Chapter 8

Xyrica’s POV:

I can’t believe it that after all this time ay may secret room pala kami rito sa bahay. Tsaka hindi ko rin inakala na makikita ko rito ang ginawa nina lolo at lola bago sila pumanaw.

“Mister Demsford, are you seeing this?” Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

He nodded in awe as an answer.

“Don’t tell anyone about this,” nag-aalalang sabi ko.

Lumapit siya sa malaking board tapos tumingin sa akin at sinabing, “I promise, I won’t. Pero miss Dela Vega, first time mo ba talagang makita ito?”

This room looks like an investigation room. The place is full of pictures of unknown people and I can also see the picture of Gangster Academy. Somehow, it may be linked to where I came from and who I truly am. I just can’t figure out where to start and my grandparents are expecting me to continue what they’ve done in the past. Wala bang oryentasyon man lang?

Lumapit ako kay mister Demsford tapos hinawakan ang braso niya. “Mister Demsford, can you help me look for my parents picture?”

“What are their names?” Tanong niya sa akin.

“I don’t know,” sabi ko.

“What do they look like?” Tanong niya ulit.

“Huwag kanang magbakasakali kasi hindi ko alam,” sabi ko.

“Are you for real?” Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni mister Demsford at umiiling pa.

I sighed then said, “How am I supposed to know them? I can’t even remember where I came from. Or does any of my relatives know I’m still alive?”

“Help me understand the situation miss Dela Vega,” nalilitong sabi niya.

“Okay but I’m only telling you once so you should listen carefully. And I won’t entertain any questions while I’m still talking so you better shut up,” sabi ko.

“Got it,” sabi niya at kinuha ang dalawang upuan at ibinigay sa akin ang isa.

Sabay kaming umpo at kinuwento sa kanya ang buhay ko, “The couple I treated as my grandparents aren’t my biological ones. Bago namatay si lola ay sinabi niya sa aking na may isang lalaking nag-iwan sa akin sa kanila at kukunin ako kapag nasa saktong panahon na. I don’t know why Lola refused to tell the man’s name but I think I can’t trust that person.

“They did all of this behind my back and still treated me like I’m their own. They’ve spent their money searching for my parents but they can’t even find a single article about them but they’ve managed to gather these information. I don’t even know these people nor the man who took me from my parents.

“Can you recognize the picture on the board, the one above near the yellow sticky note? That’s Gangster Academy and I believe everything has to do with that place. Whether my parents are still alive or not, I must uncover the truth. That’s the reason why I kept on rejecting your offer.”

Pagkatapos kong magkwento ay hinintay ko muna si mister Demsford para sa mga tanong niya pero nakatingin lang siya sa board.Tumayo ito at kinuha ang yellow sticky note na malapit sa picture ng academy at binasa ito.

“Ikaw ang may-ari ng Gangster Academy?” Tanong ni mister Demsford. Halos hindi makapaniwala at tinignan ako mula ulo hanggang paa.

“That’s what my grandmother said before dying. So it must be true,” sabi ko.

“Are your emotions even real? Miss Dela Vega, isa ang Gangster Academy sa napakasikat na paaralan sa mundo. Ngayon na alam mo na ikaw ang may-ari ay bakit ganyan lang ang reaksyon mo?” Tanong niya.

I rolled my eyes then said, “Am I supposed to feel anything besides what I’m feeling right now? Wala naman akong alam sa mga pamamalakad ng academy at hindi naman ako interesadong kunin ito kasi gusto ko lang malaman ang totoo.”

“Paano kung malalaman mo nalang na patay na pala ang mga magulang mo? Tsaka kung sino man ang nagpapatakbo ng academy ngayon ang dahilan ng pagkasira ng pamilya ninyo? Hindi mo pa rin ba talaga kukunin ang isang bagay na naiwan sa iyo ng mga magulang mo?” Mister Demsford asked.

“Mag-isa lang ako at hindi ko alam kung sino ang kalaban ko,” I said then yawned. Ngayon lang yata ako binisita ng antok, anong oras na ba?

Mister Demsford patted my shoulder then said, “Matulog kana muna, miss Dela Vega at mag-usap nalang tayo sa kinaumagahan.”

