Blazing Mirror

BM9

"ARE you sure you're going home later?" paulit-ulit na tanong ng ama ni Astrid.

Hindi ko na alam kung ilang beses na niyang tinanong 'yan sa 'kin at hindi ko na rin mabilang kung ilang beses akong tumango.

"Don't force yourself, Ast. I can file a leave—"

"Dad, I'm okay. I can work. Dalawang linggo na akong on-leave." I gave him a smile with reassurance. "By the way, how's the kid? Is she fine?"

Astrid's father sighed. "Yeah, and the parents can't thank you enough for saving their daughter."

Napatango ako at ngumiti. "Mabuti naman."

Astrid's father darted his gaze on Daven whose in the corner watching us silently. Habang si Sage naman ay nasa likod ng ama ni Astrid at bahagyang nakaupo sa lamesa. Napatingin din siya kay Daven.

"Is he really yout best friend?" may pag-alinlangan na tanong nito sa 'kin. "You haven't told me about him before…"

"Uh, yes, he's my best friend when I was studying abroad but you made me transferred to BIS. Nagtampo ako sa 'yo noon kaya hindi ko na siya naikwento pa." I can't believe that I made such a perfect story in seconds.

"Nagtampo, why? I remembered how happy you are when I made you transferred to BIS because you can be with Sage—"

I laughed a bit and pouted. "It took you so long to transfer me!"

Uh, that's awkward.

Nakita ko kung paano tumingin si Sage kay Daven nang mabanggit ang pangalan niya. Nang maramdaman ni Daven ang titig ni Sage, kaagad siyang tinaasan nito ng kilay na para bang pinagmamayabang nito na siya ang dahilan kung bakit naputol ang friendship naming dalawa. Daven just lazily rolled his eyes on Sage.

Astrid's father laughed. "I'm sorry, then." Then he patted my head while still laughing.

"Uh, Daddy, Daven will be my personal secretary starting today. He can't pay his debt so he'll pay it through being my secretary," annunsyo ko na siyang nagpakunot ng noo nilang dalawa ni Sage.

"Secretary? I thought you don't need one?" naguguluhang tanong ng ama ni Astrid.

The side of my lips rose. "Well, one year from now, I'll be marrying Sage…" Ngayon ay si Daven na ang tumikhim at kaagad kong tinaasan ang aking boses upang hindi nila marinig 'yon. "I don't think I can handle the school and the orphanage at the same time. And as a wife, I have to invest some time for our marriage. So, yeah, I need secretary." I said it nonchalantly which makes Astrid's father left in awe.

He grinned proudly. "I'm proud that my princess is now growing. I think you're comfortable with him so feel free to hire him—"

Sage interrupted by clearing his throat. "I'm sorry If I'll offend you, Mr. Cheng. But, Tito, is it much okay if we'll hire a female secretary for Astrid?"

My pretty eyes rolled at his thought. "It's not about the gender, Sage. I like him because he was competent enough to be my secretary."

Nakita ko kung paano tinaasan ng kilay ni Daven si Sage, Sage's jaw clenched at Daven's teasingly act. Para silang mga bata!

Astrid's father nodded. Nakita kong mukhang sang-ayon din siya sa sinabi ni Sage. He was about to open his mouth ready to tell his opinion when I cut him off.

"Dad," I called him in a warning tone.

He laughed. "Okay, Astrid. I'm zipping my mouth."

GABI na nang makalabas ako sa hospital ngunit pinauna kong umuwi ang ama ni Astrid at si Sage. Hindi umangal ang ama ni Astrid dahil meron pa raw itong aasikasuhin na mga papeles ngunit si Sage ay nag-alinlangan na para bang wala siyang tiwala kay Daven. Mabuti na lamang at tumawag ang sekretarya nito.

I’m eating while Daven is just looking at me. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kaunti lang ang kinain niya, samantalang ako ay parang hinahabol dahil ang bilis ko raw kumain. Syempre, I miss Korean foods though I'm starting to like Filipino foods that weren’t familiar to me before.

"Hindi ko alam kung saan napupunta ang mga kinakain mo," Daven commented.

I grimaced. "Are you complaining because even if I eat a lot, I'm still sexy? Or that’s an insult?"

He chuckled. Mas lalo siyang nagiging chinito kapag tumatawa. Nawawala kase ang mga mata niya. Gaya ng sabi ko, once in the blue moon mo lang rin siya makikita na tumatawa.

"Nga pala, you'll be staying at my house since you are my personal secretary," I exclaimed changing the subject.

Kaagad umasim ang mukha niya. "So, it means I'll be seeing that Sage's face everyday? Can't you give me a condo, Alexa?" tanong niya na mayroong iritasyon.

