Book Of Unknown

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Bellia’s Point Of View

I can’t really believe that Gabriel went here, and also that he knew Matthew’s grandfather. Wala siyang nababanggit tungkol sa lolo ni Matthew, o sadyang hindi lang siya nagbabanggit tungkol sa kanila? Hindi dapat magulo ang isip ko dahil dito, pero naguguluhan ako at napapaisip pa rin.

Nang hinatid ni Matthew ang lolo niya sa kwarto nito ay bumalik siya nang maisapan ni Gabriel na maligo na, hindi siya nagsabi sa akin na maliligo na siya, kundi sa mga tao sa dining area. Siguro ay nahihiya siyang kausapin ako, o kaya naman ay ako ang nahihiya’t nahahalata niya kaya hindi niya muna ako kinausap?

Inaya ako ni Matthew sa games room, bumungad sa amin ang may kalakihang billiard table pagpasok dito. Malaki at maluwag ang kwarto, maraming mga palaro rito at mukhang mamahalin sila. Ngunit ang billiards ang mas malaki sa mga ito.

Tumungo ako sa tabi ng billiard table at hinawakan ang dulo nito, ipinalibot ko ang aking paningin dito, ang mga bola ay nasa gitna nito at mukhang hinanda na dahil nakahugis trianggulo na ang mga ito. Sa pader ay nakalagay ang mga cue sticks, sa gilid ng billiard table naman ay ang mga chalk.

Dumaan siya sa aking likuran at saka ko narinig ang kanyang pagkuha sa isang cue stick. Pagkatapos niyang kunin ito ay naglakad siya patungo sa direksyon ng nakahugis na trianggulo sa tuktok nito.

He looked at me as he stood up properly while holding the cue stick on his right hand while his left hand was on the billiard table. “Are you good with this? Gabriel wouldn’t teach me how to play this. Would you mind teaching me, then?” He asked as he took his hand on the billiard table and held the cue stick that his right hand was holding.

I grabbed another cue stick on my back and then caressed it as I turned my gaze to him. “We both don’t know how to play billiards, Matt.”

He frowned as he laid his two hands on the table and said, “He didn’t teach you how to play this? But he is good at playing billiards, well, maybe playing with everything.” He lifted his hand and pointed to the chalk beside me.

I frowned at everything. What does he mean? We stared at each other for a second, but he didn’t manage to look away, so I did.

I looked at the chalk and took one of it. “He didn’t teach me, yes, I am serious. As if he would like to teach me these things. He did not even mention to me that he’s good at playing billiards.” I uttered as I threw the chalk that I took from beside me in his direction.

He caught it, and I saw him smirked while his gaze was on the chalk. “He didn’t? Is he good at keeping secrets?” he asked as he played with the chalk.

I stared at him for a second and suddenly blinked as I felt my mouth was sniffed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Matt. What do you mean?” I asked before I closed my mouth.

He laughed and shook his head three times. “No. You misunderstood me. It’s nothing.” He urged and then walked in my direction. “We should try to know how to play billiards.”

Once he reached my place I can see his eyes was really on me, why is he staring me like this? Umiwas ako ng tingin at saka ko binigay ang atensyon ko sa mga bola sa gitna ng lamesa. Mayroon akong naaninag na taong nakatayo malapit sa pinto kaya ko tiningnan kung sino ‘yon.

I saw Gabriel, he’s topless, he’s not wearing his uniform, or his long-sleeved clothing either. Ibang pantalon ang suot niya, kulay itim ito at mayroong belt. I can see his six pack abs, halatang katatapos lang niya maligo. His eyes were on us, as if he was there all the time. Ilang segundo kaming nagkatitigan, pero sa huling segundo ay napunta ang kanyang tingin kay Matthew na nasa tabi ko ngayon.

“Gab.” Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko, parang pupwede akong lamunin ng sahig dahil wala akong alam na salita na dapat ilabas sa aking bibig. “Hi.”

Tumango ito bago pa man maglakad patungo sa amin. Damn, he’s sexy. Tumungo ito sa pagitan ng lamesa, magkaharapan kami ngayon. Hindi ko magawang tumingin sa aking katabi na si Matthew, but I felt that he moved a steps away from me.

He licked his lower lip as he turned himself back and laid his back-waist on the edge of the billiard table. Mukhang inililibot niya ang kanyang paningin sa loob ng kwarto habang inaayos ang kanyang buhok na walang sawang humahawi sa kanyang paningin.

I could see his jaw tightened as he took a gaze on me without changing his position, but his side-view. “Mr. Director was looking for you, why you didn’t told me that you are more likely to come with Matthew rather than coming with me in the station? Mas nalinis pa sana natin ang pangalan mo sa mga nasayang na oras,” nawala ang kanyang tingin sa akin ngunit napunta naman sa direksyon ng kanyang ulo, kita ko pa rin ang kanyang side-view.

“I don’t know, Gab. I mean, I didn’t know that you would come with me to the station; that's why I came with him here.” I uttered while looking at him. “I am sorry. I sincerely am. I’m sorry, Gab.”

He nodded. “Your wound’s okay? Does it still hurt? I saw its bandage earlier was wet. It is. Matthew didn’t think to change it?” He asked as he finally turned himself to us.

