ANG INGAY mula sa kanyang alarm clock ang nagpagising sa kanya. Kinapa niya ang bedside table habang nanatiling nakatalukbong ng kumot.
Nang mapatay niya ang alarm ay hinawi niya ang kumot paalis sa kanyang katawan at tumihaya ng higa sa kanyang kama.
Ilang sandali siyang nakipag-titigan sa kanyang kisame at ninamnam ang katahimikan sa paligid. Maliban sa kanyang paghinga ay wala na siyang iba pang naririnig.
She doesn't want to get off of her bed and come to work, but she had to, she had no choice. No one knew how much patience and effort she needed every day to go to work. She doesn't like her work, she doesn't like the people around her. She doesn't have friends but she's fine with it.
She's fine being alone, she's used to it. Sabrina had been living alone for almost nine years now.
Pahinamad siyang umalis ng kama at hinagilap ang kanyang sapin sa mga paa. Nag-inat siya ng mga braso habang naglalakad patungo sa salaming dingding at hinawi ang makapal na kurtinang nakatabing doon.
Nang masilaw sa araw na pumapasok mula sa labas ay naipikit niya ang mga mata at pinuno ng hangin ang kanyang mga baga. Pagkatapos ng ilang sandali ay pumasok siya sa loob ng banyo at naghanda para sa araw na iyon.
Paglabas ni Sabrina ng kanyang silid ay agad niyang narinig ang mga tinig mula sa kanyang kapitbahay. Isang pamilya ang nakatira sa katabi niyang bahay, sa pagkakaalam niya ay tatlo ang anak ng mag-asawang nakatira roon at triplets. Naririnig niya ang pagtatawanan ng mga bata at ang pagsuway ng mga magulang ng mga ito, hindi niya narinig ang mga iyon kanina dahil soundproof ang kanyang silid.
Isang pagkalalim-lalim na buntung-hininga ang kanyang pinakawalan bago bumaba ng hagdan at tinungo ang kusina upang magkape. Hindi siya kumakain ng kanin sa umaga, kape lang ang karaniwang laman ng kanyang tiyan sa mga ganoong oras.
Pagkaubos ng laman ng kanyang baso ay hinugasan niya iyon at lumabas na ng kanyang bahay.
Akmang bubuksan ni Sabrina ang kanyang kotse nang lumabas ang kanyang mga kapitbahay. Napatingin siya sa mga ito habang tumatakbo ang isang batang lalaki na walang suot na damit at hinahabol naman ang bata ng ina nito.
Patungo sa direksiyon ni Sabrina ang dalawa dahil walang bakod ang mga bahay na naroon.
"Brandy, come back here! You need to take a shower!" sigaw ng ina habang hinahabol ang anak. Tumatawa lang ang bata habang tumatakbo.
Hindi nagbago ang malamig na ekspresyon sa mukha ni Sabrina kahit na nang makitang madapa ang bata malapit sa kanya. Hindi siya nag-abalang tulungan ito, lumapit naman agad ang babae upang alalayan ang bata. Sa tantiya ay ilang taon lang ang tanda ng babae sa kanya.
"I told you not to run around, you can't have ice cream for one week... And where's Martini? It's too early to play hide and seek," sita ng ina sa anak habang pinagpagan ang dumi sa katawan ng bata. Bukod sa pamumula ng balat ay wala itong pasang natamo dahil bermuda grass ang binagsakan nito
The kid groaned and stomped his feet. "Mommy, just two days. One week is unfair, so unfair."
Biglang nanikip ang lalamunan ni Sabrina habang nakatingin sa dalawa kaya iniwas niya ang tingin. Nabuksan na niya ang pinto ng kanyang kotse nang maramdaman ang kiliti sa kanyang paa. Imbes na pumasok ay nanatili siyang nakatayo roon at tumingin sa ibaba. Hanggang sa mahuli niya ang taong kumikiliti sa kanya gamit ang isang feather duster. Narinig pa niya ang hagikhik ng kung sinuman.
Tumalungko siya at hinuli ang feather duster at hinila. Doon lumitaw ang isa pang batang lalaki na kamukha ng batang nadapa. Nakalitaw ang ulo nito mula sa ilalim ng kanyang sasakyan at nakangisi sa kanya.
"Martini, what are you doing there?!" Agad na lumapit ang babae at tinulungan ang anak na makaalis mula sa ilalim ng sasakyan. Kapagkuwan ay tumingin kay Sabrina at mapagpaumanhing ngumiti. "I'm sorry. They're really naughty and handful sometimes... Have a good day, Sabrina."
Hindi alam ni Sabrina na alam ng kanyang mga kapitbahay ang kanyang pangalan ngunit tinanguan niya ang babae bilang tugon.
