LEGERDEMAIN ACADEMY: MAJESTIC FLAIR

CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1

Eri

“Fiya, you don’t understand!” I whisper shouted to my cousin.

Pasimple kong nilingon ang bartender na busy haluin ang kaka-order lang na inumin ng aking pinsan.

“Understand what, Eri?” she asked, confused. The audacity! I was the one who was supposed to be out of my wits by now!

“Magagalit si Ms. Terry sa atin!” I shouted almost hysterically. I would also flail my arms if the act wasn’t an exaggeration.

Was Fiya already drunk? Three hours pa lang kami rito sa bar and she wasn’t even drinking much! We weren’t even in those crowded, noisy bars either. There would be hell to pay if Ms. Terry would ever found out that we went to a bar, worse a low class one.

“Chill, Eri.” she rolled my eyes at me. “We’re here to celebrate my birthday, loosen up a little.”

Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit ang kalma kalma lang ni Fiya ngayon e ako na itong parang nasasakal na sa panic. I coudn’t even relax kahit ilang oras na kaming nandito. I knew I shouldn’t have agreed with this stupid celebration!

“Once lang ako mage-eighteenth birthday, Eri. Samahan mo na akong mag-celebrate.”

fuck me and my weak, weak heart for my stone cold cousin.

Kung may iba siguro kaming kaibigan ay baka sila na lamang ang pinasama ko kay Fiya. But being the only two granddaughters of a business matriarch, it was not really easy for us to make friends. Sure, she was no longer living and our parents were missing too, but she left her uptight assistant to care of me and Fiya. Idagdag pa na home schooled kaming dalawa and never pa naranasang makihalo sa isang classroom ng mga studyanteng ka-edad namin.

Fiya doesn’t have any complains about it, since she preferred to keep to herself most of the times; a true introvert inside and out. Kabaligtaran ko siya. I had this insatiable thirst for adventure. I always wanted to go out, make friends and explore. Kung hindi lang talaga nakaka-intimidate si Ms. Terry madalas, baka kung saan saan na ako nakarating.

But not like this. Hindi ko alam kung paanong napapayag ako ni Fiya sa ganito.

Or maybe I did. First time ni Fiya magyaya na lumabas kami. It has always been me who always begged to go outside. So in retrospect, I’d be a fool if I’d let this chance pass by.

Mabilis akong napapayag. I thought what she meant by celebrate was a trip to a theme park or something. Hindi ko naman alam na bar pala ang gustong puntahan ni Fiya at mga alcoholic drinks pala ang hanap niya.

The bar was classy, expensive. Like every little thing laid out for us on a silver platter. But that doesn’t mean I enjoyed it. Wala akong hilig sa mga ganito. Si Fiya lang talaga ang may hilig uminom ng mga wines and strange drinks. Something about wanting to taste more of the world. Whatever that meant. Di naman gawa sa lupa from different countries ang mga iniinom niya, so how could she taste the world in them?

Weird talaga.

“Sige. But after an hour, uuwi na tayo. Ha?” I said with finality. Fiya might be older by eight months and made more sensible decisions beforehand, but now I should take the reign. Feeling ko kasi lunod na si Fiya sa eighteenth birthday buzz niya, e.

Nagpatuloy ako sa pagsimsim sa sarili kong inumin. I ordered strawberry milkshake, it was a miracle they had milkshakes here, just so I would have something to parch my throat as time passed by.

I busied myself by observing my cousin drink the night away. I kept wondering what could be in her mind right now. I just knew something was bothering her. She was tensed since this morning. We were close enough for me to formulate an idea but I haven’t had any specific thing I could think of that could make Fiya act strange as she was this day.

Kaming dalawa lang ni Fiya ang magkasamang lumaki sa pangangalaga ng Lola namin until she dies, leaving me and Fiya completely orphaned. Lola was always busy, so basically ay kaming dalawa lang talaga ang parating magkasama. We didn’t know who our parents were, just the fact that it was my father and Fiya’s mother who were related by blood. Magkapatid sila na anak ni Lola. Kung nasaan sila, pati ang dalawa pa naming mga magulang ay wala kaming idea.

Maybe that was what Fiya was thinking about? Her parents? Sa bagay, eighteen na siya. She must be wondering where they were by now. Nagwo-wonder rin naman ako but I guess I already got used to their absence in my life to the point that I stopped looking, asking and wondering about them.

Doon kami nagkaiba ni Fiya. It was easy for me to adapt to any situation. I didn’t waste time thinking about something I couldn’t control. I lived in the moment, always just about the fun and sunshines of life. Fiya was my opposite. She tended to think a lot; over-thinking was something she was very very used to. Kaya pinipilit ko talaga laging iparamdam ni Fiya na kahit wala siyang parents, she got me.

And not like them, I won’t leave her just like they did.

Kung saan siya pupunta, susundan ko siya. Kahit imposible, gagawan ko ng paraan.

I’ve proven much to her, I hope.

