to see me go or not.

"What?! Of course not! How could you even think of that?" Tumaas ang boses ni mommy dahil doon. Could I be wrong? If mali nga ang iniisip ko, ano ba talaga ang mangyayari sa akin ngayon?

"Aisleen, listen. Because of what happened earlier, your dad and I talked about this. Actually, we've been thinking about it for quite some time already but we really do think that this is the right time to push through with our plan." Lalo akong kinabahan sa sinabi ni mommy. I really feel like hindi ko magugustuhan ang mangyayari right now.

"Mommy, ano po ba 'to? I'm getting scared already." Hindi ko na napigilang itago ang nararamdaman ko. I had to voice out whatever I was feeling so that mom would be aware of it. Hindi naman kasi pwedeng mananahimik na lang ako lalo na't it's my life that will be involved.

Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni mommy sa kamay ko. At that moment, lalo lang akong naguguluhan sa nangyayari. I have no idea as to whatever's happening around me. And for them to come up with a plan without even asking me, I knew that it's going to make a huge impact in life.

"Just trust us on this, okay? We're doing this for you," mahinahong sagot ni mommy. She did not answer my question though. What should I do ba para lang sagutin niya yung tanong ko? Ganoon ba kahirap sabihin sa akin yung plano nila?

Gusto ko pa sanang magtanong ulit kay mommy but before I can even do so, she already instructed someone to assist me sa paglabas ng sasakyan. Lumabas na rin agad siya at nang magkatabi na ulit kami, naglakad na kami papasok ng bahay.

The house was unusually filled with voices right now. Kadalasan, sobrang tahimik dito pagpasok mo pa lang but today, I could hear different voices. They were very familiar though. Mukhang mga househelper namin ang naririnig ko na parang kilig na kilig pa ang mga boses.

What on earth is happening?

"Ang gwapo niya talaga, Manang Edith."

"Magsitigil kayo riyan. Baka marinig pa kayo. Bumalik na kayo sa trabaho niyo."

"Manang naman e. Minsan na nga lang kami may makitang gwapo," narinig kong reklamo ni Lorie. And that got me more curious. Gwapo? Bakit magkakaroon ng gwapo rito sa bahay? As far as I'm concerned, William's nowhere to be found already. Impossible namang kiligin sila kay daddy nang ganito. That would be an ultimate yuck. So, sino ang tinutukoy nilang gwapo?

"Hala siya. Tigilan niyo na 'yang pangengerengkeng niyo! Nandiyan na sila ma'am," pagsuway ulit sa kanila ni Manang Edith. Pagkatapos noon, narinig ko ang mga reklamo nila habang naglalakad sila palayo sa amin.

"Oh, you're finally here," bati ni daddy sa amin. Binitawan na ako ni Kuya Dennis at naramdaman ko naman ang paglapit sa amin ni daddy. I could smell his perfume more as the seconds passed by. After a while, he held my hand and he assisted me to one of the chairs in our living room.

"Have you told her about this already?" tanong ni daddy kay mommy. Agad namang sumagot si mommy na hindi pa niya nasasabi ang lahat ng detalye. For some unknown reasons, parang bumibilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Was it because of whatever's about to happen? Or was it because of the owner of the perfume that I can't seem to recognize?

"Aisleen, listen. We've thought about this for quite some time. I'm really sorry for not asking for your opinion regarding this matter but your mom and I think that this will be the best for you right now," panimula ni daddy. Kanina pa nila binibitin yung mga gusto nilang sabihin and it's frustrating the hell out me. I swear I would have cussed already dahil sa suspense na ginagawa nila pero I chose to keep my mouth shut.

Growing up with parents like my mom and dad, I've realized that keeping your mouth shut is a lot better than talking. Madalas kasi, kahit na nasa tama naman ako at ang katwiran ko, they would tend to twist it the wrong way. Sasabihin nila, sinasagot ko na sila o kaya wala na akong respeto. Like hello? I was just trying to explain my point! Pero ayon. Ang ending naman palagi, I'm always wrong. So I just tend to keep quiet kapag mga ganitong pagkakataon. It saves me the hassle and I won't hear a thing from them as well.

"We know you like to do things your way and you like to be independent. We're actually glad that at such a young age, you've accomplished a lot on your own. But with what has happened in the past few weeks, we realized that you will be needing help." Dad suddenly stopped talking at mas lalong naglilikot ang utak ko dahil doon. Kung anu-ano na naman ang naiisip ko and it's making me freak out. But no. I must remain calm. I must act like it's not affecting me at all. Sanay naman na ako sa ganito. I just have to do what I've always done in the past.

