BROKEN WINDOWS. SCRATCHED EXTERIOR. CUT-OFF SIDE MIRRORS. Iyon ang sumalubong kay Stacey nang madatnan ang kotse niya sa basement parking kasama ang dalawa sa security team ng building. Ginabayan siya ng isa sa mga guards ng rooftop restaurant at ang nagpapatrolya mismong guard sa parking na nakakita sa kalunos-lunos na kondisyon ng kanyang kotse.

Nabawasan na ang shock niya dahil sa elevator pa lang, nasabihan na siya tungkol sa kanyang kotse. Yet, deep inside she was horrified. The car had been with her for years. Ingat na ingat siya sa paggamit at maalaga sa pagmimintina nito. It was her favorite because it was the only car where Renante got in with her. Noon pa iyon. Nung okay pa sila... When there was no sex involved yet...

"At wala kayong idea kung sino ang gumawa nito?"

"Paalis na po 'yung van nung nakita ko, Ma'am," sagot ng guwardya. "Na-detect ko lang ho na sila ang may kagagawan kasi bago umalis yung van may nagbato mula sa loob ng sasakyan. Kaya ho basag ngayon 'yung salamin dito sa likod ng kotse."

Lalapit sana si Stacey pero naagapan ito ng isa sa mga gwardiya.

"Pwede ho namin kayong samahan sa police station, Ma'am, para mag-file ng complaint."

"File ng complaint?" pagak niyang saad. "Kanino? Sino ang irereklamo ko?"

Hindi alam ng dalawang lalaki ang isasagot.

She turned to them. "Hindi niyo nga nakilala, 'di ba?"

"Well, Ma'am," seryosong saad ng isa sa mga kausap niya, "baka may suspetsa ho kayo kung sino ang pwedeng gumawa nito. Baka may mga nakaaway kayo o..."

"You're just suggesting this to me dahil ayaw ninyong magkaroon kayo ng liability. Lalo na kayo na tinuringang security dito pero hindi magawa ng maayos ang mga trabaho ninyo!"

Nagkatinginan ang dalawang lalaki. Tila nagtuturuan kung sino sa kanila ang magpapakalma sa kanya.

Stacey let out a bored sigh and shook her head. "I'm getting my stuff."

Hindi na siya pinigilan ng mga ito nang maingat na iniwasan niya ang mga nagkalat na bubog sa sahig. Stacey opened the car door and collected her stuff in the car. Ipapa-tow na lang niya ang kotse para ipa-repair.

She heard the soft thud upon closing the car door. Napatitig siya sa Corvette.

Dapat pa nga ba niya ipagawa pa ang kotseng ito?

She was only keeping it for memories' sake, right?

That one time Renante reluctantly joined her in the car because he was left with no choice. It was at that Christmas Party. Nung buo pa ang barkada. He was too drunk to drive. Renante was never that drunk before. It was the first time she saw him drunk. Her friends knew that it should be her who should take care of him. Nothing outside the friendzone happened that night. Yet she was happy. Kasi kahit lasing ito, hindi ito naghallucinate na siya si Sondra. He never did anyways even when he got drunk after that time. He knew he was with her. And he even thanked her for the ride home.

Nakakabit ang neck pillow sa kanyang leeg, nakasukbit ang shoulder bag at yakap niya ang nakasampay sa braso na balabal. She tiptoed away from the car, leaving the two guards watching her in stunned silence. Bukas ang shoulder bag niya dahil pinuno niya iyon ng ilang mga gamit na kinuha niya sa loob ng kotse.

While walking, Stacey let out a groan and remembered her phone. She should take a cab home then. Naabala tuloy siya sa pagkapa sa loob ng shoulder bag. She was careful not to spill anything from the bag.

.

.

"IBANG KLASE TALAGA," mababang wika ng gwardiya habang tinatanaw nito at ng kasama ang nakalayo nang si Stacey. "Ang susungit talaga ng mga mayayaman na iyan."

"Hayaan mo na. Mukhang maraming pera eh. Bibili na lang yan ng bagong kotse," sagot ng isa, medyo natatawa pa. "Mabuti na rin iyan, hindi na tayo maaabala pa."

"Well that's not right," wika ni Renante sa likuran ng dalawa kaya napalingon sa lalaki.

He wanted to accompany Stacey earlier, but he has bills to settle for the food and wine they had. Then, he waited a bit for the elevator and the rooftop was a long way from this basement parking. Renante came late. She was already gone. Ang naiwan na lang ay ang dalawang gwardiya na pinagtsitsismisan pa ang babae imbes na maging concerned na magre-reflect sa performance nila sa trabaho ang insidenteng nangyari.

