"Y-you what?"
"I said, can I stay in your room?" Paguulit ko. He looked like he saw a ghost.
"Why the sudden decision?"
"I heard a noise outside the window of my ro-"
"Tss. Sabihin mo na kasing gusto mo lang akong makasama." He teased. This man!
"Excuse me? Napapansin ko lang hah, medyo ka na yumayabang."
"Daming satsat. Pasok na." Sabay bukas ng pintuan niya. He motioned his hand inside as if I'm a princess which needs to be treated well. "Kamahalan." He spatted which costed him a punch in his shoulder.
Dumiretso na ako sa may couch saka humiga dun. Nakakahiya namang sa higaan niya ako matulog noh. Ako na nga tong nakitulog tas ako pa makikinabang sa bed niya?
"I'll sleep there. Dun ka sa couch." I remained my eyes shut, pretending asleep, so that he would leave me alone but he unexpectedly carried me in his arms and laid me on the bed. "Tss. Sabi ko na nga ba't gusto mo lang makipagharutan eh." Napamulat ako sa sinabi niya saka siya sinipa ng malakas.
"Hoy!" I shouted and shut my eyes once again. I'm sure as hell that redness took over my face. Not because of enlightenment but because of rage. Napakayabang! Kung hindi lang ako matatakutin, I would've stayed in my room. But I had no choice.
For a minute, I forgot all my problems. All the pain. All because of him. And that made me sleep.
~~~
"Huy. Gising na. We'll have to go." Umupo ako saka nag-inat sabay kusot sa magkabila kong mga mata.
"Ang aga pa.." I barely told him but I heard him laugh.
"Wala na tayong pera. Baka nakakalimutan mo, isa kang takas-preso at ako nama'y isang probinsyano." He clarified.
"Oo na. Oo na." I lazily stood up and combed my hair with my hands. "Ano ng plano?"
"May pupuntahan tayong kaibigan."
"Kaibigan?"
"Yup. Isang police." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sagot niya saka ako napaatras. "Wait! Wag mo akong mamissunderstood. Hindi ka nun isusumbong. Manghihiram lang tayo ng pera." Pag klaro niya pero hindi parin ako nakumbinsi.
"Pwede bang ikaw na lang muna? Tas hintayin nalang kita dito?"
"What? No. Pano kung mahanap ka nung mga humahanap sayo?" I sighed as I raised both of my arms, as if I'm surrendering.
"Fine."
Nagmadali kaming bumaba saka niya binayaran ang dalawang room na kinuha namin kahit isa lang naman ang ginamit namin. I though we were going to ride something but he went straight to who-knows.
"Saan ka pupunta?"
"Maglalakad. Wala tayong pamasahe." Napasapo ako ng noo sa sinabi niya. Great, another journey.
Hindi kami nag-usap habang naglalakad hanggang sa nasa may tapat na kami ng isang condominium. We were walking for almost an hour!
"Nandito na tayo." He stated as he pressed the doorbell. Mga ilang minuto na ang lumipas nang may lumabas mula sa condominium na isang lalaki. He's familiar! I'm sure I saw him somewhere!
"Keil." Xian shaked his hand.
"Xian." The man greeted back and glanced at me. "Eva." He called kaya nagulat ako.
"Hi. I'm SPO2 Keil Demetrio." And then he smiled creepily. And then I remembered where I met him! He was the one who lent me a phone when I was still in the place where I was supposed to be tried.
"Ikaw?! Anong ginagawa mo rito?" I asked him which made him laugh.
"Is that your way of saying thanks?" I was about to answer back when Xian meddled.
"Pwede bang pumasok na muna tayo? Delikado rito eh. Maraming mga tao." Keil agreed and motioned us to go inside his not so small but not so big condominium.
"Keil. We are in need of money." Seryosong tugon ni Xian habang ako, natulala dahil sa napakafluent niyang accent!
"May choice pa ba ako?" And he chuckled a bit as he stood.
"T-teka! Yung binigay mong telepono... Why? And how? Magkakilala ba kayo ni Leo-"
"All of your questions will be answered once you remember Eva."
"I get it. I need to remember what hapenned that nigh-"
"Hindi lang iyon." Pagputol niya muli saakin. "When I say remember, remember everything. Not just that night. But everything." Saka siya umakyat leaving me dumbfounded. What was he talking about??
Binigyan niya si Xian ng isang maitim na bag saka siya may ibinulong rito. He even invited us to stay for the night but Xian insisted on leaving kasi nasabi ko sakanya na kailangan ko pang makipagkita kina Vince. I wonder if they're on the place we talked about.
"Felicito Avenue? May pagkalayo iyon ah." He spatted again as if di namin to napag-usapan.
"I told you, kahit Japan man iyan, I need to see them! I need to make sure that they are all safe!"
