TORRENT

ALMOST an hour later.

"There's nothing in here" saad ng isang miyembro ng swim team. "Are you trying to make a scene just to attract our attention?" sabat naman ng isa. Ito rin ang lalaki rin na kaninang tumawag sa kanyang pervert. Charlie's about to make a retort ng bigla siyang unahan ni Alessandro.

"We've already wasted too much time. Everyone get ready" anito sa maawtoridad na boses. Agad namang nagsunuran ang mga ito ngunit bago iyon hindi siya nakaligtas sa masasamang tingin ipinukol sa direksyon niya.

Were those girls bluffing? Kung totoo man iyon bakit wala silang nakitang ebidensiya? Abala si Charlie sa pag-iisip ng dapat niyang gawin at hindi niya napansin na papalapit si Alessandro sa kanya. Hanggang sa binagtas nito ang maliit na distansiya sa pagitan nilang dalawa, huminto sa may gilid niya at bahagyang yumuko malapit sa kanyang tainga. Napansinghap si Charlie sa init na biglang dumaloy sa katawan niya.

"What a lame excuse. You're getting in my nerves. And for the record, you know I'm very particular with my taste in women. Your getting way over you head, brat"

Biglang sumiklab sa init ang ulo ni Charlie pakiramdam niya sasabog na iyon anumang oras. Lalo na't ng namutawi sa bibig nito ang forbidden word na "brat" na nakakapagpakulo lagi ng dugo niya. Before she knew it—awtomatikong dumapo ang palad ni Charlie sa pisngi ng binata. Sa sobrang lakas ng pagsampal niya dito—namayani ang katahimikan sa buong paligid. Kinakabahang tinignan niya ang bawat miyembro ng swim team na sa sobrang gulat ay nanigas sa mga pwesto nito samantalang si Alessandro animo'y naging estatwa habang nagbabaga ang mga mata na nakatingin sa kanya. Napasinghap si Charlie sa nasaksihan. Mayamaya lamang marahas na kinabig siya sa braso ni Lucas. Sa sobrang higpit ng hawak nito pakiramdam niya mapipilayan na siya.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Lucas hissed.

Pinilit kumawala ni Charlie sa mahigpit na pagkakahawak nito ngunit mas malakas ito sa kanya. Namalayan na lamang ng dalaga na marahas siyang hinila nito at pabalyang sinandal sa pader. Her back throbbed in pain. Lumipat ang dalawang kamay nito sa pader at naging bitag siya sa mga bisig nito. Nanlalaki ang mga matang tinitigan niya ito. Ngumisi si Lucas.

"Lucas, calm down" mahinahong pakiusap ng isa nitong kasamahan. His voice somehow sounds familiar.

"She slapped him!" Lucas reasoned indignantly without taking his eyes off her.

"I know but you shouldn't be doing this. You're scaring her"

Scaring her? Hindi siya natata— Charlie choked back a gasped when Lucas suddenly touched her shoulders hard. "Damn it! I've had enough with these prefects! I'm going to teach her a lesson!" Lucas bit out ignoring his friend's protests.

Charlie frantically searches for Alessandro's eyes pero kahit anong gawing hanap niya hindi niya ito makita. Hinaharangan siya ni Lucas. Sinubukan niyang sipain ang binata pero agad itong nakaiwas at mas lalo lamang nitong nilapit ang katawan nito sa kanya. At that moment, panic seizes her. Her chest started to hurt, she couldn't breathe at all and it feels like she's slowly drowning in darkness What's happening to her?

"That's right! It's about damn time!"

"They've been an annoyance for years. They should know not to mess with us" dagdag pa ng isa.

"Stop it guys! Calm down" muling pakiusap ng isa sa mga kasamahan.

"Shut up Stefan!"

Suddenly their voices became faint as if Charlie's hearing it from another time. Foreign memories flashed by her mind in a blur. She's suddenly scared out of her mind she couldn't think straight. She doesn't understand what's happening to her. Everything…everything is just out of focus. Charlie wanted to puke her brains out because of what she's feeling and she want it to stop.

