Chapter 22

"Totoo ba yung sinabi nila, Parvana? Na mamamatay-tao ang tatay mo?"

"Gago ka ba?" Zoey pulled herself up angrily and grabbed the front of Nazrah's shirt. "Watch your mouth!"

"Bakit? Totoo naman, ah?" kalmadong wika ni Nazrah. She stared at us with blank eyes. "Hindi mapupunta sa kulungan ang tatay niya kung hindi siya mamamatay-tao."

Our classmates kept on glancing at us. Kumalat ang hapdi sa dibdib ko dulot ng maaanghan na mga salita ni Nazrah. Even through my blurry vision, I gently tore away Zoey's clenched fist from her uniform.

"Tama na yan, Zoey."

"Anong tama na?" she turned sharply at me. "Turuan natin ng leksiyon ang babaeng 'to at kung anu-anong tsismis ang pinagkakalat!"

I shook my head gently. She glared at me for a few seconds, before she finally let Nazrah go. A disgusted look crossed her face.

I turned to her calmly, despite my pounding heart. "Hindi mamamatay-tao ang tatay ko, Nazrah. Napagbintangan lang siya. He will be out of the jail, soon. The police are still holding him because the investigation is on-going. But after that, he will come home to us. Allah will bring my father back."

My words did nothing to convince her. She just rolled her eyes at me and stalked away. Zoey is still fuming with anger while I remained silent on my seat. Ipinikit ko nang mariin ang mga mata ko. Siguro ay mas mabuting nanatili nalang ako sa bahay. I shouldn't had come to school today now that everything's still out of control. My mother insisted that I should go when I should be watching over her in the house. She's still not okay and still going through the shock of what had happened.

Sanay na ako sa maya't-mayang pambubuska ni Nazrah sa akin. But I didn't expect that my classmates were convinced of what she's saying, too. Pati ang guro namin ay halos hindi makatingin sa akin.

"Daughter of a murderer."

"Go to hell, filthy Muslim!"

"Family of killers and terrorists."

My heart ached as knots in my stomach turned. I stared at my desk that was vandalized with red marker. Nagtatawanan pa ang iba nang makita ang reaksyon ko pagkakita sa ginawa nila sa upuan ko.

I bit back a sigh and turned to my bag, pulling out a pack of wet wipes. I started scrubbing the desk with the wipes but it barely faded. Naupo ako at mas lalong kinuskos ang desk ko. Sa ganoong posisyon ako naabutan ni Zoey pagkapasok niya sa classroom.

Her brows creased when she saw me, then color crept to her cheeks when she saw what my classmates have done to my desk.

"Sinong may gawa nito?" dumagundong ang boses niya sa loob ng classroom. Nagulat ako sa ginawa niya, pati na rin ang iba kong nagtatawanan na kaklase ay natahimik.

Nagtinginan sila. Nazrah entered the room and then stared at us. When she saw me, she smirked evilly while walking towards her assigned chair.

"Ikaw ba ang may gawa nito, Nazrah?" nanggagalaiting sigaw ni Zoey sa kaniya.

"I wouldn't waste the ink of my marker trying to say how much of a killer her family is when everybody knows it already." Bored na sagot ni Nazrah sa kaniya. She even yawned and placed her elbows at her desk. "Bakit?"

Zoey glared at her. Before she could take a step, I grabbed her arms and shook my head. My eyes are pleading at her. Kapag pinatulan niya si Nazrah, malamang ay siya ang mapaparusahan dahil wala namang ebidensiya na siya ang may gawa nito sa desk ko.

"Ayos lang, Zoey. Matatanggal din 'to."

She yanked her hand away and groaned in frustration. "Ugh. Sometimes I hate how nice you are!"

I pursed my lips. I'm not really nice. I just want to avoid senseless fights as much as possible. And I don't want her to get into trouble because of me. Ayos na sa akin na nandito siya, dinadamayan ako ngayon sa gitna ng krisis ng pamilya namin.