"You hate him? After the accident happened, he said you look familiar. When he studied at Korea ay parang nakita ka raw niya. Malay natin naging—"

"Ano pang sinabi niya?" Suddenly he gets interested.

Ang moody talaga nito.

"'Yon lang naman. Bakit?" tanong ko pabalik.

Dahan-dahan siyang tumango and commanded me to continue my food dahil gusto na raw niyang magpahinga.

WHEN we arrived at the mansion, kaagad kong ipinahatid si Daven sa magiging kwarto niya. Why I wanted Daven to stay with me? It's because sometimes, I can't control myself. Minsan ay wala na akong pakealam kung ang galaw ko sa bahay na ito ay malayo na sa mga galaw ni Astrid. That's why, I made him stay in this house, so that I’ll have someone with me that can control my feisty attitude.

I hired someone who can run his small business for a while, I want him to get focused on our plans. Buti na lang talaga at hindi nagmo-monitor ang ama ni Astrid sa mga perang akala niya ay kanyang anak ang nagwawaldas.

I don't have the exact plans for my revenge. I want to get know more about Avilianna. Gusto kong alamin kung ano ang kahinaan at kalakasan niya upang magamit ko ito sa aking mga plano.

My lips pursed while looking at the picture of me and my biological mother. Ito lang ang kaisa-isang litrato naming dalawa. We took the picture when the two of us celebrated her birthday.

"Get out! I hate the taste! It's horrible! Siguro sinadya mo 'yon 'no? Aissh!" I don't know how many times I acted rudely in the mirror.

Yaya's birthday is tomorrow! And I'm sucked at planning. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya isu-suprise! My plan is I'll be rude to her for the whole day and at the end of the day, I'll surprise her with cake and gifts.

I'm pacing back and forth still trying to improve my acting. I look like a fool here. I'm singing a happy birthday song. Kahit 'yan ay pinag-aralan ko pa.

"Happy birthday, Yaya Del—"

"Ay, palaka!"

My eyes widened in shock habang siya naman ay napahawak sa dibdib niya. Damn, did she hear me singing happy birthday?

"Ginulat mo naman ako, Alexa. Tapos na kaya ang birthday ko," malumanay niyang wika habang nasa dibdib pa rin ang kamay.

"What?!" I almost screamed. I was trying hard to prepare for her birthday at tapos na pala ito?

Is… damn! Ariella is playing with me again!

She chuckled and handed me her palm. "Nasaan ang birthday gift ko?"

Napakamot ako sa batok. "Uhm…"

Tumawa siya ulit. Her laugh is like a melody in my ears. "Pwede bang picture na lang nating dalawa ang regalo mo sa 'kin?"

I can still remember the way she talks to me and to others. Kaya pala ang bait-bait niya sa 'kin. I was hers.

If the circumstance weren't like this, I can imagine my life with her! I'll be leaving in a small house but full of love. Kahit wala akong ama ay meron naman akong ina na handang maging ama at ina para sa 'kin.

Hindi man siya naging ina sa 'kin… God gave me someone that filled the absence of my birth mother. I'm still thankful that I have a mother named Marianne. I might not be hers but she treated me like hers.

Napasimsim ako sa wine na kanina ko pa iniinom. My life became miserable because of that f*****g woman. Thanks to you, b***h.

I'm slowly getting there.

BAWAT lakad ko ay tunog na galing sa aking heels lamang ang tanging naririnig ko habang naglalakad papunta sa opisina ni Astrid. Sa likod ko ay si Daven na diretso lang ang tingin sa nilalakaran.

Every teachers and students we met along the way are left with awe on their faces.

Literally, my outfit can draw attention. I'm wearing a black deep v-neck jumpsuit, revealing a 'lil bit skin in my chest pairing it with straight black gloves that have a length of over the elbow. They have the same textures, prints, and the type of clothes used in the jumpsuit. I just had light make-up.

Daven questioned me about the outfit, but duh? I can't stand wearing those boring teaching uniforms.

"Your school is wide, Alexandra," puno ng pagkamanghang wika ni Daven habang nakatingin sa malawak na paaralan.

We can actually see the whole school through my office. Nasa tuktok kasi ito ng mga building na para sa mga guro lamang.

"You don't expect that this school is raising a murderer," tikhim ko at umupo sa swivel chair. "Uupo lang ba ako rito buong maghapon, Dav?" I asked Daven with my bored expression.

Nagkitbit-balikat siya at umupo sa sofa set habang nakapandekwatro. "What's your plan, Alexandra?" tanong niya habang nakatingin sa isang magazine.

"Set me up with that woman. I want to know what's her weakness at kung saan siya malakas," utos ko habang nasa mga litrato ng mga former na Dean sa paaralang ito ang mga mata. Ang ama ni Sage ang huling Dean.

I wonder why Astrid choose to rule this school than his father's business.