It's dark. I'm scared. Help.

Please stop! I'll be a good girl.

"What is this? Scared now? I haven't done anything yet"

Bigla siyang nakarinig ng isang impit na iyak na naging isang hagulgol. Palakas ng palakas iyon at pakiramdam niya mabibingi na siya. Bigla namang lumuwag ang pagkakahawak sa kanya. Charlie took that chance. She blindly tried to get away scrambling on her feet, stumbling many times and white hot pain seared her skin. Her hands suddenly felt sticky.

What's going on? I can't see anything.

"What the hell?! Stop it! Stop crying!" natatarantang bulalas ng isang boses sa direksyon niya.

Sinong umiiiyak? Realization hit her like a tidal wave when she suddenly tasted her own salty tears. You're crying stupid and you're doing one hell of a job.

ANIMO`Y binuhusan ng malamig na tubig si Alessandro sa narinig niyang hagulgol. Bago pa man rumehistro sa utak niya ang mga nangyayari—ang unang natagpuan ng kanyang mga mata ay ang pinanggalingan ng boses na iyon. Nakita niya ito. Nakasiksik sa may isang sulok, nakayuko at subsob ang mukha sa may pagitan ng mga hita habang patuloy na umiiyak at nanginginig ang buong katawan sa takot. He was just too caught up with the slap hindi niya sigurado kung anong nangyari ngunit biglang niyang napansin si Lucas na nakatayo di kalayuan sa may dalaga. Natataranta. And then he knew. In an instant he was consumed with cold rage.

"What the hell did you do?!" nagpupuyos sa galit na singhal niya kay Lucas. Marahas niyang naikuyom ang mga palad. Napaurong naman palayo si Lucas dahil sa tono ng boses ni Alessandro.

"Hindi ko sinasadya. I was just trying to scare her" pagdadahilan nito habang hindi makatingin ng maayos sa mukha niya.

"Well, you certainly did" seryosong saad ni Stefan. Sinubukan nitong lumapit kay Charlie pero lalo lamang itong nagsumiksik sa gilid na animo`y pilit na pinapaliit ang sarili. Nagmamadaling lumayo si Stefan at nag-aalalang tumingin sa kanya. Nailamukos naman ni Lucas ang mga palad sa mukha nito at nagsimulang magpabalik-balik ng lakad na parang naiihing pusa.

"Captain…" alangang tawag sa kanya ni Stefan. "What are we going to do?"

"Just leave her be! She's just overreacting!" natatarantang asik ni Lucas. Hindi na napigilan ni Alessandro ang sarili. Sinugod niya ito at ubod ng lakas na sinuntok ito sa mukha. Tumilapon naman si Lucas at tumama sa pader bago tuluyang nasadlak sa sahig sa lakas ng suntok na natamo ngunit hindi pa iyon naging sapat para kay Alessandro. He wanted to break every bone in his body to release his fury. He knew that he's being too violent but he couldn't help himself just hearing her cry did something to him. It was his undoing.

"Hell! I was just trying to help!" singhal ng binata habang nakaupo ito sa semento at pinupunasan ang tumutulong dugo sa may ilong nito. Pulang pula ang mukha nito sa galit.

"At tingnan mo ang ginawa mo!" sumisiklab sa galit na bulyaw niya. "God Lucas! Kapag may nangyaring masama sa kan—"

"Tama na! Walang mare-resolve kung mag-aaway lang kayo. Tulungan muna natin si Charlaina" agad na awat ni Stefan.

Tama si Stefan. Kailangan niyang kumalma at hanapan ng solusyon ang problema kay Charlaina. He'll punished Lucas when this is over. Nag-aalalang binalik niya ang tingin sa dalaga. She looked scared out of her mind and she`s trembling hard something in his chest squeezes so hard he couldn't breathe. Dahan-dahang niyang nilapitan ito. Nang makita niya sa malapitan ang kalagayan nito pakiramdam ni Alessandro may malaking batong bumara sa lalamunan niya. Halos garalgal ang tinig na sinubukan niya itong kausapin.

