Rebellious Love (Tagalog/Filipino)

Crown 1 ♠ GHOST OF THE PAST

"ZEKE!"

I looked over my shoulder and saw my old friend walking to where I was sitting for five minutes. "Jack," I acknowledged and noticed he was still the same, mahangin pa rin at punong-puno ng kayabangan.

I wouldn't really call him a friend. In my car racing career, siya palagi ang nakakalaban ko na hindi sumusuko para talunin ako. But tough. He always fall in the loser end. Pero matagal na iyon. Iniwan ko na ang buhay ng karera. Right now, I'm focused on running our family business. Since dad lost the empire, Duke rebuild it. Dad needed to take care of mom so Duke had to take over. But with our vast wealth, Duke needed to delegate few establishments.

That's why I'm here, I thought grimly.

"It's good you came. Akala ko hindi ka na tutuloy." Tinapik niya ako sa balikat at umupo sa tabi ko.

I shot him a glance. "You want me to change my mind?"

"Of course not! Nagulat lang naman ako na pinagbigyan mo ako," he said laughing. Napansin kong may kung ano siyang hinanap sa tabi ko. "Mag-isa ka lang ba?"

Nagdekuwatro ako ng upo. "Bakit, kailangan bang may kasama ako?"

Umiling siya. "Hindi naman. Akala ko kasama mo si Doug."

"Tumawag siya kagabi. Pero wala ako rito. Kararating ko lang galing Italy kaninang umaga."

I saw how he whipped his head to look at me. "Wala ka bang jet lag?" Parang hindi siya makapaniwala na kakalapag lang ng private jet ko kanina.

I just shrugged. "Nakasanayan na."

"Tao ka ba?" He was shaking his head.

I don't blame him. Sa buhay meron ako ngayon, kailangan kong sanayin ang katawan ko. I always fly abroad for business ventures. Target ngayon ni kuya Duke na mas palaguin ang automotive business namin. Balak niyang makipag-negotiate kay Avesto Riccardo Patrese, isang Italian businessman na nagmamay-ari ng Avesto Series. My brother saw it an opportunity to make a business deal with him, and Avesto was taken by my brother's brilliant ideas kaya pumayag siyang maging partner ang kompanya.

Pero dahil ako ngayon ang tumatayong President and CEO ng Steele MotorCar Inc., I needed to fly back and forth to Italy para matutukan ko ang progress ng naging pag-uusap ni kuya at ni Avesto. I'm just glad it's a close and done deal.

"Well, we should call for a celebration! Mukhang kompleto tayo ngayon."

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko at tiningnan ko si Jack. "May ibang darating?"

"Oo naman. Ipapakita ko ang bagong obra ko." He grinned. "Tingnan ko lang kung 'di maluha si Tyrone sa makikiita niya mamaya." Binuntunan pa niya iyon ng tawa. Hindi na talaga nagbago ang isang 'to. Lagi na lang naghahanap ng kakompitensya. "So ano, pare? Reunion tayo mamaya."

"No. I'll pass," mabilis kong tanggi. I need to catch up on my sleep. Kailangan ko din bumili ng regalo para kay Serena. Baka kainin ako ng buhay no'n 'pag nalaman niyang wala pa akong regalo sa birthday niya. Besides, I don't have the luxury to have fun. I never did.

"Come on, pare! Matagal ka ng hindi nakakasama ng grupo. Darating din si—"

I inhaled and pointedly looked at him. "I came because of your business proposal, Jack. Hindi para mag-party."

He threw up his hands. "Alright, alright!" sabi niya at umiling-iling. "Napakaseryoso mo talaga. Alam mo, masama 'pag puro ka na lang trabaho. You ever heard of the saying, 'Work hard and play hard'?"

I c****d my head sideways. Umangat ang isang sulok ng bibig ko to show a meaty smile, "I play hard."

Humalakhak siya bigla. I know he got the message. I'm not living a celibate life. At twenty, girls fall under my feet. Kahit pa noong nasa high school ako, kahit bully ang tingin nila sa'kin, I know those same girls put love letters and leave gifts inside my locker.

Oh yes, I loved playing with their hearts and breaking them. I was a bully—iyon ang totoo. Boys feared me, and girls chase me. I guess the more I broke girls' heart, the more they kept on chasing me.

But now that I'm twenty-seven, I know now not to play with women who don't know the rules of my game. I don't do emotional relationship. It's a lot of baggage for me. At marami na akong dalang bagahe. Ayoko ng dagdagan pa iyon.

"Walang duda pagdating diyan," sabi ni Jack. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Just show me the car." Ayokong pinag-uusapan ang pribadong buhay ko.

"Hindi pa dumadating iyong iba."

"I don't care. May hahabulin pa akong meeting mamaya." I flipped my watch. Ala-una na pala. My meeting starts at four. I still have time to pick a gift.

