"I didn't do anything."

Kabanata 1

(Third Person)

IMMEDIATELY, a suspicious and practically unseen figure dressed in a dark clothing jumped out of the shattered window through which this person had previously thrown a bag containing an expensive object. The entire area lit red, and an alarm rang in the middle of the night, waking up the people within the large mansion who had just one thing in mind. It only means one thing, they were robbed!

They hurried to the room where they thought they were safe from burglars and thieves. Their boss would surely be furious if they lost that thing. The head security personnel released the key to capture the culprit, but the empty glass was the only thing that met them in the empty room.

"Shit."

Nagtagis ang bagang ng head security dahil sa naabutan, mabilis naman nitong inutusan ang lahat ng kaniyang mga tauhan upang hanapin ang kawatan. Tinawagan naman niya agad ang tauhan niya sa CCTV room upang alamin kung nakuha ba ng surveillance camera ang pangyayari. Halos maitapon nito ang telepono dahil sa inis dahil sa binalita nitong lahat ng camera nakabantay sa silid na iyon ay nagawang maiiwasan ng kawatan.

The other covert cameras failed to catch the culprit they were hoping for. The head of security was enraged. It seems like the thief appeared trained and had a firm grasp on every route and the cameras stationed in every corner of the building.

"Find that thief, and don't come back until you've brought him here. Whether dead or breathing." He stated he was thinking about how he would explain the issue to their boss, and that they had all failed..

Napagulong naman ang nakaitim na babae sa lupa ng lumapag siya mula sa pagtalon sa may kataasang gusali. The dark surroundings make it difficult to see her face. Her nose and mouth are likewise covered by a handkerchief. She instantly looked for the bag that had been draped over her left shoulder earlier and grabbed its hook.

Her lips formed a smirk, and she dashed towards the wall that was connected to the gate of the building she had robbed. The trees around the building are sprouting, so this is an excellent time to take advantage of it.

Napatago siya sa isang malaking puno ng may dumaang ilaw sa kinaroroonan niya. She looked up at the wall that covered the building she had come from earlier. That's where that light comes from. It looks like she woke them up and was already looking for her. Well, that was something she had anticipated. She was about to leave that tree when another light passed by.

Inayos niya ang pagkakasukbit ng bag niya at itinali ang hulihang nito sa harapan ng tiyan niya. She then look out at the lights on the big wall. She can easily dodge those lights by hiding in these trees, but the security is out there hunting her down. And she also knows that those lights will trigger the alarm and the security will know her location.

Dang!

She needs to hurry. She immediately ran to the other tree and beyond. She even crawled to avoid the lights circulating everywhere in this place. Muntikan pa siyang mahagip ng isa, buti nalang mabilis yung reflexes niya at natago agad sa malapit na puno.

She adjusted her hood when she saw the not-so-obvious wall. She then ran towards the wall, but was stopped by a light that hit her. Shit! She looked at its source.

She gave him a confident look because nearly half of her face was covered. It was a guy, and he kept his stance while staring at her, keeping the light focused on her.

She couldn't tell what the light was he using, because it was so bright, but she knew it was just a flashlight. She frowned when she saw the guy's clothes, but she was sure that he wasn't one of the security guards here. She doesn't know who he is and she doesn't care.

Also, she doesn't know why he is here and she won't bother looking for or asking his reasons. She needs to get the hell out of here before she gets caught. She immediately pointed her left hand at the top of the wall and pressed something on her wrist. A thin but strong rope came out. It's a rappel.

She was about to climb when someone grabbed her shoulder and violently attacked her. She was immediately averted when she was almost punched by someone close to her face. Her left hand was still tied to the rope fastened to the top of the wall, so she could not properly defend herself.

Kumunot ang noo niya ng makitang ibang tao ang inatake siya ngayon at nakasuot ito ng kasuotan ng mga bantay dito, she took a quick glance at the guy's position earlier only to see that he is nowhere to be found.

