The b***h Mafia

Chapter 5: The Note

5

The Note

Three days had passed and I'm waiting if someone will die. But in three days wala pa naman. That's a good thing right?

Nasa cafeteria kami ni Marga together with the members of Monarchies and Ryan and Matthew from from Royalties. I'm kind of close with them because of Margaret. She's close with, especially with Michael and Xian.

"Angel, I'm really curious. Do you have a boyfriend?" Ryan asked. I think that caught their attention because they are all looking at me and waiting for the answer.

"Wala. I'm single." I said and winked at him.

"Ayun! Alam na Ryan." Matthew said. Tinapik nya pa ang balikat ni Ryan. Kaya binatukan sya ni Ryan at napailing na lang ako. Tumingin ulit sa akin si Ryan.

"Pero may naging boyfriend ka na?" tanong nya pa.

"Meron naman na"

"Talaga? Mga ilan?" why is he so curious about my love life? Napaisip naman ako sa tanong nya.

"I actually don't know. I was never really into a serious with my past relationships." pagamin ko

"So you've never been in love? " Tanong naman ni Marga.

"I could say that."

"Parehas pala kayo ng katabi mo eh" sino bang nasa tabi ko si Margaret sa left and si Xian sa right.

"Ay mali, in love nga pala ngayon si Xian" sabi niya and nagtawanan pa sila.

"Hala! Ryan mukhang kaagaw mo si Xian." sabi ni Mathew

"Siya ba Michael?" Tanong ni Ryan. I don't know what they are talking about.

"Oo pre! Tinamaan eh" sabi ni Michael

"Ganoon ba? Edi may the best man wins na lang Xian" sabi ni Ryan. 

"Okay, boys out of place ako " sabi ko. Kukuha ako ng Mallows pero kamay ang nakuha ko at kamay ni Xian.

"Penge ako ah." then sinubo nya yung Mallows ko! Kaya nanlaki ang mata ko!

"Hey! That's mine. Walang nagtitinda niyan dito" I'm starting to tantrums na. Dahil sa labas ko pa binibili yan. Nagpout na lang ako then bigla syang tumayo at umalis.

"Saan pupunta yun?" Tanong ni Margaret. 

"Ewan ko sa kanya. Galit ako dun dahil kinain nya sweets ko" 

Were telling some jokes ng dumating si Xian na may dalang paper bag at umupo sya sa tabi ko at nilapag sa table yung paper bag pero hindi ko sya pinapansin. Kinalabit nya ako pero hindi ko pa rin sya pinapansin

"Hey!" He said. His voice were low as if taking care of something.

"Angel sorry na." sabi nya hindi ko sya pinapansin. I saw on my peripheral view na kinuha nya yung paper bag na dala niya.

"Oh I bought all of these for you." nakalapag sa harap ko ang tatlong balot ng mallows dalawang chocolate flavor at isang vanilla tapos may chocolate syrup strawberry and chocolate bars pa.

"Is that all for me?" I said while my eyes are shock.

"Nope. Hati tayo." kahit na hati kami hindi na ako lugi, right?

"Talaga? " paninigurado ko

"Oo nga ayaw mo ata eh." ililigpit nya na yung mga sweets hinawakan ko yung kamay nya para pigilan siya. 

"Tara kainin na natin!"ngumiti sya.

Damn ayan na naman yung smile niya.

"Thank you Xian." then I gave him a hug. Tapos nagsimula akong kumain ng mallows. Napatingin ako ng biglang tumayo ulit si Xian. 

Ayaw na ba nya? Bahala na nga! Kakain na lang ako. Why is he so sungit?

Maya maya lang bumalik si Xian na may dalang bottled water.

"Oh! Mamaya maumay ka nyan" sabi nya. My eyes were into him. Is he for real? All of a sudden he is thoughtful.

"Thank you" then kumain na ako ng mallows. Kukuha sana si Michael pero tinapik ni Xian yung kamay nya.

"Pahingi lang." Nagrereklamo na sabi ni Michael. Bumubulong bulong pa ito dahil hindi siya binigyan ni Xian.

"Hey Xian we've got a lot. Come on share natin sa kanila."  nag puppy eyes pa ako. Malay mo effective.

"Fine." 

"Yes!" Nakangisi na sabi ni Margaret. Sometimes I feel like we are still kids. I like this pat of my life here in the academy.

"Yehey!" Michael dig in, joining Margaret, except the two Joe and Ryan. 

"Oo nga pala bawal ang kambal." sabi ni Mathew pointing to Joe and Ryan. 

