Captive

Chapter 10

Rebel's POV

Nalilitong nakatingin ako ka'y Sin. May hawak itong papel at inaabot sa akin. Inabot ko ito gulong tumingin sa kanya.

"What is this?"

Tumayo ito at saka kinuhang muli ang papel sa kamay ko.

"Tsk, you're not going to the company anymore." He said.

A-ano?

"P-pero Sin!"

I was about to speak again when he glared at me causing me to shut my mouth. I don't know what got to me yesterday that I answered him back but now? I need to cut my tongue or I'll be in the basement again. But, I love working there! I love helping Aling Rosie, laughing with Karina and Daniel. Learning new things to them and now? What will happen to me?

"Will you hear me out, woman? You're so nosy,"

I pouted at pinaglaruan ang daliri ko.

I'm getting nervous.

"You will go to college," he said.

C-college?

"What is college, Sin?"

He looks at me like I'm some kind of weirdo.

"Tsk, you're clueless when it comes to the world, aren't you?" Inis na wika nito. "It means you will go to school and learn things."

Nanlaki ang mata ko dahil sa sinabi nito.

S-school? I will go to school?

"Karina said that it's fun going there! But, who will help Aling Rosie from now on? Paano na ang mga kaibigan ko?" Usal ko.

"Tsk, stop caring about other people and go to your room and sleep. Tomorrow is a big day for you, little one."

Tipid na ngumiti nalang ako.

I may not know what school is but I'm sure I will learn a lot of things there. Ngunit hindi ko maiwasang malungkot, from now on, hindi ko na makikita ang mga kaibigan ko.

That's sad news.

"A-ah, Sin?" Tawag ko rito bago ko lumabas.

Nag-angat ito ng tingin.

"What?"

"C-can you hire some people to help Aling Rosie?"

Sumimangot ito.

"She's old now and you don't want her to work, should I fire her?"

"What? Grabe ka naman, Sin! She may be old but she's still strong, tsk. I'm just asking a favor but you're such a mood killer."

He chuckles.

"What the, you don't know what college is but you know words like mood killer?" Manghang tanong nito. "You're really stupid."

I rolled my eyes.

"Daniel taught me those words," saad ko at akmang lalabas na nang magsalita ito.

"Tsk, that's why you don't need to see them again. That son of b***h is teaching you a lot of bad words."

Bad words?

Sumimangot ako.

S'ya nga ang nagmumura palagi. Nakakainis na talaga si Sin, he's getting on my nerves lately but I know I should watch my words. He's masungit and unpredictable.

I should be careful or I'll end up in the basement again.

Nakatingin lang ako sa maraming tao. I'm here now at school. Kasama ko si Selena, she said that were classmates. Selena said that she's here to take care of me.

"Ano, Madam? Ready ka na ba?"

Ngumuso ako.

"A lot of people are here," I whispered.

I'm uncomfortable.

Tumawa ito.

"We're taking up business management. Master wants you to learn when it comes to business." She explained.

Tumango ako.

Sin is the one who will decide on everything. And he also said that I shouldn't tell them that we were related again.

Is he ashamed that I am his wife?

"Madam?"

Ngumiti lang ako rito.

"Tara na, I'm excited!" Pilit kong pinasigla ang boses ko.

She nodded at hinila na ko sa room namin.

I sighed.

Another new environment. I need to adjust again to fit in. Sin is right, I'm dumb on some things. Maybe that's the reason why he doesn't want me to tell everyone that he's my husband.

-----

"Good morning, I'm your proctor for today. It's the first day of school and I can see that a lot of you are still adjusting to your new environment. But, that's why I'm here. I'm Mrs. Cathy Salazar and I'm your teacher for today."

Wow, I never thought that I would be sitting here with Selena and with other people. Sin always locked me up in the house, he doesn't want to go outside but now, I will learn new things!

I'm kinda excited.

"Hi,"

Nilingon ko ang katabi ko.

Ngumiti ako rito.

"H-hi,"

He smiled at me at inilahad ang kanyang kamay.

"I'm Joshua Sebastian and I'm your classmate." He said.

Ngumiti ako.

"I-i'm Rebel."

Nanlaki ang mata nito.

"Wow, your name is cool!"

"Excuse me? I'm speaking here, Mister. Can you listen and stop flirting with her?"

Yumuko ako dahil mukhang nagalit si Mrs. Cathy sa amin. The whole class looks at us.

Eh?

Tumikhim si Joshua.