She was taken aback when the guy attacking her caught her fist. She just kicked him on his side, which immediately made him release her hand. She throws a spin and aims her legs at the guy, but he catches it with his hands. This shit was so bulky and big, she had a hard time knocking him out.

She then lifts her other foot using her rappel earlier and kicks the man in his chest forcefully. It's good and it's backwards. He also recovered immediately, so she jumped up and faked her left kick attack and kicked it to the right, which hit the side of his neck. He fell down, but before he could stand up, she threw a kunai at one of his thighs.

She had no choice but to give him a blow since she could not fight properly, and if this went on, she would be caught. Napadaing naman ang lalaki habang nakasapo sa duguang hita niya.

Tiningnan niya uli ang kinaroroonan ng nakita niyang lalaki kanina pero napailing din. Maybe she was just toyed with by her sight. She was alarmed to hear footsteps as they stepped on the withered leaves. She immediately tightened her grip on the rappel and used force to climb the high wall.

When she came down from the high wall, she blew the air and then looked back at the wall when she saw many lights shining on the side. At the same time, they shouted to find her outside the wall in case the culprit, she, will be caught.

Pinutol niya ang rappel kanina para di na siya mahirapan pang kunin ito saka tumakbo sa kawalan. Adios!

THE young woman's eyes narrowed when the sunlight hit her face. Immediately, her sleeping spirit woke up and moaned because of the annoyance of the sun. "Geez." She said and sat in her bed with her eyes still closed.

A lot happened last night, so she really woke up late. Her body also hurts, but she is used to it. It has always been like this. She stretched out both her hands and yawned, but was also stopped when she heard a knock on the door of her room.

She opened her eyes and turned to the door and sighed. Here we go again. She stood up and opened the door to address the person who had been knocking earlier. Sumalubong naman sa kaniya ang lumilipad na damit na naman tumama sa mukha niya. Napakadako ang kamay niya doon.

"Oh, gising na sleeping beauty. Maglalaba ka pa."

Nawala ang emosyon sa mukha niya at walang imik na lamang na pinulot ang nahulog na mga damit. Sanay na siya sa ganito. She had been dealing with any kind of rudeness like this one every single day. Yung tatay kasi niya naglandi pa kaya tuloy may bagong siyang nanay at may instant kapatid pa siya.

Well, it's just a typical Cinderella story. But the only difference between her and Cinderella is that she is not kind. She's not just starting a fight now because she knows where this is all going. Her father would leash out on her for being such a disgrace. He would favor her so-called angel-like step mother and her step brother instead of his real daughter.

Sino nga ba siya? Ever since her mother died, her father has lost his time with her. Especially when he found another woman to replace her mother. Though he had his reasons, he said it was for her anyway. And fuck that for the sake of hers. She hated him for that.

Wala na nga rin itong pakialam sa death anniversary ng mama niya. Siya nalang ang nagse-celebrate mag-isa. He even scolded her last time for being insensitive to my step mother while having dinner just because she mentioned her late mother's death anniversary. And at that time, he had just arrived from another country. From then on, she had lost her respect for him.

She toss the clothes on her bed after she closed the door. She sweeps her hair backwards and heads towards her bathroom. Yeah, they're middle class people. The house was big, she had her own room and she had her own car, but she felt poor herself.

Since her step mother was the one receiving the money and wasting it for herself and for her son thus, they had never lend her once and she never ask for one either. Well, she had her own credit card, from her father-- but she barely uses the card though, since her father would cut it off when it happens that he is angry and hate her for being such a scum.

Also, her step brother would snatch her credit card whenever he wanted to. She sometimes opposed and fought with her brother, but then she always lost her will later on. It's no use. One time she told her father about it, he never did anything or said anything about it. Nawala na lamang siya ng interes na pigilan ang step brother niya sa pagkuha ng card niya.

So, she made her own card and processed it without her father knowing a thing. Nagsisikap nalang siya mag-isa. Her father was always out of town, so she barely saw him for a month, which was a good thing since they always reached for each other's throat. If she have a lot of money, or when she thinks it is enough, she will leave this rotten house.