God! I think I choke on the chocolate bar I'm eating. Xian opened the bottled water and gabe it to me. I took my time drinking the water.

"Kambal kayo?" I asked while pointing my finger in front of Joe and Ryan. Binaba ni Xian yung kamay ko. Yeah that's rude.

"Hindi naman talaga kambal like what Micheal said. Kambal sila base on their  attitude also ng hilig at kung ano ano pa." Margaret explaining. Oh! I thought they are twin like siblings talaga. Tho kind of doubt that, hindi sila magkamukha. May be fraternal twins right? 

"Sus pare! Chansing ka lang kay Angel!" Nang-aasar na sabi ni Matthew. He pointed our hands na magkahawak pa rin pala. I mean, he is still holding my hand. 

When Xian saw that, he immediately remove his hand on my hand.

"Sorry." Xian. 

That's awkward right? 

"No worries." sabi ko para mawala yung awkwardness. I can feel my heart beating fast. 

Angel stop. Stop crushing on him. It's not good. Im not here to crush on someone. 

"Tapusin nyo na yan may klase pa tayo."  Margaret sounding like a mother to us. She's so cute talaga. 

"Ilabas mo si Margaret!" Micheal said while shaking Margaret. As if she was possessed by someone else. 

"Tigilan mo ako Michael." Margaret looks so irritated with Michael. I can't help but to laugh at them. They annoy each other every time. They're so cute. 

"Let's go M couple." I said. I tried cleaning up our stuff. Xian help me putting the remaining sweets back on the paper bag. He also offered to del with the paper bag. I just said thanks and started walking away. 

Margaret left them and cling her arm on me.

"Do you have a crush on him?" I blinked twice before stopping from walking. 

"Are you joking? Because it's funny." I said in a serious tone. I continued walking and Margaret followed me.

"Hey!" She cling her arm on me again and whisper. "Why not? Xian isn't bad." She said trying to justify why should I have a crush on Xian. 

I mean, that's true naman. Xian isn't bad at all. I mean he is handsome and kind. What's not to like?

"Uy! Napapaisip." Margaret giggled after saying that. I just rolled my eyes and smirked at her sarcastically.

"Stop teasing me. Baka nga ikaw yung may crush kay Michael." Her jaw dropped and she stopped from walking. Binilisan ko ang lakad ko para makapasok na sa room.

"Hey!" She said dragging they e and y on her hey. I just giggled at the thought of teasing her to Michael. She's so naive at this thing.

Margaret and I already settled on our seats when the two famous groups of circle, one by one entering the class room.

"Wow impressive monarchies and eoyalties aren't late today. Keep it up!" masayang nagdiscuss ang mga teachers dahil kumpleto daw ang mga students nila knowing na pumasok ang monarchies and royalties.

While trying to listen on the lessons, suddenly I remembered the letter from the Black organization. 

Should I give a note to them? I think I should.

I scrabbled on my paper. 

"Warn Swansea. The enemy will try to eliminate you one by one."

Will they notice that it is me who gives them a warning? Or may be, I should tell Swansea directly.

Pinunit ko ito at tiniklop ng maayos at nagsusulat ng kung ano ano. I even tried to jot down the lessons, pretending to be attentive on the lessons.

The psychology class ended and it's time for art subject. Yesterday, the instructor said we should bring some art materials.

"Are your tools are ready?" The instructor asked as soon as she went inside the room.

"Yes Miss." We said in unison.

"We will just apply what we learned yesterday. The situation, if you're having your own organization-- whatever organization-- you have to create your own symbol. I want you all to sketch some symbols that is close to your heart or that can represent you in any way. Attached another paper, where the every details of your symbol are explained thoroughly. Any questions?" 

A kid asked about the deadline. The instructor said it will be two days from now before leaving us. She said she has important meeting that she needs to attend.

Should I sketch our crest? Wouldn't that be obvious?

Hmmm, I'll just simplify the symbols.

I started sketching the crown. It is a crown for queen. The crown of a king belongs to my brother. I think that explains why I'm sketching a Queen's crown. 

I just really sketched the crown not really minding the details. I'll just detailed it later. Outside the crown, I scrabbled the letters  R.M.A.F.I.A into I.M.F.R.A.I 

This doesn't make sense right. 

On the base on of the crown, I wrote some numbers 1863/1997 and just below the years is a date, 06.18/03.01.

I think that's already fine. I started shading some colors on the crown, using red.

I felt bored while shading some red on my symbol, kaya I tried to peak on Margaret's symbol. 

It's a heart with color red and has fading effects. In the middle, there is a sort of a symbol like a letter H and a pink Triple H below the big and weird symbol H.

