Chapter 15
2367 Words
It calmed my nerves a bit when I felt the fresh air blowing onto us. Also we can see the sunset clearly because we are already sitting on the roof in front of my room’s window. The corner of my lips tipped up while hugging my knees. If only I was born as a rich girl… I wouldn’t even have to think about my future.
Lalo na huminto ako sa kolehiyo kaya mahirap din maghanap ng trabaho na malaki ang kita. Ang napasukan ko lang na trabaho ay bilang waitress sa isang restaurant at naalala ko pa kinukuha ng boss ko iyong tips ko. Iyong sinasahod ko ay sapat lang para sa akin, minsan kulang pa kaya madalas nagtitipid ako. Puro delata lang ang kinakain o minsan mangungutang ako sa mga kasamahan ko sa restaurant kung saan ako nagt-trabaho.
“Can I ask you some questions again about you?” he asked calmly.
“Go on,” I replied. Pinatong ko ang baba sa tuhod ko. “Ang sarap ng hangin kaya nasa mood ako ngayon.”
Napanguso siya. Inayos niya ang pagkakaupo at nilalabas niya na iyong mga pagkain namin na binili mula sa Mcdonalds. Tig isa kami ng burger, large fries, nuggets, at coke. Kaya kumukuha na rin ako ng fries habang hinihintay siya magtanong sa akin.
“Have you and Uno been together before?”
I almost choked with his remark. What kind of question is that?!
“No!” I spat. My eyes glowered in his direction. “We were close friends but he confessed to me that he liked me before.”
Napangiwi ako nang maalala ko na umamin din siya bago kami umalis ni Hansen. Matagal niya na pala ako mahal pero hindi niya ako kaya palayain dahil sunod-sunuran siya sa kaniyang Ate.
He smiled with no humor. “And that fucker has the guts to be possessive to you?”
“What are you talking about?”
Tinungga ko iyong coke na inumin habang nanatili ang tingin sa kaniya. Kuryuso ako kung bakit niya iyon sinabi. Lalo na si Uno ay ayaw niya ako dumidikit sa kaniya. He is so stupid, though. Sana naisip niya man lang dahil sa lethal bracelet na ginawa niya ay nagiging malapit kami ni Hansen? And frankly speaking… he doesn’t have the choice but to obey and be with me as a partner. Ayaw niya rin naman mamatay.
“I just noticed that whenever we’re together…” he paused. Napailing na lang siya. “Nevermind. Huwag mo na pansinin iyong sinabi ko.”
I rolled my eyes. “How about you? Wala ka ba masamang ginawa kay Vivian maliban na lang na iniwan siya ng pinsan mo?”
“I really don’t have any idea.” He scratched his nape while thinking deeply. “I was in Batangas with my family when she kidnapped me. She was also invited there with my family because of my stupid brother.”
Medyo natawa ako sa kaniyang sinabi. Napapansin ko parang harsh siya sa kaniyang kapatid. Kinuha ko na iyong burger at nag focus muna ako sa sunset. Sobrang ganda talaga panoorin iyong sunset. Paborito kong view ay paglubog ng araw sa dagat.
“Why don’t you talk about your family to me? Tayo lang naman dalawa. Feel free to spill your information about your family. I was also curious about yours,” I started.
He slowly gazed at me. “I knew from the very beginning that you are curious about my family. Like what I promised… I am going to feed your curiosity.”
Tumango lang ako sa kaniya habang kinakagatan ko iyong burger. Ayaw ko mawala ang paningin ko sa sunset dahil ngayon lang ulit ako nakagala na may pera.
“I came from a mafia family. The patriarch in our generation is Damon, he is the one that rules the mafia organization. Thankfully, he wasn’t strict with us because it is part of our duty to serve our organization. He gave us the freedom to enjoy our life. He let other members stay who really have the heart to serve the organization.”
Biglang bumagal ang pag-nguya ko sa burger. Mapait ako napangiti. Mabuti pa siya may kalayaan gawin ang gusto niya ng walang kahirap-hirap. Umabot ako sa point na nagnanakaw ako sa market ng pagkain para mabuhay ako. Dahil tumakas lang ako… tinakasan ko ang nakaraan na patuloy pa rin bumabangungot sa akin.
