Months ago...

"S-she's awake!" Isang malakas na sigaw ng babae ang bumungad saakin. I tried to move but I can't. I feel that I'm so weak at the same time heavy.

"Don't try if you can't." Wika ni Lola na nasa tabi ko na pala. I tried to answer her but I feel that my throat is dry. I want to say I'm okay.

Ilang minuto namutawi ang katahimikan sa pagitan namin ni Lola Nia. I want to ask her but then even I try is I can't.

"Here." Nabaling ang atensyon ko sa nurse na nakangiti saakin habang inaabot ang isang basong tubig. I gave her a simple smile as a answer 'thank you'.

She smiled too. "You're welcome, it's my work though."

Itinaas niya ang ang kama ko, sa may bantang uluhan para makaupo ako kahit na hindi bumalingkwas ng upo.

"W-whe—" I tried to ask because I can feel that I can speak now.

Pinandilatan ako ng mata at tinaasan ng isang kilay ni Lola. I know that she is losing her patients now, everytime that she is talking with me.

"W-where's Mom, Dad and Rave, Lola?" Utal-utal ngunit pinilit kong magtanong kahit na medyo gumagaralgal ang boses ko.

"Your Mom and Dad?" Sarkistong tanong niya. I see how her tears formed in her eyes.

What happened when I was at sleep?

"They're gone." Deretsyong sagot niya at saka nagiwas ng tingin. I see how the nurse beside me bow when she heard what Lola said.

I'm a bit curious, I didn't know how long I'd sleep.

"W-what do you mean, Lola?" I ask. I heard how my heart mocked in my chest while asking that question. There is something on my part that I already know the answer to, I'm just making myself like an idiot.

"Because of you right?" She ask habang dinuduro ako. I felt how my forehead frown when she did that.

She always does that when she is angry when I did a wrong thing, but now, I don't think that she's just angry about a simple thing, it's large.

"Lagi nalang ba, Eli?! You know what? If you didn't do that, hindi mangyayari 'to!" I see kung paanong nagliliyab si 'ya sa galit. I see it in her eyes, I see how angry she was, I see it, and I'm nervous about what she can do.

"W-what do you mean, Lola? I didn't—"

"Yes! Again! Always! Lagi nalang, lagi nalang maangmaangan ka sa mga katangahan mo! Sa mga ginagawa mo! Nagbubulagbulagan ka, Eli! I don't know if you're the Eli that I known before." Her forehead is frown while her index finger is on me. She is really angry.

I didn't know what part I am wrong. I didn't know what did I do para humantong sa ganito. I tried to be a good daughter, ate, anak, and apo. I didn't do it to make them empress, para ipagmalaki nila ako, I made that because I want to.

Hindi ako nakasagot. Nabalot ako ng mga tanong.

What did I do? Did I really do something that can cause them harm? That can lead them to this?

"You're not Eli that I knew before. You're a demon, you killed your own parents!" Gitil at galit lang ang nakikita ko sa kanya. I can't answer, I feel how my tears formed in my eyes while her tears are falling down ever since earlier.

I... I am a demon? Do I really?

Agad na inalalayan ng nurse kanina sa tabi ko si Lola na natumba na ngayon. Sa sobrang daming sinabi at ibinuhos niya ngayon ay nawalan na si 'ya ng malay. I want to help but I can't.

"Habambuhay kang gagambalain ng kasamaan mong ginawa mo sa sariling pamilya mo." Aniya bago si 'ya lumabas ng pinto habang patuloy na inaalalayan ng nurse.

Nabalutan ako ng kaba. I didn't know how long I had been at sleep. I didn't know what happened ever since the accident until now. I didn't know what happened when I'm in asleep.

"You're awake." Nabaling ang atensyon ko sa isang pamilyar na boses sa tabi ko.

"R-Rave." I called him. I'm a bit surprised because he's safe.

"Eli." Malamig na tugon niya saakin. Nakakapanibago, he didn't call me, my name maliban nalang kung nagkakabiruan kami pero seryoso 'to.

I know and I can feel that something is going on, I didn't know. I didn't know anything.

"H-how are you, Rave?" Pinilit kong ngumiti kahit peke. I know that he is still adjusting ever since the accident happened.

"I'm okay." Malamig talaga, malamig talaga 'yong pakikitungo niya saakin.

I feel how it hurts when you just have your brother at your side but he's like this, being cold to you. Wala na akong sandalan, only him but he chooses to be like this. Now I know that something really happened when I was at sleep.

"Did you already know?" He asks.

"Y-yes, that Mom and Dad died? Haha." Pinilit kong tumawa habang nagiiwas ng tingin sa kanya. Remembering that it's your own parents, both parents died, it hurts.

"Yes, they are. I thought you too." Agad akong napabalik ng tingin sa kanya ng sabihin niya iyon. I feel how cold he is, he is not what I known before.

"What do you mean, also me?" None of my own question.

"I faced many obstacles when Mom and Dad died, I'm also thinking of you too. When the doctor said that you're in coma, para akong nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig, kahit noong inamin nila na wala na sina Mom and Dad, mas lalo pa. I pray that you can recover, and awake in a short time, I'm always in the church just to pray for your fast recovery. Halos si Lola nga ang umayos para sa libing nina Mom and Dad, eh, I'm too grateful to have a Lola like her, she is nice, she is always, she's always there for me, for us—" I see how his tears fall down while talking to me.

"She is. But all of that thankfulness fade away kapag ipinapamuka niya saakin lahat 'yon. Malaki ang utang na loob ko sa kanya but I didn't ask her to do it just why I'm very thankful but I don't want it when she is giving me hurtful words and saying that I am always." Napaiwas nalang ako ng tingin habang nagkwekwento sa kanya. It hurts, it really hurts when I am not asking for help, she is doing, pero pinapamuka niya saakin na ako lagi. Ako lagi ang may kasalanan.

Ilang minuto namutawi ang katahimikan sa pagitan namin. Animong, nagpapakiramdaman ang bawat isa.

"Doc said na gigising ka pa after year or hindi na. That's why they call it miracle." Wala sa sariling natawa nalang ako sa sinabi niya.

"Well, I guess sana hindi nalang ako nagising pa. I tried to ask myself, what is my role in this world if I don't have anything. They died, Lola is angry to me, she doesn't want me, and also I don't have looks to face everything." Wala sa sariling wika ko habang tumutulo na ang mga luha sa mata ko.

"Well, like me, you have to be brave. This is life, Eli, you're facing many obstacles and if you didn't face that, that's not what you call life. Everyone has an role in life, nabubuhay tayo dahil may mission pa tayong kailangang gawin kaya buhay pa tayo." Alam kong pinapalakas niya lang ang loob ko.

I know that he's just trying to cheer me up that's why I like him to be my brother even though he is a devil. He's always bullying me at the same time the one who can make me calm. He's not a perfect brother like others are thinking but for me... he is.

He stayed here for minutes. Pinagkwentahan lang namin ang iba pang bagay simula noong nawalan ako ng malay. He admits that one day he lost hope but then he remembered that that's life, he needs to overcome every obstacle.

Marami pa kaming napagkwentuhan, iba't-iba. Masaya, malungkot, everything. And I'm happy now to see my brother like this. He's cold paren pero hindi na katulad kanina. I know that he can't do to be cold forever.

"I'm Rave Deivin Huxely, Elliana Adalynn Carventez's younger brother, the one who can be his sandalan, kakulitan, kabiruan, a partner in crime, and also in everything. I'll stay forever with you, Ate, you are the one who makes me stay, and I'll do everything to make you safe."