Tangled With The Devils (Devils #2)

Chapter 15

"ARE you sure that she did not notice?" Paninigurado ni Alex sa kausap sa kabilang linya. Kasalukuyan siyang naglalakad sa hallway ng paaralan na pinapasukan ni Victorique. At nandoon siya para isang bagay lamang.

"Yes, Alex. She already went to the organization herself."

Napangiti si Alex sa binalita ng nasa kabilang linya. He wasn't sure if his plan would work but there is nothing to loose if he tried.

"Are you monitoring what the tipper is doing?"

"Hindi pa Alex. Hindi na ako nakakapunta sa headquarters." Sagot ng nasa kabilang linya. "pero, nakita ko siya pumunta rito isang araw. He already talked to Victorique."

"So what does he think about her?"

Matagal na hindi nakasagot ang kausap niya. "Why is everyone so interested on her?"

Pinabayaan na lamang ni Alex ang hindi nito pagsagot sa kanyang tanong. He knew that this person doesn't like talking about Victorique Smith.

"Anong nangyari sa pagbisita niya sa Saint Louisina?"

Bumuntung-hininga ang nasa kabilang linya. "She gathered data but didn't suspect a thing."

Alex shakes his head. He thought that Victorique is something more than a stubborn little girl, that she may have inherit something from her father. He may have been wrong, but he may be correct. Intuitions can lead you to something disappointing if you expected more than you can accomplish.

But the plan is still going.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Ngayon sure ka na ba na magagawa niya para sa iyon ang pinaplano mo?"

"You're too assured to misunderstand her. Be careful, you don't know what she can do."

"Yeah, whatever Alex." Ito lang ang sinabi ng kausap at pinatay na ang tawag.

Alex just shakes his head and turned off his phone. He wondered why he even accepted that person in his gang. Well, he'll drop the tool off when it already served it's purpose.

Speaking of purpose, he already served his purpose for this day at school, it's a good time to already go back.

Tumalikod na siya at naglakad muli pabalik sa main entrance ng eskwelahan. He was about to pass through the playground when he noticed someone. His steps slowed sown and walked three steps back.

There he saw the girl in that dazzling blue dress in her school uniform, playing with the children on the playground.

"Ma'am Yna, Ma'am Yna! I have already made my mask!"

He watched in admiration as he watched Ynalee patted the kid on it's head.

"Good, you should show this to your teacher or else you'll flunked."

He smiled. What a sweet way to talk with children. He thought.

Tinignan niya kung paano ito makipag-usap sa mga bata. She doesn't even smile a lot, but he knew there were tenderness and care to her gestures.

He was so focused when a kid suddenly collided against his body. Natumba ang bata at nahulog ang suot na maskara. Ales tore away his attention from Ynalee and crouched down to look at the child who was on the ground.

"Aren't you going to stand up?" He asked to the kid.

The boy shook his head, and his facial expression started to change bit by bit as he stared at the kid with a serious expression. Kumunot ang noo niya. Hindi niya alam kung anong balak gawin ng bata, pero kung balak nitong umiyak ay pata siya--

"Uwaa!" Agad na nanlaki ang kanyang mata nang bigla na lamang sumigaw ang bata ng pagkalakas-lakas na halos marinig na sa buong playground. Ngunit nagble-blend iyon sa ibang ingay ng mga bata kaya napansin niyang hindi pa lumilingon si Ynalee sa kanyang direksyon.

He sighed in relieve and lightly pinched the boy's cheek to stop him from crying, but it was no use, the kid won't stop whining. He's getting irrittated.

"Shut it, or I'll kill you." He threatened, again it was no use.

Kinuha niya na lamang ang wallet sa kanyang bulsa at kumuha ng 1'000 peso bill.

"Maybe you're a negotiator. Go buy yourself some--"

"Wahh!" Napapikit siya nang nagsilalsikan na ang laway nito sa kanyang mukha.

Huminga siya ng malalim upang pakalmahin ang sarili. He is loosing patience. This is the reason why he hated kids.

He wiped the gross thing on his face and looked at the child sorely. Hindi na niya malaman kung anong gagawin sa bata. Hanggang sa mapatingin siya sa maskara nitong nahulog. Without thinking he grabbed it and stared at the crying kid. He then put it front of his face then put it out of his face.

Thankfully, the kid stopped crying. Slowly the kid started to laugh at what he is doing. So he reapeated the process. Putting the mask on, putting it away, putting the mask on and putting it away.

Slowly, the kids started to gather around his direction as if to join the kid in the stupid entertainment that he is doing. He also felt stupid entertaining a kid.

"Haha! Kuya is so funny!"

He sighed. Now I have become a mascot by just looking at her.

Tumayo na lamang siya upang umalis at alisin ang maskara nang marinig niya ang boses na iyon.

"What's going on?"

Alex turned around to find Ynalee walking towards his direction. Her hair waving with the wind in the process. And for the moment there he felt something funny inside his chest like he suddenly felt excited. Though it was an itchy feeling.

