Match Made in Hell

MMIH [5]

“Don’t tell me you were late again, kaya hindi ka pumasok?” Jam raised an eyebrow.

“Uhuh,” I absent-mindedly answered habang sinasagutan ang Physics assignment ko. I heard Jam clear her throat kaya napatigil ako at tumingin sa kan’ya.

“Why didn’t you go to your classes, Heaven? Gusto mo bang isumbong kita kay Evangeline?” She crossed her arms as she waited for my answer. I heaved a sigh.

“Hindi ko naman kasalanan ‘yun eh! Who, in the first place, let those guys in again? Alam mo bang ang hirap palabasin ni Andriel dude sa kwarto ni Joy? Sobrang feel at home niya, I think he has his headphones on pa,” pagdadahilan ko.

“Well, sorry na if Jeymi let them in again. You know her, she can’t stand not attracting guys. Not to mention na they’re the infamous Devil’s Tribe na sikat sa Gangster World.” I flinched when I heard the name ‘Gangster World’. I cannot believe na ‘yun ang pangalan nung underground meeting place nila. So original.

“At tsaka, they seem nice naman. I never knew na gano’n pala ang personalitites nila outside the Underground,” she added.

“Anyway, may laban kami mamaya. Be sure to tell Jeymi and Joy when they get home. Paglutuin mo muna si Joy ng dinner since it’s her turn. I’m going to go first since may aasikasuhin pa ako. Don’t wait for us, okay? If it’s late and we haven’t return, go to sleep first, okay?”

I nodded my head. Yes, Mother Jam. “Oh sige, ingat ka, Jam. Take care.”

Bumalik na ako sa paggawa nung worksheet ko. But after a few minutes, the doorbell rang. I think sila Jeymi and Joy na ‘yun. It’s past 6:00 na kasi eh.

“Ang kupad, Heaven! Pakibilisan!” Narinig kong sigaw ni Joy. Napasimangot ako. Ang demanding talaga nitong babaeng ‘to.

I lazily opened the door and Joy ran past me and up to her room. “Uy! Anyare ba?” tanong ko at sinundan siya. I peeked at her room and saw that she was rummaging through her things.

“What happened? Anong hinahanap mo?”

“My project! It slipped out of my mind that ngayon siya ipapasa! Ugh!”

I shook my head slowly. ‘Yan kasi. Kung hindi sana nila in-entertain ‘yang Devil’s Tribe na ‘yan eh. And yes, I am still blaming them.

Nagulat na lang ako nang lumabas na ng pintuan si Joy and shouted, “I’m going to be home late, okay, Heaven? Pakisabi na lang kay Jam and Jeymi! I need to beg na naman para tanggapin ‘to ng prof!”

But before I could speak a word, nakalabas na siya, leaving my mouth hanging open. Okay, what was that? Bakit halos parehas sila ng sinabi ni Jam? And, who the hell is gonna feed me!?

I cannot believe this! Ako ‘yung inaasahan ni Jam! How can I tell her na hindi pupunta si Joy? Oh well, I could always wait for Jeymi. Sigurado namang hindi palalampasin ‘yung chance na makapunta ulit doon sa Underworld.

Minutes later, narinig kong nag-doorbell na si Jeymi. Finally!

Pagbukas ko ng pinto, I saw that she was drunk! Oh god, why? “Jeymi! What the hell, why did you drink on a weekday? ‘Di ba rules natin ‘yan na bawal ‘yan?”

Muntikan na siyang matumba kaya’t inalalayan ko siya. “Whoo! Partey, partey!” she said at hindi nakatulong ‘yon sa’kin dahil ang bigat-bigat niya.

“Jeymi, umayos ka nga! Nako, lagot ka kay Jam nito!” Si Jam kasi ang naglay-out ng house rules kahit bahay ko ‘to. Pero, we agreed naman. “You’re really dead, lalo na’t hinihintay niya kayo sa Underworld. What am I gonna say to her?”