"Ms. San—tiago, ca—n you hear me?"

Hindi ito sumagot bagkus lalo lamang itong nagsumiksik sa may gilid. Alessandro squatted down until he's within her eye level then he held out his hand planning to touch her shoulder but then as if sensing him—Charlie flinched so fast she knocked herself hard in the wall.

"Don't touch me. Please…don`t hurt me...please!"

Alessandro frozed, not knowing what to do next. Kinakailangan niyang maging maingat kundi may posibilidad na mas lalong lumala ang eratikong kilos nito. She looked completely terrified and there`s a haunted look in her eyes that terrified him too. Kasalanan niya ang nangyari. Everything came down to this because he's being obstinate about his feelings and ended taking it out on her. He needed to fix this.

"Calm down. Everything will be fine. I won`t let anyone hurt you"

Hindi siya nito narinig. Lalo lamang nitong sinubukang lumayo sa kanya matapos nitong makailang ulit na matumba at tumama sa kung saan. Gusto niyang tumakbo sa tabi ng dalaga ngunit kapag lumalapit siya mas lalo itong natataranta at nasasaktan nito ang sarili. Panandalian siyang lumayo dito. Tinignan niya ang mga kasamahan ngunit nag-iwas ang mga ito ng tingin. Binalot ng tensiyon ang paligid.

"Don't crowd her. Just stay in one place" malamig ang boses na utos niya sa mga ito. Nagmamadali namang sumunod ang bawat isa. Muli niyang binalik ang atensiyon sa dalaga. He tried reaching out again. Muli siyang lumapit dito ngunit naglagay pa rin siya ng sapat na distansiya para hindi ito mabigla.

"Charlaina I won`t hurt you, I promise. Just please listen to me" Alessandro pleaded gently. He tried seeking out her eyes again and as if she knows what exactly he's doing, she slowly raises her head and meets his. Time frozes between them but his heartbeat became erratic. There`s a foreign feeling that grows in his chest like a flower blooming—slowly unraveling. Alessandro smiled. That's it. The same warm golden brown eyes he gradually seeks amidst the masses of people. The same eyes that always stare back at him with undeniable defiance and bravery but also belie a barely hidden but growing admiration for him and as stubborn and defiant as she is, he planned to extinguish that growing admiration before Charlaina could even realize it. He can't—no he won't reciprocate her feelings if it ever comes down to that. It's not just possible for him.

"What's going on here?"

Alessandro jolted out of his stupor and he was snap back to reality—the reality of what happened and the consequences they will face because of their recklessness. Everyone knew that and everyone looked completely terrified but then he realized he didn't care. Hindi pa rin mapalis ang tingin niya sa mga mata ni Charlaina na kasalukuyan pa ring nakatutok sa kanya ng mga sandaling iyon. Wala na siyang pakialam sa kung anumang mangyayari. Ang priority niya ay siguraduhing maging maayos si Charlaina.

"Answer my question! What's going on here?!" Coah Rodriguez asked again, growing irritated by the second.

"What the hell did you do to her?" nagngangalit na sigaw naman ng lalaki na biglang sumulpot sa may tabi ni Coach. Kumaripas ito ng takbo sa direksyon nila ni Charlaina. Then, he knocked her away from her. Hinawakan nito sa magkabilang balikat si Charlaina at niyugyog ito.

Who the heck is this guy?

"Charlie ayos ka lang ba? Anong nangyari? Charlie sumagot ka" natatarantang saad nito. Alessandro was about to tell him to back off before he make things worse but surprisingly Charlaina responsed almost herself again. "Kev—Kevin" nanghihinang tawag nito sa pangalan ng binata. Alessandro`s jaw tightened uncontrollably.