“Do you wanna go to Gangster Academy and help me investigate?” I asked out of nowhere, hoping he will agree this time.

He smiled but not the kind of smile I was hoping to be reassured then said, “Let me think about it, miss Dela Vega. May mga bagay pa kasi akong gagawin sa academy namin at hindi ako sigurado kung pakakawalan ba ako ng Dean namin.”

I forced a smile then said, “I wasn’t asking a favor for free, you can have Gangster Academy if you want. But I can’t force you to help me, this is not your problem to begin with. Salamat sa tulong mo, mister Demsford at pasenysa kana kung naabala kita sa ganitong oras. Ihahatid na kita palabas kung gusto mo ng umalis.”

-

“I’m making a fool out of myself,” sabi ko sa sarili ko at humiga na sa kama ko.

I know I can’t do this alone, lalo na ngayon na may mga tao pa akong dapat makilala dahil sa mga pictures na nasa secret room. Hindi ko pa naman masyadong nalibot ang lugar at baka may mga na-miss pa akong clues na galing nina lola.

Pinigilan ko ang sarili ko na mag-isip tungkol dito kasi para ng sasabog ang ulo ko dahil sa sakit. Ipinikit ko na ang mata ko at hinintay na makatulog para makapagpahinga.

-

Nagising ako dahil sa tunog galing sa cellphone ko. Tinignan ko ang oras at alas-otso na ng umaga at tumatawag si Michiaki. Sinagot ko ito kahit sumasakit ang ulo ko, baka importante kasi.

“Hello Michiaki, bakit ka napatawag?” Tanong ko, pagkasagot ko sa tawag at ipinikit ang mata.

“Mukhang kagigising mo lang a?” Boses ni Yuan.

“Xyrica, gusto mo bang gumala ngayon?” Boses ni Warren.

“Wala ako sa mood para gumala. Gusto kong magpahinga,” sabi ko.

“May sakit ka ba?” Boses ni Klent.

“Gusto mo ba dalawin ka namin ngayon?” Boses ni Michiaki.

“Okay lang ako at wala akong sakit. I just need some me-time,” sabi ko.

“Okay, we won’t disturb you. Call us if anything happens,” boses ni Michiaki.

I bid goodbye and ended the call.

“Just ten more minutes and I’ll wake up,” sabi ko sa sarili ko at natulog ulit.

Cyborg’s POV:

I can’t believe I stayed up all night. I can’t stop thinking about that secret room and how I knew a few people in the pictures. I can’t say I lied to miss Dela Vega kasi hindi niya naman ako tinanong kung may nakilala ako sa pictures. Pero alam kong hindi siya nagsisinungaling noong sinabi niyang hindi niya kilala ang mga ito.

“I wonder what your reaction would be if you find out the truth?” I murmured.

Should I tell Dean Leo about the secret room? But he’s kind of suspicious kasi parang kilala niya si miss Dela Vega at nangako ako sa kanya na hindi ko ipagkakalat ang tungkol dito.

“What should I do?” I asked myself.

“Do what bro?” Tanong ni Kevin.

Isa siya sa mga kaibigan at roommate ko rito sa Gang-Ku-Fia Academy. Isa rin siya sa mga top students dito sa academy at hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaksyon niya kung sasabihin kong pupunta ako sa Gangster Academy. Hindi ko pa naman napagdesisyonan pero naiisip ko na ang magiging reaksyon niya.

“What? I was thinking about how to spend this day,” sabi ko sa kanya. Hindi ko kasi namalayan na nilakasan ko pala ang boses ko kanina.

“You should try sleeping because you look like exhausted,” natatawang sabi niya at nagpaalam na lumabas muna.

How can I even sleep when I’ve got tons of questions running my mind? I need to take it of but I need to be somewhere else to do that.

-

“Pwede kana pong pumasok sa office ni Dean Leo,” sabi ng secretary.

Pumasok ako at umupo sa bakanteng upan.

“Napag-alaman kong umalis ka sa academy kanina kahit alas-tres na ng madaling araw. Saan ka nagpunta?” Tanong ni Dean Leo at uminom ng kape.

“Do you personally know miss Dela Vega?” I immediately asked, observing Dean Leo’s reaction.

“Ano ba ang gusto mong malaman, Cyborg?” Tanong niya at inilapag ang baso sa mesa.