After kong palitan ng damit and hinilamusan si Jeymi, I let her sleep in her room. She owes me one. Hindi ko na lang ‘to babanggitin kay Jam.

I looked at the clock. It’s 8 and I’m really hungry. Pero tatawagan ko muna si Jam to let her know na hindi makakapunta si Joy and Jeymi.

Napasimangot ako kasi she won’t pick up her phone. Ano ba naman ‘to! Pang-anim na beses ko na ata siyang tinatawagan. I walked to the kitchen while my right hand was dialling her number again. I reached for the fridge kaso bigla akong napatigil.

I can hear Jam’s ringtone from here.

Holy shiz, don’t tell me na naiwan ni Jam ‘yung phone niya? Of all times! Bakit ba parang ako ang minamalas ngayon?

There’s only one way to tell her. I need to go there personally. At ang problema ko, hindi ko alam kung nasa’n ‘yun! I’ve never been there before! Siguro the 3Js said it before pero hindi naman ako nakikinig sa kanila if the topic was gangsters eh. Now how am I gonna find them?

Nagpunta ako ng kwarto then wore jeans and brought along my black jacket. Ayokong may makakita sa’kin ‘pag nando’n na ‘ko. And I’m pretty sure na hindi naman ako magiging out of place.

I sat down on the couch. Now I’m stuck. I could ask Jeymi for the place but she’s sleeping like a dead mouse. I can’t contact Joy ‘cause she already turned off her phone. Sino pa ba pwede kong mahingan ng tulong?

I looked through my contacts at nagulat ako nang may pangalan na nakalagay doon na I’m sure wala roon dati.

Gabriel. OMG, hindi ko alam kung sino sa tatlong ‘yon ang naglusot ng number ni Gab dito, but I’m sure na matutulungan niya ako ngayon.

I dialled the number pero I was in cold sweat. Nakakakabang kausapin kaya ang crush mo! Now, what will I say if he picked up? Uh-oh.

“Hello?” I jumped when I heard his voice.

“H-hello, Gabriel?”

“Heaven?”

“Yeap.”

“Why did you call?” Naririnig ko ang maingay na background at kung paano ito nawala. I guessed he is outside.

“Uhm, I really need to go to the Underworld. Nasa’n ba ‘yun?”

“May kailangan ka ba dito? It’s too dangerous here, Heaven.” Napanguso ako. Kinikilig ako sa hindi malamang dahilan.

“Uh, may nakalimutan kasi akong sabihin kay Jam. I think she’s already there. And since I don’t know where that place is, ikaw ‘yung tinawagan ko.”

“I’ll be there in 10.” He hung up after that. I grinned at the thought na si Gab mismo ang magdadala sa’kin papunta doon.

I waited outside the house kasi nagmamadali na talaga ako. It’s 8:30 and I really want to eat na.

Nakita ko naman ang pamilyar na mukha ni Gab kaya tumakbo ako papunta sa kan’ya. Then I noticed the awkward atmosphere.

“Hey, thanks. Malapit lang ba ‘yun dito? You were pretty fast.”

He nodded. “Malapit lang. 10-minute walk from here. Though it’s gonna be crowded when you get there. Stick with me all the time, alright?”

“Sure.” Napayuko ako sa sagot ko. Why did I answer ‘sure’? I sounded too eager. Ugh.

After 10 minutes, dumaan kami sa isang masikip na eskinita pero after no’n, nakita ko na ‘yung entrance. It was a small entrance. Bababa ka pa ng hagdanan then nando’n na ‘yung pintuan papasok sa loob. It looks small pero medyo maraming tao ang umaaligid dito.

Nagulat ako nang hawakan niya ang likuran ng ulo ko but I blushed nung inalalagay niya lang pala ‘yung hood over my head. I should stop being jumpy. Nakakahiya na.

I watched the people go in and out of the Underworld. Lahat sila may kanya-kanyang style. Some of them parang galing sa bar. Some ‘yung mga nakikita ko sa movies. Some ay naka-casual lang.

