Argent et Pouvoir

Chapter 3

“Saan mo ‘ko dadalhin?” Halos pabulong na tanong nang babaeng nakasandal sa balikat ni Azalea.

They're now sitting in the backseat while they are on their way into her house. Magulo pa rin ang ayos nang babaeng katabi niya pero hindi na masyadong visible ang hubad nitong katawan dahil sa napunit nitong damit. Azalea made her wear her coat, pero wala pa din sa pagtigil ang panginginig nang katawan ng dalaga.

She’s in trauma.

“Sa bahay ko.” Tipid na saad ni Azalea.

She could feel the girl beside her flinched.

“Don’t worry, I won't do anything to you. Mas safe ka doon kesa naman iwan kita sa isang hotel room.”

Silence filled them. Azalea look at the girl beside her through peripheral vision, she clear her throat.

“Why? gusto mo ba’ng hatid na lang kita sainyo? saan ba ‘yong address mo?”

Azalea got shocked when the girl grabbed her hand. Maging ang mga bodyguard’s niya ay na alarma din pero agad niyang sinenyasan ang mga ito na ‘wag maki-alam.

“P-please ‘wag. M-My mother can’t see me like this. Mag-aalala si Mama kapag nakita niyang ganito ang ayos ko.” Bakas sa mukha nito ang pagmamaka-awa. Her eyes are pleading.

Azalea smile at her and she hold the stranger girl’s hand. “Okay. I won’t ‘wag ka nang mag-aalala. You can sleep on my shoulders, just rest you're safe with me.”

The girl slowly closed her eyes after hearing the soft and sweet voice of the beautiful woman who saved her.

They reached Azalea’s house and her bodyguards put the sleeping girl in her room. She changed the girl’s clothes into her pajamas para mas maging komportable ito. Nang masiguro ni Azalea na komportable na ang dalaga sa silid niya atsaka lang niya hinarap ang mga bodyguard niya.

“Report.” Azalea’s cold voice filled her office. She’s in her office connected into her room para hindi nila maistorbo ang bisita.

“When we arrived there one of them are forcing to kiss her while the other man is forcing to rip her clothes.”

Azalea broke the pencil that she’s holding in half. The three bodyguards in front of her flinched. Azalea Aragon are the youngest candidate in succession. A lot of people thinks that she’s a weakling spoiled brat who doesn't know anything about business but the people under her had a different description of her.

Cold and ruthless.

Azalea Aragon is a scary person, she look weak and innocent but she can destroy you in just a flick of her finger.

She’s acting like she’s being left behind to avoid her siblings. Iniiwasan niyang maging aware ang mga kapatid niya sa mga kaya niyang gawin she’s acting weak while slowly building her power. She has a lot of powerful people backing her, she’s having a deal with dangerous people without staining her reputation. She’s smart, she has a lot of ways to get stronger. And for Mr. Kang, the head of Team 5, who’s assigned to her, for him the type of people like Azalea Aragon are dangerous and scary.

“Beat them up and make sure that they will shut their mouth. Do a background check on them, from their dirty deeds to their families and if you found something, you already know what to do.” Azalea stoically said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

The bodyguards immediately left para sundin ang utos niya.

Azalea sighed. She saw her phone vibrates. Darieos has been calling her since earlier may sampong missed call na ito sakanya.

Azalea massage her temple and answers Dareios call nang muli itong tumawag.

“Finally! You answer my call! Where the hell are you?” Dareios voice sound so irritated.

Rinig na rinig ni Azalea ang malakas na tunog mula sa kabilang linya.

“Nasa bahay ako.”

“What? anong ginagawa mo sa bahay mo? akala ko ba nandito ka na?” Mas lalong bakas ang inis sa boses nang binata.

Azalea could hear someone’s voice beside Dareios.

“Hey. Dareios, matagal pa ba ‘yan? let’s go rent a room na.” Rinig ni Azalea ang boses nang isang babae sa kabilang linya. She could also hears Dareios voice telling her to shut up.

What happened next made Azalea’s heart shrank. She could hear kissing sounds and Dareios’ moan on the other line. Her tears immediately fall, it wasn't the first time that this happened, Azalea knew Dareios’ affairs pero hanggang ngayon masakit pa din. Azalea immediately ended the call and she angrily throw her phone on the wall.

She sat on the couch trying to calm herself down. She reached her cigarette on the top of coffee table atsaka ito sinindihan. Smoking makes her calm. Pakiramdam niya sa bawat pagbuga niya nang usok na ibubuga din niya ang lahat ng hinanakit at sama ng loob niya.

Azalea and Dareios’ relationship is complicated. They know each since they were kids. Mas una niyang nakilala si Dareios kesa kila Camari. Naging classmate niya sa Dareios sa kindergarten na pinapasukan niya noon, ‘yong sundo nilang pareho ay palaging late dumadating kaya palaging silang dalawa ang naiiwan sa kindergarten. Azalea and Dareios became friends after they had a fight na si Azalea din ang may kasalanan.