Fortunately, after the one hour mark I gave her, Fiya finally took her last shot. Buti naman at kahit nakainom ay mukhang hindi pa rin nagbabago ang ugali ng pinsan ko, marunong pa rin siyang tumupad sa usapan. Sa rami niyang nainom, hanga na talaga ako at mukhang di naman siya nalasing kahit kaunti man lang. She was tipsy, yes the blush on her face gave her away, but she was obviously not drunk.

We grabbed our coats from the hanger and shrugged them on. Lumabas na kami ng bar at naglakad palabas sa street kung nasaan iyon. Not like the usual, walang naka-abang na kotse para sunduin kami this time. Kaya nga kabang kaba ako, e.

I heard Fiya snickered beside me as we stood at the stop near the street where the bar was and waited for the bus to arrive.

“Ikaw ang gala sa ating dalawa tapos ngayong nakagala ka, takot na takot ka naman.” she said, a smirk on her heart shaped face.

I pouted before I huffed. Minsan na nga lang umimik si Fiya, puro pang-iinis pa ang sinasabi.

“This is different.” I squinted my eyes at her. “Hindi alam ni Ms. Terry ang tungkol sa gala na ‘to at tinakasan natin ang mga bantay natin. Of course kakabahan ako! Ayokong mapagalitan ni Ms. Terry, ano!”

Ms. Terry was only technically working for us as our guardian but still, mali pa rin na gumawa kami ng ikakapahamak naming dalawa ni Fiya knowing that Ms. Terry will most likely take the blow for the two of us.

“Ayaw mong maparusahan.” Fiya said before she rolled her eyes heavenwards. “Just admit that you hate studying foreign languages kaya ayaw mong nagagalit si Ms. Terry.”

Nakakainis talaga ‘to! Dinagdagan pa ang kaba ko!

Lola doesn’t incorporate corporal punishment when she wanted me and Fiya to learn our life lessons before. She made us study different foreign languages instead and we wouldn’t stop studying until we became fluent. Hanggang ngayon ay ginagawa pa rin iyon sa amin ni Ms. Terry.

So far, I knew five languages by present. Fiya knew eight; not because she was a trouble maker, but because she was bored and she did wanted to willingly learn them herself.

Hindi rin naman kami nagtagal sa paghihintay dahil dumating na rin ang bus. Fortunately ay nasa unahan kami ng pila kaya nauna kaming sumakay. Thank goodness for that because I wasn’t sure if I could even stand on the bus all while it was moving. Isa pa, medyo malayo sa pinaka city ang mansyon na iniwan sa amin ni Lola kaya kung tatayo ako ay siguradong ngalay ang aabutin ko.

Fiya and I settled on seats at the back of the bus. Pareho kaming hindi sanay sumakay sa public transpo kaya pinili namin ‘yung pwesto na hindi kami masyadong madidikit sa iba.

Tahimik kaming dalawa buong byahe. I gave Fiya space so she could think and hopefully, be better after this ride. Nabasa ko kasi sa isang travel blog sa internet na effective raw na oras para mag-isip ang bus rides or any other form of drives. Basta nakasakay ka lang sa umaandar na sasakyan. I wouldn’t know if it was effective, hindi naman kasi ako masyadong nalulunod sa pag-iisip kapag nakasakay sa kahit ano mang sasakyan. I always found myself busy looking at the scenery outside. Kahit pa puro sidewalk or nagtatangkarang mga building lang ang nakikita ko madalas ay hindi ko pa rin maiwasan na mamangha sa kanila. Fiya knew that kaya ako na ang pinaupo niya sa tabi ng bintana.

After an hour ay nakarating na kami sa waiting shed malapit sa trail paakyat sa maliit na burol kung saan nakatayo ang mansyon ni Lola sa tuktok. It wasn’t really a part of the bus route kaya napatingin sa amin ni Fiya ang driver ng bus nang doon kami pumara.

“Ang babata niyo namang kasambahay sa mansyon sa taas ng burol.” the nice driver commented. “Bago ba kayo roon? Sa lahat ng naisakay ko na rito bumaba ay kayo ang sa tingin ko ay ang mga pinakabata.”

I smiled at the driver while I opened my wallet to get some cash.

“Salamat po sa paghatid.” I told the elderly man, obviously avoiding saying much. “Ingat po kayo.”

Tumango na lang ang matanda and pinindot na ang button para bumukas ang pinto ng bus. I sighed in relief. Parati kasi kaming sinasabihan ni Lola noon na ‘wag namin basta bastang ibunyag ni Fiya ang katauhan namin sa iba at ayoko namang magsinungaling sa matandang driver kaya buti na lang at hindi na siya nagpumilit pang magtanong. Bumaba na kami ni Fiya matapos magpasalamat ulit.

I really didn’t get why Lola was so afraid to expose our identities. I get it that our family’s rich, but something about Lola’s paranoia before felt off. Hanggang sa namatay na siya ay di ko na nalinaw kung ako lang ba ang nag-iisip na kakaiba ang pag-iingat ni Lola sa amin.

So much na kahit ngayon, kahit si Ms. Terry ay ingat na ingat din sa amin.