She belongs to Triple H. Margaret is an assassin.

I bit my lower lip trying not smile. Can you believe that? She's not an enemy. I don't have any other reason to kill her. 

I tried to avoid Margaret's and peak on Michael's. I just smirked, it is the same with Margaret's simple, the only difference is the color that Michael used and the green three H beneath the weird H symbol.

Another member of Triple H assassin.

I glanced at Xian's. His symbols were kind of different but somehow having the same vibe with Margaret's and Michael's.

Xian did not sketched a big heart. It's a plain weird H and a number of 3 beside it. He used different shades of blue into his weird H symbol. 

Right. Triple H. 

We are sitting Alphabetical. I am Hamilton, Hampshire, Hartford, and Hilton. 

Margaret Hampshire, the first H. 

Michael Hilton, the second H. 

Xian Hartford, the last member of Triple H. 

Why didn't I thought of that? 

I'm not really expecting them to be a normal student. After all, this academy helps people like us to master ours skills. 

"Astig!" The flow of my thoughts stopped when Michael suddenly appeared in front of face. Kumunot saglit ang noo niya, as if remembering where he saw the symbols I used. "RM's crest."

He stiffed as our eyes met. 

"What crest?" Xian suddenly asked. Michael and I eye contact interrupted when Xian asked that. I shifted my gaze when I saw Margaret looking at my sketch. 

"RM what?" I asked. Trying not get caught. 

"Nothing." Xian eyed Michael before he continues with his sketches.

"What RM Michael?" I asked again. 

"Ah..ahh... The gang I belong back in highschool." Putol putol na sabi ni Michael. 

I bit my cheek trying to hide a smile. Michael isn't a good liar. How is he an assassin? 

"Gangster ka pala!" Margaret suddenly said. Inirapan lang siya ni Michael. I just laughed at Margaret. 

Margaret continued teasing Michael while we were packing our stuffs. 

"Kapag ikaw inasar ko. Huh!" Pagbabanta ni Michael kay Margaret. These two always bicker.

"Hindi. I'm so hungry." Margaret trying to shift the topic. "Angel let's eat na." She said and cling on my arm. 

"Im planning to sleep. I felt sleepy kanina." I slowly remove her hands on my arm. "Eat well." I said. I carried my bag and left them there. 

I immediately went to our dorm. Lock the door as I entered our room. I tried to look for an envelope and put the notes I wrote earlier. I tried to use a different handwriting style as I wrote Margaret's name outside the envelope. 

I kept my things and went on Margaret's study table. Pinatong ko lang doon iyong envelope and unlocked the door.

Margaret and I never really lock our door unless we are both sleeping. Xian and Michael would often stay here in our room trying to kill time by teasing Margaret.

I quickly changed into some comfortable clothes and laid on my bed holding a book trying to read. 

And I'm right, Margaret went inside our room. She's may be bothered why I didn't ate with her. 

"Hey, someone left an envelope for you. I found it in the door step." I tried to read the book I'm holding and stopped again as I saw her holding the envelope. "Should we post some notes on our door." I suddenly said. I caught her attention and she looks at me.

"For what?" 

"For our mails. We have mailbox pero the letter was literally delivered on our doorstep." I said trying to make sense why I found her mail on our doorstep. She laughed at me as if I said something funny. 

"Yes we should. Mamaya, importante yung mail tapos nawala." Tumango tango lang ako sa kaniya. She sat on her bed and opened the letter.

I pretend reading the book and flipping pages, while trying to watch her on my peripheral vision. 

Her face hardened as she reads the note. She remained silent. 

"Hey!" I called her out. Obviously, she's spacing out. "Margaret." She looks at me with a question on her face.

"Are you okay?" I put the book down trying to make myself more concern on her. 

"Yes. Yes. I am." She said sounding like she wanted to be fine. She space out again until she looked at me. 

"Angel can I ask you a favor?" Her eyes were full of concern. 

"Sure. Basta madali ha!" I said trying to sound jolly. 

"Can you call Xian and Michael. Sa kabilang room lang sila." It's a new side of Margaret. She's always jolly and I rarely see her getting this serious.

"Akala ko naman kung ano. Sure. Wait here." I put the book above my study table and went outside our dorm.

I knocked twice before the door opened by Michael.

"Hi Angel do you need anything?" Sabi pa nya

"No. But I think Margaret needs you and Xian nasa dorm namin tawag kayo." tumango lang sya

"Sige sige wait susunod na kami" sabi nya. I left them and went inside our dorm.