"Ayos ka lang ba?" Tumango ito.

"Sinaktan ka ba nila?"

"Huh?"

"Sinaktan ka ba nila?" ulit na tanong ni Kevin dito

"Hindi…I mean hindi ko alam" naguguluhang sagot nito.

"Where did you get this scrapes?"

"Wala naman akong suga—" natigilan si Charlaina ng dahan-dahang hinawakan ni Kevin ang kamay ng dalaga at pinakita iyon dito. Alessandro didn't see it earlier. Charlaina's hand had visible scrapes and some were really bleeding. Alessandro cursed suddenly out of his wits and Lucas visibly flinched.

"Anong ibig sabihin nito Hindi ba ito sugat?" mahina ngunit nagpupuyos sa galit ang boses na tanong ni Kevin. Biglang nagbago ang temperatura ng paligid. Alessandro could almost feel his blistering anger.

"May sugat ako" Charlie stated like she couldn't believe it herself. "Hindi ko naramdaman na nasugatan ako. Anong nangyari?"

"Damn it!" Kevin cursed out loud.

"Kevin! Wait—"

"Who did this to her?" Kevin growled out. Clearly in no mood to listen for explanations. "Who?" nagliliyab ang mga mata sa galit na muling bulyaw nito sa kanilang lahat. Alessandro suddenly felt annoyed instead of threatened with Kevin`s scathing stare. Namalayan na lamang niya ang sarili na nagsalita. "I did" he said coolly without further preamble.

"Alex?" hindi makapaniwalang tawag sa kanya ni Coach Rodriguez. Muntikan na niyang makalimutan na kasalukuyan pa lang nandoon si Coach. Animo'y naestatwa ito sa kinatatayuan dahil sa narinig.

"Hindi Kevin. Wait—"nagmamadaling saad ni Charlaina ngunit inunahan na niya ito.

"What are you going to do then Mr.Prefect?" Alessandro asked smug.

Animo`y nagngangalit na toro na sinugod siya nito at marahas siyang binalya sa may locker pagkatapos ay mariing dinikit ni Kevin ang isang braso sa leeg niya. Unti-unti siyang kinakapusan ng hininga. "You damned freak! Apologize!" Kevin hissed out.

What a hot-headed ass. Anyway this could entertain him for awhile. To keep his mind off other things.

Alessandro snickered. "Wh—y wou—ld I?" pabalewalang saad niya habang nahihirapan pa ring huminga. Hindi niya mapigilan ang sarili na wag galitin ito. Kevin`s anger reached the boiling point. Tumaas ang kamao nito at akmang susuntukin na siya ng agad na kumaripas ng takbo ang ilang ka-miyembro niya para pigilan ang binata. Napaghiwalay silang dalawa ngunit lalo lamang umigting ang galit ni Kevin. Pumagitna na si Coach Rodriguez sa nangyayaring kaguluhan.

"KEVIN! Tumigil ka na!" awat ni Coach Rodriguez dito.

"Hindi ko palalagpasin ang ginawa nila kay Charlie!"

"It's the prefect's fault, Coach. Basta-basta na lang pumasok ang kasama niya at sinabing may nakalagay daw na video cam dito sa loob pero ang totoo wala naman. We looked everywhere. She's a liar" biglang singit na saad ni Theodore.

"Don't just call her names, you punk!" Kevin yelled.

"Kevin, tama na. Umalis na lang tayo" pag-awat naman ni Charlie dito. Nakalapit na rin pala ito sa kanila ng hindi niya namamalayan.

"I'm afraid we don't have a choice but to report this if you don't stop right now!" muling babala ni Coach Rodriguez kay Kevin. Namumula na ang buong mukha nito sa galit.

"I already told you I don't care!"

"Hindi kita hahayaan sa gusto mo Kevin. It's all just a misunderstanding. Walang dahilan para maging bayolente ka at saktan ang alaga ko"

"She's not a liar" Kevin shot back.