"Iyan ang problema ninyong mayayaman. Kaliwa't kanan ang trabaho."

I sighed miserably. Ever since my brother, Duke, got married almost four years ago, mas lalong bumigat ang trabaho. I admit, mas magaan ang trabaho noong wala pa siyang asawa. He single-handedly manage the empire kahit siya lang mag-isa. 

He was obsessed with work. I doubt if he ever sleep at all. Pero no'ng pinakasalan niya si Louraine, nawala ang oras niya sa trabaho. And with their second child coming, mas lalong naging limitado ang oras niya sa trabaho. He was so attentive with his wife and their two years old child, Empress Beatrice, my cute little niece.

After what happened with Louraine before, mas naging maingat na si Kuya. Kaya nagdesisyon siya noon na sa Casablanca muna silang dalawa imbis na sa bahay tumira. Since then, Duke has to run the empire from there. I thought he hated there. But I guess Love really does change a man. 

I still find it amazing though na hindi bumababa ang stock market ng kompanya kahit na hindi na siya masyadong hands-on ngayon sa trabaho. He comes back from time to time, but only if there's an urgent matter that calls his immediate attention. Pero kung wala, he stuck himself to his wife like a glue, especially now that they are expecting baby number two. 

"Hindi na mahalaga kung hindi nila mapanood ang test drive. Just show them the car later," inip na inip na sabi ko.

"Bakit ba kasi ang tagal ng mga iyon?" reklamo ni Jack habang nakatutok sa cellphone niya. "Ah! Bago ko nga pala makalimutan. Iyong kinuha kong driver na magtetest drive mamaya, siya din ang kinuha ko para maging model sa bagong launching ng Avesto Series."

I nodded. Buti nabaawasan ng isa ang problema ko. "Is he any good?"

"Good?" He snorted. "Panoorin mo na lang siyang magdrive, pare." Tinuro niya ang track field na nasa harap namin. Sa bleacher kami nakaupo dahil mas kita doon ang buong circuit. I don't want to miss any bend and curve.

"This one's a hell of a rider," pagmamalaki pa ni Jack sa'kin. "Six times champion ng mg car racing competition. Kasali din siya sa mga nakapasok sa GT4 European Cup, at nitong huli sa Fuji Grand Champion Series sa Japan. At wala pang talo. Ang linis ng record!"

I frowned. He's that good huh?

"I heard tinalo din niya si Nico last summer sa 8-lap sportscar competition." I looked at Jack. Si Nico ang isa sa pinakamagaling na sportscar driver sa grupo namin. Maliban sa'kin, wala pang nakakatalo sa kanya sa 8-lap circuit.

"Pero hindi iyon ang nagpabilib sa'kin pare," dagdag ni Jack. He looked so awestruck. Lalo akong nagtaka. It's Jack. Mayabang at laging malaki ang kompyansa sa sarili. Hearing him talk like this was making me curious.

"What is it?"

"Napanood ko ang sa isang race niya sa NASCAR. It was my first time to see a racer drive like that. May techinique siyang wala pang nakakagawa. Talagang tumayo ang balahibo ko no'ng napanood ko iyon. Lalo pa nang malaman kong Pinoy din siya."

"But not as good as me though," I flung suddenly. As a car racer, it was my pride that I am the top driver of the country. I've raced hundreds and thousands of competition and I never lost. I had been living a suicidal life. I know it will be an easy death. Pero hindi ko pwedeng iwan ang isang bagay na alam kong komokonekta sa amin.

But eventually I had to stop racing and give up. My brother needed our full cooperation and ever since I drowned myself in the business.

Pero habang pinapakinggan ko si Jack at ang mysteryosong driver na tinutukoy niya, my blood stirred and adrenaline pumped throughout my bloodstream. I suddenly missed the road, the cockpit, sitting behind the wheel and the danger I always encounter when driving.

"Alam naman nating wala pang nakakatalo sayo," Tinapik pa niya ako. "...maliban kay Five."

I thought I heard a thunder above my head and a lightening slashed across the sky. I blinked and I was back to that time when I stood above a grave under the dark sky, the rain beating down on me.

And then I heard a phone ringing.

"EJ? Oo, andito na siya... ilabas niyo na ang mga sasakyan."

"Si EJ?" Mas lalong lumalim ang kunot ng noo ko. I know EJ. But I never knew he was that good. O baka matagal lang akong nawala kaya hindi ko lang nakikita.

"Hindi si EJ," Jack said grinning again. "Siya." May itinuro siya sa garahe at may lumabas na dalawang kotse sa track field. One orange and one blue.

"Alin diyan?" tanong ko.

"The orange one. EJ's on the other car." I looked at the orange sportscar. Tahimik at kalmado. Unlike the blue one, sumisipa na ang makina. EJ was heating the engine.

