Painful Scar

Kabanata 13

"What the heck!" Napaigtad ako buhat nang nakabibinging sigaw ni Xyrene. "Can I have an autograph?" sinadya niya akong asarin sa tanong na iyon, nararamdaman ko ang nag-uumapaw na sarkasmo sa tinig niya.

Bagot ko siyang tinignan, "You're crazy."

"No—" tila makatuwirang aniya habang nakatitig pa rin nang diretso sa aking mga mata. "You're the one who's driving nuts." Walang anumang salita ang lumbas mula sa aking labi. "Gusto mo si Lyle pero mahal mo pa si Kian? You think it's good to see him resembling a mere rebound? You're upset." She has a point, I'm the one that might have gone crazy as time passes by.

"Here you are!" Naibaling ko ang tingin sa pinagmulan ng boses na iyon. With his chin held high, hands inside of his coat's pocket, he's walking like nothing just happened. Indeed, it was Lyle. Who else could it be?

"Where have you been?" Xyrene asked. I saw a wide grin plastered on his lips as he draw his hands out of his pockets. With a mile-wide smile, he waved three familiar wallets. It was ours, our lost things!

"Is this yours?" he asked skeptically, holding the pink one. A smile was curved on his lips when I nodded couple of times. Watching him slowly opening my wallet made me flustered! I suddenly remembered what I've been keeping there for a long time. I wasn't worried about the fact that he might see nothing but a piece of my childhood picture that I've been cherishing for 12 years.

Walang pasabing hinablot ko ang wallet ko mula sa kamay niya. "Thanks!"

Awkwardness took over the whole places. I saw how he secretly point me, asking xyrene avout what happened when he's not around. But Xyrene just shook his head and gave him a thumbs up. "She's an alpha kid."

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up!"

"Where did you get these?" tanong ni Xyrene sa kanya.

"Got this from her Kuya," payak na tugon niya habang nakatingin sa akin. Unti-unting lumalim ang gitla sa noo ko. He got that from my Kuya? Tama ba ang narinig ko?!

I looked at him with deeper confusion covering my eyes. "Ano namang kinalaman ni Damon sa pagkawala ng mga 'to?" Hindi ko maiwasang hindi magtaka. "I mean, he's on his class—"

"Or he has someone to cover his classes for him?" Pinutol niya agad ang sinasabi ko. He has a point. Hindi malabong gawin iyon ni Kuya. To make things simplier, he's the one and only KAIRUS PIERO! A jerk he is!

We heard Lyle sighed. "The bags were given to us by a senior high student. I noticed that the zippers were half way open. It's a sign that it has been tampered. I'm too meticulous about my things so I can easily determine if it was opened intentionally or not. The books inside are secured by a garter on its back, it was attached and cannot be that messy even if your run around. I know how my things were placed and when I opened my bag, at first glance it quietly showed changes." Napatingin kami sa mga bag namin ngunit nakasara na ito nang maayos dahil binuksan na rin namin ito kanina. Kitang-kita ko ang kakaibang aura sa kaniya. He acts cool at all times.

"The girl breathes calm and there is no visible traces of sweat, I bet she didn't run. She afford to walk like a model while exiting the cafeteria. But then said while leaving, she was in a hurry, right?" Nakangising tanong niya. Bakit siya lang ang nakapansin no'n? All this time, Xyrene and I was clueless.

"So, the girl was the main suspect, how does my brother get involved in this thief case?" I interfere.

Hindi man lang niya ako nagawang tapunan ng tingin at nagpatuloy muli sa kaniyang sinasabi. "Looking at the girl appearance, she can't afford to persuade our terror history teacher, perhaps, she might have been told off. Base on how she acts, it was strange. I saw her the moment that I got off the confort room. She was waving a bunch of money in front of her peers. When I was about to confront her, she entered her classroom immediately. What's with the rush? Isn't that way too suspicious?"

"What did you do next?" Xyrene asked while her face was resting in between her palms.

"I pretend that I was just passing by. Then suddenly saw a familiar figure, meters away from that girl's room."

"And obviously, that familiar figure was Damon, right?" Taas kilay na tanong ko at kagaya ng inaasahan ay tumango nga siya. "Nasa iisang campus lang sila, maybe it was just an accident!"

"But he said he's on his class, remember?" Mapanuksong tanong niya.

"Kagaya rin ng sinabi mo kanina, maybe he has someone to cover his class for him. Malay mo mas ginusto niyang magbulakbol and by an accident, nagkita kayo 'di kalayuan sa room nung thief na 'yon!" Pataas nang pataas ang boses ko ngunit wala akong pake kahit pa pinagtitinginan kami ng mga tao roon. "Hindi mo alam ang takbo ng utak ni Damon."

