AlONE (Chapter 5)

Nakita ni Lorraine na may luha sa isang page ng diary ni Clarissa. "Minahal niya talaga ako." Sinara niya ang diary. Nilagay ito sa lamesa kung saan nakalagay ang lampshade. Kinuha ang phone sa right side na table kung saan may lampshade din at tumawag sa presinto. Kung saan nakakulong si Clarissa.
"Pasay Police-" the receiver of the call was interrupted when Lorraine spoke.
"This is SPO3 Lorraine dela Cruz. I want to talk to Clarissa Canlas." She got out of bed and stood near the window of her condo unit. From this view, makikita ang police station pero medyo may kalayuan ito. Nasa 6th floor kasi ang room ni Lorraine kaya kita ang presinto.
"Saglit lang po, ma'am." Footsteps weren't heard. Sigaw lang ng receiver ang narinig. Tinakpan siguro ang speaker dahil medyo mahina ang pagtawag nito. "Parating na po."
"Teka, sinabi mo bang ako yung tumawag?" Sabay talikod sa bintana at sumandal.
"Hindi po, ma'am. Ahh, andito na po siya." Siguro naintindihan nung nakatanggap ng tawag ang ibig sabihin ni Lorraine kaya't hindi niya sinabi kung sino ang tumawag kay Clarissa.
"Hello?" After receiving the telephone. Patanong ang boses niya dahil hindi alam ni Clarissa kung sino ang tumatawag sa kanya.
"Uhm." Lorraine was upset. She turned her head to look at the window. Nakita niyang hindi naka-ilaw ang isang security light sa presinto.
"Lorraine!" mahinhin na pagkasabi ni Clarissa pero you can see her happiness.
"Pakisabi sa guard na naka-post diyan ngayon pailawin niya yung isang security light." And now, she turned her whole body to look closely.
"Saglit lang," hindi na tinakpan ni Clarissa ang speaker. Katabi lang niya kasi ang guard and she said it to him effortlessly.
Ilang seconds lang, naka-ilaw na ang security light. Lorraine said thank you to Clarissa. She was about to hang up the phone when Clarissa stopped her.
"Pwede ba kitang maka-usap kahit saglit?" Nag-aalanganin pang nagtanong si Clarissa.
"Ayoko. Matutulog na ako." She finally hang up the phone and went to bed to sleep.
Kinabukasan, maagang umalis si Lorraine sa condo and headed straightly to Collins' house.
She pressed the doorbell. It took a while for the gate to be opened. Si Mrs. Collins ang nag-bukas.
"Hey! Hello Lorraine. Come on, let's have a tea first before going to the court." Pina-una niya si Lorraine sa pag-pasok then she closed their gate. It was painted gold. Kung titignan, para na ring mansyon ang bahay nila. Iyon ang naging bunga sa matagal na pagta-trabaho nila sa family nila Carlo.
Dere-deretso na si Lorraine sa bahay nila since parang anak na rin ang turing sa kanya ng mga ito. The house is an Italian style home and the inside as well. The door is so elegant. Ang bahay ng mga Collins ay laging nafea-feature sa mga magazines but of course, hindi sa magazines ng Collins. The furnitures were imported from Europe and New york. Dahil sa numerous success ng family nila, sila ang nag top 3 sa most-improved family around the world due to hard work.
Samantalang si Lorraine naman ay nag-top 1 sa most successful magna cum laude student nationwide. Nag-top 9 naman siya sa most influential Harvardian student sa Harvard University. Lahat ng ito ay bunga ng hard works ni Lorraine. Maraming sakripisyo ang ibinigay niya hindi para makagawa ng pangalan. Lahat ng ginagawa niya ay para sa paghi-higanti niya. Naniniwala siyang kapag may kapangyarihan ka, madali mong mapapasunod ang mga tao.
Pumuntang receiving area si Lorraine. Nakasanayan na'ng pag nagmamadali si Lorraine at nag-punta sa bahay ng mga Collins, uupo siya sa receiving area. Kung sa living room kasi siya uupo, bubuksan palagi ni Mrs. Bernice ang t.v. at magku-kwentuhan sila ni Lorraine ng buong mag-damag. They enjoy each others' company.
"It's still early, my dear. Why don't you have some cup of tea?" Napaka-bait ni Mrs. Bernice sa kanya. Dahil anak ang turing niya kay Lorraine at nanay naman ang turing sa kanya ni Lorraine, parang mag-ina ang asta nila.
"I have to be early, Mrs. Bernice. Remember, it's my day. I've been waiting for this ever since."
"You know what," tinabihan siya ni Mrs. Bernice, "you don't have to do this, my dear." She always call her dear. "You always have to forget the dreadful past and always remember the good one. Nothing will happen if you'll always do that."
"But Luke isn't a past. He's still a present for me." She looked at Mrs. Bernice pathetically.
"No. Luke is a past. If he's still a present he should be here with us by now. Hija, sapat na sa amin ni Lucio ang maparusahan si Clarissa for such a long time. Pero ang patawan siya ng kamatayan eh sobra naman ata yun."
"It's just right. It suits her than to live." She looked away at nakakunot ang noo niya.
"Alam mo kung anong kulang sa'yo?" Tinignan muna siya ni Mrs. Bernice then spoke again, "You're not forgetting your past. Ewan ko ba kung bakit gustong-gusto mong makulong sa past mo. Now, it looks like na ikaw ang nakakulong at hindi si Clarissa."
"I can't help it." She bowed her head. Later on, she cried. Mrs. Bernice hugged her.
"You have to. In a world like this, we ain't perfect, my dear. We are sinful people. Pero it doesn't mean na hindi mo na titignan ang mga wrong deeds mo. You have to correct them. Hindi lang si Clarissa ang nagka-sala, pati ikaw. Kung kakalimutan mo na ang lahat, magiging magaan ang pakiramdam mo. I promise you, my dear."
Lorraine stopped crying and looked to Mrs. Bernice. "When I read that diary. The one that Clarissa gave me, well honestly, naramdaman ko na kailangan ko siyang patawarin. Pero nung nabasa ko yung part na pinatay niya si Luke, bumabalik ang hatred ko sa kanya."
"Your hatred will be eternal if you will not attempt to forget it. I'm telling you this my dear for your own sake."
She stood up and sighed, "But I've worked hard for this. So I must continue this." She kissed Mrs. Bernice on her cheeks and said, "See you at the court."
"Poor child," yun na lang ang nasabi ni Mrs. Bernice.