I took a gaze on my hand that had a bandage and caressed it softly. “I was about to change its bandage, Gab. Uhm. Mas mabuti pa yatang palitan ko na ngayon, excuse me.” I urged.

I was about to walk outside, but I heard him whisper. I stopped from his side and then frowned. “Pardon?”

He smiled and then shook his as he looked at me. “Jordan told me that you both had a fight in the girl’s restroom. Why, Belle? Why didn't you tell me about this after that bullshit happened? And you leave a wound on her chest, anong magiging kaso rito sa tingin mo? After they dictated to you, you let that happen? Nag-iisip ka ba? Are you still thinking about what could happen to you? You are letting your name be filth again! Hindi pupwedeng ang isip ko lang ang nagagamit dito, use your brain, make your brain usefu—”

I slapped him. He remained silent after I slapped him, hindi niya magawang ibaling ang kanyang mukha sa akin. His jaw tightening, namumula na ang kanyang pisngi kung saan ko siya sinampal. How could he say to me that I am not using my brain? Anong alam niya sa mga nararamdaman ko?

My breathing came faster because of guilt I felt after I slapped him with my full strength. “Let me ask you this, anong alam mo, Gabriel? Anong karapatan mo para pagsabihan mo ako ng mga gan’yan? Am I that f’ing useless— to you? Gano’n ba ang tingin mo sa ‘kin? Gano’n kababa? Do you think you are not hurting me right now? You are, Gabriel! You are hurting me with your words. Mas gugustuhin ko pang saktan mo ‘ko sa gawa, huwag sa salita, Gabriel, inuulit ko, huwag sa salita.”

He stood up and managed to turn himself to me. “Why did you and Jordan fight the girl’s restroom?”

Sa lahat na dapat na puwedeng tanong at sabihin, bakit ‘yan pa? “You and Jordan had spoked, yes? Why you didn’t asked her at the first place? Are you stupid right now para hindi maisip ‘yon? And as if I will tell you about it, sermon lang ang matatanggap ko sa ‘yo, hindi ba? Maybe, you have to stop acting like you do care about me everytime, you’re giving me goosebumps.”

Tinitigan niya ako sa dalawang mata bago siya magsalita, “I am asking you why you both had a fight. I want to hear why— coming from my best friend. Hindi ako naniniwala sa mga sinabi niya, I am not that easily to get brainwashed by anyone but you, Belle. Again, why did you both fight earlier? Maniniwala ako kung galing sa ‘yo, you always had my trust and beliefs.” He adduced sincerely.

Bigla akong kumalma dahil sa mga salitang lumabas sa bibig niya, “W-why you’re always like that? Lagi mo akong ginagalit sa mga sandali mong mga salita, and then afterwards  you will spill the other one— the right one. You’re suspending me. Why are you always letting me be embarrassed?” I asked him as I walked closer to him and punched his chest while my tears are dropping.

He touched both my wrists, and I stopped pushing him on his chest. He tried to searched with my two eyes and he definitely got me, tumingin ako sa kanyang dalawang mata na nakatingin sa akin ngayon, please.

“She was about to attack me when we were in the restroom, but I did not let her. Who would be allowed to be attacked? She is obsessed and insanely wants to kill me even though we’re in the restroom. I was scared, and I was; that’s why I had to do something and protect myself from her. Nakipag-agawan ako sa kutsilyo niyang hawak, her knife was too sharp, nakapag-iwan pa siya ng guhit sa leeg ko, it wasn’t that bad, but she tasted my blood from my neck, Gab, she tasted it,” I uttered as I avoid his stare and looked down. “That’s why there’s a wound left on his chest. Pero ang natatandaan ko hindi gano’n kalakihan ang naiwan kong sugat sa dibdib niya. Linya lang, parang ‘yong akin, pero may kahabaan ang sa kaniya.”

I heard his breaths when he touched my neck and checked the wound. “Luckily, it wasn’t bad. So, she tried to attack you? With her holding a sharpened knife? You just protected yourself from her who was attacking you. That’s why she has a wound on her chest?” He asked as he adjusted his stance.

I nodded, “Nakakabanggit din siya tungkol sa kaso ni Mang Sinlac, hindi ko alam kung mayroon siyang alam o ano. But I think she has, Gab. Hindi ko sana sasabihin sa ‘yo, pero andito ka na, pati na rin si Matthew. Maybe this is the right time.” I uttered and took a look at Matthew who is now leading his right hand on the billiard table while listening to us.

“Blood. Closely tied to passion, but also to death, war, sacrifice. Blood flow, the danger has passed. Oh, I love hearing someone’s asking for help. They are so obsessed with being helped by anyone as if someone might hear them, but by mistake just helping, you can get involved.” It echoed.

Napatitig ako sa kawalan habang narinig muli sa paligid ang mga salita ni Jordan. “Danger has passed,” bulalas ko habang nakatitig sa kawalan.

Tumingin ako kay Matthew at sunod naman kay Gabriel.

Napangisi ako sa biglang pumasok sa isipan ko, “I am not that stupid, Jordan. Nice try.” I uttered and took a look at both of them once again, “I have a plan.”