"Babye, Ms. Pretty Masungit!" nakangising ani ng bata sabay kaway. Tiningnan lang ito ni Sabrina habang sinusupil ang ngiti sa kanyang mga labi.
"Martini, that's not good! I'm sorry, Sab... Let's go inside." Hinawakan ng babae ang kamay ng dalawang bata habang pinapangaralan pa rin at hinila papasok sa loob ng bahay ng mga ito.
Napabuntung-hininga si Sabrina bago tuluyang pumasok sa loob ng kanyang sasakyan at pinaandar paalis.
Pagkarating sa kompanya ay pinagtitinginan pa rin siya ng mga kasamahan sa trabaho. Kagaya ng palagi niyang ginagawa ay hindi niya pinansin ang mga ito at nagtuloy-tuloy sa paglakad papasok sa elevator. Maging ang mga nakasakay roon ay nagbubulungan at alam niyang siya ang pinag-uusapan ng mga ito. Ang sex video niya! At marahil ang nangyari rin kahapon sa sales department.
Nang makarating sa kanyang opisina ay hinarap na niya ang mga papeles na nasa ibabaw ng kanyang lamesa. Marami siyang gagawin at tatapusin sa araw na iyon kaya itinuon niya ang buong pansin sa trabaho.
She may not like her work or the people around her but she still needed to do her best. Or else her father will beat her because it, not physically maybe, but he will try and ruin her self-esteem. He was one of the people who she loathed, next to Apollo Sanford. But he was still her father, she wanted to pay him for sending her to school and working hard was her way of paying her debt. She doesn't want to be indebted to him or anyone else. Maybe time will come and she will be able to unleash herself from her father's grip.
Sabrina was preoccupied with work that she didn't even notice that it was past twelve. Kung hindi pa siya binigyan ng kanyang assistant ng pagkain ay hindi siya makakakain. Nakaramdam siya ng matinding gutom pagkakita sa mga pagkain.
Buong maghapon ay abala siya sa trabaho. Tinigilan lang niya ang ginagawa at isinarado ang computer nang mag alas-singko na ng hapon.
Iginalaw-galaw niya ang mga balikat na nananakit at ang ulo upang maibsan ang pangangalay ng kanyang leeg. Kapagkuwan ay sumandig sa kanyang swivel chair at pinaikot ang upuan paharap sa salaming dingding.
Ipipikit niya sana ang mga mata nang biglang pabalyang bumukas ang pinto ng kanyang opisina. Agad siyang napatingin doon at napatayo nang makita ang kanyang ama na mahahalatang galit base sa ekspresyong nakalarawan sa mukha.
Sabrina saw it coming but she did not move a muscle to avoid or dodge his hand. She accepted the slap he gave her. It was forceful, it was painful, she can even taste the blood in her mouth, but she did not flinch and she did not show any emotion. Her face was cold and her eyes were dead when she met his eyes that were blazing with fury.
"Why did you humiliate Dela Merced?!" He was referring to Christie Dela Merced.
"Why? Are you mad at me for laying a finger on your whore?" she said nonchalantly. She was aware that her father-who was in his late fifties-and Christie were seeing each other. But she doesn't care about their goddamn business, she doesn't care if Christie-who was her age-was having sex with her father.
Bernardo's palm landed on Sabrina's face for the second time. "You ungrateful, wench!"
Sabrina chuckled wryly. She held her head high and gave him a deadpan look. "Says the man who prostituted his daughter!" she muttered flatly. He was one of the reasons why that video happened and had gone viral on the internet.
Noong nakaraang linggo, kaarawan ng isang direktor ng kompanya, si Mr. Dela Merced na tiyuhin ni Christie Dela Merced at kaibigan ng kanyang ama, well, they were both corrupt and evil, birds with the same feathers flock together they say. Pinapunta siya ng kanyang ama sa isang hotel, ang sabi nito ay doon gaganapin ang selebrasyon para sa kaarawan ni Mr. Dela Merced. She doesn't want to come but she was forced to. Only to find out that there was no celebration.
When Sabrina stepped inside the hotel room, she found no one but Mr. Dela Merced inside. The old director deliberately told her that he desired her and that he wanted her as his birthday present. Sabrina went out of the hotel room immediately when she found out his intention.
Clearly, her father sold her off to his friend. Well, she had the worst, this wasn't new to her. He will use her for his personal gain, for him, she was only his servant who was willing to do everything he says.
Sabrina saw him lifting his hand to hurt her again but stopped midair. "Go, do it," she taunted.
He muttered unprintable expletives continuously. Cursing Sabrina for what she did, for being so ungrateful and for beating him with their disputes.
"I regret raising you!" he snarled then marched outside Sabrina's office and slammed the door.
Sabrina was used to hearing those words but it still stung. However, she did not let those words weaken her.