"What do you mean po?" I finally asked.

"We've decided to get someone who would help you with your daily activities. Since nasa kaparehong sitwasyon din ang kapatid niya, pamilyar na siya sa mga kakailanganin m—"

"Wait. I don't get it, dad. I'm perfectly fine right now. There's no need for such things," pagputol ko sa sinasabi ni daddy. But just like what I have expected, wala na rin namang use ang pagrereklamo ko.

"After what happened to you today in school, we can't risk it anymore. You're the only child that we have and it breaks our hearts knowing that you experienced such a thing. You should be enjoying life right now and not like this..." dad said and his voice got weaker and weaker as he uttered his last words. I was about to ask a question when I heard him sniff. Shit. Is he crying?

Oh, God. Bakit ba ako na naman ang nagmumukhang masama rito? I was just trying to prove a point tapos ganito na naman?!

"Aisleen, please listen to your dad first. We're just doing this to help you out. Pansamantala lang naman 'to. And we haven't even introduced you to him." When I heard mom say him, I wanted to laugh out loud. Of all genders, bakit lalaki pa ang kinuha nilang mag-aalaga sa akin? Aren't they scared that we would end up in bed instead imbis na mas gumaling ako?

"Tell me. Why didn't you even ask if I wanted this? All my life, kayo na lang po lagi ang nasusunod. Hanggang ngayon ba naman ganito pa rin? And really, dad. Independent? I'm too far from being independent. Kahit saan ako magpunta, may nakasunod na mga mata niyo ni mommy sa akin. Kaunting pagkakamali ko lang, God knows whatever it is that you're doing without my knowledge just to correct or hide them out.

Tanggap ko naman po na hindi ako perpektong anak. Tanggap ko rin po that I would never be enough for you but this is too much already. Nawalan lang po ako ng paningin. Hindi po ako nawalan ng pakinabang at kwenta. Don't act as if I'm immobile na kailangan pa ng caretaker para makapag-function nang maayos." Napasinghap si mommy upon hearing what I have said. Kung magagalit man siya sa akin ngayon, wala na akong pakialam. I just needed to let it out. Hindi ko rin talaga kasi ma-gets yung point nila sa pagdedesisyon ng ganito.

Walang nagsalita sa amin pagkatapos ng paglalabas ko ng saloobin ko. After a few moments though, I felt my mom hugging me tight. Magpupumiglas pa sana ako but when I heard her sniffing and I felt something drip on my shoulders, hindi ko na nagawa.

Now, great. Ako na naman ang masama nito.

Mom continued asking for forgiveness dahil sa naging outburst ko. Sabi nila, they never intended to make me feel that way. I wanted to laugh because of that. All my life, they made me feel like that and now, they're suddenly saying na hindi nila sinasadya? What a joke. If it weren't for the random dude that's probably been watching us carry on with our little family drama, baka hindi pa kami titigil sa iyakan ngayon.

"Aisleen, listen. Just try this out first. Please, for us?" pakiusap ni daddy but I'm not letting them have it their way this time. I have made my decision, too. Why can't they just accept it? God damn it.

"Anak, please..." Hindi na ako sumagot pa sa sinabi ni daddy. Probably taking my silence as a yes, he held my hand again. He then cleared his throat and muttered a short apology to the guy who's name I didn't even bother to catch.

"Aisleen, I want you to meet Gian. He will be helping you out starting today." Muntik na akong matawa sa sinabi ni daddy. Meet? Paano ko naman imi-meet 'yang lalaking sinasabi nila kung wala naman akong nakikita?

"Manang Edith, pasamahan naman po ako sa kwarto k—" Napatigil ako sa pagsasalita nang magsalita bigla si Gian. What's with his voice? It was deep yet calming at the same time. Para akong kinilabutan na ewan.

Dahil hindi ko rin naman siya makikita at wala na akong balak na makipag-usap o makisama sa kanya, I decided to call Manang Edith again. Nang inalalayan na niya ako para makatayo at nakapaglakad na ako papalayo sa kanila, I stopped on my tracks and faced their direction again.

"Please don't come back again. Wala sa plano ko sa buhay ang magkaroon ng caregiver," I said as cold as I could but deep inside, I already knew the possible outcome of this scenario.

***

Aaaaaand we're halfway done with the story! Tapos biglang may new character ano? Curious na ba kayo kay Gian? Hahaha.

Comments, jusaeyo! Parang awa niyo na po. Kung binabasa niyo ito, pakigalaw ang bago! Hahahaha.

Thank you!

xxRaice