CHAPTER TWO

"SAAN ka pupunta, sweetheart? May practice ka ba?" maagap na tanong ni Attorney MM sa kaniyang anak lalo at babae ito.

Sa loob lamang ng ilang minuto, kakalat na ang dilim. Kaya't dali-dali niya itong tinanong kung saan pupunta sa mga sandaling iyon.

"Hindi, Mom. Kami ng mga kaibigan ko ay may gagawin para sa aming pag-aaral. Huwag mag-alala, Mom. Kukunin ko na lang ang kotse para kahit magtagal kami ay  makakauwi pa rin ako ng ligtas. Mahal kita, Mommy." Hinalikan niya ito sa noo at pisngi saka kinuha ang susi ng kotse.

"Sige, sweetheart. Mag-ingat ka sa labas. Huwag maging pabigla-biglang driver. Tandaan mo na bata ka pa kahit na ikaw ay labing-walo na. Ang iyong matandang ina ay labis na nagmamahal sa iyo." Wala siyang nagawa kundi sumang-ayon sa kaniyang nag-iisang anak na babae.

Ngumiti si Stephanie at lumabas at dumiretso sa parking area ng kanilang tahanan.

"INIIIWASAN MO BA AKO, baby?"

May isang tinig na nagtanong sa kaniya. Kahit hindi siya lumingon ay alam niya ang may-ari.

"Hindi. Bakit ko naman gagawin iyon?" patanong niyang sagot at hindi man lang  ito pinagkaabalahang tinitingnan. Sa halip ay ipinasok niya ang susi ng kotse.

"Eh, bakit ka lalabas sa oras na ito? Napansin ko na yan mula noong araw na iyon. May ginawa ba akong mali laban sa iyong kagustuhan? Sige na, sabihin mo sa akin,” sabi niya.

'Kailangan kong lumayo sa iyo, Daddy Ramil. Kasi sobra-sobra ang pagseselos ko sa tuwing masaya kayong magkasama ni Mommy. Sinira mo na ang puso ko nang pinakasalan mo siya. At ngayon, ginawa mo na naman. Oo, sinadya ko talaga iyon. Dahil hindi ka kailanman lumapit sa akin tulad ng ipinangako mo,’ sabi ni Stephanie sa sarili niya bago siya lumingon upang maharap ito ng maayos.

"Hmmm, huwag kang mag-alala tungkol sa akin, Daddy. May permiso ako mula kay Mommy. Kami ng mga kaklase ko ay may gagawin tungkol sa aming pag-aaral. Aalis na ako at magkikita tayo mamaya." Ngumiti siya at hindi na ito hinintay na makasagot.

‘Sinasadya mo akong saktan, Daddy Ramil! Palagi mo akong sinasaktan!' Tahimik na umiyak si Stephanie habang pinapaandar ang makina ng kotse.

IN meanwhile, Ramil watched his step-daughter’s car while leaving the premises.

“What did I do this time? It seems that she’s disturbed by me. But how? I’m dealing and treating her as usual.  Is there’s something wrong that I don’t f*ckin’ know?” bulong niya habang pinapanood ang papalayong sasakyan 

“Honey? Who are you looking for intently? Did you meet Stephanie along the way?” he heard his wife voice behind him.

 

“Yes, honey. But I wasn’t able to talk to her. It seems that she’s in a hurry. I even don’t even know if she notices my presence.”

He turned around and wore his smile for her. He needs to be careful when his wife is around. She trusts him completely. There 's nothing wrong with being careful.

“Ah, I let her, honey. At first, I thought that they had a practice in the church. But she said that it’s for their studies. Come, let’s go inside now.” Gumanti siya ng ngiti rito saka umangkla kasabay nang kanilang pagpasok sa loob ng kabahayan.

Ang hindi nila alam!

Nasaksihan lahat iyon ni Stephanie.

“Why I’m feeling like this? My God! There are so many men who’s more good looking than him. In the university where I’m studying as well. My classmates, there are more handsome. Why do I need to have a rival with my Mom?”

Umiiyak niyang hinahampas-hampas ang manibela ng kaniyang sasakyan. Masakit na masakit ang kaniyang kalooban. Dahil talaga namang mahal na mahal niya ito simula pa noong sampung taong gulang siya hanggang sa kasalukuyan.

She’s in despair, but she never thinks of committing suicide. That is why she’s completely surprised when someone knocks on her car door.