Renante began asking the guards about what happened. Hinayaan niyang mag-assume ang mga ito na nagde-date sila ni Stacey para malayang ikwento sa kanya ang nangyari.

His dark gaze fell on them before noticing the car. "Wala talaga kayong ideya kung sino ang may gawa nito?" hakbang niya para matingnan ang sasakyan ng malapitan.

Hindi pa nakakasagot ang mga ito nang dugtungan ni Renante ang tanong.

"You're supposed to have CCTV cameras here, right?" lingon niya sa paligid at na-detect ang ilang mga camera sa sulok-sulok ng bawat parking block.

"Meron ho, Sir, pero kailangan niyo pa hong gumawa ng request para bigyan kayo ng permiso tingnan 'yung recording ng CCTV namin, Sir."

"You see this car, didn't you?" harap ni Renante sa mga ito. "And it doesn't alarm you enough para ipatingin ang CCTV videos nang wala ang request-request na iyan?"

"Sir," mariing wika ng isang gwardiya, "pasensya na pero kailangan ho talaga ninyo mag-submit ng request letter."

He let out a tired sigh and gave the two a bored look. Fine. Maybe these bozos are just doing their jobs based on how they're told to do it.

Maybe, Renante would just give his elder brother, Ronnie, a call. Mas mabilis siguro kung ang mismong may-ari ng building ang magpapakuha ng kopya ng video mula sa CCTV sa basement parking. Pero bago pa niya nadukot mula sa backpocket ang cellphone, natanaw niya ang malayo-layo nang si Stacey.

He needed to postpone his phone call.

.

.

MALAYO-LAYO PA ANG LALAKARIN NI STACEY. Her shoes were starting to hurt her leg muscles. Lalo na at medyo nakainom siya kaya nanlalambot ang katawan. Hindi niya rin malaman kung dala ng nainom kaya nasungitan ang mga gwardiya kanina. Mamaya na siya magbu-book online ng sasakyan kapag nasa tapat ng siya ng gusali. Stacey walked on and saw a stream of headlights from behind, almost catching up with her. Hanggang sa nalagpasan na siya ng ilaw niyon.

Pero hindi ng kotse.

The sleek black car's window was open— the one on the shotgun seat's side. Tumanaw doon mula sa driver's seat si Renante.

"Need a lift?"

"Again?" she muttered before looking back on where she was going.

It was just so insane. Nung nagkita sila ulit ni Renante, hinatid siya nito pauwi. Tapos ngayon, ganito na naman ang magiging set-up nila?

"We both know you need it. But it's still your choice, Stacey," hinto nito ng sasakyan.

She let out a groan and reached for the car door's handle. Mabilis na umupo siya sa tabi ng lalaki at malakas ang pagkakasara niya sa pinto. Nilagay niya ang mga bitbit sa dashboard. Pinatong din niya roon ang hinubad na neck pillow. Sumara ang bintana sa tabi niya.

"What happened to your car?" tanong ng binata nang paandarin nito ang sasakyan.

"I wish I know the answer to that question," walang lingon niyang saad. "Must be some drunk's fault. Napagtrip-an siguro ang sasakyan ko." Then she scoffed. "Of all the cars," she sarcastically rolled her eyes. "At ang layo ng kotse ko sa elevator! How come it was the first thing they saw, na pwedeng pag-trip-an?"

Hindi nakasagot ang lalaki.

Pagod na sumandal siya sa backrest ng kotse nito.

"Why are you helping me?" matamlay niyang tanong habang nakatanaw sa bintana. Nakalabas na sila ng basement parking kaya kita na ang matayog na mga building na bumabakod sa dinadaanan nila.

Lights from the cars, buildings, windows and signages mildly touched her somber yet hard look.

"Naaawa ka sa akin?" her voice almost broke. "You're guilty for not believing me all these years? Making up for all the shit you did to me? For using me?"

"It happened in my brother's building."

Here Renante goes again with his playing-safe tactics. But something caught her attention more.

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. "Your brother owns the—"

"Yeah," he sighed. "That's why the rooftop restaurant is always my go to. Tiwala ako dahil rumerenta sila sa building ng kuya ko."

She stifled a snicker. Stacey turned to him, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Talagang masyado kang playing safe, ano?" mahinang tawa niya rito. "Nagtitiyaga ka sa resto na iyon dahil feeling mo, may makakalason sa iyo kung sa ibang resto ka kakain?"