"But you have no proof that she's telling the truth either. Let this go Kevin. We have an exhibition game in an hour. Just do your job. Don't cause any trouble for us"

"Kevin, tara na. Please!" muling pagpupumilit na yaya ni Charlaina dito ngunit hindi pa rin ito natitinag. Tinapatan ni Alessandro ang tingin nito. Wala siyang balak umatras.

"Your daughter Beatrice Mae Rodriguez was caught illegally breaking in the school property early morning today" out of nowhere a girl said saucily, suddenly strutting inside the room with confidence and barely contained seething anger. "She broke some windows just to get in and was about to put a video camera inside the locker room. Nagkataon lang na nahuli ko siya kaya talagang wala kayong makikitang video cam ngayon sa loob. I was planning to let it go since there's no serious harm done but now I don't think I should. Since were here to do our job just as you said Coach Rodriguez, it's only natural that I'll inform this to the authorities and wait for the appropriate punishment for your daughter don't you think?" she continued zeroing her eyes towards their Coach. If she's not mistaken, it is Katerina Lopez, VP of the Prefects.

"Ano—ng ibig mo—ng sabihin?" naguguluhang tanong nito.

"As I was saying, your daughter will be punished. Breaking and entering, damaging the school properties and stuff, attempting intentional harm to her schoolmates that's boat load of freaking violations Coach Rodriguez. I don't want to be rude but I'll say this now expect to be visiting the Prefects office as well as the Chairman along with your daughter anytime soon"

"What?" namumutlang bulalas nito. Mukhang mahihimatay si Coach dahil sa mga narinig. Kahit si Alessandro biglang nilamon ng guilt dahil sa nalaman.

"Kath" mahinang tawag ni Charlaina sa kaibigan.

"What?"

"Just let this go"

"No. Kevin's right. They hurt you" Kath snapped.

"We didn't hurt her!" almost everybody said in unison. "Only Lucas did! He backed her up in the wall" muling depensa ni Theodore sa sarili. He couldn't shut up could he?

"You're right maybe only Lucas did hurt her nonetheless I'm pretty sure you guys are also at fault. You ganged up on her. You didn't try to stop him don't you? Maybe you even cheered Lucas into doing that. Am I wrong?"

Lucas looked like he wanted to bolt out of the room. Nilamon ang paligid ng nakakabinging katahimikan ng agad iyong basagin ni Coach Rodriguez.

"Ms. Lopez maybe we can talk about this—" ani Coach Rodriguez but Alessandro cut him off. "We don't deny it" Nanlalaki ang mga matang napatitig sa kanya ang lahat lalo na si Charlaina ngunit hindi niya hinayaan ang sariling madala na naman ng kung anong nararamdaman niya bagkus ay tinutok ang atensyon kay Lopez.

"Well, that make's things a lot easy" anito.

"And were ready to accept the punishment just one favor though. Can we still please continue the exhibition game today? Everyone is waiting for us"

"Of course, I won't be keeping you then" kalmadong pagpayag nito.

"Let's go Charlie" hinila na ni Kath palabas si Charlaina. Sumunod naman si Kevin na naghandog muna sa kanila ng isang nakamamatay na tingin bago tuluyang lumabas ng kwarto. Nang tuluyang makaalis ang mga ito, napahugot siya ng isang malalim na buntong hininga bago muling hinarap ang mga kasamahan. Wala pa ring nagsasalita sa mga ito kahit ang Coach nila ay nanatiling nakatulala sa kawalan. Alessandro sighed and he clapped his hands loudly.

"Well guys let's get this show on the road" Alessandro said cheerily towards his teammates. It didn't have the desired effect. No one move nor speak. Alesaandro felt his patience thinning. "If you don't move your ass out of this room you'll find yourself in a very bad situation WITH ME" he growled out loudly. His voice thundered across the room. That did it. Everyone scrambled on their feet.