Serene stepped out of the airplane while holding her suitcase in one hand. Inhaling the scent of the polluted country of the Philippines, she begun to descend in the stairs while thinking her old life here.
At twenty-two years old, she ran away from her family. Leaving everything behind her. The money and fame. Serene promised that she will never going back but she never thought that she will step foot on this country again. Just because of her sister — the most valuable person in her life, her only family. She was the shame of her family's name. The black sheep. The witch among the twins.
She can still remember the way they treated her. As if she didn't belong to their family. She was always the outcast. Always the second choice and always the bad one. Only her twin sister knows everything about her. Her sister was the only one that never left her side even though they were against at their parents. Her only friend before her three bestfriends. Her only savior.
"TWIN!!!" Serene was snapped back to reality when she heard the familiar voice of her sister.
Wow, she couldn't believe that her sister can still recognize her even though she is wearing a disguise. After three years of not seeing each other she can still find her among the sea of people coming out of the arrival area.
Serene waved back at her twin.
"I've miss you so much!" mahigpit ang yakap sakanya ni Serena. She returned the hug with equal tightness. "I've miss you too twin."
Serene for the first time after three years, felt at home. Cared and love. Her sister is her only home here. She felt herself getting teary-eyed but stop herself from crying. She couldn't show to her sister this weakness. The only thing Serene regretted when she left was that leaving her sister behind.
Serene missed her scent. Even the horrible fashion taste of her sister, missed it with her.
After their bone crushing hug. They both looked at each other's face. Napansin ni Serene ang kaonting pagbabago sa kapatid niya. Her sister is glowing. May boyfriend na kaya ito?
She mentally shook her head at that thought. Malabong mangayari iyon. Masyadong over protective ang daddy ng kapatid niya. Malamang lang, hindi nila ito hahayaang magkaboyfriend lang ng kung sino-sino. That was one of the reasons why she left. Masyadong kinokontrol ng parents nila ang buhay nilang dalawa. They couldn't even get out of the house without a freaking bodyguard! For pete's sake! Alam na nila ang lahat ng iba't ibang klase ng self-defense bantay sarado pa rin sila!
Thinking about it now, ngayon niya lang napansin na magisa lang pala ito. "Where's your body guards?" Serene asked while looking around for men in black.
Serena just shrugged her shoulder, grabing her hand and leading her out of the airport.
"Did you know that when you left, mas naging mahigpit sina dad sa akin? They even doubled my guards just to make sure na hindi rin ako maglayas." her sister said with a bitter laugh.
"Sorry about that. I caused that, didn't I?" she said with a sigh. She can feel the guilt that starting to wrap around her heart.
"Hey, ganoon naman talaga sila diba? Hayaan mo na at hindi mo kasalanan iyon."
Serene just nodded but still, guilt is clawing in her mind. They stopped in the side walk as if waiting for something. Serene turned to her sister in confusion."Where's your car?"
"Well about that..." pilit na ngumiti sakanya si Serena. Nang mapansing nakatingin ang kapatid niya sa likod ay tumingin din siya. There comes a slowing down white car with a signboard a top. Taxi
Serene looked at her sister with a raised brow. "I'll explain later."
"HOW old are you?" tanong ni Serene habang nakahalukipkip. Inilipat niya ang tingin sa labas ng bintana at tinitigan ang kapatid.
"24" naguguluhang sagot naman sakanya ni Serena. She sighed. "Tell me, sa tanda mong'yan bakit hindi ka parin marunong magdrive? Sa dami ng sasakyan sa bahay niyo, hindi mo man lang ba naisip na magaral magmaneho?"
Serena scoffed at her."Look who's talking."
"You want me to teach you twin?" Serene suggested mockingly.
"No thank you. I'd rather not know how to drive than to endanger myself with you"
"Take that back." Serene deadpan at her sister.
"Never."
Serene then started to tickle her sister in her sides knowing the weakspot she had there.
"Stop!"
"Stop!"
"Twiiiiiiin!"
Hindi tinigilan ni Serene ang kakambal hanggang sa hingalin ito sa kakatawa. Kahit siya mismo ay tumatawa habang pinapanood ang kambal niya. She misses their bonding together. Nang maubos ang tawa nilang dalawa ay nakahalukipkip na tumingin si Serene sa kakambal niya. Masama ang tingin niya ngunit may sinusupil namang ngiti sa labi. Habang si Serena naman ay nakataas lang ang isang kilay at may ngisi sa labi. Tiningna siya nito nang dont-tell-me-nakalimotan-mo-na-look.
Serene just rolled her eyes at ibinaling na lang ang tingin sa labas ng bintana upang tumingin sa nadadaanan nilang view.
