Silver Eyes

“Demoralize the enemy from within by surprise, terror, sabotage, assassination. This is the war of the future.”  ― Adolf Hitler

Inside the car, I could hear our slow breath, softly gasping for air. His lips caress my neck, nibbling and licking my skin until he reaches my sensitive spot. Making me moan. Nathan hugged me tightly and pushed me harder closer to him. My body was pressed forward, so I could feel the bulging in his center, prodding my belly even though we had clothes on. His ferocious kisses return to my luscious lips, with his tongue devouring the inside of my mouth.

Ang mga kamay nyang nakahawak sa aking pang-upo ay dahan-dahan ginalaw ang aking katawan sa ibabaw nya. Bahagyang nakabukas ang aking labi at nakatingala ang ulo habang pinapakiramdaman ang kiliting dulot ng ginagawa namin sa aking gitna. Tila ba'y mayroong kakaibang init ang nanunuot sa aking katawan na nais kumawala sa mga oras na yun. 

I opened my eyes when I suddenly remember something. Immediately, I glance at my watch, which was resting on his shoulder.

When I saw the time, I cursed under my breath. I harshly bit his bottom lip to stop him and hastily get up back from the passenger seat.

"Shit! Nathan, we only have 1 hour left!" I shouted at nagmamadaling inaayos ang nagulo kong uniform. I brush my wavy dark brown hair and put my favorite pink lipstick to make me look presentable. Then wear my usual high ponytail, leaving no strands unbound. 

“Seriously, babe? Lagi mo nalang akong binibitin. Come on, we still have one hour, hmm? I'll drive faster after it, I promise.” he said after he composed himself, looking shocked that I stopped him in the midst of our hot session. From my seat, I could see the erection on the center of his pants, but I couldn't care less.

I always gave myself an allotted time to study before the class starts. I could even say right now that my class is more important than this stuff. Hindi na nga dapat sya nagugulat everytime I stop him midway eh, it's not like we met just yesterday. Nathan knows that I already set my priority straight and that is my education. My future.  

"No. Just drive!" 

"Okay, okay" Pagkatapos itaas ang kamay bilang pagsuko ay agad na nitong minaniobra ang sasakyan. 

As my foot steps on the department building, I could see a group of crowds at the end of the hallway. Suddenly, someone whose passing by offered me a gum which I accepted heartily. I was about to say 'thank you' when I saw the woman continue walking without minding anyone on the way, even though she’s getting everyone attention. So, I just shrugged it off. 

Napataas ang aking kilay ng mapansin ko ang kanyang kulay jet black na buhok. Sumasayaw ito ng malaya sa likod nya at ang maputing maputlang balat ng babae ay tila nagliliwanag katulad na lamang ng akin. Sa aking pagmamatyag, bahagyang lumingon ang babae at tumango sakin dahilan kung bakit ko nakita ang mala-crystal na asul nyang mata. Tumango ako pabalik. Kasabay nun ay pagtalikod nya at pagvibrate ng cellphone ko. 

‘I found him’ 

Napahinga ako ng malalim ng mabasa iyon, tila ba nawala ang nakabaong patalim na nagpapasakip ng aking dibdib sa tuwina. Unti-unti may sumilay na ngiti sa aking mga labi. 

‘Go in the mansion and send me the details.’ I replied.  

Now, let’s stop the chase…

Nawala ang atensyon ko roon at napaayos ng tayo ng hawakan ng kakarating lang na si Nathaniel Lastimosa ang kamay ko. He was my best friend in high school, and now he's my boyfriend at college. Though I occasionally get the impression that I've just become accustomed to his presence, making me feel more comfortable with him than anybody else. Well, of course, with the exception of my brothers and my youngest sister, Helly. 

Habang papalapit sa dulo ng hallway, nasaksikhan ko ang nagaganap na kumpulan ng mga estudyante sa may tapat ng malaking bulletin board. Makikita sa kanilang mukha ang iba't ibang klase ng reaksyon. Ang iba ay nakangiti at natutuwa, ang ilan ay tila nakahinga ng maluwag, mayroon din namang iba na malungkot na umalis sa grupo ng mga tao at mabibilang lamang ang mga estudyanteng nananatiling nakatulala roon. Nagtataka, nalulungkot, at hindi malaman ang sasabihin habang pilit na hinahanap ang sari-sariling pangalan. 

My grip on his arm tightened as I combed my hair and chewed the bubble gum inside my mouth. When we got close to them, we came to a halt.

"Kinakabahan ako," I said out of nowhere, habang nakatayo hindi kalayuan sa grupo ng mga estudyante. 