"Sorry po, Ma'am."

Selena pokes me.

"Huh?"

She smiled but glared at Joshua.

"Palit tayo ng upuan, Madam. Dito ka sa may bandang bintana." She said.

Kumunot ang noo ko ngunit tumango rin ako kalaunan. Maybe she doesn't want to be near the window.

"From our first activities, I want you to interview some of this generation's successful businessmen." Mrs. Cathy explained.

H-huh? Businessmen? Interview?

"Tsk, they just want us to do the work they can't do." My other classmates whispered.

"H-huh?" I asked her.

She smiled at me.

"Look," turo nito sa harapan doon sa may list of names na sinusulat ni, Mrs. Cathy.

"What about that?"

Umiling ito at nagsalita.

"It means those businessmen are impossible to reach. They don't even let other reporters interview them, so why would they let a mere student interview them?"

Tumingin ako sa board at nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita ang pangalan ng tatlong taong kilala ko.

Cairo Sin Montelevan

Rouxe Gun Vergara

Gabriel King Oxford

So it means they're the ones we need to interview? Hindi ko na kilala pa ang ibang pangalan.

"So, you just need to interview one of them. You can choose one of these names."

"But ma'am, how can we interview them? They're bachelor's,"

"Yeah, even legit reporters can't interview them."

"That's right, those businessmen are a big deal, ma'am."

Mrs. Cathy smiled.

"It's a test, this will prove how serious you are in this field. You see, they're on the top and I want you to learn from the best. There are sayings that, don't take advice to those people who can't even make it, it means take advice to those people who are on top. Learn from them, find a way." She said at lumabas na.

My classmates groaned.

"She's crazy,"

"How can we reach these businessmen?"

"You're right, we're dead."

Ganoon ba talaga kahirap ma-interview ang mga taong katulad ni Sin? Selena smiled at me.

"You can interview, Master, Madam." She whispered.

I pouted.

"If he will let me, they said that they're hard to reach."

And knowing Sin, he will never utter a word to me.

Rouxe will be my key! I'm sure he will let me interview him!

That's right!

Selena laughed.

"He will let you, Madam."

I was about to answer when someone spoke.

"Excuse me?"

Tumingin kami ni Selena sa babaeng kausap ko kanina.

She smiled at us.

"I'm Rachel, can we be friends?" She cheerfully asked.

New friend again?

Masaya akong tumango.

"Oo naman!"

"Oo nga, ako pala si Selena."

"Talaga? Yes, I have a friend na." She said, "Nice to meet you, Selena."

I smiled and waved my hand.

"And I'm Rebel!"

Her eyes widened.

"Wow, your name is cool!"

"I already told her that!" Joshua said. "Let's be friends too!"

Selena rolled her eyes.

"Sure! I love to have a lot of friends."

Tumawa lamang ang mga ito.

"Then let's eat at the cafeteria?" Rachel said.

"Mada-

"Rebel, Selena." Pagputol ko sa sasabihin nito.

Tumikhim ito at saka tumingin ka'y Rachel at Joshua na nakatingin sa amin.

"R-rebel, tama si Rachel. Kumain na tayo,"

I smiled at her.

"Okay,"

I looked at the people who's busy groaning and ranting about our task. They're still having problems with what Mrs. Cathy said.

Ngumuso ako.

Ako man, if I can't convince Sin, I'll find Rouxe no matter what or maybe King.

I smiled while writing my questions. Mrs. Cathy said that 5 questions are enough. Tiningnan ko ang sarili ko sa salamin, I'm wearing my pair of pajamas. Tumingin ako sa veranda ng kwarto at kitang-kita ko ang ganda ng buwan sa kalangitan.

I wonder if Sin is already here.

I sighed when I remembered what Mrs. Cathy said in the class. These business tycoons are unreachable.

But I need to do this. Kinalma ko ang sarili ko.

I'm just going to ask him, hindi dapat ako kabahan. If he refuses, I will just ask Rouxe instead.

Tama, I still have a choice.

Lumabas na ko ng kwarto at pumunta sa kwarto ni Sin. Akmang kakatok ako when I saw his office room.

At this hour, Sin is still working. I opened the door at napangiti ako when I saw Sin. He's wearing glasses and he's reading some papers.

Grabe, ang gwapo naman n'ya.

"Are you just going to stare at me all night?"

Nanlaki ang mata ko. Paano n'ya nalaman na nandito ako? Isang alanganin na ngiti lamang ang binitawan ko.