Nakatingin siya sa akin ng seryoso, makikita sa mukha niya na parang alam ko na ang ibig sabihin ng lahat na ito. Hindi ko lang alam kung bakit ako ang napili niyang lumapit kay miss Dela Vega.

“Do you have anything to do with miss Dela Vega’s parents?” Tanong ko.

“I bet she still doesn’t know who she truly is,” sabi niya.

I clenched my fist, trying to calm myself down and asked, “Why are you making a fool out of her? She clearly doesn’t know why she ended up in that old couple’s house and right now you’re playing her with your hands.”

“Don’t let your emotion become the reason to be irrational,” sabi niya at umiwas ng tingin.

“Then why is your picture there? I saw your picture in the investigation room that her grandparents created,” sabi ko.

“Sigurado ka ba talagang ako iyon? May pangalan bang nakalagay?” Tanong niya.

“If you’re not telling me anything, can you at least tell me why you want her here so badly? Totoo bang kilala mo ang lolo at lola niya gaya nalang noong sinabi?” Tanong ko.

He sighed like he’s given up and said, “I want to protect her by keeping her here at sana maintindihan mo. Kasi may mga trahedya sa nakaraan na hindi na dapat maulit pa.”

“Why don’t you tell her yourself?” I asked, almost frustrated.

“Naisip mo ba na kung nag-usap kami ay baka mas lalo pa siyang mapahamak? It was even a miracle how she’s alive and well, Cyborg. Kung lumapit ako sa kanya ay maaaring mahanap siya ng mga taong gusto siyang patayin,” sabi niya at ininom ulit ang kape niya.

“Do you know her parents? Are they dead?” Tanong ko.

“I know her parents because we were friends back when we were still a student but knowing too much might put you in danger too so I better not tell you anymore about them,” sabi niya.

I never have thought miss Dela Vega’s life is too complicated. May mga tao pala na gusto siyang patayin pero kung sino man ang lalaking nag-iwan sa kanya ng lolo at lola niya ay may mabuti itong intensyon sa kanya.

“I’ve tried changing her mind but I can’t. Now that she knew about being the rightful owner of Gangster Academy ay mas gusto na niyang malaman kung ano talaga ang nangyari sa kanya at sa mga magulang niya. Gusto nga niya na sumama ako sa kanya at ang kapalit ay ang Gangster Aademy,” sabi ko.

“She doesn’t want any part of it?” Natatawang tanong ni Dean Leo.

Umiling ako at sinabing, “She just wants to know the truth about herself and her parents. Wala raw kasing kwenta kung aatupagin niya pa ang Gangster Academy kasi wala naman siyang alam kung paano ito palalakarin.”

“I hope she’s emotionally prepared for this,” maririnig sa boses ni Dean Leo na malungkot siya.

Hindi ko alam kung ano talaga ang nangyari sa pamilya ni miss Dela Vega pero ang alam ko ay kailangan niya ng masasandigan habang maghuhukay ng nakaraan at maghahanap ng katotohanan.

“She doesn’t trust her friends and she wants me to go. Should I go?” Tanong ko.

Dean Leo immediately nodded then said, “Why don’t you consider this as a special mission? Protect her while you’re with her and tell me anything suspicious happening in Gangster Academy?”

“How can tell this news to my parents?” Nag-aalalang tanong ko.

I know my parents and I can’t expect them to easily say yes. Both of them are from Gang-Ku-Fia Academy at ganoon nalang sila ka-proud sa akin noong nalaman nilang makakapag-aral ako rito tapos isang araw malalaman nila na mag-aaral ako sa Gangster Academy? Alam ko na kung ano ang magiging reaksyon ng mama ko.

“You don’t have to worry about anything because I will tell them. You may not know this but your parents, Xyrica’s parents and I are good friends even though we came from a different Alma Mater,” sabi ni Dean Leo na nagpagaan ng loob ko.

“So it’s settled then,” sabi ko.

“Just remember, do not tell her anything that we’ve talked about. Help her like you would normally do and scold her if she do anything crazy and dangerous,” sabi ni Dean Leo sa akin.

Dapat malaman ni miss Dela Vega ang desisyon ko para malaman niyang may kasama na siya sa gagawin niya.