Kabanata 7
"BRO, COME ON." Linus sighed. "I told you it wasn't my plan to make you jealous."
Umigting ang panga ni Linel. "But you still did. You know how much she likes you." Tinulak niya ang dibdib ng kakambal saka binilisan ang lakad ngunit sumunod pa rin ito.
"Linel, we can just tell her the truth."
He groaned. Gustong-gusto niya si Evangeline ngunit hindi niya ipapahamak ang kapatid. Exposing the truth to Evangeline might lead to exposing the truth about what really happened before. He cannot afford to see their parents be disappointed with his twin.
"She'll fall for me eventually. Basta huwag ka lang makigulo, ayos tayo."
Binilisan nito ang lakad at huminto sa kanyang harap. Sa mga mata ay malinaw na nakaguhit ang pangamba. "But it's you whom she fell in love with anyway. If only you didn't have to take the position on my behalf—"
"Shut it. May makarinig sayo. Nag-iisip ka ba?" galit niyang putol sa sinasabi nito.
Lumambot ang ekspresyong nakapinta sa mukha ni Linus. "Bro, we can still make things right."
Napaiwas siya ng tingin. "We can." He breathed out. "After the enlistment."
Sandaling natahimik si Linus, tila nakuha ang tumatakbo sa kanyang isip. "Is this why you're failing your grades?"
Umiling siya ngunit nanatiling hindi nakatingin sa kapatid bago nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. Tinabig niya ito sa balikat at ibinulsa ang kanyang palad upang dukutin ang kanyang phone.
"Don't follow me anymore. I'm still mad at you—"
"Nakita niyo ba si Ae?"
Naputol ang sinasabi ni Linel nang magtanong ang presidente ng Music Club. Kaklase nila ito at marahil kaya sa kanila nagtatanong ay dahil sa rebelasyon niya kahapon sa wedding booth.
Linel's brows furrowed. "Hindi, Alex. Isn't she supposed to be prepping up by now?" Kaya nga sa dressing room ang tungo niya dahil pupuntahan niya ito.
Alex pushed her eyeglasses up. "Wala siya sa dressing room eh."
Where could she possibly be? Ayaw no'n ng hindi nakakapaghanda.
He sighed. "Lemme call her."
Mayamaya'y may lumabas na isa pang myembro ng club at pinakita ang lukot na papel kay Alex. "Her things are missing, too. Hindi kaya sa kanya itong note? I think someone took her things."
Lalong nalukot ang noo ni Linel. "Lemme see that."
Inagaw niya ang papel. If it's really for Evangeline then someone took her things and brought it to the gym. "Sige ako na ang magchi-check sa gym. You guys prep up."
"Thank you, Linel."
Tango lamang ang kanyang naging tugon bago lumakad. Ngunit ang kakambal, hindi pa rin tumigil sa pagbuntot sa kanya.
Binilisan niya ang lakad. Hindi niya alam kung bakit ngunit nang mabasa niya ang note, nagkaroon na siya ng ibang pakiramdam kaya nang makalabas ng arts building, tumakbo na siya patungo ng gym habang tinatawagan ang numero ni Evangeline.
"Damn it, Evangeline. Pick up!" asik niya.
When they reached the gym, Linus suddenly pulled him to hide. Hindi niya alam kung bakit ngunit nang marinig niya ang mga tawanan, lalong nagwala ang kanyang dibdib sa kaba.
"Hold on, Tyra. Are you sure they'll open the water lines again after ten minutes?"
"Nah. I think I forgot to remind them when they should open the lines again."
The laughter subsided. "Wait, what? She's gonna die! Masusunog siya ro'n and if the water line won't open in time..." halatang nahihintakutan nang ani ng isa.
"That bitch deserves that. No one dares to cross Tyra Regal. Kaya subukan niyo know ng traydorin sisiguraduhin kong lagot kayo. I am lolo's favorite so goodluck."
Pakiramdam ni Linel ay nagsiakyat lahat ng dugo niya sa ulo dahil sa narinig. Inalis niya ang pagkakahawak ni Linus sa kanyang braso at lumabas upang lapitan ang tatlong babae ngunit nang makita siya ng mga ito ay agad nagsitakbo.
