"So her name is Cessna? Suiting for a beautiful girl, I must say..." Pagpupuri ni Sheena. Tumigil na sa pag-iyak ang sanggol dahil pinatahan niya ito.
"Who are you?! Anong kailangan mo sa amin at gusto mong idamay ang anak ko?" Nanggagalaiting tanong ni Brianna kay Sheena. Nakatayo na ito mula sa pagkakaupo sa likod ko kanina kaya nakahinga na ako nang maluwag.
Medyo nahihilo pa ako dahil sa nangyari kaya dahan-dahan muna akong umupo at lumingon sa dingding habang kinakapa ang aking mukha. Masakit ang kaliwang pisngi ko at tingin ko ay may bukol pa ata ako sa noo. So this is motherly instinct, huh? Damn!
"Yo, calm thy tits. I'm not here to make friends. Instead, you should be thanking me. Kung hindi lang ako napadaan kanina ay baka maling tao pa ang napatay mo." Sheena smirked while obviously watching me with entertainment." Great, now I'm with two crazy bitches. This calls for a celebration.
Nilingon ako ni Brianna pero wala akong nakitang pagsisisi sa ginawa niya. "A-anong ibig mong sabihin?"
Sheena kicked the head of one body on the floor and stepped on it without batting an eye. "You've surrounded yourself with enemies, stupid girl. Bakit ba pare-pareho ang problema niyong mga Ranke? Are you guys cursed or what?"
"Wha-what do you mean? Is this about my-"
"Nah, I'm not wasting my time on stupid people like you." Pagputol niya sa kausap at bumunot ng isang traquilizer gun mula sa kanyang likuran. "Go investigate it yourself."
With that, Sheena shot Brianna's thigh, causing the latter to gasp in shock before falling unconscious on the floor. "Whoosh! Haven't used this in a while..." She smiled to herself but that disappeared when she looked at me.
"What?" I raised my brow.
"You look like shit. Now, put your ex's insecure wife back in their room while I'm still kind, shitface." Hindi ako kumibo at tiningnan ko lang siya na para bang kalokohan ang pagkatao niya.
Inirapan niya ako. "Stop giving me an attitude and get your ass movin', Montecarlos. You're no longer the princess you used to be. Tsaka hawak ko yung bata, oh. Ako pa inaasahan mong bubuhat sa nanay niyang baliw?"
"Hindi niya ba tayo isusumbong sa pulis? I don't want to risk my career." I can't handle another headache. Well, I do have connections but it's better to be safe than sorry.
"You should have thought of that before joining the mafia, dumbass. Trust me, I know people like her. Since I opened up about her family's problem, she won't talk even if we slap her with a million."
Sighing, I clicked my tongue in annoyance and gave up. Kahit na masakit ang ulo at likod ko at ayaw na ayaw kong inuutusan, sinunod ko na lang si Sheena. I placed Brianna's arm around my shoulder and tried my best to lift her up. Carrying her was not an easy task. Kahit na payat siyang tingnan ay mabigat pa rin siya kaya muntik na akong mawalan ng balanse dahil sa takong ko habang ipinupunta siya sa kama. Pagkatapos ko siyang pahigain nang maayos ay napahawak ako sa likod ko.
Merde, I'm out of shape. I should hit the gym soon.
"Good job putting up a lame fight, rookie." Hirit ng kasama ko bago ihiga si Cessna sa tabi ng nanay niya."You're welcome, by the way."
I flipped my hair. "Nanood ka lang kanina. Kung hindi lang umiyak yung bata, paniguradong hahayaan mo lang akong mapatay ni Brianna."
Humalakhak siya. "I was just making sure if you were worthy..." She paused and eyed me intently. "You know your way with guns. Were you just too dumb to ever think of using it awhile back?" pagpapatuloy niya.
"I did not want to risk being responsible for someone's unfortunate childhood." I replied, referring to Cessna. Had I killed Brianna back then, she may turn into a fucked up person like me, or this bitch beside me. Revenge may taste sweet in the end, but you lose yourself in the painstaking process.
"How virtuous." Sheena remarked with a hinted dash of sarcasm as we left the room. "Ang sabihin mo, maawain kang tao. Tss..."
"I'm not."
"Yeah, yeah. Words may be lies, but actions speak truths."
I crossed my arms and shook my head. Goodness, mas nakakapagod pa ata itong kausap. I'd rather deal with the crazy wife instead. "This is an isolated case because she is my friend's wife." I emphasized.
"Ooohh..." She tilted her head while watching me fix my hair to cover my bruises. "So kapag ibang tao, papatayin mo ang magulang?"
Good question.
"Oo." Taas-noo kong sinabi habang nilalakad ang hallway, kasabay nito ang magandang tunog ng aking takong sa sahig.
The operation was a success kahit na umuwi akong pagod na pagod pagkatapos. Ferdinand Gerhardt withdrew his candidacy three days after and concealed the kidnapping incident by telling people that her daughter took a vacation overseas.
Psylocke didn't suspect a thing and continued living her life as a spoiled teen while I, on the other hand, got busy with my studies for the remaining weeks of my freshman year. Napagtanto kong masyado nang nalandas ang priorities ko simula nang dumating ang mga problema sa buhay ko. Also, being in Ainsworth's mafia is actually my stress-reliever these days, aside from my usual routine of spending a ton of cash on material pleasures.