"A-ahm, I-i have an assignment, can you help me?" Wika ko at saka dahan-dahang pumasok sa loob.

Kumunot ang noo nito.

"What assignment?"

Itinaas ko ang hawak na notebook at ballpen.

"Can I interview you?" Diretsong tanong ko.

"No,"

Bumagsak ang balikat ko dahil sa sinagot nito.

"B-but, Sin." Ungot ko.

"It's a no, woman. Find someone else."

Hmp, I'm expecting na hindi ito papayag kaya naman hindi na dapat ako madismaya. Sin doesn't want this kind of thing so I should ask Rouxe instead.

Huminga ako ng malalim at saka tumango.

"O-okay, but can I ask for Rouxe's number instead?" Nakangiti kong tanong.

I don't have a cellphone but Selena has. I will just ask her to message him for me. I need to get him for an interview.

"No,"

Ngumuso ako.

"G-grabe ang damot, babagsak ako, Sin." Ingit ko rito.

He looks at me at saka tinanggal ang salamin sa mata.

Lumunok ako, b-bakit ang gwapo n'ya?

"You don't even have a cell phone so how can you call him?" Nakataas ang kilay na tanong nito.

Ngumisi ako.

"Ako na ang bahala, just give me his number." Masayang pahayag ko.

Sinamaan ako nito ng tingin kaya naman ngumuso ako.

"Still a no,"

"Then, can I get King's instead?"

"Tsk, and now even that jerk, huh?" Singhal nito.

What's wrong with him?

Tumayo ito at saka lumapit sa akin. Dahan-dahan akong napaatras hangga't sa mabunggo ako sa lamesa.

Lumunok ako because of his glare.

"S-sin,"

"Let me see your questions," maikling sagot nito at saka umupo sa couch.

My eyes widened at saka mabilis na sumunod dito. Umupo ako sa harap nito.

"Really? You will answer my questions?" I excitedly asked.

"Tsk, the question first."

Tumango ako saka tumikhim.

1. What is your favorite color?

2. Do you also enjoy gay porn?

3. What is your business?

4. Who is your best friend?

5. Are you good with your employees?

I looked at Sin after I read all the questions. Nakakunot ang noo nito at masama ang ipinupukol na tingin sa akin.

I gulped.

What did I do?

"Fudge, those questions are trash." He said. "Change that here, woman. You will never leave unless you give me professional questions and if I hear about that fudging gay porn again, you'll be punished."

"W-what? W-wala namang masama sa mga tanong ko, ah?"

Nakasimangot ito at malamig ang tingin sa akin kaya tumango nalang ako.

"B-babaguhin ko na, sorry," I whispered at saka kinuha ang ballpen ko.

But what am I going to ask him? He said that those are trash, hmp. What's wrong with all my questions? He's just being lazy and doesn't want to answer it.

I sighed.

I'm doomed. I don't know what to ask and I need to forget that gay porn or else I'll be locked up again.

Bakit ba galit ito sa gay porn? It was Daniel's favorite!

He's so moody.

Sumandal ako sa couch at saka tumingin sa kawalan. I need to think.

Professional questions?

Maybe I should ask him about business and not his personal life. I need to be good or Sin will kick me out. Pag nangyari 'yon, I won't have my precious interview.

Humikab ako.

Ah, I'm sleepy but I need to create another question again. Tumingin ako ka'y Sin na busy na muli sa ginagawa. He's working twenty-four hours, mukhang hindi ito napapagod. To have that stamina is amazing but I love sleeping. Kawawa naman si, Sin. He's so busy kaya di na s'ya makakapag pahinga.

He's so busy, don't smile, he's always mad and he's cold. I feel like his world is too lonely and colorless. I remember my coloring book. He's like a drawing in my coloring book, I can't help but have the desire to give color in his life. I want to make him smile, I want him to have an emotion. I want him to express and open himself to me but it's not that easy. It's like a dream and little did I know, it became my goal.

My number one goal is to make Cairo Sin Montelevan smile. To give color in his life.

Mabilis akong bumangon at kinuha ang notebook ko at papel. I should start here, I should use this moment to get to know him. To know something about him, even just a little. I know this interview may help me know him even just how he works.

1. What drives you to work hard?

2. What is your motivation every day to keep going?

3. Do people inspire you?

4. What is the one thing that you can advise young people?

5. Do you love the life you're living?

I smiled.

It's all done. I may not be a professional but I'm sure I did the right thing this time.