Hindi sila close ng papa niya at mas lalong di sila close ng step mother niya. Siya na rin ang nagbabayad ng sarili niyang tuition fee at mga projects niya, may pera naman siya at may trabaho rin siya.

Speaking of jobs, she had an incredible job and you would not want her to tell you either. She knew it's illegal, but she didn't care a bit. She believed that it is only illegal when you get caught. She is good at snatching things and sometimes she does this to her step brother whenever she gets annoyed with his demands and shits. Suprisingly, he never suspects a thing.

She does this at night when everyone is sleeping. She sneaks into big houses and searches for things that are worth selling. She sneaks for money. Also, she knows how to hack systems and how to dodge CCTVs. Yeah, you get the picture. She is a thief.

Saan niya nga ba natutunan yung mga bagay na yun? Well, she is not that completely alone-- she does have an uncle who is very close to her. Kapatid siya ng mama niya ngunit patay na ang lolo't lola niya in her mother and father side.

She always hangs out at his house and he is aware that she does these kind of things. He treats her like she is his own daughter. He has no family and has no children. And instead of scolding her, he never said anything either, nor scolded her for doing what she does. He rather teaches her some techniques on how to do it right, which is strange.

Well, he has a lot of money and he runs a big tech company. He always asks her to come with him and live with him, but as much as she wants to she doesn't want him to get involved. She wants to be independent as well, not with his help but on her own. Sometimes she would think about considering it since he has no family, and she thinks that he feels alone.

Minsan nga tinanong niya ito kung bakit, pero sabi nito di na ito gagawa nang sarili nitong pamilya kasi nandito na naman daw siya. She always wished her dad would think the same as her uncle or maybe her uncle was just her dad, but fate decided not to and that is unfortunate. Actually, he was not actually her mother's real brother. Her uncle's parents just adopted her mom from an orphanage.

But she never felt ashamed of that fact. She loves her mother with all her heart same as her uncle. Her uncle has not been close to her father since her mother died well neither when her mother was alive, but they talk sometimes. Did I tell you that her mother died because of a car crash? Yeah, sadly.

Her father sometimes forbids her to stay close to her uncle, but why the hell would she settle in one place, especially if that place is their house or with her witch step mom? Tumatakas siya at pumupunta sa uncle niya ng di alam ng papa niya wala din namang pake ang step mom niya eh.

Although, minsan sinusumbong siya ng step mother niyang papansin. Pero sinusundo naman siya ng driver ng tito niya kung tatawagan niya ito at kung gusto niyang pumunta sa bahay nito, kaya wala siyang pake kung di niya magagamit ang sasakyan nila.

Though she sometimes finds her uncle weird—saying weird languages when they talk, she chooses to shrug it off instead. Palabiro naman ang kasi ang uncle niya. Minsan napapatigil ito at minsan tumatawa lang ito kapag nagtatanong siya kung anong ibig sabihin ng mga salitang yun.

Pagkatapos niyang maligo ay agad siyang nagbihis at inilagay sa plastic ang mga maduming damit ng gago niyang step brother saka kumuha ng pera sa wallet niya at binulsa ito. Meron naman silang labandera pero palaging siya ang inuutusan ng gagong kapatid niya. Well, hindi siya ang maglalaba ng damit nito. Asa siya.

At kung iniisip nitong ipapa-laundry niya to, mag-isip itong muli. Itatapon niya na to. Sabado ngayon at walang pasok kaya pagkatapos niyang itapon ito ay pupunta na siya sa bahay ng tito niya para ipakita ang nakuha niya kagabi. Kinuha niya rin ang bag na nakasabit sa pintuan niya na naglalaman ng bagay na iyon.

That night was a hell of an experience, but worth it. They are syndicates, so they can't file complaints because the police will know their whereabouts. Unless their connections are great, but she was confident in her ability. Napangisi ang dalaga. Yeah, she was that thief. Nasa limang kanto lang ang layo ng gusaling ninakawan niya pero alam naman niyang wala makakaalam na siya yung nagnakaw non.