Nakatingin kasi ang lahat doon, kung saan nakadikit 'yong listahan ng mga nakasama sa dean's at president's lister. 

"C'mon I'm sure you're still on the list" he said and gestured me towards the crowd. I let out a hushed breath before following him.

When we entered the crowd, I looked for my name on the list where it always been, but alas, it wasn't there. I let out a long sigh of disappointment and slowly, inilipat ko ang aking paningin sa isang listahan na nasa baba neto. The dean lister. 

I brushed my hair out of frustration and decided to walk out leaving my boyfriend who look shocked from what he discovered. I can’t blame him. This is the first time that it happened to me. I sigh. Must be shocking for some, while me, I'm not shock anymore. I'm furious actually and I don't have any nice way to put my annoyance towards that old man shallowness! 

Right now, sapat ng makita ko saglit ang resulta ng pagbaba nya sa grades ko. I know I should be ready for this, the time that I learned Mr. Gonzales is our professor for this sem. Now he really did it, as childish as he is, that old man failed me with his subject just because of the past bad blood that our family has on his daughter. 

Tsk, hindi ko nga maintindihan kung bakit tila ang laki ng galit samin ng matandang iyon. It's not like we did something bad on them. If I would be honest, he should feel embarrassed that his daughter mess with my brother's life and cause a ruckus in his supposedly perfect wedding. But no matter how many times I tried to see his mind comes to light. He will always think that it is our fault. Tsk, the suspect trying to become a victim. What a funny turn of events. 

I know I'm cruel for thinking this especially when someone died...but, it is the truth. She is the one who dig her own grave.

"Hey babe, what happened? Are you okay?" He nervously asked while half-running towards me. 

"I'm fine. I just need to talk with that old man" sambit ko at umastang pupunta sa office ng professor nang nabigla ako sa mahigpit na hawak ni Nathaniel sa braso ko, tila pinipigilan akong tumuloy. I arched my left eyebrow, looking back at him. 'Ano nanaman bang drama to?' I sighed ponderously inside. 

"What?" 

"Just talk to him after class babe, you'll only have 35 minutes to go" 

When I heard that, my expression softened. He has a point. I give him a quiet nod and accept his hand in mine.

After the class dismissal, agad kong pinasok ang notebook at libro ko sa bag. Nagmamadaling ko itong isinuot, hindi hinahayaang makawala sa paningin ko ang taong nais kong makausap. 

Hinihingal na hinabol ko ang professor na dumaan sa isang corridor, upang makapunta sa hindi ma-taong hagdan pababa ng 3rd floor. Kung saan naroroon marahil ang susunod nyang klase. Nang maabutan ay agad kong tinawag ito.

“Professor Gonzales!” 

Agad na lumingon sakin ang professor ng marinig ang pagtawag kong iyon at tumigil ito sa paglalakad. Kaya naman nakahinga ako ng maluwag at dinahan-dahan na ang pagtakbo papunta sa kinatatayuan nya. 

“Miss Folk, what can I do for you?” he said and offered me his formal smile. Napangiwi ako sa aking isipan ng makita yun habang nahihiyang ngumiti rito. 

“Prof, I just wanna ask if I could see my grades computation? I don’t want to offend your profession and intelligence in this matter but I just can’t accept that I have failed your subject when I complied with all your requirements.” I softly said while carefully choosing my words.

"How confident are you to say that to your professor but, let me correct you. I didn’t fail you, Miss Folk. I just gave you a low grade, just like what you deserve " 

Napatigil ako ng marinig ko ang huli nyang sinabi. I bit my bottom lip and was about to talk about it, ng maagaw ang atensyon ko ng grupo ng mga police na dumaan sa likod ng professor. 

'Ano kayang mayroon?' bulong ko sa aking isipan.

Madalas talagang may mga pumupunta na police, detective or prosecutor sa school namin since this is a university hospital, supported by the goverment. Kung saan kumukuha sila ng forensic autopsy report, DNA results and other medical examination na makakatulong sa pagiimbestiga para sa hinahawakan nilang kaso. 

Saglit na hinabol ko sila ng tingin ng biglang lumingon sa direksyon namin ang isang lalaking pinamatangkad sa kanila.

isa, dalawa, tatlo...

Lumipas lamang ang ilang segundo. Ngunit tila napakahaba nito ng lumapat ang mga mata ko sa kanya. Napahugot ako ng hininga at napaiwas ng tingin sa malalim at nakakapanghalina nitong kulay tansong mga mata.

Ibinaling ko muli ang atensyon kay Professor Gonzales.