Linel immediately grabbed Tyra by her arm while his jaw is clenching hardly. Bakas sa mukha ni Tyra ang takot habang nakatitig sa kanyang galit na mga mata.
"What the fuck did you do this time?" he asked with a hint of warning.
Fear crossed Tyra's eyes. Pilit nitong tinanggal ang pagkakahawak niya sa braso nito ngunit hinigpitan lamang niya ang kanyang hawak. "Answer me!"
"N—Nasasaktan ako!"
"Bro, did you hear that?"
Natigilan siya at sandaling pinakinggan ang tinutukoy ni Linus. Nang marinig ang sigaw ng pamilyar na tinig, gumapang ang takot sa kanyang dibdib. Lumuwag ang hawak niya kay Tyra at sinamantala nito ang pagkakataon upang makatakbo.
"Hey!"
"Linel, come on! Hayaan mo na muna unahin natin si Eline!"
His fists balled. Linus was right. But he promises make Tyra pay for this. Hinarap niya ang kapatid. He jerked his head and and they started running towards the ladies room.
Nang marating nila ang banyo, halos manlumo si Linel nang makita ang usok na lumalabas sa maliit na siwang ng pinto. Agad niyang pinagsisipa ang pinto habang si Linus, panay ang tawag ng Eline.
Linus stopped kicking the door. Lumapit ito sa malapit na fire extinguisher at pinasa kay Linel ang bote. Buong lakas na pinukpok ni Linel ang bote sa knob habang ang kanyang puso ay nagpupuyos.
"Fucking open!" gigil na gigil na ani ni Linel.
"Eline! Hang in there!"
Nang bahagyang masira ang knob, ubod ng lakas na sinipa ni Linel at Linus ang pinto. Linel immediately used the fire extinguisher to kill the fire while Linus ran towards Evangeline. Wala na itong malay at ang pulso ay humihina na.
Lalong tumindi ang kabog ng dibdib ni Linel. "Get out of here! Go!"
"Paano ka?!"
"Susunod ako! I gotta kill the fire or the entire building will surely burn down!"
"Pero—"
"Go!" He removed his hoodie and wrapped it on Evangeline. "Just go! Make sure she'll be okay!"
Wala nang nagawa pa si Linus kung hindi sundin ang utos niya. Bitbit si Evangeline, tumakbo ito palabas ng nasusunog na banyo.
Linel continued trying to kill the fire. Ngunit wala pa sa kalahati ay naubos na ang lamang ng bote. Galit siyang napamura. Tiningala niya ang smoke detector. If he'll be able to remove the covers, the sprinklers will work.
Tumungtong siya sa ibabaw ng sink at pilit inabot ang smoke detector. Masakit na ang mga mata niya dahil sa usok at hindi na rin siya makahinga nang maayos.
He coughed and tried to remove the seal as fast as he can. Ngunit pagkatanggal niya ng takip, walang tubig na lumabas sa sprinklers kahit na-detect na ang usok.
Napamura si Linel. Hindi na siya makahinga at kaunti na lang, masusunog na pati ang mga pinto ng bawat cubicle. Ang sahig na may gasolina, natutupok na rin kaya kung bababa siya ay siguradong mapapaso siya ng apoy.
"Puta!" he cursed before he covered his nose with his arm. Umubo siya nang umubo. Ang kanyang dibdib, labis na ang pagwawala. Ngunit mayamaya'y tatlong pamilyar na lalake ang pumasok ng banyo.
Benj, Fine, and Randall are carrying fire extinguishers. Sabay-sabay na pinagana ng mga ito ang fire extinguishers. They stood behind each other's back like in those action movies their gang like to watch.
Unti-unting natupok ang apoy. Nang mapatay ito ng tuluyan, nagtinginan silang apat at halos sabay-sabay na bumuntong hininga.
Fine shook his head. "Ninja turtles don't go to war alone, asshole."
Napangisi si Linel saka niya pinakitaan ng dirty sign ang kaibigan. They all chuckled with what he did. Nang bumaba siya ay tinapik ng mga ito ang kanyang balikat.
