Kabanata 5

After class ay agad na rin akong umalis ng sinisigurong walang makakapansin sakin. I don't like how students look at me after what Sage said in the cafeteria.

I am known as 'his girl' and I think it just started a fire that will burn me down. That demon is really good at making things hard for me.

Umuwi muna ako sa bahay para magpalit ng damit. I wonder where Katelyn is?

I haven't seen her after class. She also vanishes into the air and I don't know where she went. I didn't even feel her presence, kahit na nasa tabi ko lamang siya.

She seems silent and quite suspicious. I mean, there is something in her mind bothering her. I am a bit curious about what it is. I bet she wants to hear out the story behind me and Sage? What now?

I locked the door and rode my favourite Ducati as I drove off my cafe. I saw her serving one of the customers.

She looked at me and waved at me as she said "hi" with a smile on her lips.

Maybe I was just overthinking it. Nagkibit balikat an lamang ako at tinanguan lang siya saka dumeretso sa opisina ko. I take off my jacket and put it on my chair.

Kinuha ko ang remote ng TV saka binuhay ito. Maybe I should watch something interesting to relax my mind in the midst of the chaos I've experienced.

''Another victim has been found—"

Agad ko iyong pinatay at mabilis na naibato palayo ang remote. Damn! Hindi ba talaga ako lulubayan ng mga 'yan? Kahit ngayon lang ayoko munang makabasa o makarinig ng bagay na may connection sa kung ano man ang iniiwasan ko.

Inis akong napabagsak sa upuan at agad na hinawakan ang ballpen na nakapatong dito at tulala lamang na nakatitig sa kung saan habang tina-tap ang ballpen sa table. it made a distracting noise, but I didn't stop. It's my hobby when I want to have something to do that could cool me down.

In the middle of thinking, a couple of knocks brought me back to my senses. Agad akong tumayo at pinagbuksan ito.

"Sorry, did I disturb you?" She's holding a cup of coffee,

Cappucino.

"No."

"Can I have a minute?" I plainly stared at her as I made my way wide open. Agad naman siyang pumasok. Pagkasara ng pinto ay pinaupo ko na rin siya sa upuang nasa harap ng table ko.

"Here, I requested it for you."

"Hmm, what do you want?"

"You owe me a story, Ma'am."

"Quit it, Katelyn."

"Alright how about you as the 'girlfriend' of the famous and nutorious Sage Vandrex Frost."

"It's true." I can't tell her the real score between me and that demon. She doesn't have to know.

"What?"

"We're in a relationship."

"But you said you don't know him? Each other? H-how?"

"I just said it, but he already proved it wasn't true. You heard it. So do I need to explain and tell you the whole fvcking story?" Natahimik naman siya, bumaka ang takot sa mga mata niya kaya napabuga ako ng hangin at napasandal habang nakatingin sa kaniya.

Calm down, Reign.

"Don't make it an issue, Katelyn. It's normal. I didn't even tell you that I was going to tell you everything, I just assured you that you would know the truth soon. So, yeah, right now I am admitting to you that I am his girl. But I am too lazy to tell you the whole story. It's just that he asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes. End of story. Alam kong di kapani-paniwala dahil sa sama ng pagkakakilala n'yo sa kaniya, but that would never change the fact that he is my boyfriend."

"I understand. I'm sorry. Na-curious lang ako and at the same time, hindi ako makapaniwala."

"May mga bagay talaga na mahirap paniwalaan."

"So, is that all that you need? You can now go back to work."

"Actually, may isa pa, tungkol do'n sa pinapagawa mo." Naging interesado ako sa susunod niyang sasabihin at alam kong nakita niya iyon sa expression ng mukha ko.

"I already started investigating."

"And what did you find out?"

"Crisanta Muffin is living in her condo unit in FMCB while her mom is on vacation in France with her husband, Crisan's dad. And base din sa sinabi as kin no'ng isang katiwala nang rest house nila, nagkaroon daw ng unang asawa 'yong mom ni Crisan, pero matagal na raw patay eh. She's also a 3rd-year student sa University na pinapasukan natin. Kilala siya sa pagiging model at fashionista. Aside from that ay marami rin nagsasabing approachable siya at maraming friends in and outside of the school. 'Yon ay sa mga katulad niya lang rin na mayaman, but she's also a bitch, mostly to those who are lower than her."