"Low grade is a failure for me Prof. I apologize for my audacity but I don’t agree with you Sir. I know I deserve more than what you gave to me." I firmly said. 

“Hmm… I understand, it must be hard to believe it since you’re always been an achiever. So, I'm just gonna email you the date. I’m kind a busy today, so I cannot offer you my time Miss Folk." He coldly spoke those words to me and then, he immediately turn his back.

I smiled warily for his sarcastic remarked and murmured, "Thank you, prof!" before he could get away. He cannot offer me his time when he already talked to me? Tsk. That's funny.

Nakatulalang pinaglalaruan ko ang spaghetti na nasa aking plato, pinaikot-ikot ito ng di namamalayan sa tinidor habang ang isip ay lumilipad kung paano ko sasabihin na nawala ako sa president lister. 

I am always been an achiever since I was a child. No, not just me. This family is full of intelligent beings.

My father is a doctor who owned a large private hospital here in the Philippines. Then there is Doctor Valentine, my older brother, who became a famous young doctor. He is also a model and a great cardiovascular surgeon. My second brother, Yvonne, is a medical student majoring in psychiatry. He is the introverted one in this family. Honestly, I think his personality matches my father's so much. Then there's our youngest, his studying BS Veterinary. His name is Ivory, my badass, troublesome brother who has a soft spot for animals. And well, there is another one, but as of now.... I don’t know his present life yet.

“Irishka, what are you doing? Eat your food.” A baritone voice takes me back in my consciousness. I could see the curious eyes of my brothers and the cold, deep amber eyes of my father which reflects mine. 

“I’m sorry dad.” Sambit ko sa mababang tono at kinagat ang pang-ibabang labi. Malamya akong sumubo ng pagkain na tila naging hangin nalang sa akin. I know I shouldn’t be like this, but I’m really bothered on how my father would react. Since, I never failed him when it comes to my grades. 

It’s the only thing that I could do to make him happy after our mother died. I sigh.  Narinig ko ang mahinang pagbagsak ng kumbyerto at ang malambot ngunit malamig na tono ng aking ama. 

“Princess, do you have a confession to make?” daddy asked. So, I look at him nervously. He's sitting dominantly on the head table.

I brushed my hair and pouted “Professor Gonzales failed me in his subject” I softly said, starting from the reason why I’m so down today and gulped before I continue my monologue. 

"I didn’t do anything wrong, dad. I promise, I never neglected my studies, even after having 3 days of absence because of my allergy, and I assure you that all of my exams were perfect. That’s why it's obvious he sabotages my grades. "

“Hmm… did you talk to him already?” 

Napatango naman ako rito at kinuwento ang nangyari kanina.

That's how we've always done things. We never keep secrets in this household. Because the unspoken is frequently the cause of a relationship's demise, sharing one's secret with one's closest friends or family members can create a bond that no one can break. What matters is honesty. We realized that every tragedy begins there, keeping secrets. So, even if some of us didn't like it at first, we started doing a confession every time we are complete at dinner. 

“It will be fine princess, kapag nagmatigas parin sya tungkol dyan. I will personally talk to your dean together with your brothers. And, you shouldn’t be bothered about this Irishka. Grades is not even the reason why I value my daughter. It doesn’t even define you as a person.”

“Dean lister parin naman sya dad” sambit ni Ivory kaya napatingin kami rito “What? Of course. I know. Ako sumundo kay ate kanina eh”

“Yun naman pala eh. Kaya wag na malungkot anak. Ikaw parin naman ang pinakamatalino dito.” 

I smiled sweetly at him when I heard that. Habang ang mga kapatid ko naman ay kanya-kanyang protesta, kesyo mas matalino daw sila. Habang si Helly at ate Dahlia ay pinupuri’t pinagtatanggol ako. Natatawa na lamang akong nakikinig sa kanila. 

Somehow, my mood is lifted. Tila gumaan ang mabigat na nakapatong sa aking dibdib. Sometimes I blame myself for being such a perfectionist that I can't afford it when things go wrong, especially when I've dedicated myself and put a lot of effort into it.

But then I’m so blessed that I have my family for me, they are the one who listen and advise me about a lot of things. Lalo na si Yvonne, ang pinakaclose ko sa kanilang tatlo. Sa amin sya ang pinakachill at balance ang ugali. Although introvert and he appear cold sometimes. Hindi naman sya ganun kaseryoso katulad ni kuya Zayne o kakulit, katulad ni Ivory. 

Indeed, I’m not a failure because I already have my prize. That is my life greatest possession; my family.