"Okay. Okay. Kalma lang tayo." He consoled me pero hindi ako nagpatinag. I don't know but I'm so easily-irritated right now. Especially at the sight of Xian.
"Tss." Saka ko siya inirapan. We were already at the bus terminal when the phone that Keil gave to Xian rang. The latter answered the call and ended it quickly.
"The polices already know that you're here in Nueva Ecija. Keil was informed to catch you."
"Will he?"
"Of course not. Atleast he'll pretend to but he won't. So, we need to get out of here as fast as we can."
"Okay pero, ang galing mo pala mag-englis-"
"Wala na tayong oras para jan." Saka niya ako hinatak sa isa sa mga bus. Pagkababa't-pagkababa namin ay pumara agad siya ng taxi saka nagpahatid sa rotonda ng Felicito Avenue. Nakasuot na rin ako ng mask at sunglasses. And of course, the change of clothes which came from Keil helped a lot.
"Heto po bayad." Sabay abot ni Xian ng malaking halaga sa driver saka kami bumaba at nag-inat. "We're here... but where are they?"
"I d-don't know. Pero, dito daw kami magkikkta." I honestly told them. Walang katao-tao sa rotonda maliban sa naglilinis sa sentro nito.
"Teka, tanungin natin ung naglilinis." Lumapit muna siya roon saka nakipagusap samantalang nanatili akong naka-silong sa may puno. Sa tingin ko ay mag-lulunch na ngayon. And we still haven't eaten breakfast.
"Ano raw?" I asked as soon as he returned.
"May apat daw na mga kaedad natin ang namalagi rito nung dalawang araw na ang nakalipas. Pero di raw niya alam kung saan sila nagpunta pagkatapos rito." I sighed upon hearing those words. But, I need to be happy right? Cause atleast, buhay pa sila.
"What's our plan?" I asked Xian but he remained silent as he kept his gaze behind me.
"Eva.." still not looking. "Ung naglilinis. He's glancing at us creepily. Pasulyap-sulyap siya." Tugon niya. Lilingon na sana ako when we heard a group of gunshots.
"Shiz!" I shouted as Xian pulled me and ran towards somewhere. "Ano yun?! Police ba iyon?!"
"Of course not! They must be the third party." We stopped nung makalayo na kami. "Teka lang." Pinuntahan niya ang isang kotse na nakaparada sa may gilid saka tiningnan ang driver's door. Gosh! Don't tell me-
"Sakay." He stated after picking the lock of the car with a hairpin-- which I don't have the slightest idea where it came from. He manipulated the engine kaya nagsimula itong umandar.
I got in and wore my seatbelt. "Alam mo, pwede naman tayong pumara ng taxi-"
"Sa tingin mo ba ay may dadaan pa dun na taxi o kung ano mang kotse pagkatapos magpaputok nung lalaki? Infact, napakaswerte nga natin at nagkataong may naka-park dito na kotse... na sa tingin ko ay kinarnap rin bago tayo." Aniya sabay duro sa second seat. Traces of blood were evident behind.
Maybe... Vince and the gang used this car before us! That means, they really were here.
"Shiz! Ayun nanaman siya!" Xian exclaimed while looking at the rearview mirror. There, I saw the man, pero hindi na siya nagiisa. He's got some friends. Walang pagaatubiling pinaharurot ni Xian ang kotse, leaving those goons behind.
"We lost them." Saka ako tuluyang nakahinga ng maluwag.
~~~
"Ang sarap!" I pointed out after tasting the sauce of the chicken. Kumain kami sa may isang karenderya where they make a delicious sauce! Ang sabi nung may-ari, parte parin toh ng Felicito so I asked if may nag-stop by ba na mga kaedad ko. Fortunately, meron daw'ng napadaan rito na mukhang kaedad namin but the owner said there were five of them who came here last two days.
Xian paid the bill and stood up after drinking his glass of water. I also tried standing up when my head ached, kasunod ng isang pangyayari na nagpakita sa isipan ko.
"Sir, bakit po ba natin to ginagawa?" Tanong nung isang lalaki sa isa nanamang lalaki na mukhang boss nila.
"Basta, she'll know. Well, that is if she would still live after what I'll do." The boss answered as he combed his hair backwards and stared at the woman who's currently out of presence but still standing. She was drugged.
"Basta. Ang kailangan mo lang malaman ay, she needs to pay for what she's done. And she'll be paying with my own kind of vengeance."
Bumalik ako sa realidad nang niyugyog ako bigla ni Xian. "You okay?!" He worriedly asked as he checked every corner of my face. "I was calling you but you won't answer." He added as he let go of me.
"S-sorry.. I just... remembered something about that night." I didn't bother on telling him about my memory cause he did not ask. He only nodded as he motioned me towards the car.
"Anyway, kailangan na nating umalis." I agreed and went inside. "Kumapit ka ng mabuti." He reminded saka niya muling pinaandar ang kotse, bringing us towards who-knows.