"Congrats on being a bad person. Hirap talaga mamatay ang masasamang damo," biro ni Randall.
"Yeah, that's why you survived after you fell down the stairs," si Fine.
"Shut up, motherfucker." Binatukan ni Randall si Fine.
"Okay, that's enough, kids." Benjamin jerked his head up. "Let's go."
NAGISING si Evangeline sa tunog ng aparato. The white ceiling of the hospital room greeted her blurry eyes while someone is gently squeezing her hand.
She blinked and looked at the man sitting beside her bed. Nang makita niya ang pamilyar na lalakeng nakadukdok ang ulo sa kanyang gilid habang hawak ang kanyang kamay, agad niyang inagaw ang kanyang kamay mula rito. Of course it's not Linus. Linus will never hold her hand the way Linel does.
Nag-angat ito ng ulo. Tila antok na antok ang itsura nito ngunit nang magtama ang kanilang mga mata, umaliwalas ang itsura ni Linel.
"Baby..." He stood up and cupped her cheek, his eyes looking so worried. "May masakit ba sayo—"
"Get out! It's your fault!" Tinabig niya ang kamay nito saka ito tinulak. Ang kanyang puso, kumirot nang maalala kung gaano siya katakot nang mga sandaling akala niya ay katapusan na niya.
Lumamlam ang mga mata ni Linel. "Evangeline—"
"I almost died because of you! Dahil sa mga sinasabi mong kalokohan at dahil sa mga babaeng sinasaktan mo gamit ako!" Namuo ang kanyang luha. Nang subukan nitong hawakan siya ay agad niya itong sinampal. "Aren't you done yet? Gusto mo ba talaga akong matuluyan?"
Linel breathed in deeply. "I'm... Sorry..." he said in almost a whisper. "It won't happen again."
"Talagang hindi na. Dahil hindi na ko papayag na maging laruan mo, Linel."
Their eyes met again. "I never did, and never will, toy you, Evangeline."
She laughed sarcastically and then gritted her teeth. "Anong akala mo mapapaniwala mo akong gusto mo talaga ako? I ain't that stupid!"
"It's true." His jaw moved and he looked up, his adam's apple getting more defined. "I like you. I really do. When will you ever believe that?" Muli nitong sinalubong ang kanyang galit na tingin.
His blue pools looked intense and... Sincere. But her eyes is too blinded by her anger she doesn't want to entertain the sudden wave of foreign emotions that ran through her system.
"If you really like someone, you will never have the guts to flirt with anyone else. By what I am seeing, I don't think you ever knew the real definition of being into someone, Linel." Her tears fell as her heart felt struck by her own words. Kung bakit ay hindi niya matukoy.
He sighed. "I am not just attracted with you, Evangeline. I am... in love."
She breathed in and looked away from his magnetic pools. "My dad said that love must never be a burden to someone's life. If that's the kind of love you know, Linel, I'm sorry. You just gave me a deeper reason to not like you the way I like your twin."
Sa kanyang peripheral ay napansin niya ang pagkuyom ng mga kamao ni Linel. Lumunok siya at humiga patalikod dito upang hindi na siya matuksong mag-angat muli ng tingin. "Please, Linel. Just find another girl to play with. I am done being your pawn. Two months na lang. Kahit two months lang patahimikin mo na ako. You will never be Linus anyway..."
Binalot sila ng nakabibinging katahimikan. Silence. She always liked silence because it gives her the chance to listen to her own thoughts. Ngunit ang katahimikang lumukob sa kanilang dalawa, nagdulot ng matinding kirot sa kanyang puso.
She shut her eyes and clawed the sheets when she heard his footsteps approaching the door. Lumangitngit ang pinto ngunit bago nito sinara ang pinto ay muling nagsalita.
"November seventh three years ago, school camp. A girl fed me while I'm tied up due to a punishment I received after I beat up a Senior because I saw him peeking while she's taking shower. Three years... If three years ain't enough to unlove her, will two more months be enough to get over her?" He sighed heavily. "Goodnight, Ae. Thanks for liking my twin on my behalf..."