She sat on the sofa and reclined herself on the seat, her eyes were fixed on the ceiling. Her cheek numbed in pain, just like the organ inside her chest.
Ipinikit ni Sabrina ang mga mata at hinilot ang sentidong pumipintig. Narinig niya ang pagbukas ng pinto ngunit hindi niya pinag-kaabalahang imulat ang mga mata. She heard light footsteps approaching her direction, slowly, it was as if that person who entered the room was uncertain if she should come closer.
"Hindi ka pa ba uuwi, Ma'am?"
It was her assistant, Sabrina recognized her voice. She opened her eyes and saw her jerk when their eyes met.
"You can go home, Emma," she muttered flatly.
Napasinghap si Emma sa sinabi ng kanyang boss, iyon ang unang beses na binanggit nito ang kanyang pangalan sa loob ng apat na buwang pagtatrabaho niya rito. Bagaman ay malamig ang boses nito ay nakikita niya ang pagod sa mga mata ni Sabrina.
"Goodbye, Ma'am, mauuna na ako..." Emma then walked towards the door. She grabbed the doorknob and was about to open the door when she stopped and glanced back at Sabrina whose eyes were closed again while leaning on the sofa. "Hang in there."
Sabrina's eyes snapped open but Emma was already outside. For almost nine years in her life, it was the first time she heard someone cheered her up.
She sighed deeply and at the same time, her eyes caught the icepack on the center table. She picked it up and pressed it on her swollen cheek. Sa nakalipas na mga taon ay ngayon lang may nagmalasakit sa kanya.
Nanatili si Sabrina sa loob ng opisina hanggang sa mag alas-sies ng gabi. Tumayo siya mula sa pagkakahiga sa sofa at inilugay ang kanyang buhok upang matakpan ang pamamaga ng pisngi. Kinuha ang kanyang bag at lumabas.
Naraanan pa niya ang ilang empleyado na nag-o-overtime sa departamentong pinamamahalaan niya. They said goodbye to her and she only nodded in response.
She walked towards the elevator and regretted it afterward when the doors opened. He was inside, leaning on the elevator's wall. His arms were in his chest and his eyes bored into her.
Sabrina had no choice but to step inside and ride the elevator with him. She felt suffocated but she had to endure it or else she'll be branded as a coward and affected by his presence.
She did not glance at him, didn't even bother to recognize his existence. It doesn't matter to her if he was her superior.
Sabrina felt him moved closer to her and stand beside her while the elevator was descending. Wala siyang balak na pansinin ito ngunit bigla siya nitong hinawakan sa braso, pinihit paharap dito at hinawakan ang kanyang pisngi.
"What are you doing?"
"Who hits you?" he asked while taking a light stroke on her swollen cheek. His breath fanned her skin and their bodies were too close for comfort.
Sabrina gathered her wits as fast as she could and summon all the strength left in her body to push him away from her. "It's none of your business, Mr. Sanford," she uttered, trying to suppress her anger and acted cold, as always.
He grabbed her arm again. "Sabrina, I-" He was stopped by her hand that landed his face perfectly.
"Don't... touch... me..." mariing wika ng dalaga. Hindi niya pinagsisihang nasampal ito. He deserved that and more after what he did to her.
Nagtagis ang mga bagang ni Apollo at halos magkapalit na ang mga kilay. Akmang hahawakan niya uli ang dalaga nang biglang bumukas ang elevator sa ikawalong palapag at pumasok ang dalawang empleyado. Hindi niya pinansin ang mga ito nang batiin siya at nanatiling nakatutok ang mga mata kay Sabrina. Hanggang sa makarating sila sa ground floor ay hindi na siya nito uli tinapunan ng tingin at parang walang nangyaring tuloy-tuloy na lumabas ng elevator.
Nanginginig ang mga kamay ni Sabrina habang nakahawak sa steering wheel dahil sa galit. Galit sa lalaking iyon at sa kanyang sarili.
Pinaharurot niya ang sasakyan paalis upang maibsan ang nag-aapoy niyang kalooban. She hated her life, she wanted to end it all but she needed to live to pay for the bad things she had done in the past.
Mabilis ang kanyang pagpapatakbo at halos makabungguan na niya ang ibang sasakyan. Ilang minuto na siyang tumatakbo nang huminto sa tapat ng isang paaralan.
Lumabas siya ng sasakyan at tila wala sa sariling pumasok sa loob ng malaking gate. Walang nakapansin sa kanya dahil wala ang guwardiyang nagbabantay roon.
She stopped on the quadrangle and sat on the bench near a big Narra tree. She roamed her eyes around the school premises and smiled bitterly.
She still remembered the first time she stepped inside this school. The first time she met him and she wished that it did not happen. She regretted going back to the Philippines.
It was the start of her misery. The beginning that will ruin her life.