I never felt this triggered before. I just wanna protect him from his accusations. "Bakit ikaw, alam mo ba?" Natigilan ako sa tanong niyang iyon, hindi ko magawang makasagot. "Base on your facial expression, kahit ikaw ay walang ideya sa kung paano tumatakbo ang isip ng kapatid mo."

Unexpectedly, he leaned closer to me. "Do you have atleast half a hundred thousand cash on your wallet?" Nakapalumbabang tanong niya. Napalunok ako nang maalalang wala akong pera roon bukod sa mga cards. I shook my head once as a silent reply.

"How about you?" Doon niya binalingan si Xyrene na nagpapalit-palit lamang ng tingin sa amin. Just like me, she shook her head and said, "I have 5 thousand cash then credit cards. 'Bout you?" pabalik na tanong niya kay Lyle na kasalukuyan pa rin nakangising tagumpay.

"Same amount as you have," he answered plainly. "How come that she has over 10 thousand? And how would you explain the fact that I got our stuffs back from your dear brother?"

I was stunned by his question. "Maybe..." wala na akong maidagdag pa.

I was standing on his side because he promised not to mess up. I guess I took the wrong side. I underestimated his hard-headed side.

"May I continue?" Nakangiting tanong niya. Wala naman akong ibang nagawa kun'di ang tumango na lamang. I can't understand myself, I like Lyle, I should be on his side not on behalf of my jerk brother.

I wanna slap myself for defending Damon where obviously, the evidence has a clear authenticity to prove him guilty. If I was really on the court, I'll surely be sentenced for lifetime imprisonment. I kept on covering the accused obvious mistake.

"Then, I finally put an end to my deductions. I confronted the man behind this unplanned, and not so flawless show."

Kung magpapatuloy siya sa ganitong attitude niya, pup'wede siya law firm. Malaki ang magiging kontribusyon niya roon. He can read minds like a fortune teller, can deduct things firmly and even stand on his side at all cost. His words are hypnotising yet it was playfully convincing.

"I bet, your brother got these personally and then he wasn't that carefull to fix my things up, good enough to lead me suspicious. So, I'm more able to stand with my deductions. Obviously, money wasn't his target. He won't spare any sweat to ruin his name, he probably did that just to show off."

After what he said, a deep silence between the three of us, ensued. We heard a three loud claps from Lyle's back and the fragile silence was broke. "Bravo!"

"Damon?" Kunot-noong usal ko ngunit hindi niya man lang ako nagawang tapunan ng tingin.

"I never thought that you are good at this, I'm well-suprised!" Hindi ko alam kung papuri niya ba iyon o isang pagmamaliit sa kakayahan ni Lyle. Ngunit imbis na mainsulto ay napangisi na lamang ang binata. "Hindi ko alam na may kasama kayong future detective. I should have been more careful."

Habang nakatingin ako sa kanila ay hindi ko maiwasang hindi magtaka. Ano ba itong nararamdaman kong tensiyon sa tuwing magkakasalubong ang kanilang mga mata? Do he hate this man that much? But... why?

"Show off?" Napawi ang kakaibang talim sa pagitan ng mga titig nila at magkasabay pang napatingin sa akin. "In what way?"

Lyle smiled sweetly. "May I take all the dishes on the menu!" Hindi mapawi ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi habang kinakawayan pa ang mga waitress sa counter. Isang balingkinitang babae ang lumapit sa amin at kinausap pa si Lyle.

"Cash or credit, Sir?" Mayamaya'y tanong ng babae. Mas lumalim pa ang gitla sa noo ko nang bahagya niya pang sulyapan si Kuya saka ako kinindatan. Walang halong talk s**t, tumindig ang balahibo ko!

"Kairus Piero," he surely said. I saw how the girl draw a smile on her face. The confusing scene makes my fur mount.

Baliw na ba siya? Balak niya bang ibenta si Damon? Kapalit lang ng mga pesteng pagkain dito? Ano bang akala niya kay Damon?

I sighed heavily. "I'll admit what's obvious," I hissed. "Damon is quite handsome, and he's freakin' hot."

"Pardon?" Hindi makapaniwalang sabat ng demonyo. Awang ang kaniyang labi at pakurap-kurap pa. Sa pagkakataong iyon, siya naman ang isinawalang bahala ko. Who says na siya lang ang may karapatang gawin iyon?! Such a jerk!

