CHAPTER 15

"Are you gay?!"

Their jaws instantly dropped as they heard what I said.

"What the heck?" Diancia reacted.

"Are you even serious right now?" Xyrex's forehead creased.

"Are you for real?" Kit looked at me with disbelief, like I said something dumb.

I blinked at them as I said, "I-I…I don't know what to say…" I whispered. “Akala ko ba kay Tessia ka lang kakalampag, ha, Kit?!" I said, almost annoyed.

How dare he try steal Xyrex from me! Aba, kaagaw ko na nga si Diancia tapos nakikisali pa siya?!

"What?!" He scowled, bewildered with what I said. "Anong pinagsasabi mo d'yan, Selenn? Abnormal ka ba?!" 

Sasagot pa sana ako nang bigla siyang sinapok ni Xyrex. "Don't call her that!" He hissed. 

Napakamot naman sa ulo si Kit. "Aba, ganyanan, ah! Kanina magkakampi tayo tapos ngayon nananapok ka? Kaltukan kaya kita?" Iritadong aniya. 

Xyrex glared at him. "Bobo ka ba? Syempre iba na ngayon! Mahal ko 'yan tapos sasabihan mo ng abnormal? Eh, kung si Tessia tawagin kong siraulo, hindi ka magagalit?" He challenged Kit. 

"Hoy, foul!" Kit exclaimed. 

Mas lalo akong naguluhan nang magsimulang magsapukan at maghampasan ang dalawa. 

Ha? Anong nangyari? 

"Mga tarantado talaga kayo! Tumigil nga kayo—aray, punyeta!" Malakas na daing ni Diancia nang matapakan siya ni Kit. 

"'Wag ka kasing humarang d'yan!" Sigaw ni Kit

"Tanga ka ba? Inaawat ko nga kayo, eh!" Turan naman ni Diancia.

I was torn between stopping them and letting them be. Napakamot ako sa akong ulo at akmang hahakbang nang biglang may magsalita sa aking likuran. 

"Ang saya nilang panoorin na mag-away, 'no?" A familiar voice of a woman said from my behind. "Pero...hindi ganyang klase ng pag-aaway ang gusto kong mangyari sa inyo. I want to tear your friendship apart hanggang sa wala nang matitira sa'yo. Even...him because Luther is mine."

How...paanong nangyari 'yun? How can this woman have the same voice as her? 

I froze at my spot. I gasped for air when I heard the woman chuckled.

Dahan-dahan ko siyang nilingon at laking gulat ko nang makita si Diancia sa likod ko. 

"T-Teka...b-bakit…" I couldn't even utter a word because of shock.

Wala sa sariling napaatras ako ngunit hindi ko napansing nasa edge na pala ako ng bleacher. Halos mapasigaw ako nang maramdaman kong malapit na akong mahulog pero hinila ako ni Diancia.

Napakapit ako sa aking palda dahil sa nerbyos. Matagal kong tinitigan si Diancia na kasalukuyang nakangisi sa akin. I gulped and was about to utter ny thanks when someone pulled me in my arm. 

"Diancia! What the hell did you do to my friend?!" 

Halos mapanganga ako nang makakita ako ng dalawang Diancia sa harapan ko. Salitan ko silang tinignan dahil magkamukhang-magkamukha talaga silang dalawa. From their hair, faces, and body, it's all the same!

"Is it just me or dalawang Diancia ang nakikita ko?" Hindi ko namalayang nasa likod ko na rin pala sila Xyrex kung hindi pa nagsalita si Kit. 

"A-Anong nangyari?" I asked, genuinely curious about what's happening.

"Looks like you haven't told them, huh." The Diancia who pulled me a while ago said. "Come on, sis. Tell them. Tell them that you are my sister. Tell them that we are twins. And tell them that I am the real Diancia, not you 'cause you are just my shadow. You are just a dirty secret of our family." She smirked. 

Tumingin ako sa Diancia na kausap nila Kit kanina, kasalukuyang nakakuyom ang kamao niya. "Enough with this bullshit." She murmured.

Mapang-asar namang tumawa 'yung isa. "Oh come on, sis. Totoo naman 'di ba? You are just my shadow. You and I are the same...oh wait, not entirely the same. You're a goody two shoes, while I, I'm a baddie. Am I right, Diaxia Fianna Favro?"

