When she met Mr. Gangster

Chapter 13

Rinig ko ang orasan sa sobrang katahimikan. Binabasa ni Josh ng tahimik ang contract para makasigurado. 

"Okay, eto lang naman ang hihingin ko sa'yo, ang iba confidentiality clauses ulit. Una, hindi ka muna pwedeng magka boyfriend sa loob ng tatlong buwan, kung magkakaroon ka man, itago mo muna."

"Teka nga lang, bakit ba ako ang maga-adjust?"

"Sa tingin mo ba magkakaroon ka ng jowa in just 3 months?" May point naman siya pero malay mo naman.

"Malay mo. Anong next?"

"Hindi natin kailangang isiwalat sa mundo na girlfriend kita, sa mata lang ng tatay ko. So twice a week, tatawagan kita or kung desperate video call, outside school hours. Kapag may nagtanong, politely refuse to answer or gumawa ka nalang ng excuse, matalino ka, kaya mo yan. Kapag hiniling ng tatay ko na pumunta ka sa family dinners, pupunta ka at least twice a month. "

"Okay, works for me."

"I will pay you 1000 a day as long as may transaction, nandiyan sa contract." Binasa ko, very detailed. "And kung magkasama man tayo physically, same rules apply, holding hands and hawak sa baywang lang as long as no skin is touched."

Isang oras pa kaming nagpalitan ng tanong at nagdebate tungkol sa kontrata. 

"And lastly, this should be kept confidential. Deal?" Pinirmahan namin ang kontrata at binigay niya 'yon sa akin. 

"Ipapanotarya pa ba ulit natin 'to?", tanong ko.

"This is an informal contract don't worry. We can actually break this but breaking this will define you as a person."

"Then why the hell are we signing this contract?"

"Wala lang, for my pleasure.", sabi niya. Ah, eto nga 'yung sinasabi ni Job na weird likes ni Josh. 

"Okay? So now what?"

"I'll call you if I need you." Umalis ako sa tambayan nila at nakasalubong si Job. Naalala ko 'yung sinabi niya kagabi at  'yung naging reaksyon ko. Parang nag-init buong mukha ko sa hiya.

"Cassie-"

"Job, I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday. I was really nervous and I really didn't know what to do."

"It's okay, I just wanted to tell you I'm sincere."

"It's too sudden, you only know me for like a few months."

"Is there a standard timeframe for us to like someone?", tanong niya. Hindi ako nakasagot, nag-iisip ako ng isasagot habang nakatingin sa sahig. 

"You like her?" Lumingon ako at nakasandal sa pintuan ng tambayan si Josh. Nag-smirk siya at tumingin sa akin. "Seriously? Are you gonna believe him?"

"Mind your own business." Nilapitan niya ako at inakbayan, inalis ko kaagad ang kamay niya sa balikat ko. "This is not part of the contract.", sabi ko. 

"Let me remind you that the contract states that you can't have a boyfriend for  months or at least hide it, you're here in the hallway for Pete's sake!" Bakit ba nagagalit 'to? Tumingin siya kay Job. "She's my person, back off."

Ano ako gamit na inaangkin? Hindi ako makaisip ng tamang insulto pero mukhang nagiging tense na ang environment dahil parang may lightning na sa tinginan nila Job at Josh. Pumagitna ako para awatin sila. 

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" I suddenly realized that it was not about me, there's something between this two which is unspoken. Something they hide. Tinulak ko si Josh. "Go away."

"Is this how you treat your boyfriend?" Ngumiti ako. 

"You're not my boyfriend. Kung ano man ang meron sa amin ni Job, don't worry we can keep it a secret, hindi ka masisira sa Papa mo." Kumunot noo niya.

"You know something?" Tumingin siya kay Job. "Are you guys talking about me? Sige, magsama kayo." Bumalik siya sa tambayan at si Job naman sinundan ako palabas ng Gang Building. 

"Cassie wait-"

"Look Job, I don't know what kind of relationship you two have and why the both of you always fight but I don't want to be in the middle of it. Alam ko namang kaya ganon ang inaasta niya at bigla siyang naging possessive dahil gusto mo ako. Kung, totoo man 'yong sinasabi mo din."

"Totoo 'yon but you don't know Josh and he looks at you differently." 

"Sabi mo sa akin I should not believe everything I see. This is me not believing it, especially since I already know what kind of dirty job you're both into. I can't even begin to understand or to accept whatever feelings I have because I'm not sure if what I know is true. Lagi kayong may sikreto."

"Not knowing some secrets is for your own protection."

"Yeah, I know but that doesn't mean I'm okay with it." 

"Okay, if you want to know how sincere I am, meet me at the restaurant near the laundry shop upstreet."

"You don't have to do this."

"I'll wait, if you don't come that means you're not interested and I will stop pursuing you." Sabi niya at naunang naglakad. How can you say something like that, alam niyang Curious Cassie ang nickname ko. Ugh. 

No, hindi ako pwedeng pumagitna sa kanila. Gusto ko lang ng tahimik na buhay. 

"Hey, napapansin ko madalas ka nang late umuwi these days or madalas mga sleepovers niyo ah. May tinatago ka ba sa akin?", tanong ni El.

"Wala, busy lang talaga. Sorry."

"Hindi ka nga nagk-kwento eh. Tell me, sumasali ka na ba sa mga gang? Kwento ni Zed sa akin parati ka niyang nakikitang pumapasok sa building nila." Pinagpawisan bigla kili-kili ko. 

"No, alam ko namang bawal pa eh  but I'm interested to join the Life-Savers I just go there to read their materials when I'm not busy."

"I see." Binago ko na ang topic bago pa makatanungan ng malalim. Inubos ko na ang lunch ko at pumunta na sa kanya-kanyang klase. Nagpaalam ulit ako sakanya na may gagawin akong group work kaya late ako makakauwi. 

Sige na, pupunta na, pinapatay ako ng mga sikretong to eh.