“Damon knew in the first place that I don’t want to kill someone. I am perfectly the opposite of my brother. He is the most dangerous member in my organization. He may be playful but being part of the gang…” he trailed off. Bigla siya napatulala. “He is the beast and untamable.”
My eyebrow pinched together. “I thought Damon is more dangerous among them?”
“Honestly, our deepest secret is that we have the strongest and wisest member.” His tongue grazed upon his lower lip. Yumuko siya tila nag-iisip muli. “Our deepest secret is my brother. We are only unleashing the dangerous beast when it’s important.”
Napanguso ako habang iniisip ang kaniyang kapatid. Siguro mas trained ang kaniyang kapatid kumpara sa kaniya. Pero sinabi naman niya na una pa lang ayaw niya mapasali sa organisasyon nila. That’s a better reason.
“On what you’re saying… you’re making me want to meet your brother,” I muttered.
His leg snapped by looking at me abruptly. Tila may hindi ako nasabi maganda sa kaniyang pandinig. Nagkibit balikat lang ako sa kaniya habang bumubungisngis. His face looks like he is pissed at something.
“What the heck did you say?” he grumbled.
My forehead wrinkled even further. Bakit ba apektado itong lalaki na ito? Ano naman kung gusto ko makilala ang kaniyang kapatid? Ang OA masyado talaga.
“I am curious about him kaya gusto ko siya makilala ng husto—”
“He is stupid, an asshole, and useless!” he interrupted. Halos lumabas ang mga leeg sa kaniyang leeg sa sobrang inis. “He is also ugly! Ako lang ang binayayaan na gwapong mukha. Kaya huwag mo na siya kilalanin!”
My jaw dropped. His chest is heaving up and down harshfully. Bakit ba naging masungit bigla nung pinag-usapan ang kapatid niya?
“Hansen, I don’t care about his face. Tsaka gusto ko lang naman siya makilala kasi sinabi mo mismo na magaling siya,” I explained.
His face turned sour. “Mas magaling pa ako sa kaniya kung hindi ko lang sinuko iyong puwesto ko. Wala lang choice sina Damon kaya siya ang pumalit sa akin!”
Napailing na lang ako. Dahil sa pagiging bwisit niya hindi ko napanood maayos ang sunset. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin, pero laking gulat ko nang pantayan niya ang tingin ko tila may ginawa akong masama sa kaniya.
“Enough about that bastard, Ivory!” he barked. “Pag-usapan natin ng pamilya ko nang hindi siya binabanggit mismo.”
I gave him an eye-roll. “Last question, what is his name?”
“Ivory…” aniya na may halong pagtitimpi sa kaniyang tono. Parang kaunti na lang ay sasabog na siya sa sobrang galit kapag binanggit ko pa ang tungkol sa kaniyang kapatid. “I said, we can talk about my family without mentioning him.”
Hindi ko talaga siya maintindihan kung ano problema kung pag-usapan ang kaniyang kapatid. I gave up the topic about his brother because it’s a taboo to talk about him. Inubos ko lang iyong burger para kahit papaano hindi magbago ang mood ko dahil sa kaniya.
Masyadong bipolar!
The sky turned into dark orange and mixed with black because the darkness is already swallowing the sun. My lips twisted into a bitter smile. It only reminds me that in two hours… we should go back to our prison.
“What are you thinking about?” he questioned.
His voice is already calm and soothing. Grumpiness already subsided in his system. When I shot my gaze at him, his eyes looked concerned and adored.
I shook my head. “Nothing. Medyo busog lang ako.”
“Ivory,” his voice turned soft and deep by calling my name. “Whenever you’re with me… always say your thoughts to me. I won’t judge. I will gladly listen to your unsaid thoughts.”
There’s a deafening silence between us. But he didn’t insist on telling me about my thoughts. He is more concerned about what I feel. It looks like he is giving me some time to brace myself before I spill my thoughts to him. Kahit papaano ay gumaan ang pakiramdam ko.
“I was just overthinking that we have only two hours left before we go back to our prison,” I said quietly.
“Uh-huh…” he responded. Nilagay niya iyong mga takas kong buhok sa likod ng tenga ko. “Don’t worry about it, Ivory. We still have time to enjoy ourselves.”
My lips pouted. “Can you continue talking about your family?”