"Kuya Geisha is funny!" Kumunot ang noo niya. Geisha?

Ynalee looked at his direction and didn't even gave him an appreciative look.

"Wearing a geisha mask doesn't make him look funny. He looked more stupid"

In an instant that feeling disappeared and was replaced by irritation. The nerve of this girl to call me stupid!

He was about to take his mask off when he suddenly noticed two kids fighting over something, just beside Ynalee. He knew that they will soon stumble over the girl so without thinking he went to her direction and took her by the arm and twirl her around.

He heard her gasped loudly when he spin her by her hand and caught her waist by his other hand. Bending her down, he let go of her and let her rest on his other hand. Then it was a chance to finally study her face, widen in shock. He got swept away that he stilled, just holding her by the waist.

There was nothing peculiar about her face. Sure she was beautiful, but in a normal way. But the only that caught his interest was those eyes that seem to mirrored his. He never felt so consumed like this before.

It's not only the color, it's not only the emotions there. It's something that made him alert. Those eyes seem to serach something from him. Staring at his deepest secret. But for a moment there, he doesn't care to be exposed as long as he could stare more.

Kung hindi lang nga papalakpak ang mga bata ay hindi na sila nakahiwalay sa isa't-isa. He cleared his throat and fixed her position and let go of her. The kids cheer died slowly but they were still teasing them both.

Alex stared at Ynalee. He noticed that like him, she was dumbstrucked.

Fair enough...

But as much as he wanted to watch every little thing she does, he already went out of the busy crowd with the mask still on his face. He doesn't know what is the mask is for. Is it to conceal his face or to hide the smile that seem do hard to erase on his face now.

__Victorique's POV__

PINAKATITIGAN ko ang litrato na nasa screen ng laptop ko. My nape almost had another stiff neck by staring down. Sabi nga nila 'staring is rude', maybe it's true all along. Rude na yata ang paninitig ko kaya nagka-stiff neck ako.

Yeah, right Victorique. Still talking nonsense!

Binaba ko ang screen at hinilot ang aking batok at bumaba mula sa bubong ng aming rooftop. Yup, this is my favorite quiet place in my school. Lagi ako umaakyat sa roof ng mini house entrance ng rooftop kung saan nandoon ang hagdanan pababa.

Bababa na sana ako nang marinig ko ang pagtunog ng phone ko. Nang buksan ko iyon ay may tumatawag pala sa akin. Unknown number iyon kaya pinatay ko na lamang ang tawag.

"Victorique!" Napatalon ako nang may marinig akong nagsalita sa likod ko.

"Jusko!" Sigaw ko at hinarap ang taong naggulat sa akin. Nanliit ang mata ko nang malaman ko kung sino iyon.

Spencer were laughing loudly while clutching his stomach. Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata at pinalo sa braso.

"Bakit mo ako ginulat!" Sigaw ko sa kanya saka pinagpapalo ang kanyang balikat.

"Teka, teka. Sorry, hindi ko sinasadya!"

Tawa lang siya ng tawa habang tinuturo pa ako. Ganoon ba talaga nakakatawa ang pagkagulat ko at kailangang maging wakas ang pagtawa niya?! Sumimanagot na lamang ako at hindi na siya pinansin. Bahala siya sa pagtawa diyan, basta ako aalis na--

"Teka saan  ka pupunta?" Tanong niya habang pinupunasan ang tears of joy sa mata.

Tinignan ko lamang siya ng masama at binawi ang aking kamay.

"Iiwanan ka, mukhang kinareer mo na kasi ang pagtawa." Obserba ko at muling tumalikod ngunit muli niya lang ako hinila sa aking kamay palapit sa kanyang mukha.

Nagulat naman ako sa biglang paglalapit ng aming katawan kaya naitulak ko siya bigla. It's a good thing that he just laughed.

"Come on, don't be mad. Teka galit ka ba dahil hindi ako nagparamdam sa iyo for a week?" Sabi niya na ikinalingon ko sa kanya.

Sa totoo lang nga, ako ang umiiwas sa kanya. Siguro inisip niya na hindi kami nagkikita dahil sa busy siya, hindi na kasi ako nagpapahatid sa kanya nitong nakaraang araw at madalang pa sa madalang kung magkita kaming dalawa. Kund tatawag siya sasabihin niya lang na miss na niya ako. Ako mag-aagree na lang at iyon papatayin na ang tawag. May inasikaso kasi siya for one week, kung ano man iyon, ayaw ko nang alamin.

"Bakit ka nandito?" Tanong ko.

He smiled, "Ito talaga, hindi maamin na na-miss ako." Nagulat ako nang  bigla niya akong hinalikan sa pisngi.

"Sorry pala kung wala akong time na ihatid ka last week. May inasikaso lang ako." Paliwanang niya habang hinihimas ang aking pisngi.

Ngumiti lamang ako at tumango. "Okay lang, busy ka kasi sa work." At saka iniiwasan din naman kita, eh.

