28

Tahimik ang loob ng sasakyan habang nilalakbay namin ang daan papunta sa bahay namin. Walang makapagsalita sa amin ni Leif. He is probably thinking the facts I told him. We decided to meet my Mom because I know she's the only person who really knows the truth, aside from Leif's Dad.

Leif telling me that he likes me, hit the rock bottom of my emotion. I've been feeling the same. Dahil ba iyon sa lukso ng dugo? Ngayon ko lang din na-realize na mas nakakabaliw ang katotohanang iyon. I've been admiring him since day one, and I'm sure it is not something brotherly.

"Does your Dad already know about Canary?" basag ko sa katahimikan. Dahil kung alam na iyon ng dating presidente, siguradong may kalinawan na ngayon ang lahat.

"I know he's been meeting someone secretly five years after my Mom died," seryosong sagot ni Leif. "And I know for a fact that he had a child bago siya tumakbong presidente. He didn't tell me that, I just accidentally heard him and Mom when they were arguing one time."

"Why can't find it on the news?"

"Alice, he was running for president that time."

Napatango ako. "The child will ruin his image because it's from another woman, right?" usisa ko.

Tumango si Leif. "I really don't know the whole story. Hindi niya yon sinasabi sa akin."

"When did you learn about canary?"

"Remember the day na hinatid kita sa dorm mo dahil umuulan? She was outside your dorm as if waiting for you. She walked out when she saw me," sagot ni Leif. "When you finally went inside, bumaba ako ng kotse, hinabol ko siya. She looked suspicious that day. Naramdaman naman niyang sinusundan ko siya.

She stopped at the convenience store and faced me. Wala siyang sinabi. Hinihintay niya akong magsalita. I asked her what she's doing outside your dorm. Hindi pa siya nakakasagot nang biglang dumating si Lake. That was the first time they met for an assignment, too."

I raised my hands and told him to stop. Hindi ko maproseso ang mga bagong impormasyon na iyon. If that was the first day Lake and Canary met, that was the assignment where he found the paper with my name on it. Was she really looking for me? Pero bakit katulad ng handwriting ko iyon? Sigurado akong hindi pa naman kami nagkikita.

"A week after that, she called me and told me to meet her after class. That was the beginning. We both decided na i-request niya na sa IT room na rin siya mag-serve so we can talk freely."

"And you believed her? With that picture?"

"I knew my Dad had a child, Alice. And everything connects with her and my Dad. Kailangan lang namin ma-confirm sa DNA test bago namin sabihin kay Dad. Ayaw niya pang magpa-test no'ng una because she said mayroon lang siyang ibang bagay na kailangan i-confirm. She was scheduled to do the test yesterday. The results will come out today. She will contact me."

Nanlamig ang mga kamay ko. I was shaking but I tried to focus with the things I heard.

"Her Mom," untag ko nang maalala ko. "Her Mom died. Your Dad surely knew what happened. Pero bakit hindi niya pa rin nahanap si Canary? I told you she's lying."

"She's not Canary's Mom."

"What?!" naiiling kong tanong. "What...."

"Canary has so much to tell."

"She's smart. She can manipulate minds. Via and Lake's family... she ruins them," I almost whispered. "If she's not her Mom then why would she do that to Via? Via's been so kind to her. Kahit gaano pa kasama ang mga sinasabi niya. And Lake... Lake just admires her but she treats him like someone who doesn't deserve anything from her. And you tell me she's telling you the truth? What if she's ruining your family too? Our family?"

"I-I really don't know about it. I can't believe she can do that."

"Does Lake know about you and Canary?"

Marahan siyang tumango habang pino-focus ang sarili sa daan.

"Wala ba siyang nabanggit tungkol sa akin? Did she ever mention me? I'm sure nagulat din siya na may picture ako. And I'm sure she told you about our confrontation. What? What did she tell you? Tinanong mo ba bakit siya nasa labas ng dorm ko no'ng araw na 'yon? She made a fake survey to ruin families!" dire-diretso kong pahayag.

"Alice," halos pabulong na wika ni Leif. "The survey she did was for me. She knows I like you. Gawa-gawa niya lang 'yon so we could spend time together."

"What?!" gulong-gulo kong tanong. I almost curse when my phone rang. Nanginginig ko iyong kinuha sa loob ng bag ko. Tumatawag si Jace.

"Alice," bungad niya sa seryosong boses. "I was the car again and finally gained the courage to go inside your house and see who it is."

"Jace, please," I said while clenching my left fist. Ni-loudspeaker ko iyon dahil malakas ang kutob ko na may kinalaman iyon sa pamilya ko.

"Tita Anna's look wants me dead. Nandito ako sa kusina ninyo and they are on the living room right now," patuloy ni Jace. "I can't be mistaken, he's a former president."

Hindi na ako nagulat sa narinig ko dahil sumagi na iyon sa isip ko. Bahagya ring napalingon si Leif. Nabuhayan ako ng loob dahil kahit ano pang marinig ko kay Leif ay alam kong ako ang totoong anak ni Alexander Soldevilla. Hindi siya pupunta sa Mommy ko para lang sa wala. Canary is a huge scam. She's just a lonely home wrecker.

"I'm on my way there, Jace. I'll explain to you later." Ibababa ko na sana ang tawag nang bigla siyang parang natawa. "Why?"

"May reunion ba kayo or something? Is Via coming?" masaya at excited niyang tanong.

"Why would Via come?" nagtataka at medyo naiinis kong tanong.

"Because your friend just arrived. The one whose Mom died in the hospital. Is it Canary?"