Di na siya nagpaalam na at di pinansin ang step brother niyang nakahilata sa sofa habang kumakain at nanonood ng TV. Nilagpasan niya rin ang step mother niyang nagdidilig ng mga halaman nito. Di naman sila close para magpaalam pa siya dito.

Lumabas na siya nang gate pagkatapos siyang buksan ito at saka lumapit sa malaking trash bin sa gilid para itapon ang mga damit ng step brother niya. Napangisi nalang siya. Ngayon pala nangongolekta ang mga basurero ng subdivision nila. That's good.

Inayos niya ang pagkakasukbit ng kulay abo niyang bag sa kaliwang balikat. Iba ang gamit niyang bag ngayon, naninigurado lang. Lalakarin niya lang ang gate ng subdivision di naman kalayuan saka papara nalang ng taxi doon. Malayo kasi ang bahay ng uncle niya.

Napatigil siya sa paglalakad ng may mga malaking tao ang pinapasok ng mga guard. Bakit nagpapasok ng mga ganiyan dito. Sino nga ba ang mga yan? Isip-isip niya at nagpatuloy na lang sa paglalakad. Ngunit napatigil din ng bigla siyang harangin ng mga ito.

"What do you need?" Tanong niya dito. Agad namang itinaas ng isa sakanila ang kamay hawak ang isang litrato na di halos makita. Sumikdo ang kaba sa dibdib niya. That's her! Pero hindi masyadong makita dahil ang dilim. Hindi niya inilabas ang tunay na nararamdaman at kununutan na lang ng noo ang mga ito.

"What about it?" kaila niya. "Have you seen this person?" matigas na sabi ng lalaki sa gilid niya. Umiling naman ang dalaga at nanatili ang kalmadong ekspresyon niya sa mukha. "Which person?"

Itinuro naman ng isa ang nasa madilim na parte pero makikita mo ang isang bulto ng tao doon. Nagkunwari pa ang dalaga na nag-iisip saka sinagot silang hindi. "Are you sure?" panigurado pa nito at mababatid mo ang pagdududa sa tono nito pero nanatili ang kalmadong bukas ng mukha ng dalaga.

"Yes. You are asking the wrong person." Sabi nalang niya at agad na tinalikuran sila. Alam niyang tinitingnan nila ang likuran niya ngayon kaya sinikap ng dalaga na huwag gumawa ng kahina-hinalang galaw. If she didn't know better, she would have been caught. She had already mastered the art of hiding her true feelings thanks to her uncle.

Agad siyang pinagbuksan ng kasambahay at saka giniya papunta sa uncle niya. Yumuko naman ito at saka umalis.

"Oh, Syl! You're here? " Her uncle said after she opened the door of the large library where her uncle was currently at. Well, her uncle calls her Syl, but her true name is Sylvester Neigh Salgado. It sounds strange and boyish, but yes, that's her full name. "Yeah." Sagot niya saka lumapit dito at agad naman siyang sinalubong ng mahigpit na yakap at halik sa pisngi na agad naman nitong sinuklian.

Napangiti siya, she is thankful she has an uncle by her side. So, even though her father is nowhere to be found, she gets to feel fatherly affection from her uncle instead. Her uncle's name was Reeve Matthew Williams, and her late mother's name was Sylvie Williams.

"You should've called, I would've sent someone to fetch you." Saka pinaupo siya sa sofa malapit sa table nito kung saan nagkalat ang mga papeles. Kinuha naman nito ang telepono sa gilid, "Manang get my niece a nice drink, the usual." Pagkatapos doon at ibinaba naman nito ang telepono.

"Where were we?" she put her bag on her side.

"No need to fetch me uncle. I can go here by myself. " Napailing nalang ang uncle niya sa tinuran niya saka umupo sa upuan nito. "I know you don't want others to worry about you nor want to depend on someone, but we are family– you know I care so much for you." Sabi nito at saka uminom ng tsaa. Tumango nalang siya dito, pero alam naman nito na di niya susundin yun.