Hay...kapag nakikita ko talaga siya hindi ko maiwasang ma-guilty sa nagawa ko.

Naalis ako sa aking pag-iisip nang tumunog na naman ang phone ko. Napabuntong-hininga ako dahil sa distraction. Kung sino man ang tumatawag, salamat. Unknown number man on hindi, sasagutin kita.

"Teka, sagutin ko lang ito." Paalam ko kay Spencer na ngumiti at tumango na lamang.

I answered the call and put it against my ear. "Hello?"

Bati ko sa kabilang linya at hinintay ang sagot. While waiting, I looked at Spencer and forcefully gave him a smile. Nakaka-guilty na naman, ang laki ng ngiting binigay niya sa akin eh. Kaya tumalikod na lamang ako at lumayo sa kanya.

"Hello?" Muli kong bati sa kabilang linya.

Kumunot ang noo ko. Wala namang sumasagot.

"Kung wala kang balak sumagot edi ibababa ko nalang itong--"

"Do that and you'll regret it."

Agad na sumipol ang kaba sa aking dibdib nang marinig ko ang pamilyar na boses na iyon. Then as soon as I heard it, the warmth and memories of that night came flooding in my mind.

"Y-you..." Ang nasambit ko na lamang. Shucks! Anong kailangan niya?

"I want to see you. Meet me." Napatikhim ako ng hindi sinasadya.

Wow! Sino siya para utos-utosan ako bigla at saka. He wants to see me?! Hindi ko alam kung bakit mas lumakas pa ang pagtambol ng dibdib ko dahil sa sinabi niyang iyon. But d*mn it, Victorique. Whatever you are feeling, stop it!

"At bakit naman? Ano ako tanga para sumunod sa iyo?"

"And you're not that st*pid to forget about what happened that night, are you?"

Nanlaki ang mata ko at napatingin kay Spencer na nakabgiti lang habang nakatingin sa akin. Then I turned my back once again and clutched my phone tightly.

"What do you want?!" Asar na saad ko. Kulang nalang murahin ko siya.

I almost heard him smirked at the line. "Meet me."

"At pag ayaw ko?"

"Then they will know what we did."

Sh*t! Sabi ko na nga ba't gagamitin niya iyon against sa akin eh!

"You have no proof, They won't believe you."

Narinig ko ang tawa niya sa kabilang linya.

"Honey, do you know how many times I planted my seed inside you?"

Nanlaki ang mata ko at pinagpawisan ng malapot. I know what he meant. But I already search in the internet if what we did was safe. Safe s*x siya kaya hindi ako mabubuntis!

"What will you do?"

Huminga ako ng malalim. "Hindi iyon nagbunga, kaya hindi mo ako mapapasunod sa gusto mo!" I hissed quietly and endded the call.

How dare he threaten me! Alam kong hindi ako buntis!

STARING at the signs, I held my breath. My pulse were beating on my throat in nervousness. One line formed by the result and I could finally sigh in relieve.

Hindi ako buntis!

Sinubukan ko na ang tatlong pregnancy test at lahat sila ay negative ang lumabas. Hapong-hapo akong napasandal sa bowl, daig ko pa ang nag-jogging ng magdamag niyan. Nagamit ko tuloy ng hindi oras ang pregnancy test pagkauwi ko. Pero at least alam ko na hindi nagbunga ng kung ano ang ginawa sa akin ng demonyong iyon.

I went out of the bathroom with a smile on my face. Wala naman pala ako dapat na ikabahala. Makakalusot ako sa gulong ito.

"Ma'am, may nagpapabigay po pala sa inyo."

Nilingon ko si manong guard mula sa pagtaas ng hagdanan. Nang tignan ko ang kanyang kamay ay nakita kong may hawak siya na isang pa-square na bagay. Isa iyong gift box na may liham na nakadikit sa taas n'on.

"Akin iyan?" Tanong ko habang kinukuha ang gift.

"Opo Ma'am."

Nakatingin lang ako sa box habang pataas ako ng hagdanan. Iniisip ko kung ano ang okasyon ngayon at may nagbigay pa sa akin ng regalo. While walking on the stairs I flipped the envelope open and read the one sentence in red ink.

'belated birthday present'

Walang nakalagay na pangalan. Mukhang papasakitin niya ang ulo ko para hulaan kung ano ang nasa laman.

Nang sa wakas ay makaabot na ako sa kwarto ay nilapag ko sa isang gilid ang gift at inalis ang jacket ko. Then I grabbed and open the lid slowly.

"Ahh!" Nabitawan ko ang box nang makita ko ang laman niyon.

What the actual f*ck?!

Para akong aatakihin sa sobrang kaba nang may mamuo nang konklusyon sa utak ko habang isa-isang tinitignan ang mga litrato na nakalagay sa loob. It's my naked photos when I was sleeping.

Then deep beneath it, there was a note saying.

'how's that for an evidence?'

Napahilamos ako at napasigaw sa sobrang asar.

"Manyak! Isa siyang manyak!"

I hate to admit it, but I was blackmailed.