I pushed him. What the hell is even happening? I don't know na... Argh! I can't stand but umusog ako palayo sa kaniya. He is crouching in front of me. "Daliah," "Enough now! I don't know... Marcus! What the hell is this?! Bakit sila... bakit ganoon... they just followed you without questions..." I stared at his eyes. Those deceiving eyes of his... But I can't help it... I still see those eyes that captured me. "Daliah, I just infiltrated their security, I have no idea what's happening right now too," he replied, still crouching on the floor, eyes on me. Napatingin ako sa fist niya. Pati sa shirt niya... right there's blood there. What the hell did he even do? Just to... settle things. Worse, ako pa ang dahilan. "We need to leave this place right now. I settled things with them... but I didn't think..." he murmured something. Settled things with them. Right. So we are going to leave this place because he settled things for me. Gosh, this is just too much. Tumayo ako at hinarap siya. Ganoon din ginawa niya. "This is enough Marcus. I'm not going with you. Madadamay ka lang lalo." Lumapit siya sa akin, " It is not. Come with me, Daliah. Somebody agreed to fund me and my business, let's go to my new office. For refuge temporarily." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. New office? Why does he want me there? I will only ruin his life... okay na pala siya... I can't be saved from this mess anymore. My heart is pounding in my chest. Just a minute ago, I... I was about to be killed. Now here I am, still given a chance... at his cost! Going with him is just the same! Umiling ako at tinignan siya ng diretsyo. Gosh, can't believe I am here... and someone is stupid enough to still stay with me. "I won't go..." I replied. His eyes... they are so enticing... ayoko... ayokong akong maging dahilan para mawala ang magandang view na yun... If I could just capture it with my camera... He walked to me and held both of my shoulders, his face slightly leaning to me. "There is not enough time. We need to move before they realize what I did." "You are not listening to me!" I shouted. "...I...I don't want to involve you in this anymore," I continued. He leaned closer, making my heart skip a beat. Why? Why is he doing this? Why is he making everything harder?! "You listen to me, Daliah!" his firm voice struck to me. "Can't you understand? I'm already involved in this." Umiling ulit ako. Ano bang sinasabi niya? Hindi pa huli ang lahat para umalis! Gosh! "Can you stop? Stop helping me! Think about yourself! I don't know what you'll get from doing this, but mind your own life! May investor ka na, okay na! Do your thing! Choose what you want!" I'm tired of being a burden... a responsibility of his. He didn't respond but his eyes... they got darker. "I'm already doing it, Daliah. I'm following it... my desire." What the hell does he mean by that? "I don't know... but I'm not coming with you! This problem is mine!" "You... you already got me involved, and you are now leaving me like this?" I let myself fall on the floor. Bakit ha? Bakit ayaw niyang makinig? Bakit walang nakikinig?! I don't understand why he is acting like this! What does he want from me? Argh! "Ah! I don't know, Marcus! I can get killed, I don't know... dad... I need dad," I embraced myself, feeling the hot tears of mine. Bakit sa akin nangyayari 'to? We were living just fine... him doing his business in our hospital... me just waiting for him. I'm waiting... I'm always waiting. I want to show him pagbalik niya na kaya kong gawin yung sinabi niya. But when is he going back? I got people chasing for me. Tahimik lang ang paligid. I stood up again and there he is, still standing, looking at me. Mas lumapit ako sa kaniya. "If you want to help me, help me get to my dad. I want to go home!" "You are not going anywhere, not with this situation. We should just lay--" "Ah! I want to go home! I... I want to..." I can't help myself. I can't stop these tears anymore. "I want to leave! I want to go back to the Philippines and talk to him!" Dad... I'm scared. I don't know what to do... what have you done... they are after us dad... I just want to take pictures of the world with you. Hindi ko namalayan na hinahampas ko na pala siya. He is just there, standing. Not even a budge. He was a soldier after all... a soldier... with his father being... I looked at him and without hesitating, I hugged him. "H-hey..." Feeling his body against mine, I can feel the warmth again. Everything vanishes. I want to stay like this forever, but even he, like dad... even this might be gone. I hate this. I'm here again, asking for him. "I'm scared...I don't know what to do." I held unto him, my world is spinning. I looked into his eyes. Those eyes are going to leave me... someday... I can't let myself do this... but I just can't. "Daliah, hey," I closed my eyes. He is holding unto me now. "Stay here, I'll get you a drink," he said as he guided me to the couch. I opened my eyes, why is everything spinning now?! I hold unto the hem of his shirt. "I don't want water." I can't look at him. I can't... His eyes... they are always full of something. Something I want to capture. He turned to me, " Alright..." Naglakad na siya papuntang kitchen. I looked down. He is always doing this. How many times have I thought of this? Bakit ba kasi... bakit ba ayaw niyang hayaan na lang ako. One thing is sure for now. My dad did something... and that something has the evidence in the camera he gave me. I didn't use it often, ngayon lang na nandito ako sa New York... Hindi ko alam... ano bang ginawa ni dad? Gosh! My head hurts like hell! I sat up properly when I heard something from the kitchen. Now my head and my heart are pounding like crazy! What happened there...? I can't see properly since ang sakit talaga ng ulo ko... "Here," inabot niya sa akin yung baso. Again, I noticed his wounded hand. "Aren't you going to ten your wound? I mean..." "It's fine." Naupo siya sa couch across me. He is just looking at me. I looked away while drinking. Don't do that. Sumakit ang ulo lalo. The hell? Bakit ba kasi juice ang hiningi ko? I feel... drowsy... Everything went black. Inayos ko na yung mga gamit ko sa luggage ko. I put my sling bag on my bed. Sighing, I can't still decide which cameras of mine should I bring with me. Bakit ba kasi gusto ni dad na pumunta ako ng New York? I can study here... I don't want to be with my uncle there. "You okay there, Lia?" Lumingon ako sa may door ng room ko. Ngayon lang ulit. Ngayon niya lang ulit ako kinausap. Sige dad, gosh... I will do this. If this is what you want. "Lia," he walked towards me. Na-feel kong may sasabihin siya kaya naupo muna ako sa bed beside my luggage. "...remember this camera?" inabot niya sa akin ang isang Black na Vivid Shutter. Ang ganda... Yes dad. I still remember that time. Nilibot ng mga mata ko yung camera. Vintage din. As far as I can remember, pwede ring magrecord ng videos dito. "This is the right time, Lia. Do the right thing for me. I'll give this to you, and you will know what to do." Na-confuse ako sa sinabi ni dad. Anong 'right thing'? "What do you mean dad?" "Take this with you, I'll come for you." H-ha? "Please correct everything. Study harder. Your dad doesn't have the courage..." he continued. Tumayo ako at hinarap siya. "I don't understand, dad. Anong dapat kong gawin? Saka, bakit parang nag go-goodbye ka na?" I asked. Pero ngumiti lang siya sa akin. I don't feel so good about this. "Always remember, I love you, Lia."