"A coincidental set-up," dagdag ko.

In my peripheral vision, I saw how he nodded. "Tell me the whole plan."

Hindi ako nakasagot kay Daven nang may kumatok nang tatlong beses bago ito pumasok.

"Dean, your presence is needed in the prefix right now. Ms. Irina Claveria was in trouble minutes ago."

Irina Claveria? Kapatid ni Astrid?

Sumama ako sa kanya papunta sa sinabi niyang prefix. Pilit sumama si Daven even though I want him to do what I commanded to him.

"You might do something there that Astrid doesn't do." Napairap ako sa rason niya. Gano’n na ba talaga ako ka-maldita para sa kanya?

Nang makarating kami sa sinasabing prefix, kaagad kumulo ang dugo ko nang makita ang babaeng pumatay sa ina ko. She is sitting beside the woman who sits in the swivel chair. Kaagad akong nag-iwas ng tingin nang hawakan ni Daven ang aking siko, trying to calm me down.

"Uh, Ms. Claveria is here," annunsyo ng kung sino.

My brows creased when I saw the girl named Irina Claveria. Yumuko siya nang magtama ang mga mata namin. Siya ang babaeng nakita ko sa unang pasok ko rito and… the girl I saw in Astrid's house begging and crying to her mother.

Dahan-dahan akong umupo sa tabi niya. I made myself elegant in front of the couple who was comforting their daughter. She's just acting. Alam ko. Sinong niloloko niya?!

"Mr. and Mrs. Dominic wants to talk to you about Irina's behavior, Dean…" parang nag-alinlangan itong sabihin sa 'kin ang dahilan kung bakit ako pinatawag dito.

Napasulyap ako sa aking katabi bago sila tignan. My brows are arching. "What about my Irina?"

"Ms. Claveria, you should discipline your cousin! Hindi iyong basta-basta na lang siyang nanununtok!" anang Ginang, with a disgusted face while looking at us.

"This is her second offense, Dean, and all of it is violence," the freaking woman added but I didn't even give her a look.

"Why did you do it, Irina?"

The kid didn't answer. Such an attitude.

"Oh, tignan mo na?! Ni hindi ka man lang sinagot. Napakabastos talagang bata! Mana sa ina niyang black sheep."

The word black sheep triggered Irina. "My mother is not a black sheep!" she shouted.

Tumikhim ang lalaki sa biglaang pagsigaw ni Irina. "I want her to be punished. Kahit na pinsan siya ng Dean dito... dapat pa rin siyang parusahan sa ginawa niya sa anak ko."

I grinned despite their words. "A week ago, I saw your daughter harassing my cousin. I can provide a video for that." I tsked when I saw how their daughter stilled. "Your daughter is not a minor anymore. I can sue her. Oral defamation, spreading gossip in the whole campus that my cousin's mother is the black sheep of my family," I threatened them cooly and the table turned. I looked at them from head to toe with full of disgust.

Daven cleared his throat ngunit hindi ko iyon binigyan ng pansin. Lahat ng tao sa kwartong ito ay napasinghap. They probably didn't expect my sudden attack.

"A shareholder, I see. Mr. and Mrs. whatsoever. Bago ninyo ako ipinatawag sa Guidance Counselor na siyang mismong Dean sa paaralang ito, hindi niyo man lang ba naisip kung gaano kalaki ang share ng pamilya ko rito at gaano naman kaliit ang share ninyo?"

"Ms. Claveria!" The old man shouted in annoyance.

"I heard that this is the second time you call my name here. Even though my cousin has a mother. Are you trying to mess with me?" Hindi ko alam kung bakit si Astrid ang pinapatawag kahit naman may ina ang batang 'to. "I'm tired of the game that I know I'll win in the end. Go ahead punish Irina as Iong as you want. But before you do that, prove to me that my cousin really punched your daughter. My secretary will deal with you. Let's go, Irina."

Hinila ko palabas si Irina doon na hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa mga sinabi ko. Kaagad niyang kinuha pabalik ang mga kamay niya sa 'kin.

"Ano ba kasi ang nangyari—"

Irritation filled her face. "Hindi ka ba nagsasawa sa paulit-ulit mong tanong?! You're so naive, for Pete’s sake! Nadamay lang naman ako sa issue ninyo ni Ms. Castillilo dito! She's trying to push me on the edge just to get back to you!"

Iniwan niya ako roon, with lips parted. Napaka-attitude ng batang 'yon ha?!

Trying to get back at Astrid? A devilish smile appeared on my lips. Kaagad akong nagsalita nang maramdaman ko sa aking likuran ang presensya ni Daven.

"Kumalap ka ng chismis, Dav. Chismis about Astrid and Avilianna."

I smell something fishy between that woman and Astrid.