Slowly, his lips tipped up in awe. Nodding his head, he grabbed the fries from the paper bag then gave it to me. Mukhang gusto niya pa ako kumain kaya kumuha ako ng fries at kumagat.
“Do you know that our great great great grandfather was part of the monarchy here in France?” he told me.
Umiling ako. “Nope, wala ako naririnig tungkol diyan.”
“My grandfather told us when we were kids that he was a former king here in France during 1876. King Louis Johann is our root of the family. He was really great in planning and fighting on the battlefield. Not until he came to the Philippines. He fell in love with the president’s daughter named Magdalena.”
Napakurap ako habang narealize na sobrang laki ng agwat namin sa buhay. Talagang tinadhana na siya maging mayaman noon pa.
I smiled at him. “In short, you came from the old money family.”
Which means he has the higher percent that he will be saved by his family. While I am being left out in my prison… slowly rotting in the dungeon to use me as their pawn in their game. Kaya kumain na lang ako ng fries at hinihintay siyang pagpatuloy ang kwento niya.
“Magdalena was a nurse, when King Louis Johann got wounded because he was being attacked by his enemy, Magdalena was there to take care of him…” He brought the cup to his mouth to take a sip. “They both fell in love and King Louis surrendered his reign for her.”
“So cheesy…” I commented.
He smirked at my remark. Alam na alam ni Hansen na sobrang cheesy para sa akin ang tungkol sa pag-ibig. Kaya nga nakakairita si Uno noon dahil gusto niya ako ligawan. I really don’t fancy romance at all even during my teenage years. Which is why my girl classmate finds me weird because I prefer action movies over romance.
“The whole of France was very disappointed at him because he gave up the reign for a woman,” he said in a deep tone. “But he doesn’t care about their opinion, all he wanted was to marry Magdalena.”
“How romantic…” I responded dryly.
Bigla siya napatitig sa akin ng matagal. Kaya bigla ako na conscious sa kung paanong paraan niya ako titigan.
“I was curious why Vivian is being hard on you. Did you do something bad before?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “She hates me because I look like my mother a lot.”
Instantly, he got interested in what I said. He was too focused on gazing at me intently while waiting for me to utter another word. I guess… it’s my time to tell my stories, huh?
“She hates me because his father loves my mother. Which is why Raphael betrayed my father by wanting my mother. Tatalikuran na dapat ni Papa ang grupo nila kaso ayaw ni Raphael. And sinisisi ng asawa ni Raphael na nilandi ni Mama ang asawa niya,” I explained. Biglang nanikip iyong dibdib ko. “Because of her jealousy, Vivian’s mother ordered their men to kill Mama. My father was enraged at what she did to her. It was completely a mess and chaos.”
Naging seryoso ang mukha ni Hansen. Wala na iyong ngisi sa labi niya. Mukhang gusto niya pakinggan ang storya ko. However I was having a hard time swallowing the lump forming in my throat. f**k it.
“It was Raphael’s fault,” he concluded.
I nodded my head in agreement. “Indeed. Sa sobrang galit ni Papa ay nagtalo sila ni Raphael. I was with him.”
I shut my eyes. It was very painful for me to watch him kill my own father in front of my innocent eyes. Hanggang sa naramdaman ko na may yumakap sa akin. Pagdilat ko ay nasa harapan ko ang dibdib ni Hansen. He was gently tapping my back to comfort me.
“Shh… no need to tell that to me. You are still in pain, Ivory,” he whispered.
My face lifted up, then our eyes locked at each other. His pupil again was diluting when our eyes met. My heart was drumming loudly inside my chest.
“Hansen…” I called.
He was still squeezing me between his arms. My whole body becomes like butter that slowly melts against his body. I rested my temple against his chiseled chest. Even his heart is racing wildly.
“Are you gonna be happy when your family starts to save you?” I asked.
“It depends,” he answered. Ilang beses siya napalunok. “I’m going to be happy if they save us both.”
“What if they only want yo—”
“Then I’ll f*****g stay, Ivory,” he interjected. Inirapan niya ako tila naiinis siya sa sinasabi ko. “I will give them a clear instruction that they have to save me by coming with me.”
I blinked. “Hansen… you are their priority.”
“You are also my priority. I won’t escape without you.”
- Writer