Napasinghap ako sa aking narinig. Ilang beses akong napakurap nang makaramdam ako ng tensyon sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Pati sila Kit at Xyrex ay tahimik lamang na nakikinig kagaya ko. 

So…'yung Diancia na kausap nila Xyrex ay si Diaxia at 'yung Diancia na kausap ko kanina, siya ang tunay na Diancia? It doesn't makes any sense lalo na't naguguluhan ako! 

"Let's end this ridiculous conversation. Mag-uusap tayo mamaya sa bahay." Mariing sabi ni Diaxia.

Nagulat ako nang hawakan ni Diaxia ang kamay ko at hinila paalis sa pwesto namin kanina. 

"T-Teka…" Akmang hihilain ko ang kamay ko nang magsalita siya. 

"I'll explain everything later, Selenn. Let's talk." She uttered. 

Still reeling from the shock of the revelation, I followed Diaxia as she led me away from the chaotic scene. Kit and Xyrex stayed behind, trying to make sense of the unexpected turn of events.

As Diaxia and I found a quiet spot away from prying eyes, she began to speak, her tone a mixture of frustration and sincerity. "I know this must be incredibly confusing for you, Selenn, but I need you to listen carefully."

I nodded, trying to collect my thoughts. "Okay, I'm listening."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "The truth is, I'm not the real Diancia Favro. The one who's been with you all this time, the one who kissed Xyrex on Valentine's Day, she's my twin sister, the real Diancia. And I'm...her hidden twin sister, Diaxia Fianna Favro. We've kept this secret for years, and I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

I struggled to process what she was saying. "But...why the secrets? Why pretend to be each other?"

Diaxia sighed, her eyes filled with regret. "It's complicated, Selenn. Our family has always been... difficult. Our parents had high expectations, and Diaxia rebelled against them, while I tried to meet their standards. She's the wild one, and I'm the responsible one. We switched identities to protect each other. Diaxia took on my role to shield me from the pressure, while I lived her life to keep her from getting into more trouble. Minsan siya ang humaharap sa inyo, madalas naman ay ako but these past few weeks, naging madalas ang pagharap niya sa inyo because of my absence. I...handled some important and personal problems."

I blinked, feeling a mix of sympathy and confusion. "But what about Xyrex? B-Bakit hinalikan ni Diancia si Xyrex? U mean...it clearly looks like that Diancia likes him...I-I don't know anymore."

Diaxia looked pained. "I know, and I'm sorry for all the confusion. Diaxia is the one who has feelings for Xyrex, but he clearly doesn't feel the same way about her. Like, hello, si Xyrex ang pinag-uusapan natin, girl! He's crazy head over heels with you! Anyway, since we were kids, palaging napapagalitan si Diancia dahil sa pagiging matigas ng ulo niya and as her sister, I couldn't bear to see her get hurt by our family, so I stepped in. It was a terrible mistake, and I regret it every day. I tried to save her but she made my life miserable. And yes, I lied multiple times to everyone, including you and Kiara." 

I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger and betrayal. "So, all this time, you've been lying to us? Playing with our emotions?"

Diaxia's eyes glistened with tears. "I never meant to hurt anyone, especially not you, Selenn. Please, try to understand. We'll explain everything to Kit, Xyrex, and everyone else. We need to set things right."

As I looked into her eyes, I saw the pain and regret she carried. Despite my anger, I couldn't help but empathize with her situation. I sighed as I spoke, "Okay, Diaxia. We'll talk, but there's a lot to unravel here."

She nodded, wiping away a tear. "Thank you, Selenn. I promise we'll make this right, no matter what it takes."

"Pero...ang maipapayo ko lang sayo as your friend is trying to be yourself, not anyone else. You're not a puppet na pwedeng kontrolin ng mga magulang mo. Hindi ka isang anino na palaging nakasunod sa kanila. You are Diaxia so be who you really are. We won't judge you." Malumanay kong ani saka malawak na napangiti. 

She looked at me with her teary eyes. "Thank you, Selenn. You're the best!" She exclaimed and hugged me. 

"I will try to understand you, Diaxia because that's what friends are for." I whispered.