“Mahaba habang lakaran na naman ‘to.” I said with a pout, eyeing the cemented road leading to the mansion.

“Anong ‘na naman’?” taas kilay na tanong ni Fiya. “First time mong aakyatin ‘to.”

I smirked at her.

“Di ka sure diyan.”

Inirapan lang ako ni Fiya bago siya namulsa at nagsimulang maglakad nang mabilis.

“Hey!” natatawang sigaw ko. “Wait!”

Of course Fiya didn’t wait for me, so I immediately ran after her. Kagaya ng bus ride ay tahimik din kaming naglakad paakyat sa medyo matarik na kalsada. Hindi pa yata tapos mag-isip si Fiya. She’d speak when she wanted to and most of the times, I didn’t really need to force her to do so. Kapag may gusto siyang sabihin, sasabihin niya naman agad. She wasn’t speaking now so I guess she wasn’t in the mood to speak or she just simply doesn’t have anything in mind she wanted to talk about.

Kuntento na akong ganito kaming dalawa. Fiya was really my opposite, as what most of our tutors said. But that was fine with me. If anything, I thought Fiya gave balance to me. She leveled me out in terms of almost everything. Attitude, hobbies, mannerisms, likes and dislikes and many other things that made us who we were. Magkaibang magkaiba kami and strangely enough, it worked for us perfectly. Lahat nang wala sa akin ay mahahanap kay Fiya at ang lahat nang wala kay Fiya ay sa akin makikita.

We were each other’s Yin and Yang. The one wouldn’t be settled without the other.

Kaya hindi ko talaga ma-imagine kung paano ako makaka-survive kung wala si Fiya sa tabi ko.

“What’s your birthday wish?” tanong ko nang sa wakas ay tanaw na naming dalawa ang masyon ni Lola. I just suddenly became curious. Wala sa ugali ni Fiya ang gumawa ng birthday wish since she was a very realistic person. I was wondering if this eighteent birthday of hers was somewhat speacial enough for her that she made a birthday wish this year.

Nilingon ako ni Fiya sandali bago niya ibinalik ang tingin sa nilalakaran. It took some moment before she answered, which I almost thought she wouldn’t.

“I wish you’d grow up fast and eight months will pass in a blur so you will be eighteen, too.” mahinang sagot ni Fiya.

“Huh?” I asked, confused about her wish. It was her birthday, her wish was supposed to be about her. Pero bakit ako yata ang sentro ng hiling niya? “Bakit tungkol sa akin yata ang wish mo?”

Natawa ako, a very awkward one. Wala lang, it was not like I found Fiya’s wish to be funny. No, I would never laugh about what she wanted to say or do. I won’t ever laugh about her choices. I just… I was caught off guard. Hindi ko alam kung anong ire-react ko sa sinabi niya kaya nagkunwari na lang akong natawa. Tsaka, she must be joking. Minsan kasi nagbibiro na pala si Fiya hindi ko pa alam kasi resting b***h faced pa rin naman siya kahit nagbibitaw na pala siya ng jokes.

Fiya stopped walking so I did, too. Tinitigan niya ako. The look on her face… I couldn’t put a name on it. Ganoon naman parati. While I was like an open book who’s very easy to read, Fiya was like a closed metal door who’s very hard to open. She was always locked, guarded. Kahit ako na pinaka-close niya naman ay nahihirapan pa rin siyang basahin madalas.

I didn’t even noticed that I spaced out until Fiya flicked my forehead.

“Huwag ka nang maraming tanong diyan.” she said before she sped walk away from me. Napangiti ako nang matamis bago ako tumakbo para habulin siya. I snaked my arm to hers when I caught her.

“Don’t worry!” nakangiti kong sabi. Walang mawawala kung sasakyan ko ‘yung wish ni Fiya na para sa akin. “Eight months na lang naman, birthday ko na rin. So magiging eighteen na rin ako katulad mo!”

Ngumiti si Fiya nang tipid sa akin bago kami nagpatuloy na maglakad pauwi. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa hanggang sa makarating kami sa gate ng mansion. Kapansin pansin ang isang itim na kotseng nag aantay sa loob.

The tall gates opened and Lola’s men immediately escorted us to the car. Nakaramdam ako ng kaba. This could only mean one thing; Ms. Terry already knew.

Nilingon ko si Fiya na walang reaksyon sa mga nangyayari. It’s either she doesn’t care that Ms. Terry knew or she wasn’t scared. I pouted. Sana talaga ako rin, wala masyadong pakialam kung mapagalitan ni Ms. Terry.

We rode the car in silence, kahit ang mga tauhan ay wala ring sinabi na kahit ano sa amin.

I couldn’t help but feel dread when we arrived at the manor specially after I noticed three unfamiliar cars on its driveway.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Do we have visitors?

Kahit confused ay bumaba ako. I looked at Fiya and she still looked cool as lways, composed.

Iginiya kami ng butler papasok, our steps echoing on the marble floor. They stangely sounded louder than they normally were. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.

I just felt that I wasn’t going to like it.

*****