Just when I thought that it was the end of all the bullying, I didn't know that they're still just starting. I've been called ugly names whenever I walk down the hallway, and some of the teachers are even whispering behind my back. Iba ang tingin sa akin ng mga estyudante at guro, may halong takot at pandidiri.

"Saan ka kumukuha ng kapal ng mukha na um-attend ng klase araw-araw gayong nakakulong ang tatay mo?" Nazrah asked me one time, when I was alone at my desk, reading a book. Zoey went to cafeteria to buy the two of us some smoothies and insisted that I should stay here. The last time I went to the cafeteria, someone blocked my feet on purpose and I tripped with my food tray.

Nag-isang sulyap lang ako sa kaniya ngunit hindi siya sinagot. Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa binabasa kong libro.

"Ah, sabagay... mamamatay-tao ang tatay mo kaya siguro ay nagmana ka sa kaniya? I really thought your family is religious and God-oriented. Was just that a façade so that we wouldn't know how evil, how filthy you guys are?"

"Nazrah," mahinahon kong ibinaba ang librong binabasa at binalingan siya. "You know too well that dragging Allah's name in mud is a great sin. You can insult me all you want, but do not drag His name here. I know Allah will help us. And I am very patient with it, even though there are still some people like you who likes to rub salt on the wound of others."

"Don't act cute with me, Parvana. Dapat sa iyo, patalsikin na sa eskwelahang ito! You are staining the reputation of this Catholic school!"

I was about to open my mouth when a shrilling shriek tore from her throat. My eyes widened when I saw Zoey, pouring the Mango smoothie calmly at the top of her head. Nazrah turned as her eyes turned into angry slits.

"You bitch!!"

Hinila niya ang buhok ni Zoey. Mabilis kong hinila si Nazrah pero mas malakas siya kesa sa akin kaya natulak lang din ako. My back landed against the wooden chairs while our classmates are cheering, encouraging the two of them to fight.

"Zoey!"

Tumayo ulit ako at sinubukang paghiwalayin ang dalawa. Zoey is cursing her, so is Nazrah. They fell to the floor, tumbling and clawing at each other's skin, pulling at each other's hair.

"Zoey... tama na please..." pumiyok ang boses ko. I realized how impotent, how helpless I am at that moment. Itinabi pa ng mga kaklase ko ang mga upuan para mas mabigyan silang dalawa ng espasyo. I started crying when I couldn't stop the two of them. Mas malaki si Nazrah kesa kay Zoey at alam kong dehado siya sa pag-aaway nilang dalawa.

Natigil lang silang dalawa nang dumating ang guro namin. Siya na mismo ang umawat sa kanila. More tears leaked from my eyes when I saw the small cuts and scratches on Zoey's porcelain skin. Nilapitan ko siya at niyakap. She's panting and vibrating in so much anger. Sobrang sama ng tingin niya kay Nazrah.

"The two of you, come with me at the office." Our subject teacher pursed her lips in a thin line as she strode out of the room and went outside.

"Zoey..."

"Ayos lang ako," she assured me and squeezed my arms. She grinned. "Heck, that was one hell of a good fight."

Nazrah scoffed and stalked outside, too. Her uniform is dripping wet and started to get yellowish with the Mango smoothie she bathed earlier. Dahil dito ay bakat ang kulay pula niyang bra na suot.

"Balik lang din ako kaagad. Dito ka lang..." ani Zoey at sinundan na silang dalawa sa labas.

I wiped my own tears and went back to pick up the books that fell to my desk and started arranging the wooden desks that have scattered when they thrashed around a few moments ago. Umingay ang mga kaklase ko. Some are comparing the videos they managed to record and started laughing. Hindi ako makatingin sa kanila. How they found delight in a fight, that I do not know.

Hindi ko na nakita pa si Zoey hanggang sa matapos ang araw. I even went to the office and was told that her parents came to school today to fetch her. Mas lalo pang sumikip ang dibdib ko. Gusto ko sana siyang puntahan at personal na humingi ng paumnahin sa mga magulang niya dahil sa nangyari pero hindi ko naman alam kung saan ang bahay nila. I've never been there. And I couldn't see Levi anywhere in the school. Balak ko pa sana siyang pagtanungan.

