"Magandang araw po, Ma'am. Package po para kay Miss Rozelli."

The warm smile on my lips faded as I froze on my place. A dozen of chills shot through my veins that made my knees wobbled.

"Hey!" Dasher immediately caught my waist, preventing me to fall on the ground. "You alright?" I heard him asked but my mind's focused on what the delivery man said.

"W-wala--" I tightly shut my eyes closed as I shut my mouth. Sa panginginig ng aking boses ay itinigil ko ang sasabihin. "You're in the wrong place, there's no--"

"What is it?" Dasher interfered, kasabay noon ang bahagyang pagtulak niya sa pinto upang lakihan ang bukas noon. I know he heard what the delivery man said because he's standing behind me.

Tutok ang tingin ko sa lalaki kaya't nahuli ko ang panlalaki ng mga mata nito nang tuluyang makita ang tao sa aking likuran. Ngunit agad itong nakabawi at napalis ang pagkagulat sa nakita.

"Package para kay Miss Rozelli, S-Sir." 

"Rozelli?"

Mariin akong napapikit nang marinig ang malamig na tono ni Dasher. "Walang Rozelli rito, baka nagkakamali ka lang." I even shook my head, gusto ng paalisin ang lalaki.

Who would even send a package for me? Sigurado akong para sa akin iyon. Sino pa bang Rozelli? And who would even know that I'm here?

"Dito po ang nakapagay sa address, Ma'am," katwiran ng delivery man.

"I'll take that," mariin at pinal na sambit ni Dasher.

Marahas akong napalingon sa kanyang direksyon. "Huh?"

Hindi ko na nasundan ang mga pangyayari. The next thing I know, the delivery man left already. Habang nasa kamay na ni Dasher ang box na package na sinasabi ng nagdeliver.

I was fidgeting my fingers as he turned his back on me. Nang makabalik siya sa sofa ay dumako sa akin ang kanyang mga mata.

I immediately shifted my weight as I attentively stared back at him.

"What are you doing there? The food's waiting, Mauree."

I composed myself by heaving a deep breath before turning to the couch. Bumalik ako sa kinauupuan habang ang atensyon ni Dasher ay naroon sa package. Agad na namilog ang aking mga mata nang makitang binubuksan na niya iyon.

My eyes widened a fraction. For a moment, I thought of snatching the box but in the end, I didn't. That would surely put me to death. Siguradong magtataka na si Dasher kung gagawin ko iyon. Not knowing what's inside the package made my heart rammed wildly.

Marahan akong umupo sa tabi ni Dasher. "W-why did you received the package?" Sinubukan kong maging kalmado ngunit sa pagkakataong ito, hindi ko yata magagawa iyon.

Dasher stopped at what he's doing as he turned his eyes on me. "Aren't you scared of me?" he questioned.

It made my lips part as my eyes widened a fraction. "What do you mean?" I whispered. Alam na niya? I swallowed the lump on my throat.

"I know you saw me that night. When I killed those fuckers mercilessly. I know you know its me."

"T-that--"

"I know you already have an idea. I'm not just a doctor, Maureen." He even gently shook his head.

Sinubukan kong ibuka ang bibig upang magsalita ngunit bigo matapos walang kahit anong lumabas doon.

"And Rozelli is one of those groups who wants me dead. Now, I wonder why there's a package addressed to a Rozelli when this place is owned by Creed." He continue opening the package.

Habang ako ay muling kinuha ang plate na may pizza upang doon ituon any pansin. Ngunit tila hindi iyon sapat dahil inabot din ng aking kamay ang frappe at mataman akong simimsim doon.

"Though, mukha namang walang laman," konklusyon niya kahit hindi pa nakikita ang laman noon. Maybe by weighing the package, he can say that.

It took him awhile before he finally opened the box because of packaging tape covering the whole package. At nang tuluyan iyon bumukas, tumambad sa amin ang mga nilamukos na bond paper.

Isa-isa iyong binuklat ni Dasher upang tignan kung may sulat ngunit laking pasalamat ko nang sa dinami rami ng papel na naroon ay blanko lahat ang mga iyon.