Naging magkaklase ulit sila noong grade school, at some point their families became close. Noong grade six nila nakilala ang iba, Azalea remain as Dareios’ best friend dahil siya lang ang nakakatagal sa ugali nito. Dareios came out as a bisexual when they’re in highschool, si Azalea ang unang naka-alam, of course she’s Dareios best friend so she supports him.

But everything fell apart when Dareios started dating and hooking up different people, man or woman it doesn't matter. Azalea’s heart got broken. She’s in love with Dareios, matagal na niya iyong inamin sa sarili niya. She started seeing him in different light when they're in highschool.

But Azalea knows that Dareios doesn't love her. Alam niyang kaibigan lang ang turing sakanya nito kaya mas pinili niyang magpigil.

When Dareios parents found out na kung sino-sinong tao ang kinakasama nang anak nila ay pinilit nila si Dareios na makipag-date kay Azalea. To avoid his parents, Dareios agreed they started their relationship five months ago. They kissed and do PDA’s at school to show at everyone that they are together but behind of everyone’s back he’s still seeing his lovers.

Azalea got to kiss and touch Dareios pero palabas lang ang lahat. Azalea’s agreement in this set up made Camari disappointed. Kahit naman si Azalea ay dismayado sa sarili, pero anong magagawa niya? She’s desperate, she’s so desperate for Dareios.

Binuga niya ang usok na nasa bibig niya. Azalea reached the wine bottle atsaka nag-salin sa basong nasa harap niya. She drinks the wine, bottoms up atsaka muling nag-salin sa baso niyang walang laman.

Wala na siyang nakuha na gusto niya. Lahat na lang nang gustuhin niya ay ayaw sakanya.

Azalea drank that night until she feel asleep on the couch.

•••

BACK at Hotel de Soledad.

“Where’s Azalea? Akala ko ba on the way na daw siya kanina?” Tanong ni Camari sa nakasimangot na si Dareios.

The place are crowded. Most of the students are already drunk sobrang ingay din dahil sa tugtog kaya halos pasigaw na ang boses niya noong nagtanong siya kay Dareios.

Dareios is at the bar counter alone. Kahit nga ‘yong bartender na nagpapa-cute sakanya ay hindi niya pinapansin, patuloy lang ito sa pag-inom nang inorder nitong Jack Daniels.

Azalea is not here, Eunice is busy hosting the party. Si Callahan naman bigla na lang nawala at si Daiki naman ay pumunta saglit sa restroom kaya nang makita niyang mag-isa dito sa Dareios ay agad niya itong nilapitan.

Dareios had a grumpy look on his face. Mukhang may hindi magandang nangyari.

Mabilis na nilagok ni Dareios ang isang baso nang Jack Daniels. He raised his glass asking for another shot.

“What’s her problem?” Inis na tanong ni Dareios, tama lang para marinig ni Camari.

“Who?” Takang tanong niya.

Lumagok muna nang alak si Dareios bago muling nagsalita. “Si Azalea. Binabaan niya ako nang tawag kanina.” Nakasimangot na saad nito.

Camari’s eyebrow arched.

“Baka naman kasi may ginawa ka na namang kung ano. You always give troubles to Azalea.”

“Hah! It wasn't my fault okay? it's our parents fault! Alam naman nila kung anong klaseng tao ako eh, they know how I f**k around pero pinipilit pa rin nila ‘yong gusto nila!” Bakas sa boses ni Dareios ang galit.

He’s vocal about his feelings about his ‘relationship’ with Azalea. Camari know that Dareios cherished his friendship with Azalea. Camari witness how the two of them take care of each other but Azalea change during highschool, alam at ramdam nilang magkakaibigan na may gusto si Azalea kay Dareios. Ewan lang niya kay Dareios but Azalea’s actions are so obvious. Hindi alam ni Camari kung nagbubulag-bulagan lang si Dareios o manhid lang talaga ang binata but Dareios always act like he didn't know.

Patuloy sa pag-inom si Dareios. Dumating si Daiki sa puwesto nila nang nagtataka, Camari mouthed Azalea’s name and Daiki already understood.

“I-It was Azalea’s fault.” Lasing na saad ni Dareios.

Medyo na alarma si Camari nang marinig niya ang mahinang hikbi ni Dareios. She was about to hold Dareios’ face nang pigilan siya ni Daiki.

Daiki shook his head. “Let him.” Mahinang bulong nito.

Camari nodded and let move away from Dareios.

Dareios’ sobs are starting to get loud.

“It was her fault. B-Bakit...”

Dareios is sobbing hard. “B-Bakit kasi siya nagkagusto sa gagong katulad ko?”

Camari gasped while Daiki is scratching his nape.

“Gosh. This is so complicated.” Camari whisper as she watched Dareios cry that night.