ANEGAIA CELESTINE HERRERA LOPEZ OVERDOSED HERSELF TO DEATH
Iyon ang bungad na headline sa akin kinaumagahan ng Linggo. Nagkukulong ulit ako sa condominium at hindi pinayagan ni Tita Jet na lumabas sa publiko since hindi na muna siya tumanggap ng TV guestings at TV shows ko after ng last taping ng movie namin.
Hindi rin ako pinayagan na gumamit ng social media accounts ko. Binabaha ako ng rants at bashes. They blame me of Gaia's death.
I've never heard of JD after I saw Gaia drowned herself in the tub.
Sobrang gulat pa rin ako sa mga nangyayari. `Yong hindi ko akalain na gagawin niya `yon. I felt so shattered. Halos hindi na ako kumakain.
Tita Jet sent two bodyguards for me since mataas ang rate ng mga bashers na gusto akong saktan. They wanted me dead. They wanted me to kill myself.
Kahit ilang beses kong sabihan ang sarili na umiyak, hindi ko magawa. Pakiramdam ko pati ang mga luha ko naging duwag.
I was a coward. Kahit kailan hindi na ako natuto. Palagi na lang akong walang nagagawa para sa ibang tao na kailangan ako.
Bago pa ang lahat, nag-away kami ni Gaia at pinagbintangan akong inaagaw ko raw si JD. Tama naman siya. Inagaw ko sa kanya si JD. Sa pag-aasam ko na makuha ang pinakasikat at pinakamayaman na aktor, may napahamak, may namatay.
Ang sama ko… ang sama-sama ko…
Buong araw akong nakatulala at walang ginagawa kundi ang tumanaw sa kabuuan ng city.
Minsan, gusto ko na lang maging normal na tao, `yong hindi kilala sa iba't ibang parte ng bansa, `yong walang nakakakita sa akin.
Masasabi ko bang malas ako sa mga umampon sa akin? O ako talaga ang malas?
"I don't care, just let me in!"
"Sir, hindi po talaga pwede sabi ni Ma'am Bernal. Mahigpit pong ibinilin sa amin na `wag magpapapasok ng kahit sino kahit pa kaibigan niya."
Isang kalabog ang narinig ko mula sa labas ng unit ko. Hindi na bago sa akin ang mga naga-attempt na `yon. Hindi na ako nag-abala pa na tingnan `yon at nagpatuloy na lang sa pagtanaw sa labas.
"Sir! Sir!"
I heard a few loud steps toward my room. Pantings and steps again.
"There you are…"
Agad akong napalingon nang marinig ko ang pamilyar na boses na `yon. It was JD with his sweaty look wearing just a dark sweater and shorts. He also wore a gray cap with his thick jacket hung on his arm.
Hindi ako nagsalita. Patuloy lang ako sa pagsiyasat sa mukha niya. I missed him. Totoo na na-miss ko siya kasi no'ng lumitaw siya galing sa pinto, parang nataboy lahat ng sakit na nararamdaman ko. Ito yata ang nagagawa ng presensya niya sa akin. Somehow, he calmed everything that I'm thinking, the bashes, the mourn and the blame.
Agad na lumuhod si JD sa harap ko at hinawakan ang mukha ko. "Are you alright? You're pale."
"Sir!" Biglang lumitaw ang isa sa mga bodyguards na pinadala ni Tita Jet sa may pinto.
"Iwan mo muna kami," sa wakas ay sabi ko.
Gusto sanang kumontra ng bodyguard pero hinayaan na lang si JD.
I heard JD mouthed his thank you before reaching for my hands.
"Dapat hindi mo na ako pinuntahan. Madadamay ka lang sa lahat."
"I don't have plans on leaving you here. I'll be right by your side," he assured.
"Why?" It was my moment to stare right in his eyes. I saw his sincere look, his willingness to keep me by his side. It suddenly felt comfortable.
"Kumain ka na ba?"
I grimaced. "Wala akong gana."