Walking back to their memory, Naalala niya nang isama niya si Serena upang mamasyal at magjoyride. Proud na proud pa siya noon sa kanyang sarili dahil natutunan niya magisa kung paano magmaneho sa tulong ng youtube at reseach. Iyon pa lamang ang ikalawang beses niya sa pagmamaneho pero gusto niya iyong ipagmalaki sa kapatid niya at ipakita rito na kaya niya. Kaya naman tumakas silang dalawa gamit ang isang sasakyan sa loob ng garahe nila. Kailangan pa nilang magsingungaling noon sa mga kasambahay ng kanilang bahay, mabuti na lang wala doon ang parents nila kundi hindi nila iyon magagawang itakas. Habang nagmamaneho ay napakabilis ng takbo ng sasakyan nila. Nagulat na lamang sila nang makitang may mga pulis nang bumubuntot na sa kanila. Dahil sa nerbiyos ay mas lalo pang binilisan ni Serene ang pagmamaneho. Kung saan-saan na rin siya lumiko, nagbabakasakaling mailigaw nila ang mga pulis. Wala naman siyang kasalanan kaya't nagtataka siya kung bakit bigla na lang silang pinaginteresang habulin ng mga ito. Sa passenger seat na katabi niya ay, nanginginig ang tuhod ng kakambal niyang si Serena. Natatakot itong mahuli silang dalawa. Mahigpit ang kapit nito sa seatbelt at tarantang taranta ang pakiusap nitong magdahan dahan siya dahil baka bumangga sila o makasagasa. Hindi niya iyon pinakinggan. Kinakain na rin siya ng takot at maging ang mga kamay at paa niya ay nagsisimulang manginig. Unti unting nawala sa isip ni serena ang lahat ng napanood niya sa youtube at lahat ng impormasyong naresearch niya. Nakalimotan niya ang gamit ng preno at kambiyo. Nagtuloy tuloy sila hanggang sa bumangga ang sasakyan nila sa isang glass wall ng restaurant. Mabuti na lamang at walang katao tao ang loob niyon kundi ay baka nakapatay pa siya. Dahil sa matinding pagkagulat ay wala sa sariling inabante niya ang sasakyan at iniikot ang manibela sa ibang direksiyon. Hindi niya tiningnan ang side view mirror ng kanyang sasakyan kung kaya't napatalon sila sa gulat ng bigla nanaman iyon bumangga. Sa pagkakataong iyon ay malakas nang tumunog ang nabangga nilang sasakyan at bumusitsit ang napakaraming tubig. Isang firetruck ang nabangga niya. Dahil sa nangyari ay nagkaroon nang napakalaking kumosyon ang mga tao. Sira ang harapan at likuran ng sasakyan nila. Mabuti na lamang at ayos lang sila maliban sa kakambal niyang nahimatay. Galit na galit ang mga magulang nila. Lalong lalo na ang daddy niya nang mapanood silang dalawa sa iba't ibang TV News. Nadagdagan pa iyon nang isugod sila sa ospital at makitang walang malay ang pinakamamahal nilang kakambal niya.
"We're here." pukaw sa kanya ni Serena nang huminto sila sa entrance ng isang hotel.
Monteirro Hotel
Lumabas na sila matapos magbayad ng kakambal niya. Habang naglalakad sila papasok ay hindi niya maiwasang tanongin ang kapatid."Why are we here?"
"It's not like I can bring you to my loft or in our house, right?"
"Right."
Matapos siyang I check-in ng kapatid ay agad silang dumiretso sa kanilang kwarto. Hindi maiwasan ni Serene ang mamangha dahil sa napakagandang design at pagkakagawa ng building. What did she expect? Sa isang five-star hotel siya mananatili. Parang nakapasok lang siya sa isa sa pinaka sikat na five-star hotel sa New York. She admits, it is very comparable from the luxurious hotel they had there. From the soft carpeted matte color floor to the high brown painted walls. Hard wood door and different high-quality fine arts designed or painted by execellent people. And ofcourse the lightings of the whole place. It gives you the vibe of being luxuriously homey. Dim lighted the hallway and very high temperature on air condition. She bet even inside the comfort room there are lavander scented candle and freezing cold air.
"So, what now?" Serene asked while staring at the high ceiling of their suit with a flower designed crystal chandelier.
"You rest and then tomorrow we will start your transformation."
"That fast?!" napabangon siya at tumingin sa kakambal niya na abala sa pagaayos ng mga gamit niya. Napatawa ito sa reaksiyon niya.
"No silly. Ofcourse I have to inform you with everything about me and about those people around me."
She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Am I that horrible for a person?"
Right then, she regretted reacting like a bitch towards her twin. She mentally slapped herself for making her twin sister think like that about herself.
"No, ofcourse not. It's just that, you are the Angel while me on the other hand is the ifrit. You are the faerie while I am the witch. You are the good while I am the bad. You see twin, we are different but alike. Nothing is wrong with you. But there is always something wrong with me. I hope you understand what I mean?" Serene explained sincerely. Serena sniffed while wiping her teary-eyed eyes.
"You brat!" hindi na nakaiwas pa si Serene nang daganan siya ni Serena at yakapin ng mahigpit. Patagilid sila humiga habang nakangiting nakatitig sa isa't isa.
"And you're not?" natatawang balik ni Serene. Serena just rolled her eyes at muli siyang niyakap ng mahigpit.
"I've really missed you twin."
"I know. I know. Ang boring siguro ng buhay mo dahil wala ako?"Serene asked cockily.
"You bet!"
They laughed together while remembering their old-time memories.