So, they are really having a good life with all my properties and wealth.

"I already know that about her mom. She really had an affair with someone in the past. But something is missing in that story. She's not the legal and first wife of that man. May pamilya ang lalaking inasawa niya; 'yon nga lang at matagal nang patay ang asawa nito at iisang anak an lamang ang naiwan. Her mother's name is Cristina Muffin. And the other one is her? A bitch? Oh dear, I know that too." Napatulala siya sa kin ng ikwento ko iyon sa kaniya at bahagyang napayuko.

"Sorry kung kulang ang information ko."

"Don't apologize, I didn't say that you didn't do a great job. The first one says it all. Yun ang gusto kong malaman na kailanman ay di ko magawa dahil marami akong bagay na inaasikaso, mabuti na lang at nariyan ka para gawin 'yon."

"Can I ask?"

"What is it?"

"Bakit gan'on nalang ang pagpapaimbestiga mo sa kanila? Are you connected to them?"

"She's my step sister, her mother is my dad's second wife," I simply said with a smirk in my lips. Halatang nagulat siya sa nalaman niya kaya kinuha ko ang chance na 'yon para sabihin ang isang bagay na alam kong tumatakbo sa isipan niya.

"Yes, Katelyn. That girl owed me a debt. Na di mababayaran ng pera lang."

"What do you mean?" Binigyan ko lamang siya ng isang mapanlinlang na ngiti.

"You may now go, just keep your eye on her." I know she's not convinced, but she chooses to leave. Umuwi ako ng bahay ng bandang alas dyes.

Naabutan ko si Katelyn na busy sa laptop na pinahiram ko sa kaniya kanina. Mabilis akong nakarating sa likuran niya ng hindi niya nararamdaman.

She's looking at some articles and news about the same cases. Iba't ibang biktima pero iisang klase lang ng way ang pagkamatay. Kumunot ang noo ko.

Why does she seem so focused on that issue? Detective na rin ba siya?

"What are you doing?" Bigla niyang naisara ang laptop sa gulat.

"Jusko ka, aatakihin ako sa puso nito eh! Paano ka nakarating agad d'yan? Saan ka dumaan?"

"Answer me."

"I am just curious, it's the city's hot topic. Pinaguusapan na ito ng lahat. So I am trying to find out what's behind their deaths."

"It's not your problem anymore, Katelyn. May mga bagay akong pinapaasikaso sa 'yo kaya 'yun ang atupagin mo."

"Pero--"

"No more buts."

You will never know what's behind their deaths, Katelyn, unless you're me.

Iniwan ko na siya roon at umakyat na sa kwarto ko. Kailangan kong magpahinga, nakakaramdam na naman ako nang panghihina. Agad akong napaupo sa kama

ng makaramdam ng biglang pagkahilo, kumikirot rin ang iba't ibang parte ng katawan ko. What the hell is happening? Pakiramdam ko ay hinahalukay ang sikmura ko that made me jump off the bed and run inside my bathroom.

I threw up hard as hell.

I cursed under my breath while leaning on the wall. Nanatili akong nakaupo sa tiles ng bathroom at pinapakiramdaman ang sarili, nang masiguro kong okay na ay tumayo na ako at humarap sa sink saka nagmumog.

I even wash my face repeatedly and look at my reflection in the mirror. Halos mapamura ako sa nakikita ko.

May kung anong mga itim na parang ugat ang nakaguhit sa iba't ibang parte ng mukha ko maging sa mga braso at leeg ko.

Maya maya ay unti-unti rin itong naglaho. My face becomes pale, I don't know what is happening, but I have an idea that I don't want to accept.

Hinang-hina akong bumalik sa higaan at pabagsak na humiga trying to forget what just happened.

This new life is a curse.

I don't have any words to define it, but only a curse. I thought I have already lived in hell. 'Di ko alam na may ilalala pa pala.

This life is punishing. Ano bang nagawa ko para parusahan ng ganito?