“Are you sure that you don’t have a plan of killing yourself, Miss? I’ve noticed you here already for a few minutes. Is there’s something wrong?” tanong ng police at halata namang hindi ito kumbinsado sa nauna niyang sagot.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Mr officer. I was lost into a deep thought while waiting for the green light. I’m sorry for the disturbance,” she answered as she continued on her way.

A way without directions, actually. It’s  just her alibis that they have a project with her classmates just to get away from her step-father. But her feet lead her to the church where she’s  one of the choir members. Kung sabagay, wala siyanh ibang pinupuntahan kundi sa simbahan kung saan isa siyang membro.

“Buenas noches, Stephanie. No tenemos una práctica. Entonces, ¿qué estás haciendo aquí? ¿Tienes algunas consultas?"(Good evening, Stephanie. We don't have a practice. So, what are you doing here? Do you have some queries?)"

The mother superior asked her immediately when she noticed her.

“"Lo mismo para ti, Madre Superior. No, solo vine a rezar solo. Por cierto, estoy perturbado. Le mentí a mi madre que iría con mis compañeros de clase para hacer algunos proyectos, pero la verdad es que quiero alejarme de ellos.(“Same to you, Mother Superior. No, I just came to pray alone. I’m disturbed, by the way. I lied to my Mom that I would go with my classmates to do some projects, but the truth is I want to get away from them.”)

And yes! The mother superior knows everything about her and her step-father. If she didn’t confess something to her, is the truths that she almost lost her precious virginity to him.

“If that’s the case, go inside the confession room, my dear daughter. You are not new in praying. So, you already what’s your next step. As long as your heart and mind will collide, you can fight and drive those temptations away,” Mother superior explains.

Stephanie just smiled and nodded her head to the mother superior before entering the confession room. But as she stepped into the church door, she knelt down to the floor and closed her eyes and made her way.

“Padre Dios en el cielo, por favor ayúdame a superar toda esta tentación. Muéstrame el camino correcto. Ya soy un pecador para que conozca mis sentimientos reales mientras lo fantaseo. Por favor, Dios mío.(Father God in heaven, please help me to overcome all this temptation. Show me the right way. I am a sinner already in letting him to know my real feelings as I fantasises him. Please, my God.)”

She enthusiastically and passionately prayed while kneeling on the ground. And after sometimes of praying ardently, she stand up and went inside the confession room.

AFTER SOMETIMES, when she was done confessing, she once again prayed before leaving. 

“Hmmm... They will think more if I will go back home now. It’s still early, so I will go somewhere--- Oh! I remember  now! The mall is still open or in the park.”

She smiled with pure heart when she stepped out of the church. To avoid any further confusion and errors, she need to do something in a proper way. They might not the wealthiest creature’s alive in Madrid Spain. But they have more than enough. According to her parents, they were from the Philippines. But way back then up to the present, they are working for the country. And the royal monarchy of Spain graced and bestowed them the citizenship and huge amount of euros. At gigit sa lahat ay scholarship niya mula grade school hanggang makapagtapos sa university.

Pero!

“Oh, I’m sorry, Miss. I’m in a hurry. I didn’t mean to bump at you,” a young boy asked for forgiveness. 

But since that she’s also at fault, she smiled and answered immediately.

“Walang problema, Mister. Just go on your way if you are busy. I’m going as well,” Stephanie said.

Akala nga niya ay aalis na ito pero muli namang nagwika at ipinakilala ang sarili.

“By the way, my name is Gonzalo Rodriguez. How about you?” he extended his righ

“Stephanie Fuentebella.” She accepted his hand and shook it off.

But it doesn’t ends there. The young boy insisted for them to have snack or dinner before separating their ways. That is why, Stephanie didn’t have a chance to disagree. She doesn’t want to be disrespectful, by the way.

“NO, Gonzalo. I will decline your request. Because my mother doesn’t know that I am here. Some other time since that you took my mobile number. You can call me anytime.” She respectfully refuses his offer to accompany her.

She refused it. Yes, that’s true. But it doesn’t mean that she don’t like to be friended with him. Her mother trusts that she is with her classmates, not with a man. And besides, her daddy Ramil will get angry if there’s any other man who gets close to her.

'At bakit siya magagalit? Hah! Nandiyan naman si Mommy para sa kaniya eh!' Nagmistula tuloy siyang bubuyog na bulong nang bulong. Hindi lang iyon, napaismid pa siya ng wala sa oras.

 

But!

AS she reached their home, and parked her car. She went directly to her room. But before she can open it, it swang voluntarily.

But the more shocking part is, the person who’s waiting purposely to her and opened the door!