"Busy?" she asked looking at the files on his table. Napatingin naman ang uncle niya dito, "Nah, you are more important, what brings you here anyway?" tanong nito, napangiti siya sa tinuran nito at agad niyang nilipat ang kulay abo niyang bag sa coffee table kaya napatingin ang uncle niya dito.

"I just want to show you something." Sabi ng dalaga, kumunot ang noo ng uncle niya. "Wait, before you continue—what did you do last night? Bakit nakatanggap ako ng tawag na wala ka sa bahay niyo kagabi?" usisa ng uncle niya. Napakagat naman siya ng labi. Yeah, right. He has many eyes watching her.

"Syl." he said in a stern voice. She sucked her lips and smiled at him a little.

"I didn't do anything." Kaila niya, "Yes, you did."

"You stole something from the Salvador's." napakamot naman siya ng batok. Pati yun alam ni uncle. Nagtanong pa ito. Shit! Isip-isip niya. "Yeah, what about that?" sabi niya dito habang napakamot rin ng noo.

Her uncle firmly looks at her. "You know they are dangerous Syl. Mga sindikato yun." Napaiwas siya ng tingin, well, wala na siyang magagawa. Nakuha na niya eh.

"Alam ko naman yun, uncle. Pero sigurado naman akong di nila alam na ako yun eh. They can't file a complaint kasi malalaman yung ng mga police, they will surely be in big trouble." Her uncle heaves a sigh.

"They have vast connection. Nakakaya ko lang takpan tong ginagawa mo dahil marami rin akong koneksyon, pero mga Salvador yun." She looked away. Yeah, they are.

"Itigil mo nalang tong ginagawa mo, maybe start something new yet adventurous." Sabi ng uncle niya na kinalaki ng mata niya.

"What? No!"

"Syl, you know that this is bad for you. Kung buhay pa ang mama mo mahihimatay yun dahil sa ginagawa mo." She pouted, "Wala ka namang sinabi noon ah, bakit ngayon na kung kelan gusto ko na ang ginagawa ko?" sabi niya.

"This is illegal Syl." she scoffs.

"Yeah right, says the one who taught me everything about this so-called illegal." She murmured and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Don't mock me." She pouted. Napabuntong hininga ang uncle niya. "You know, you can just ask me for money if you want, just quit this thing right now." Tiningnan naman niya ito sa mata.

"Uncle, I don't need your money."

"I know you need one. If you really don't want to receive one, then please just do it legally. So I don't always worry about you. You are like a daughter to me, Syl. What if I can't cover you up anymore? You will end up in danger. I don't want that. If I could turn back time, I would've stopped you, but I saw you were happy with what you were doing, so even if you were doing the wrong thing, I still tolerate that side of you. But this has to stop. " She sighed, palagi nalang niyang pinag-aalala ang uncle nya.

She loves her uncle as much as she loves her mother. That is why sometimes she wavers when he says something like this towards her. He is that important to her. Mabuti nga at tino-tolerate siya nito sa lahat ng ginagawa niya kahit illegal ang ginagawa niya, di naman kasi siya nagpapabaya a pag-aaral niya. She does this for fun and money.

"Alright." She said it sounded defeated. Lumaki ang ngiti ng uncle niya. "Okay, I am glad that you got my point. " Sabi nito at saka ngumiti at tumango-tango sa kaniya.

"I'll just do the small ones." Napatigil ang uncle niya. "What?" nginisihan naman niya ito. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how she caught him off guard.

"I said, I'll just do the small ones." She said while there was still a smirk on her lips.

"No." iling nito, habang nakatingin ng masama sa kaniya. Yeah, she's trying to outsmart him.

"No can-do uncle. You can't stop me. " napabuntong hininga at napailing na lamang ang uncle ng dalaga. "God, I have a thief and, at the same time, a deceiver of a niece." The girl grinned.

"Yeah, and this is your favorite niece." She says here. Her uncle laughed at her instead.

"Geez, you are my only niece." She laughs.

|BlazeHood|