Wind and Sail

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Dayn's POV

Nagliwanag ang mga mata ni Liqour nang nakita niya ako. He’s smiling beneath his gag. Nilapitan ko siya at tinanggal sa pagkakatali. Tinanggal ni Sxan ang nasa bibig nito.

“Hey, Liqour, I’m sorry.” I hugged him tightly. Sxan helped him to stand up. “Did they do something to you? Are you hurt?” I checked on him and to god’s grace, he’s not hurt. “Were you scared?”

“No, I’m not Tita. The guys here fed me McDonalds and told me that we’re going to play the hostage game. I am the hostage and somebody’s going to save me. I didn’t know it was you!” He jumped and hugged me. I let out a big sigh of relief.

I looked at Sxan and he is confused as hell.

“R-really?” My voice is shaking. “Well, then, let’s go.” I held Liquor’s hand and walked out of the locker room.

Sxan never left my side. He still continues to ask so many questions.

“Why are you here?”

“It’s dangerous here, you know it.”

“Why? How?”

So many questions.

Palabas na sana ako nang may humila sa buhok ko. I saw Xav’s hand moved swiftly to my hair and cut a few of it. My hairs fell to the ground, I slowly lifted my eyes onto him. His eyes are now filled with horror and fear. He slouched a little and took a few steps backwards. I can’t just take my gun out and shoot him, my nephew’s right beside me.

“Hey Liqour, the game’s not over yet.” I took my Glock pistol out; a kid would think that this is a toy because it looks like one. It looks like a pellet gun that you can buy online. “There’s still the kidnapper! Go hide elsewhere! I’ll finish him, make sure nobody sees you!” I said in a cheerful yet cautious voice as if we were playing.

He quicky hid under the table few meters away from me, I saw Sxan ran after him.

“You motherfucker, iniwan na nga kita kanina ‘diba? Ano pa bang gusto mo?” I attached the silencer to my gun and pointed it at him. I hear his breath getting shorter and faster. “Oh, don’t be nervous, you started this, remember?”

He didn’t answer. He’s just looking at me.

“Huwag mo naman akong titigan nang ganiyan, baka mahulog ka sa akin ha,” I said.

“You know what, since you wanted this… why don’t we play a game?” I added.

“W-what game?” he asked with his shaking voice.

“The first who gets this…” Itinaas ko ang baril na hawak ko. “…wins. Kapag ikaw unang nakakuha, use it how you want, even with me. Well, the same goes for me too.”

I put the gun on the farther from me and nearest for him. “Move when I count to three, no other rules than that. Easy right?”

I saw him take his stand. Desperate to win.

“One, two---” I stopped counting because he took a step forward when it’s not yet in three. I gave him a go-back-to-where-you-were look. He got it so he stepped back.

“Three!” I yelled.

Tumakbo siya papunta sa lamesa pero hindi ko hahayaan na mahawakan niya ang baril. Dali-dali ko na binunot ang kutsilyo na nakaipit sa buhok ko at hinagis sa kamay niyang dadakma ng baril. The force of the knife was strong enough to pierce through his hand. It is now stuck in the table; he can’t free his hand unless he removes the knife first. Nilapitan ko siya habang nakangiti nang nakakaloko, ngunit ilang hakbang pa lang ako ay gumalaw ulit siya. s**t! I almost forgot that his other hand is free.

I only brought one knife, damn it!

I only had a second to think what I should do next, but I think I don’t need it anymore. Somebody shot his other hand that was about to grab the gun. My problem is now solved thanks too… who was it? Oh, thanks to Sxan.

What?!

“What the?” I said beyond belief.

“Let’s just go before this escalates to something worse,” sabi niya. He held my hand and started dragging me out of there. While we were running, I was only looking at his hand holding mine and his back.

We stopped at the table where Chivas is hiding, he opened the curtain and held Chivas’ hands as well whilst not letting go of mine and together, we ran out of that place. He brought us to the east door where there was no guard at all.

I saw Chivas’ hand slid out of Sxan’s hand and sat down trying to catch his breath. Sxan’s still holding mine and he looks like he had no intention of letting it go, so I tried to pull my hand away, but he squeezed it harder. It didn’t hurt though, it was gentle, he relaxed it right away.

I felt a sudden rush of explicable feeling. My stomach is acting crazy, and my heart is beating faster than its normal rate. This feeling… I never felt this before, it is confusing but… I can’t really put it into words. It’s as if my internal organs are moving, well, yes, they move, but not this way that feels so weird and it’s exhilarating and… I feel elated.

“Why are you here?” I asked him.

Hinila niya ako nang medyo malayo kay Chivas. “It’s dangerous here, you could’ve told me that you need something or someone in here, I’ll bring it to you. You really like going inside the tiger’s den, don’t you?” nangangaral niyang sabi.

Bakit ba siya nagagalit? Siya nga itong sumulpot at naki-epal.

“This is none of your business, plus why would I call you? I don’t even know you and would you please let go of my hand,” pabalang kong sagot.

Tiningnan niya muna ang kamay namin bago bitawan ang akin.

“At saka kung makapagsalita ka sa akin, akala mo naman close tayo. Makaalis na nga,” sabi ko at tinalikuran na siya. Napatigil ako nang hinawakan niya ang braso ko.

Humarap ako sa kaniya na magkasalubong ang kilay. “Hindi mo ba ko---” angil ko.