I meet the steely stare of Lyle once more. "But you can't just use his face, swipe it like a bank card to get your freakin' order paid!" I whoop out.

His smirk gets wider as he leans closer. "Watch," he whispered.

"Orders paid!" Masiglang asik ng babae. Literal na nalaglag sa sahig ang panga ko.

"Teka— Paanong— Sino—" Hindi ko magawang kumpletuhin ang mga tanong na gumugulo sa aking isipan.

"An Amadeo, huh?" Muli akong napaangat ng tingin kay Lyle. I know he was teasing Damon with that Amadeo thing. I'm confused!

Bukod sa nag-aaral ako sa Amafeo International School, wala na akong alam sa mga panauhing nakatataas sa paaralang ito.

Isang matalim na tingin ang ipinukol ko kay Damon. "Kinuha mo ang wallet namin para roon?" Inis na tanong ko ngunit nakangiti siyang nagkibit-balikat. "Hindi ka na bata! B'wesit!"

"Mood swings," dinig kong bulong ni Damon kung kaya't naparolyo ako ng mata.

"Once we got home." I leaned closer and firmly whispered, "I'll kill you!"

"Let me pay for our previous order," Nakangiting mungkahi ni Lyle saka binuksan ang wallet at hinugot ang isa sa mga credit card niya.

"No need," Xyrene insisted and lends the card back. "Nabayaran na."

"Maybe they figure out earlier na ako lang naman ang kaibigan niyo kaya bayad na." Wala na yatang mas hahangin pa sa sinabi niya.

"You're imagining things again, Damon."

His forehead creased. "By whom then?" Pasigaw na sabat ni Damon.

"By me." Napatingin kami sa pinanggagalingan ng boses na iyon. The curves on his face looks fair. Wearing a genuine smile I always ache for.

"Oh, Hi Damon!" It was the girl called Meg.

"Megan?"

"Suprised?"

"Tss. Nonsense."

Nabalik ako sa diwa at dali-daling kinuha ang card sa loob ng wallet ko. "Here," nakayukong inabot ko kay Kian ang card ko ngunit imbis na kunin niya ay tinitigan niya lang ito.

"I told you, I take that kiss as settlement."

"Anong halik, ha? Put—" Kitang-kita ko ang bahagyang pagkuyom ng kamao ni Damon. Ang pag-igting ng panga at pagdilim ng kaniyang mga titig na nakapukol pa rin sa nakangising si Kian. "Tangina mo!"

"You've crossed the line this time, Kairus. I know how you feel and that's disgrace, it's forbidden." seryoso si Kian sa sinabi nito kay Kuya.

What is he saying? A forbidden disgrace?

"Sino ka ba sa akala mo para pagsabihan ako, ha?!" Sa isang pikit-mata ay nakuwelyuhan na ni Damin si Kian. Sa gulat ko ay napatakbo ako patungo sa gawi nila, pinilit kong pagkalasin ang dalawa at nagtagumpay naman ako. Nakangiting tumingin sa akin si Kian saka napangiwi pa habang inaayos ang gusot niyang kuwelyo.

"Embrace yourself, Vali. You might get swayed." Hindi ko siya magawang titigan. "Smiles can sometimes be deceiving. The sweetest one hides the deepest secret." Nakangisi siyang nag-iwas ng tingin at naglakad papalayo sa akin. Bahagya niya pang sinagi si Kuya habang ako naman ay naiwan pa ring nakatunganga.

Kian, anong ibig mong sabihin? Why would I embrace myself? Ano bang nangyayari!

"K-kian!" I shouted his name.

Kailangan kong maliwanangan sa mga bagay-bagay na nagaganap sa paligid ko! Hindi pupuwedeng mulat ang kanilang mga mata samantalanag ako'y parang si Aurora, mahimbing na natutulog sa ka-inosentehan. Nakakapagod mag-isip nang mag-isip, nakapanghihinang manghula na lamang. Ang kailangan ko ay diretsong sagot sa mga tanong na hindi pa nila mabigyang kasagutan. Ano bang mahirap doon?

He looked back and said, "Swayed hard, 'till you shattered into pieces. So, if I were you, I'll embrace myself tight even if I'll fall hard in torns. No matter how painful it'll be, just protect your heart from breaking, and you'll be fine." He smiled and held my chin high.

"This lunatic—"

"Never get lost, it'll only leave a painful scar," he added before started taking step away from us. Megan remained silent but afforded to tap my shoulder with a smile on her face.

It was confusing, and troublesome.