Tiningnan ko si Jack na prenteng nakaupo sa tabi ko. "Why the race? Test driving lang tayo 'di ba?"

Nagkibit balikat siya. "I just thought it would be fun to have a little bit of competition on the ground. Isa pa, gusto kong malaman kung ano'ng top speed ang kayang abutin ng obra ko."

"Gusto mo lang yatang ipagyabang sa'kin ang driver na iyan."

He grinned wider. "Well, something like that." At sumenyas na siya sa referee na itaas ang flag.

"Let the race start," Jack whispered amusingly.

I just smirked. Mukhang malaki ang tiwala niya sa driver na iyon. I leaned down and crossed my arms as I looked at the green lights. The car speed away at natuwa ako nang makita kong naungusan kaagad ni EJ ang isang sasakyan.

"Bad move, EJ. Bad move." I heard Jack said. He looked engrossed in watching at parang nakalimutan na niya ako rito. But that's okay. Gusto ko ring makita kung ano ang maibubuga ng taong iyon sa track field na ako mismo ang gumawa.

Pagkalipas ng limang minuuto, isang lap na ang natapos pero nauuna pa rin si EJ. I looked at Jack. "Are you sure he's the one you want to model for us?"

Ngumisi siya. "Maghinaty ka lang, Zeke. And keep your eyes on the field. You don't want to miss this one."

I turned back to the field and my brows furrowed. Paano siya nakalapit kaagad kay EJ ng gano'n kabilis? And then I saw it. How the car rotated around the sharp curve. EJ slowed down but the orange car didn't. He quickly passed EJ in seconds.

But I didn't care if EJ lost. It was what I saw made the fine hair at my neck stand up.

"Dang! Did you see that?! Nakita mo iyon!?" Tumayo si Jack. "Kinilabutan ako!"

And I did too. Iisang tao lang ang kilala kong kayang gumawa no'n. I only know one person who can do that stupidly dangerous stunt. At patay na siya.

I couldn't possibly be watching a ghost, right? He's dead. I saw it. I was there. Pinanood ko siyang gawin ang technique na iyon at nawalan siya ng control. The car went upside down and then it blew off.

Tumayo ako at umalis sa kinauupuan ko . Hindi ko na kailangang tapusin ang karera. I know EJ already lost. Imposible nang mahabol pa niya ang kalaban niya.

"Zeke! Saan ka pupunta?" Jack followed me. Hindi ko siya sinagot at bumaba ako sa racetrack. I intend to know the man behind that wheel.

Sometime later, I watched the orange car slowed down and pulled a stop.

"Hell yeah!" sigaw ni Jack habang sinasalubong ang sasakyan niya. I'm impressed by his work. Top speed, 294. At mas tataas pa iyon kung nasa mas mahaba at malaking racetrack kami.

My eyes squinted when the door slid open at bumaba ang isang naka-tracksuit at helmet na driver. For his ability, he seemed short and small. I wonder he was not thrown out of the window when he took that sharp curve. He needs to weigh a lot more than me to keep seated on the cockpit.

"Well done!" Niyakap ni Jack ang driver. Hindi na ako nagtagal sa kinatatayuan ko at lumapit na rin ako sa dalawa.

"You're good," I said as I approached. Nakatalikod sa akin ang driver but I saw how he straightened his back when he heard me. "Congratulations." Dahan-dahan niya akong nilingon. I couldn't see his face behind his helmet. Tinted ang salamin niya.

"I'm Ezekiel Al Steele. You can call me Zeke." I shot out a hand. Pero tiningnan lang niya ang kamay ko. I wonder why he was acting strange. Hindi ba niya alam na ako ang magiging employer niya sa bagong project na 'to?

"V, he's the one I'm talking about," Jack cut in. "Kilala mo naman siya 'di ba?" The small man nodded. "Siya ang makakatrabaho mo para sa Avesto Series Project."

I looked at Jack and back to the man. Naiinip na ako sa kanilang dalawa. I am in a hurry at kailangan ko ng matinong usapan. But I guess they read the impatience in my face kaya hinubad na ng driver ang gloves sa mga kamay niya at ang helmet sa ulo niya. I frowned when I saw his hands while he was fumbling with the knot under his head. He was a skinny man, no doubt.

I can't believe ito talaga ang napili ni Jack na magiging model ng kompanya ko.

Mayamaya ay tinatanggal na niya ang helmet sa ulo niya. Long silky straight black hair fell down and something twisted in my guts when I finally saw the face behind the helmet and the tinted glasses.

"Hi Zeke," she said and gripped my hand, her cold familiar eyes boring inside my head. "Long time no see."

Vera Victoria Alteza. She was the ghost of her brother I thought I saw back on that filed.