The city is in great shape. I took out my phone from my bag and proceeded to position it by the car's window. For some reason, something is not right here... Magt-thirty minutes na akong nasa car... I looked outside once again. Omg! Lumingon ako sa driver. My heart is pounding so fast! "Excuse me, I think this is not--" "Talk and get killed," he said nang itutok niya sa akin ang baril. My eyes widened. He is still driving though... with his left hand. While the other... My heart keeps on racing. I can feel my sweat kahit na nakabukas yung airconditioner... The same thing... it keeps on happening. Why me? Dad... do I have to go through this just to get to you? Nakatingin lang ako sa baba. I closed my eyes. I can feel it. Just like before... omg! That time, the first time a gun was near me... he was there. The second time at his apartment... He was exactly on time. I'm pathetic. Why is this stupid heart of mine still waiting for him? He lied to you, Daliah! Probably he did that just to earn my trust! I can't believe... just because of money. He was able to put up an act. Somehow, my hatred grew bigger than my current situation. The question is, bakit kailangan ni dad na magstay ako dito? I need to find out. But how? I'm in this car... breathing my last moments. Iniangat ko yung tingin ko nang maramdaman kong tumigil yung car. He is not aiming his gun at me kasi may hinahanap siya sa harap. I sighed. Humarap siya sa akin. "Take this," inabot niya sa akin ang isang booklet. Wait what? Is this a passport? With new name... ako pa rin yung nasa picture though it kinda looks different. May nakaipit na paper kaya tiningnan ko rin. Europe... Italy. "Your father is there. Go and--" "Why is he there? I know that--" "Shut up and get out! Take that with you and go to him." I froze in my seat. What is his deal? Tsaka, bakit ko kailangang lumabas? I mean, for everything that had happened to me these days, I thought they are going to get me and put me somewhere... some kind of custody... So bakit 'di na lang niya ako ihatid? Not that I want to be with this man... Feeling ko lang, may mali. "Get out," he said nang muli ay itutok niya sa akin ang black gun niya Napaatras ako sa seat at naramdaman ko na naman ang mabilis na tibok ng heart ko. I immediately opened the door and got out. The car then drove away. Where am I supposed to go now? This looks like an alleyway... and it's quiet. Napapalibutan ako ng likod ng mga buildings. I can't see anyone here! I looked around. Sundan ko na lang kaya yung pinuntahan nung car? I walked toward the direction where the car went to. I gripped my sling bag tightly. Am I walking in the right place? I know that he is not in Europe... He won't be. So why... Napaluhod ako sa ground. I held the passport. Halatang hindi 'to makakadaan ng customs so why? I can tell the bad designing of it. Uneven cuts... Napalingon ako sa likod ko nang may marinig akong motorcycle. The motorcycle stopped in front of me. With that guy. I stood up and proceeded to run. How the hell did he came here? Is this all planned? Is this a trap so that he can capture me? "Daliah! Stop running!" he shouted. But I just continued running. Even when it hurts, I will run away from you, liar! I can't believe anything from you now. You're very right that time. I don't know you. "Ah!" Sigaw ko nang maabutan niya ako at hinila niya ang elbow ko. I tried pushing him but he just got a hold of both of my wrists! "Stop! Get off of me!" "You don't know what's ahead of you! Don't put yourself in danger here!" Ha? Anong ibig niyang sabihin? Is this one of his lies... again? I tried squirming but his hold just got firm. It hurts. Is he really this devoted to his job? Even if he works for my dad, I don't want to be here anymore! I want to know my dad's side! Why would he keep me in here? In danger? I want to know! "Ah!" I pushed him but he won't even budge! "You're coming with me," he said nang hilahin niya ako palapit sa motorcycle niya. "I'm not, you liar!" I screamed. What an unlucky situation. Walang tao dito. Hinarap niya ako. His face inches towards me. "Follow me and you won't get hurt," his eyes... I looked away. Is this a threat? Because his lies aren't working anymore? "Stop this, Marcus." I stopped moving and he just looked at me. "I...I--ah!" I screamed once again when he pulled me towards him, pushing him to the floor. Now I'm on top of him. But what startled me... is the firecraker like sound! Like a 'thud' near me! What the hell was that?! I pushed him and nagtangka akong tumayo nang hilahin niya ako. "Stay down!" he whispered. "Ah!" I screamed and instinctively nang may narinig ulit akong 'thud', napakapit ako sa kaniya. I held unto him tightly. What the hell was that sound?! And it's near us! Umayos siya ng upo, forcing me to do the same. I looked at him. Agad ko siyang binitawan nang mapansin na hawak ko siya. "Duck your head and we will crawl to my motor. Understood?" "Why would I listen to you?" I said. I'm scared but I don't want to go with him! He held both my shoulders firmly and stared directly into my eyes. I cannot take the intensity of his eyes so I looked away. "Daliah, looked at me. Hey..." I didn't move my head from down. "You don't know what your parents can do...but I know them," he said. What does he mean now? What does he know? "Stop it." I pusehd him. "Daliah," he calls out. "...I cared. I really did. Please... trust me," he continued. Maya-maya pa ay may narinig na naman akong firecracker-like na sound. I don't think that's a firecracker though! "Let's just get out of here!" I screamed to him. Sumakay na kami ng motorcycle niya. "Hold unto me tightly. Don't ever let go," he said nang umandar na yung motor. I'm holding unto his shoulders. Why... why am I here again? Am I going to repeat the whole cycle again? Bakit ba hindi ko magawang umalis? Bakit? For some reason... my body moved as if it has its own mind. In this breezy feeling of the wind, embracing me, I felt the warmth I've been looking for. My arms are around his waist. I can't... I can't let go. I closed my eyes. For once, I want to feel the warmth longer... "Daliah, we're here." he calls out. Agad akong humiwalay sa kaniya at bumaba ng motorcycle. This place... "Here," may inabot siya sa akin. I reached the thing-- a plane ticket? Tumingin ako sa kaniya. How did he... and why? "Just get out of here and go. Leave me... and live." Ha? What the hell is happening now? "Hindi ka sasama?" I asked. I mean, I still don't want to be with him but... "In approximately seventeen hours and forty-two minutes, you will get there. Again, I'm sorry--" I held unto the ticket. "If... if you're really sorry, come with me! Prove me this is all not a lie!" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa ginawa niya. This feeling... of warmth and security... His arms around me felt... like I'm home. I can feel his breathing down my neck. "I know I cannot reason with you right now... so maybe, like how others do, feelings will convey my message." My heart pounded loudly in my chest. "M-Marcus..." His voice echoed. It is as if I can't here anything but him. And my heart... "Hindi ko alam bakit mo ginawa yun--" "Not the money. But partly, yes." "Right... I don't know... I still, I can't understand." I pushed him lightly so that I can face him. Bakit kahit ganoon yung nangyari, I can still feel peace? Why am I okay with this? Dad... I'll come to you. By that time, answer me, dad.