Tumayo na siya at naglakad patungo sa lamesa na napuno ng mga hindi ko nagalaw na pagkain. "You should eat. Kailangan mo ng lakas. We have to face the critics. Hindi lang ikaw ang may bashers."
Doon ako napatingin sa kanya na may pagtataka sa mukha.
"They blame me because they think I broke Gaia's heart…" I saw sadness in his eyes. It pains me to look at him like that. I know there's a part of me hoping that he's not romantically involved with Gaia, but to think that many people, including me, have witnessed his sweetness towards her, it caused me to scratch all the ideas in my head. He's genuinely concerned with her.
Pero paano `yong pagsasawalang bahala niya sa pagpapakamatay ni Gaia? Why he didn't do anything? Bakit hinayaan lang niya na ang pulis ang kumilos?
"Did you really do that? Ikaw ba talaga ang dahilan no'n?" My voice broke as soon as I said those words. I am vey immune of JD Ferrer breaking everybody's heart. But seeing someone died just because of it disgusted me. How could he let her die?
He sighed. "It's a lot easier to think of it that way than thinking of anything. I wanted to be the blame, not you," he said sincerely.
"Why are you even here? I should be the one to blame, shouldn't I? I snatched you from her. I trapped you with my publicity—"
"I'm not here because of some games, Lola."
"Then why are you here? Bakit pumunta ka pa dito para manggulo? Isn't Gaia's death enough for you to stop this pretentions? Ayoko na, `di ba?"
JD suddenly walked towards me and pulled me. "I'm here to propose something. This involves both of our careers. I want my name clean and this is the only thing we can do to be out of the mess."
Halos malula ako sa pagkakatitig sa akin ni JD. Ramdam ko na naman ang matalas niyang hininga na tumatama sa mukha ko. I felt so weak and I don't know why I'm being like this. Siguro nga gutom na ako at wala nang lakas.
"Tell me…" sa wakas ay sabi ko.
I'm trying to read his eyes but all I can see is fire in it. He's angry, but other than that, wala na akong nabasa.
"First off, eat. Then, I'll tell you everything…"
***
AFTER some several struggles on our way, JD and I managed to come to a press conference. It was a surprise press conference that not all media persons were invited.
Three days had passed and now, we have come to finally voice out.
"Almost half an hour nang naghihintay ang press people, JD and Lola! What happened?" asked the organizer na kausap ni JD kanina no'ng nasa biyahe kami.
"It's okay. I don't need their dramas. If they want to hear me out, they can wait." Agad naman akong hinila ni JD at umupo na kami sa gitnang bahagi ng table with microphones on it.
JD started to clear his throat before looking at me. "Kaya mo `yan, Lola. I'm right here beside you."
I smiled at him at said, "I'm at your back as well. Come on." I encouraged him to start speaking on the microphone.
He breathed deeply before speaking. "Today, probably many of you are distressed for waiting for almost half an hour at our arrival. We are so sorry for that. We have a threat coming on as of this moment. We came across unknown men chasing after us while we're on our way here."
A crowd of shocked voices echoed the place.
"Today, I called a press conference to reveal something to the media people. I want to reveal the truth behind all these fiascos, and I am speaking on behalf of all the artists in this country. I am speaking on behalf of my beloved sister Anagaia Celestine Lopez."
Another series of chattering and eager questions bombarded us along with the flickering lights of their cameras. Everyone expected JD as Gaia's lover but it surprised them how he addressed her as sister.
"Yes, Gaia's story is another abuse story of artists slaves of fame. And yes, I was one of the products, but I survived and I am on the hunt to take these nasty persons down," JD continued. "I will hunt them down. One by one. And from this moment on, I will be their parasite. I will be treated as a threat to their businesses. For now, let all of them know I will hunt them all down. At hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi sila nauubos. Mark my words."
Media persons started to create a defening silence followed by slow clicking of cameras. No one dared to make follow-up questions. All were shocked to JD's statement.
The James Dean Ferrer I knew, intimidating, dangerous and burning, came back to life.
He wants revenge for Gaia's death, and I'm all his to support his new advocacy.
My James Dean Season 1
End