In the end, I went home that day weary and in pain. My mind drifted in and out. The stress of my father being in jail, the bullying of my classmates, and the guilt gnawing at me with Zoey trying to protect me.

"Salot! Salot! Salot!"

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang makita ang dami ng tao sa labas ng bahay namin. Papalubog na ang araw at dumidilim na ang paligid. Some are even carrying torches and some are carrying planks of wood. Tumakbo kaagad ako patungo sa bahay namin habang lumalakas ang kanilang sigaw sa tainga ko. I could hear the anger in their voice, a group of angry townspeople led by Thea's mother.

"Ibalik niyo ang anak ko!! Ibalik niyo si Thea!!" she yelled angrily with tears streaming down her face.

Halos mawalan ako ng malay nang makita si Mama-jan. She's been stripped naked, crying and kneeling in front of the parents. Paulit-ulit siyang humingi ng tawad sa mag-asawa pero patuloy pa rin ang mga sigaw nila. Some are starting to break into our house and ruin everything they see. A young man threw our wedding picture and burned it to the ground.

"Mama-jan! Mama!" I cried and went to her. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang makita ako.

"Umalis ka dito—"

Before she could finish her sentence, someone grabbed me and yanked my hijab off. I cried in pain when I came face to face with the reddening face of Thea's mother. She started pulling my hair and digging her nails into my skin.

"Ibalik mo sa akin ang anak ko!!"

"H-Hindi po si Baba ang pumatay sa anak niyo..." I cried, trying to bit back a scream when she tightened her grip.

Sa sobrang inis niya sa akin ay itinulak niya din ako. I tried to grab my hijab but she'd already stepped on it. And then the townspeople started burning whatever they can. May mga pumasok pa sa bahay at mula sa labas ay naririnig ko ang pagkabasag ng mga plato, at pagkasira ng mga gamit namin sa loob.

I tried to stop them but I couldn't do anything. Even a young girl was encouraged by her mother to knock off the potted plants I've planted abreast of our gate.

My mother wouldn't stop crying, but she kept on mouthing that I should run and just go. Iniling ko ang ulo. I can't leave her alone at the mercy of the cruel townspeople. The unmistakable scent of pig's blood drifted in my nostrils, and my stomach twisted. I watched in horror when Thea's mother grabbed a small basin that contained the blood and threw it at us.

Nanginig ang buong katawan ko. Both of us were bathing in the sticky blood with muffled screams of helplessness. I pushed my hair away from my face and rubbed my eyes, so I could see clearly.

I've never been humiliated like this. I've never taken my hijab off in front of other people and I've never bathed in pig's blood. My chest feels like it's about to explode. The intensity of their anger, the raging sound, and someone's arms that keeps on trying to hit on me.

Bakit ako?

Wala akong nagawa kundi humagulhol na lamang. Someone grabbed my hair again and despite the pleads of my mother, rapped my head against the brick wall where the hinges of our metal gate are attached.

Paulit-ulit niyang inuntog ang ulo ko sa semento. My limbs are too weak to fight. Nagsisimula na din akong mahilo at manghina. Halos wala na akong makita. My ears are bleeding with their screams of rage and my heart is breaking at the humiliation and helplessness.

I fell like a rag doll on the ground. My heart's beat is getting weaker and weaker as I started to lose grip of the reality. I could taste blood in my mouth and I'm sure my own blood is mixed with the pig's blood they threw at us.

Halos hindi na ako makatayo. Humihikbi na lamang ako. No one is coming to help us in this situation. Malik is still not here and my Baba is in prison.

Ipinikit ko ang mga mata at patuloy na umiyak. My lips are trembling. I coughed up as much blood as I can and wiped my mouth. They were still not done. My mother is being abused by the townspeople, too. With the murder in their eyes, I've accepted that one of them are going to get us killed at this very moment.

Nawalan na ako ng pag-asa sa mga oras na iyon. I kneeled on the ground and panted. Least we could do is get away from them. Ayokong masaktan pa nang husto si Mama-jan.