I spotted a dude na naninigarilyo sa gilid. Ang pogi! I can’t help but stare. So dito pala nagtatago ang mga pogi. I should come by here more often. Baka may maka-sparks ako.

Then I remembered, I hate gangsters nga pala.

“Bilisan mo, okay? Find her then say what you wanna say then we’re outta here. Ihahatid na kita pauwi.” Tumango naman ako sa kan’ya.

Hindi ko inaasahan na hahawakan niya ‘yung kamay ko habang naglalakad. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung magtatalon-talon ako dito sa kilig or what.

Pagpasok namin sa entrance, I was surprised nang nakita ko ang loob. It was huge! Sobrang kakaiba ‘pag nasa labas ka. Tingin ko, aabutin ka ng 30 minutes para makaabot doon sa pinakadulo.

“Let’s go.” He tugged at my hand and I followed him. I can see na kilalang tao dito si Gabriel. Wait, what was his codename again? I think it was Nyl. Binanggit ata ‘yun ni Felix dati.

I don’t know where to search at first. Pero nung nakita kong may place sila dito kung saan nagaganap ‘yung fights, doon ko siya sinimulang hanapin. Baligtad na ngayon. Ako na ‘yung humihila kay Gab.

I was shocked when I saw Jam. Big transformation. She was wearing eyeliner and she was black all over. Anyways, I love her leather jacket. Then she was wearing really short shorts and high heeled boots.

Nakanganga lang ako habang nakatingin sa kan’ya. She was chewing a bubble gum and she was constantly looking at her watch. Siguro napansin niya na super late na si Joy and Jeymi.

Nilapitan ko siya. She didn’t recognize me at first pero nanlaki ang mata niya. She grabbed my other hand at pati tuloy si Gab ay nahila niya. We entered the girl’s bathroom at nilock niya iyon kahit na nakita niya na si Gab.

“What the hell are you doing here, ‘Ven?” she hissed.

“Woah, you wore contacts? Astig!” I ignored her question. I heard Gab snicker from behind.

“Where the hell is Joy and Jeymi? Kanina ko pa sila hinihintay!”

“They couldn’t make it. Jeymi’s passed out on her bed while Joy has some project to do.”

“Ugh! Bakit ngayon pa! Kung kailan may naka-schedule na fight dito. Pero it’s a miracle. You? Inside the Underworld? Full of gangsters?” she grinned at me.

“I don’t have a choice! And one more thing, I’m very hungry na, Jam! Feed me!”

“Sorry, ‘Ven. I need to talk to someone after this. Magpasama ka na lang kay Nyl. You’ll do it, right?” tanong niya kay Gab.

“Sure.” Napanguso ako while nakangisi naman si Jam sa’kin.

“Bye, I have other things to do. Thanks for coming all the way here, Heaven.” And then, she was out the door.

“Where do you want to eat?” tanong ni Gab.

“Hindi na! Sa bahay na lang ako kakain. Or magpapa-deliver na lang ako.”

“Are you rejecting me?”

“I am not. Nakakahiya na kasi sa’yo. You already did me a favor.”

“There’s no harm in accepting another one.”

Nakalabas na rin kami in no time. Pero hindi dumiretso si Gab sa eskinita. Instead he dragged me doon sa parking lot ata nung Underworld. At doon niya kinuha ‘yung motor niya.

“Cool! A red FZ-09!” I gaped at his motorcycle. This costs like... thousands of bucks! I knew, mahilig kasi si Ate sa motorcycles and nahawa naman ako sa kan’ya.

“It’s amazing that you knew,” nakangising sagot ni Gab. Nakasakay na siya at isinusuot na ‘yung helmet niya.

“Helmet or no helmet?” he asked when I hopped in. Wait, saan ako hahawak? Sa beywang niya ba or sa likuran ko?

“No thanks.”

“Suit yourself.” He shrugged. He started the engine and then, “Hold on, tight, Princess.”

“Got it, my Prince,” I replied while grinning widely.