Lahat ng Kabanata ng 9 Muses Series #2: Love & Lies: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Inayos ni Josh ang kumot na nakaharang sa hita ko nang mapansin niyang medyo magulo iyon. “Aren’t you cold?” he gently asked. I smirked. And asked teasingly. “Why? Do you want to warm me?” Napaismid naman si Josh, pero nahuli ko pa ang ngiti niya bago ito mapatingin sa harap. Ang cute! Lumapit ako sa kanya, at gagapang na sana sa harapan niya nang tumayo ito bigla, kaya naman ay natawa ako. “Let’s get inside. It’s cold here. You might get sick.” I pursed my lips in amusement. Manghang-mangha akong napatingin kay Josh at mukhang paninindigan nga niya na hindi katawan ko ang habol niya, dahil iwas na iwas talaga ito sa mga panunukso ko sa kanya. “Well, pwede mo naman akong painitin e,” I said smirking. Naningkit naman ang mga mata ni Josh, alam kong naiintindihan niya ang sinabi ko, lalo na’t napansin ko ang pamumula ng kanyang tenga. Napahiga ako sa telang inilatag ko at pinagpatuloy ang pagkonek ng mga bituin sa langit. “Do you believe in fate? Or destiny?” I asked Josh. N

Josh and I been together for a month. At padating na ang pasko, but my family wants to celebrate our Christmas at Ukraine with our mother’s side. Gusto kong magpaiwan at samahan si Josh ngayong pasko, lalo na para ipakita din sa kanya how Filipinos spend their Christmas eve. Alam na ni Josh ang plano ng mga magulang namin and he wants me to go with my family. Pero ayoko talaga. “Family... Is important, Adeline,” he said but he looks like hesitating while saying it. I could tell it was hard for him to say that. But speaking of family, I realized I didn’t know much about Josh. It felt like there was a whole part of him that remained hidden from me. We were cuddled up on his couch, the glow of the Christmas-themed movie casting a warm light around us. His fingers intertwined with mine, a comforting gesture that felt like home. “Tell me about your family, Josh,” I prompted, breaking the comfortable silence. Ramdam ko ang pagkabigla ni Josh, kaya naman ay napatingin ako sa kanya,

JOSH DEPIERO/JOSIAH EROS LUCHESS I stared at Adeline, who’s playing my hands enthusiastically. She’s doodling my hands, and I let her mess it with permanent pens. This side of her is cute. “What do you want to be when you grow, Josh?” She asked. Just to be with your side, Adeline. I wished nothing but us. “Hmm, what do you mean?” I gently asked. She lifted up her gaze on me and squinted her eyes. I chuckled seeing how cute she is when she does that. “I mean once we graduated from highschool. What course do you want to take?” What to say to her? “Do I need to take that?” I asked trying to be innocent, and then she laughed. Oh. Her laughs is really music to my ear. She is the reason why I chose this peaceful life, even though the hell is still chasing the fvking sake out of me. “Of course, Josh! Kailangan. For your job—well, mukhang mayaman ka naman, do you even need to work?” she narrowed her eyes on me, but then she chuckled. I stared at her. The more I spend time with Adel

I had a dream. A very bad dream. Tumatakbo daw ako at may mga lalaking humahabol sa akin. Kaliwa’t kanan ang pagputok ng mga baril at tanging pagtili at pagsigaw lang ang nagagawa ko habang tumatakbo palayo sa kanila. Iyak rin ako ng iyak habang nagdadasal na sana may tumulong sa akin. Funny. Because I’m not religious, pero sa pagkakataong iyon ay nasubukan kong magdasal. I’m in danger. What the heck? I was celebrating a wonderful Christmas ball with Josh, binigyan niya pa ako ng kwintas. Kwintas… Kaagad akong nagising nang maalala ang kwintas. Nagising? Am I sleeping with my conscious thoughts? Nakaramdam ako ng pananakit ng ulo nang kaagaran akong napabalikwas. I muttered a curse due to a severe headache. Ilang beses kong iniling ang ulo ko para mawala ang pananakit, pero mas lalo lang ata akong nakaramdam ng hilo. “Era!” Narinig ko ang boses ni Cali kaya kaagad kong nilingon ang kapatid ko. She’s… crying? Why? “Thanks, God.” she muttered as she held my both hands and she

Nagising ako sa isang hindi pamilyado na lugar. Nakahiga ako sa isang malambot na kama, may mga bahid ng dugo at dumi ang suot kong damit. Kaagad akong napabalikwas nang maalala kong kasama ko sila Cali at Mel kanina, pero nang ilibot ko ang tingin ko sa paligid ay hindi ko sila nakita. “Cali… Mel…” tawag ko sa mga kapatid ko. Kinakabahan ako. Mukhang maayos naman ang lugar ko, pero hindi ko makita ang mga kapatid ko. Did something bad happen to them too? Are they hurt? The gunshots… blood… our driver and bodyguard died… How about my sisters? Nasaan sila… Tatayo na sana ako nang may naramdaman ako sa paa ko, at nang tignan ko iyon ay may kadenang nakatali sa magkabilang paa ko. What the heck?! Ano ito?! Bakit kailangang nakatali ang mga paa ko? Anong akala nila makakatakas ako?! Teka… Am I kidnapped? “Sorry, missy but you’ll be my hostage.” Shit! Naalala ko ang babae! Sino iyon?! “Cali! Mel!” Sigaw ko. Naiiyak ako. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. Abot langit na tal