Sinful Attachment

KABANATA 12

“Huwag hanapin ang nawawala.” Charlotte said quickly as soon as she faced Danzel, her tone direct and almost final.

Her words came out sharp but controlled, like she was cutting off any unnecessary questions before they even started. She stood her ground, looking at him straight while Lauren and Renan stayed in the background, still on a video call through the laptop, quietly observing the situation.

“Basahin ang pangalan ng groupchat.” Charlotte spoke while her arms were crossed over her chest, her posture firm and composed as she looked at them.

“O.P.A.S.K.K.H” Sabay sabay na banggit ng tatlo.

“Ano yang acronym?” Takamng tanong ni Renan.

“OPLAN PA AMININ SI KAGULUHAN KAY HABULIN.” Mayabang na sambit ni Charlotte.

“Tngina, pwede namang Oplan Pa Aminin si Chaos kay Chase. Hanep ka.” Reklamo ni Lauren sabay tawa.

“Ganyan talaga, para unique.” Tumatawang sambit ni Charlotte.

“Ano ba kasing meron?” Danzel asked again, his tone more frustrated this time, like he was already tired of being left out of something everyone else seemed to understand.

“Ikaw yung nandyan, tapos ikaw pa walang alam?” Tumatawang sambit ni Renan.

“Missing in Action yan palagi, palibhasa ay tambay sa Car dealer shop niya.” Natatawang sambit ni Charlotte.

Danzel stood there, looking genuinely confused, glancing between Charlotte and the others as if hoping someone would finally explain things properly to him. What made it worse for him was the fact that he was physically there, in the Philippines, spending time with Chase and Chaos, seeing them almost every day, and yet he still felt like he was missing the most important part of the picture.

For Danzel, everything looks normal on the surface. They laugh, they eat together, they joke around like usual friends, parang walang kakaiba sa pagitan nilang lahat. Pero sa mga moments na hindi niya maiwasang mapansin, may mga small pauses na biglang sumisingit sa usapan, tinginan na tumatagal nang mas mahaba kaysa sa normal, at katahimikan na biglang bumibigat kahit wala namang dapat ikabigat, awkward ganon. And every time na akala niya he finally gets kung ano yung nangyayari, parang may bagong shift na naman, and he is left confused all over again, back to zero like nothing ever made sense in the first place.

He watches them more carefully this time, trying to catch something concrete, something na magbibigay sa kanya ng clarity. Pero instead, lalo lang siyang nalilito, kasi parang lahat sila may alam na hindi niya alam, or may understanding na hindi niya maabot.

“Ganon ba ko ka focus sa business ko?” Nakangusong sambti ni Danzel habang napapa kamot sa kaniyang ulo.

He lets out a small breath, shaking his head slightly like he is already tired of guessing.

“And don’t tell me ‘wala’ na naman,” Danzel said, narrowing his eyes habang nakatingin sa kanila. “Kasi obvious na may something. Ako lang ba talaga yung hindi nakakakuha dito?”

“Kami rin, don’t you worry.” Biro ni Renan at Lauren kay Danzel.

“Lamang ka naman Danzel, may clue ka na at pinag titripan natin diba?” Biro ni Charlotte.

Lauren raised an eyebrow while looking at the screen. “Honestly, Charlotte’s not wrong though. Medyo obvious naman kasi talaga.”

Renan chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Alam niya lang, late lang yung realization niya.”

“Alam naman natin na may feelings talaga si Chaos kay Chase, right?” paninigurado ni Charlotte sa tatlo niyang kaibigan habang bahagyang nakataas ang kaniyang kilay at seryoso ang tono.

Sandaling nagkatinginan ang magkakaibigan, parang sinusuri muna nila ang isa’t isa kung sasang-ayon ba sila o may kokontra. Si Renan ang unang bahagyang tumango, kasunod si Lauren na mahina pang sumagot, halatang nagdadalawang-isip pa rin.

“Sure yan.” Mayabang na sambit ni Danzel.

“So ayon, napag desisyunan kong pagtripan sila.” Tumatango tangong sambit ni Charlotte.

“Kapag tayo napahamak diyan.” Reklamo ni Lauren na parang walang balak sumang ayon pero um-oo pa rin.

“Hindi yan, madali lang hulihin kiliti ng dalawa na yon.” Tumatawang sambit ni Charlotte.

“Kargo ko kayo, ako mastermind.” Biro pa ni Charlotte.

“So what’s the plan?” Renan asked, clearly interested sa kung ano mang iniisip ni Charlotte.

He leans a little closer sa kaniyang laptop screen, his tone is showing curiosity mixed with amusement. Hindi lang ito casual question, halatang he actually wants to know kung anong klaseng kalokohan na naman ang gagawin ni Charlotte this time.

Charlotte glances at him, still with her arms crossed and a calm expression na parang walang big deal sa lahat ng ito. “Wala pa akong full plan, actually. Ang mangyayari dito go with the flow nalang.” she admits honestly.

“Tngina, delikado yang mga paganyan ganyan mo e.” Kamot ulong sambit ni Danzel.

That makes Lauren, who is still on the video call, let out a small laugh. “Ayan na naman siya,” she says, halatang sanay na sa ganitong side ni Charlotte.

“So ano nga ang plano?” Tanong ni Renna.

“Okay, so diba may pinsan si Danbzel na hgindi pa namimeet ni Chase.” Panimula ni Charlotte.

“Hoy tarantado ka, nandamay ka pa ibang tao.” Gulat pero pigil tawang sambit ni Lauren.

“Actually, I already talked to Kaizer na. Umagree naman siya and besides saksi rin naman yon sa kaganapan ni Chaos at Chase.” Sambit ni Charlotte.

“At paano siya naging saksi?” Taas kilay na sambit ni Danzel.

“Bestfriend ko si Kaizer, baka nakakalimutan mong kababata ko yon.” Mayabang na sambit ni Charlotte na ikina ismid naman ni Danzel.

“So ang plan ko is ligawan ni Kaizer si Chase para ma provoke at magselos si Chaos tapos kausapin si Chase na paglaruan lang si Kaizer.” Seryosong sambit ni Charlotte.

“Hoy risky yang pinapalno mo.” Angal ni Lauren.

“Umagree na si Kaizer, ang gagawin lang din niya is kumbaga kakausapin si Chase na for fun lang like wag muna amg settle ganon.” Sambit ni Charlotte.

“And how can you be so sure na kakagat si Chase diyan?” Taas kilay na tanong ni Renan.

“She likes Kaizer before, kaya nga di natuloy ipursue kase binabash ni Chaos diba.” Mataray na sambit ni Charlotte dahilan para mapa tango ang tatlo.

“So that’s the plan, we’ll just provoke Chaos so he’ll finally admit his feelings to Chase. While Kaizer and Chase are just in a for-fun relationship,” Charlotte said, laying out her idea clearly.

Renan tilted his head. “Provoke him how?”

Charlotte shrugged slightly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Simple. Put them in situations. Force reactions. Make him face it.”

Lauren, still on the video call, lets out a small laugh, halatang hindi sure kung matatawa ba siya or ma-amuse sa idea. “Grabe ka talaga, Charlotte.”

“Bilib nanaman kayo.” Biro ni Charlotte sakanilang tatlo.