Tila nakahinga ako ng maluwag at napasimsim sa aking frappe.

Marahas na bumuga ng hangin si Dasher. "I need to tell them about this." He rose from his seat.

Naalerto ako sa pagtayo niya. Maybe he saw it, reason why he turned to me. "I'll just call someone," paalam niya bago umalis dala ang kanyang cane, pati na rin ang box na walang laman kung hindi ang mga piraso ng papel.

I watched him walked towards the dining room until he went out of my sight.

I felt like I was freed from something strangling my neck. But still, I was gasping for air while thinking who would even send that package.

Napahilot na lamang ako sa sentido matapos ang ilang minutong pag-iisip ngunit hindi ko pa rin matanto kung sino ang nagpadala noon. And shit! Dapat ba akong magpasalamat na apelyido lang ang nakaaddress sa pangalan doon?

I shrugged my thoughts off as I saw Dasher's frappe, unti-unti ng nawawala ang lamig noon. Reason why I found myself walking towards the dining room.

Ngunit wala roon si Dasher, pati na rin sa kitchen. Ito lang naman ang pupuntahan niya sa tinahak na direksyon.

At the countertop, I saw the package addressed to Miss Rozelli, which is me. My hands automatically moved to rummaged the box. Ngunit gaya ng sabi ni Dasher, lahat ng iyon ay papel lang na walang sulat.

I let out a deep sigh as I removed my hands from it.

From the side of my eyes, I caught the door at the kitchen slightly opened. Palabas iyon ng villa ngunit hindi masyadong ginagamit dahil sa likod ang daan. You can use it when you'll go towards the row of trees separating this villa from the private property beside it or to the shore.

Pwede ring gamitin patungo sa villa na tinutuluyan nina Donna at Ridge. Though, the door in front is a few walks nearer.

Binagtas ko ang daang iyon. Bumungad sa akin ang mga punong nakahilera at nagsisilbing harang. Iginala ko ang tingin sa kabuuan ng paligid at natanaw ko rin mula sa kinatatayuan ang kotse ni Ridge. Nang hindi makita si Dasher ay agad akong nagtungo sa dalampasigan.

From the side of my eyes, I saw a woman standing at the shore, malapit iyon sa mga puno na nagsisilbing hati ng dalawang lupain.

Bahagya akong nagtaka dahil wala namang turista na lugar na ito, lalo na at bahagi pa yata ng lupain ni Creed iyon.

Hindi ko masyadong pinagtuunan iyon ng pansin dahil sa kagustuhang mahanap si Dasher. I turned my back in her as I walked towards the direction where the sun loungers were resting.

"Dasher!" I shouted when I didn't saw him. Ngunit sa muling paglingon ko ay doon ko na siya nakita.

I saw him standing beside Creed's villa, kung susukatin ay mas malapit na iyon sa main door ng villa.

Muli ko sana siyang tatawagin ngunit agad kong natutop ang aking bibig nang matantong may kausap siya sa cellphone. And when his eyes found mine, it seems like he immediately ended the call.

Malaki pa ang distansya namin sa isa't isa kaya naman marahan akong naglakad patungo sa direksyon niya.

A prim smile slowly formed in my lips as I took a series of steps towards Dasher who's holding his cane.

And when we're already facing each other, I caught how his stares shifted at my back. Ang mga mata niyang nakatitig sa akin ay unti-unting lumagpas. Dahilan para mapalingon ako sa aking likuran, na agad kong pinagsisihan.

Nahigit ko ang aking hininga at agad na namilog ang aking mga mata nang makita ang pamilyar na bulto, ilang hakbang lang mula sa aking likuran. Natulos ang aking mga paa sa kinatatayuan.

I felt like the time stopped as I stared at the woman I met earlier at the restroom. Ang kaninang tinatakbuham ko sa pagaalalang makita niya si Dasher. Ngayon ay tila nawalan ng pakinabang ang ginawa ko.

I don't have to confirm where she's looking at. Dahil tulad ni Dasher, lumagpas ang tingin ni Aislinn sa akin.