When I went back inside our dorm, Margaret looks uneasy. She kept walking back and forth.

While she's spacing out. I opened the cabinet beneath my study table and immediately get the listening device I hid there. I placed it a drawer where they cannot see it. 

I activated the device using my phone. 

"Hey Margaret." Tumingin sa akin si Margaret still looking anxious. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Umiling-iling lang siya. "You sure? I'm going downstairs, you need anything?" I said. 

"No no. I'm fine." She said and continue spacing out. 

I went back on my study table and get my wallet and earphones.

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" I asked again before leaving her. 

"Yes. Thank you." Simpleng sagot niya. Tinanguan ko na lang siya.

Saktong palabas na ko ay papasok naman sila Xian.

I just nodded at them and went somewhere quiet, the library. I put my earphones on and listen to their conversation.

Xian: What's the matter?  

Marga: Angel saw this on the doorstep. 

Micheal: Anong laman?

Marga: '"Warn Swansea. The enemy will try to eliminate you one by one." yan yung nakalagay

Xian: The person who sent you this knows Swansea. Must be an alliance. Who would it be?

Micheal: Can Angel be a suspect? 

Marga: I dont think so. 

Xian: You think?

Micheal: but what if lang??

Marga: If she's the one who sent this, then she's an alliance.

Xian: We should be careful around her. Whatever she is. She doesn't seems normal. 

Marga: I found it unusual. Remember the time she fought with Jasmine? She wasn't scared.

Micheal: She went against her and won. We know Jasmine is a reaper. Not anyone, can fight a reaper.

Marga: The reapers are the assassins of Mafias.

Xian: I'll report this to Swansea.  We should be careful.

Marga: Xian, do you think this has something to do with the incident that happened in the party? 

Xian: I'm also thinking of the possibilities. And yes, there is a possibility that the letter and the incident are connected. 

Michael: I'm still investigating. One thing is so sure, someone let the member of black organization to get inside the academy. 

I did not bother listening to Michael's investigation. I already knew why they went inside the academy, I just didn't knew who let them in. Why bother? 

I immediately went inside the cafeteria and ordered some food. I haven't eaten anything since morning.

My thoughts again is interrupted when I felt my phone vibrated. I checked who message me.

From: Margaret

Where are you?

To: Margaret

At cafeteria, eating

then hit send. Margaret did not replied but a few minutes I saw her walking outside the cafeteria, lurking. 

As she saw me, she immediately went inside the caf and to my direction. 

"How's your groupings with the boys?" I asked and sipped on my water. Her eyes went blank for a moment but then she shrugged. 

"Fine lang." She ordered her food. I continued eating my food until she called my name

"Angel," 

"Yes?" Napatingin ako sa kaniya. Her gaze is different. I felt like she wanted to say something really important. She opened her mouth then closed it again. 

"What were you sketching earlier? It really looks familiar kasi." She played her fingers as she asked me carefully. The symbol?

"Emoticons." I simply answered. 

"Emoticons?" She sounds unsure. Nilaba ko yung phone ko and look for an emoticon na kapareha noong nakalagay sa sketch pad ko.

"Here o." Tinignan niya iyon at tumango tango. 

"I thought you're a member." I chuckled to hide my identity.

"Mukha ba akong gangster?" I joked. She just chuckled and ate her food. 

Since we have nothing to do anymore in the cafeteria, we both decided to go back in our room.

I went again reading while Margaret entered our bathroom.  Few minutes later she went outside holding the gown I used in the party.

"Can you explain why does your gown has blood stains on it?" 

Did I forget to asked someone to clean dry my dress? How stupid of me.

"Do I need to answer that?" I ask her seriously while not removing my eyes on the book I'm reading.

"Yes." She said

"But why?" That's the time I look at her.

"Because I'm your friend." She said as if it's enough for me to spill every secret on my body.

"I know. But I know you, Michael, and Xian has secrets too. Did I bother asking you what would that be?" Her gaze soften as she heard that. 

"Margaret it's not that I don't trust you but I hope you'll understand that I'm not yet ready to tell you who really I am." She nodded.

"I understand. When everything is ready I'll tell you mine too." May be she understands me because she knew she's also hiding her identity.

"Thank you Margaret. But for now, I need your trust. Just trust me Margaret." She smiled and sighed. 

"I will." I gave her an assuring smile.  "I'll just take a bath." Tumango lang ako sa kanya. Pumasok na ulit siya sa bathroom dala-dala ang gown ko.

I put the book above my side table and wait for Margaret to finish. 

After her, I took a quick shower. 

That night, Margaret and I slept not thinking of anything at all.