Kinamusta ko rin sina Lance pagkatapos. Wala namang nagbago sa pakikitungo niya sa akin. Kinamusta pa nga ako ng asawa niya, eh. Tama nga si Sheena na hindi magsasalita si Brianna dahil sa sinabi nito. Kung ano ang problema ng pamilya nila ay wala na akong pakielam doon.
Pagkatapos ng aming finals, ay wala namang ipinapautos sa akin mula sa mafia. I guess they don't need my expertise this time, if you could call it as such. Ginamit ko na itong pagkakataon para makapagpahinga at mabisita sina lolo at dad sa sementeryo.
Pagkalabas ko ng mansyon ay tumigil agad ako sa paglalakad para harapin ang mga guards na nakasunod sa akin. Marami pa rin sa kanila ang umaaligid sa aming property hanggang ngayon. I think it's no longer necessary since the media are no longer disturbing me with insensitive questions unlike before.
"Jeff, tell the others to just stay here and guard the mansion. Starting today, I'll be driving my car so I don't need these much people following me." Utos ko sa unang lalaking nasa harap ko. "Sasabihin ko na rin kay lola na bawasan na ang mga nagbabantay dito dahil wala naman nang nambubulabog na media."
Kumunot ang noo ng kausap ko. "I'm sorry, ma'am. We can't do that unless Mrs. Montecarlos commands us." He replied, pertaining to grandma. I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes.
"I'll pay you double the amount she gives if you continue keeping your mouth shut. I really appreciate you doing a good job for helping me keep it a secret. I know you were most loyal to my father so I can expect the same from you, yes?"
Natigilan siya at nilingon ang mga kasamahan niyang mukhang may pagtutol sa sinabi ko. "P-pero miss Adora, Kapag nalaman ng lola mo na sumali ka-"
"Hindi niya malalaman kung walang mag-iingay, hindi ba?" Pagputol ko at natahimik siya. Ah, how I miss being the one in command of everything. Nahalata ko naman sa mga mukha nila na natatakot silang mawalan ng trabaho. "Fine, para hindi siya maghinala, dalawa sa inyo ang pwedeng magbantay sa akin... The usual, sa hiwalay na sasakyan habang ako naman ang magmamaneho ng akin. Also, when you guys are guarding me, I want you out of my sight as much as possible." Utos ko.
Tila nagdadalawang-isip si Jeff pero kumagat din naman sa gusto ko. I drove to Montessori first to buy flowers at that isolated area where the mafia hides some of their weapons. Pagpasok ko sa loob ay naroon ang nakatatandang ginang na matamis ang ngiti habang pinapanood akong mamili ng mga bulaklak.
Out of courtesy, I smiled back pero hindi ko maiwasang mailang dahil sa panonood niya. Habang pinapanood ko siyang ayusin ang mga bulaklak ayon sa gusto ko, hindi ko na maiwasang magtanong. "Excuse me, have we met before?"
Natawa siya ng bahagya at umiling. "Naku, hindi. Pangalawang beses pa lang kita nakita. Ang una'y noong kasama ko yung chinita. Bakit mo naman naitanong, ganda?"
I eyed her cautiously, unfazed by her friendly aura. "Bakit mo ako binigyan ng rosas noong una tayo magkita kung hindi mo naman pala ako kilala?" Diretso kong tanong pero parang wala lang ito sa kanya.
"Dahil nararamdaman kong mabait kang tao, bukod sa kagandahang taglay mo..."
Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. What a weird reason. I don't buy it. As far as I know, people give things for free in order for the receivers to remember them, making them feel obligated to give something in return. What would this woman, a stranger in particular, need in return for giving me a rose, though? Favor...connections?
"Hmmm... I honestly don't believe you. Also, aren't you being too kind to people whom you just met without getting to know who they really are? Paano kung mamamatay-tao pala ako?"
"Hindi rin ako naniniwala sa sinasabi mo. Lahat ng tao ay pwedeng gumawa ng magandang bagay sa kapwa niya nang walang hinihinging kapalit. Atsaka, hindi ba't parang sobra naman kung iisipin agad natin na masama ang isang tao?"
I tried my best to keep in my laughter at this ridiculous conversation. Is this woman for real? At a young age, I believed the same thing yet, look at me now. "I beg to disagree. I used to think the same but such thinking almost led me to my death. Kung lahat ay pwedeng gumawa ng magandang bagay, lahat din ay kayang gumawa ng masama sa kanyang kapwa." Ngayon, ako naman ang ngumiti dahil wala siyang naisagot. I don't know why it satisfied me to see her pretty smile being rubbed off .
Kinuha ko na ang mga bulaklak na pinili ko at naglapag ng malulutong na salaping papel sa harap niya.
"Babayaran ko na rin ang bulaklak na binigay mo sa akin noong nakaraan. Hindi ako tumatanggap ng libre, lalo na sa mga taong hindi ko kilala. Keep the change. You amused me with your high morals." Paalis na ako ng shop nang magsalita siya ulit.
"N-naniniwala akong ang mga tao ay mabubuting mga nilalang na naliligaw lang dahil sa mga hangarin nila sa buhay."
Ibang klase.
Kung ganoon, you're a Good Samaritan that this world does not deserve.
Sa huling pagkakataon, hinarap ko siyang muli at binigyan ng pekeng ngiti. "You're welcome."