I can read lots of emotion in her face. With her lips parted that made her looks confused, her eyes managed to glimmer hope and happiness.

Patuloy ang lakad niya palapit sa aming direksyon habang tutok kay Dasher ang mga mata.

"Dash," Aislinn whispered.

I felt like I was a barrier between the two of them. Kaya naman humakbang ako patungo sa gilid ngunit malapit pa rin kay Dasher.

Now, I can have a glimpse of his expression. But as I stared at it, I saw nothing. He seems like he's not even moved that Aislinn saw him.

I swallowed as I felt my throat tightening. "Dasher," I murmured when Aislinn stopped in front of us.

Aislinn's eyes glistened with tears as she looked at me. Her eyes remained skeptical like she's asking me for answers. And it immediately turned into frowned, tila sinasabing nagtaksil ako sa pagiging walang imik noong nagkita kami kanina.

And as I turned my eyes at Dasher, I saw his facade vanished and caught how an emotion flickered in his eyes.

"Dasher," muling tawag ko. I even tried to find his gaze. Hindi naman ako nabigo nang lumingon siya sa akin.

He gave me a half-smile as he slowly nodded, assuring me of something. "I'll handle this. Please leave us for awhile, Maureen. Susunod ako," sambit niya sa bagay na dapat ay kanina ko pang ginawa.

Tipid kong sinuklian ang ngiti niya bago tuluyan silang tinalikuran. I didn't dare glanced at Aislinn again. Dahil pakiramdam ko, lalong bibigat ang aking kalooban kapag ginawa ko iyon.

I bit my lower lip as I felt my chest tightened that I want to clenched it but refrain myself from doing so.

Tila pangpalubag ang sinabi niyang susunod siya.

I chose to take the longer path even I'm already a few steps away from the villa's entrance. Pinili kong dumaan sa pinto ng villa sa gawi ng kitchen. I didn't look back as I was walking.

Ngunit nang paliko na ako ay hindi na nakatiis. I turned my head to where I left Dasher and Aislinn. Na agad kong pinagsisihan.

My lips parted as I felt my knees trembling. Mabuti at agad akong napahawak sa pader ng villa.

Because even in our distance, I clearly see how Aislinn leaned forward on Dasher. Mataman niyang inabot ang mga labi ni Dasher. Her arms cling on his neck as their lips met.

Agad kong ibinalik ang tingin sa tinatahak na daan. Laman ng ang isipan ang nakitang paghalik ni Aislinn. And fuck my mind for thinking if Dasher pulled away from the kiss... or did he kissed back?

Dapat ko pa bang isipin kung itinulak nga niya si Aislinn para putulin ang halik? Dasher loves her. Kaya't alam ko na dapat ang sagot doon.

Dire-diretso ang hakbang ng aking mga paa patungo sa aking silid. Napahilot ako sa aking sentido nang mawala sa aking isip ang halik ni Aislinn, dahil iyon sa naalalang package.

I immediately searched for my phone as I remembered the box sent to this villa.

I didn't got a chance to open my phone since Ate Calista called. No, I intend not to. Dahil alam kong muling tatawag si Ate ay hindi niya ako titigilan hanggang hindi ko ulit sinasagot ang tawag niya.

Ngayon ay sinubukan ko iyong buhayin. I waited for a couple of seconds before it finally opened. Why do I have a hunch that the package was from my sister?

Wala pang isang minuto iyong nabubuksan ay agad na may pumasok na tawag doon. I tightly shut my eyes off as I saw my Ate's name on the caller. Maybe she's calling me earlier? At ngayon na bukas na ang aking phone ay pumasok na ang tawag niya?

I licked my lower lip as I answered the call. "Ate--"

"What the fuck!"

I grimaced as she greeted with a crisp curse. "You aren't answering my calls, you traitor!"

My lips parted as unconsciously, my feet walked towards nowhere. "What are you talking--"

"Dasher Alterio is alive and you're with him in a villa! How dare you fool me? Makakarating 'to kay Dad!"

She didn't curse on that one but her words are enough to send dozen of chills down my spine.

__________