"Naia!!"

I lifted my gaze weakly and saw Zeus storming out of the vehicle. He cursed and grabbed the collar of young man who was approaching me, before punching him and shoving him to the ground.

"Oh my God!" Tita Belle stared at us in horror, before she quickly tugged her husband and waded through the crowd.

Nagdilim ang paningin ni Zeus. Maging si Levi ay nagulat din sa nakita. But he didn't move and just stared at us in shock. The young man is nothing against Zeus' strength, and it was fueled in anger. Blood spurted from his nose. I pleaded him to stop but he didn't listen.

Limping, I pulled myself up. I don't want to touch him with my filthy hands right now but I couldn't do nothing. I grabbed his arms and cried.

"Stop it... please..." hikbi ko.

Isa pang suntok ay tuluyan na niyang pinakawalan ang lalaki. Zeus' father started threatening the townspeople that if they continued to do what they're doing, they'll be charged with physical injury and property damage. Some of them started to back off. Tita Belle immediately went to my mother and hugged her despite the blood.

Zeus swore at me, at himself, and at everyone. I nearly fall to the ground with my trembling knees. Leaning against his chest, his hands went protectively around my waist, pulling me close to him.

Mas lalo akong napahikbi. The blood smeared his shirt and his pants but he didn't care. Mas hinigpitan niya lang ang yakap sa akin. He blocked his body and shielded me from Thea's mother, who's still not done cursing at us.

His father, who is always calm and composed, grabbed Thea's mother. I could see the red mist of anger in his eyes as he clenched his jaw and whispered something to her ears, threatening again. The woman paled, and in hurry, yanked her hands away from him.

Ipinikit ko ang mga mata. My body feels so soft and weak against Zeus' hard body. I could feel him shaking in so much anger. He keeps on clenching and unclenching his fist.

"Zeus..."

"Don't talk." He stated firmly. When I tried to pull away from him, he glared at me and tightened his hug. "And don't move."

"What—"

Before I could say anything, he swept me off my feet and started walking briskly towards the waiting car. Binuksan ni Levi ang backseat ng kanilang kotse.

"I'm going to stain the—"

"No arguments, Naia." He said in an authoritative voice and deposited me inside. Napuno ako ng panghihinayang nang mamantsahan ng dugo ang kanilang leather seat pero mas nanaig ang sakit sa akin at ang sobrang panghihina. I leaned my head against the car window and breathed deeply. My hands wouldn't stop shaking.

Zeus stared at me, his eyes full of raw emotions. The same intense, raging emotions I've seen before in him. I could see the anger in his eyes and it's getting out of his control as his fists started shaking, too. If Zeus could kill a person, he probably would've right now because of the extreme resentment.

My hands unconsciously went to the back of my head and winced when I came in contact with the fresh wound. I am fully bathed with blood, so I couldn't tell which is mine and which is the pig's.

Nahihiya akong tumingin sa kaniya. For him to see me without a hijab and full of blood is downgrading. Gusto ko nalang maglaho sa mga pagkakataong iyon.

"Naia..."

I kept on crying that I didn't realize he'd entered the car and was gripping my shaking hands. Zeus stared at me, the anger in his eyes are starting to fade but his shoulders are still tense and his entire body screams violence.

"You'll be okay..." he whispered in a soothing voice.

Mas lalo lang lumakas ang iyak ko sa sinabi niya. I wanted to get out of the car, grab my hijab off the ground, and cover myself as much as I can. But I couldn't. Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko.

His first time seeing me with my hair loose, but in a horrible way.

"Oh God, baby..." he swore again and gathered me in his arms. "Please be okay... we'll get you to the hospital as soon as possible. Listen to me, Naia. You'll be okay..."

The pain shot through me and my body went through wave after wave of shock. My eyelids are heavy and before I knew it, I was slipping in and out of consciousness. The last thing that I could remember is Zeus' arms gripping mine hard and his curses, saying that he'd kill anyone who dared to lay hands on me again.