Renante gave her a short sidelong glare. "Shut up, Stacey."

Pigil niya ang matawa. She knew what he meant with that shut up. Ibig sabihin lang niyon, natumbok niya at nahihiya ang lalaki na pag-usapan pa kung ano ang nadiskubre niya rito.

"My God!" balik niya ng tingin sa bintana pagkasandal sa backrest. She even let her head cozily lay against it. Napansin niya ang repleksyon sa salamin. She saw a debri of her smile still on her face. For some reason she felt scared.

Hindi siya dapat umaakto ng ganito, hindi ba?

"As I was saying, my brother owns the place. It's a concern, about what happened to your car. It means the security there is not doing their jobs."

"It's an old car anyway," she sighed sadly. "Bibili na lang ako ng bago."

"What if it happens again?"

Nagdilim ang anyo niya. Kita iyon ni Stacey sa repleksyon niya sa bintana ng kotse.

"Why would it happen again?" mabigat niyang tanong, hindi niya tinapunan ng tingin ang binata.

"That kind of damage. Sinadya iyon."

Stacey could feel restlessness at the pit of her stomach.

"Huwag kang manakot," harap niya rito.

"Hindi ako nananakot. I'm telling you what it is. Sinadya iyon. Sinong tao ang magbabaon ng pang-lagari just in case maisipan niyang mamutol ng side mirror ng sasakyan ng iba kapag nalasing siya?"

She just stared at Renante. There was a heavy grave look in his dark eyes as they remained on the road. At the back of her mind, she began to remember what exactly made him get her attention. He looked serious most of the time. Like, he was the only person who made sense that she ever met in her life. Unlike Kylie or Sondra or their fashion model friends who were so full of themselves and so shallow.

Renante looked deep and wise. He was quiet but made a lot of sense when he says something. Minsan, hindi pa ito direct to the point. He could be metaphoric and she would be mindblown upon deciphering what he really meant. Especially the sharp sarcasm he rarely shows. That made her think he's cool.

So cool.

Pero mas okupado si Stacey sa mga sinasabi ngayon ng binata.

"At bato," basag nito sa maikling katahimikang namagitan sa kanila. "Nakita mo naman siguro 'yung bato sa backseat ng kotse mo, 'di ba?"

"And you'll just tell me to call the police," she groaned.

"Get it investigated."

"No," mariing tanggi ni Stacey at binalik sa harap ang tingin.

"It's for your safety."

"No."

"Stace—" sulyap nito sa kanya.

"Pwede ba?" irap niya sa lalaki.

Wala siyang natanggap na reaksyon mula rito. Nanatili sa kalsada ang tingin nito.

"Don't tell me concerned ka sa akin?"

"We've been friends before every fucked up thing that I did to you. For you that's history, but for me that will never change no matter what we go through."

Friends. That will never change for him.

Masakit.

Umiwas siya agad ng tingin dito.

Nang marating ang tapat ng tinitirahang bahay ni Stacey, nagmamadali niyang kinolekta ang mga gamit bago bumaba ng sasakyan. Padaan pa lang siya sa harapan niyon nang biglang namatay ang headlights. Napalingon tuloy siya sa bumukas na pinto sa driver's seat.

"Oh, no, you don't," she muttered before walking ahead toward the gate.

The house was a homey bungalow in a quiet subdivision. Mayroon itong maliit na garage house na isang kotse lang ang kakasya. May kaliitan ang bakuran. Konting lakad lang ang layo ng gate mula sa bahay mismo na nakatayo sa loteng iyon. Two mango trees stood there side-by-side. Their dark evening shade reached the sidewalk.

Stacey almost scrambled her stuff as she looked for the keys in her shoulder bag. Si Renante na ang nagkusang magpulot sa ilang mga nahulog. She let out a groan upon finding the key that would unlock the gate with a chipping white paint.

"So, this is your hideout," pasyal ng mga mata ni Renante sa paligid.

"Sometimes, when your mind is loud, you just want to be in a quiet place."

At inagaw na niya kay Renante ang mga gamit.

Hinayaan ng lalaki na makuha niya ang mga iyon.

Stacey stepped inside the gate and turned to him. Nakahawak sa bakal ang isa niyang kamay para ihanda ang pagsara roon. But damn, their eyes met. And in that second, she had a glimpse of Renante's cool, serious mystery. A speck of light from a light post reflected beautifully at the side of his eyes.

What if...

Humakbang na ito paatras.

"Renante," pigil niya rito, nakatitigpa rin sa mga mata ng lalaki.