Naramdaman ko ang pagdulas ng kamay niya sa braso ko, hindi sa malanding paraan ha. “Oh, ayan oh!” Pinakita niya ang kamay niya na may dumi ata ng uling. “Pinunasan ko lang, baka ‘pag may nakakita pa sa’yo sabihin isa kang pulubi na nang-kidnap ng bata.”

Inirapan ko lang siya at pumunta na kay Liqour.

Para akong tinamaan ng kidlat nang may napagtanto ako. “Tangina,” pabulong kong sabi. Narinig iyon ni Sxan kaya nilingon niya ako. Si Liqour ay itinatali pinapagpagan ang puwetan ng shorts niya.

“What is it? Lumapit siya sa akin.

I let out a sigh. “Yung motor ko naiwan ko sa front,”

“What the heck? Why would you enter there?!” he said frustratingly. He put his hands on his waist. “What do I need to do?”

Thankfully he asked, I thought he won’t.

“Uhm… could you please get it and bring it here?” I smiled awkwardly at him while slowly handing the keys to him. He shook his head and started heading to the front.

After some time, I recognized the sound of a motor engine getting louder, and there I saw Sxan moving towards us. He stopped right in front of us and got down.

Sumakay muna ako bago si Chivas. Tinulungan siya ni Sxan na makasampa sa motor ko.

“Thanks, we’ll get going now.” I spoke. He nodded and swayed his hands; he tells me to go now.

I told Chivas to hold tight. While we’re on our way home I can’t stop thinking about him. Like what the heck is he even doing there? Should I run a background check on him? He’s probably one of the guys at the bottom, or maybe he’s hooking up with the girl members. Why do I care?

I brushed everything off my mind before we stopped few steps away from our house. I helped Chivas get down and brushed his hair. “Hey kiddo, if your mom asked where we went and what did we do, what should you tell her?”

I know what I am doing is bad, but I really don’t have a choice but to lie.

“We played kaya Tita. It was fun! I saw you throw psh-psh-phew!” he reenacted what I did, it even came with improvised sound effects. I laughed at him. “This is the best night ever! And there was a knight in shing armor who came as well to save you and me!”

Oh, I laughed again but this time it’s a bit awkward. “Oh, really.” I said with a fake smile. I am just glad that he thinks of what happened as a game or play. “Yeah, everything I used were toys, don’t do it ha?”

He nodded yes as an answer. I guided him inside. I was shocked to see Ate sitting on the sofa cross-legged and it looks like she’s waiting for us. Lukot ang mukha niya at magkasalubong ang mga kilay.

“Where did you two went?” she asked with an authority.

“Uhm… we played?” I spoke.

“Yes, I know. But where?” Her eyebrows relaxed but the other one rose.

Nakita ko ang paglunok ni Chivas. “Here and there, then we went to the 7/11 to get something to eat.” I held Chivas’ hand and walked him over his mom. His mom wrapped her hands around him quickly and sat him on her lap.

“He’s pagod Ate, let Ate Lisa tucked him in his bed.” I said then went upstairs to my room.

I felt a sudden feeling that stung my spine the moment I entered my room. My eyes locked onto somebody’s back. He is facing the window and just sitting on the side of my bed.

“What the actual f**k? Ano na namang ginagawa mo dito?” I squealed not so loud, I also looked outside my room to see if anybody was there before shutting it back closed.

Napatayo siya at itinuro ang bagay na nasa mesa ko, nilapitan ko ‘yon at nakita ang kutsilyo ko, malinis na iyon at nakapatong sa panyo. “Pasensya na pumasok ako nang walang paalam, binalik ko lang naman ‘yan,” sagot niya.

I turned my head saying no. Nilapitan ko siya at pinatayo roon. “Umalis ka na, ang creepy mo kaya!”

“Oh, I am really sorry,” sabi niya habang itinutulak ko siya sa balkonahe kung saan siya dumaan. “Do I look like I’m going to harm you?”

“Hah! Talaga! Alis na!” Napalakas ang tulak ko sa kaniya kaya’t muntik nang dumulas ang paa niya at mahulog sa baba.

Mabuti na lamang ay nahawakan ko ang kamay niya. Napalunok ako dahil hindi ko alam ang gagawin.

“Grabe ka naman sa akin, ihuhulog mo pa ‘ko,” reklamo niya.

“Malamang, kung hindi nga kita nakilala baka kung ano na nagawa ko sa’yo. You don’t sneak in somebody’s private space, that is so rude and disrespectful,” I am very frustrated and disappointed.

“I am sorry, I will never do this again,” he said, I don’t know if he really meant that because he was smiling. I realized why; I’m still holding his hands! I immediately let go of it and looked at him madly.

“Look!” he said out of nowhere and pointed towards the sky. I looked at where he pointed, and my eyes smiled when it witnessed a shooting star.

He whispered, “I’ll get going now, sleep well my nemesis.” He held to the railing and swung his body to get to the ground.

I watched him ride his motorcycle, waved by at me, and left. It looks like my feet got stuck in the floor of this balcony. I couldn’t talk, my throat is dry and my heart… my heart… why is it beating like a drum and in a rush?

I felt the cold breeze seeped through my skin that sent shivers down my spine. I put my arms across my chest and went back in my room. Gosh, it was cold outside but why am I sweating? I locked all the doors and entryway in my room and tried my best to go to sleep.

His breath and lips touching my ears, his warm hands touching mine… Ugh! Stop thinking about him!