07:15 A.M.
Kelly's Diner.
June 6th, the year 2018. Wednesday.
30 minutes before Xian Santos's accident.
"I'm not lying, sir Xian. It came from her. She said it to me," Michie uttered on a serious note. Xian knew she was not joking. Not even a single glimpse of a smile crossed her face.
'How can it happen? We didn't sleep together when we were in a relationship. How could that be?' Xian asked himself, baffled about the child of Carmela that Michie talked about right now.
"Did she... Did she mention something about the father of her child?" Xian questioned, scared by Michie's answer.
"She didn't say it to me. I felt like it was a personal thing," Michie responded without a doubt, and locked her gaze to Xian. Xian darted his eyes and looked outside while his clenched jaw emerged.
'Who is the father of that child?' Xian asked himself, while tilting his head to one side and thinking as deeply as he could. The questions were filling up in his head repeatedly. He nagged himself that he needed an answer from Carmela herself.
He stood up, looked at Michie, and quavered, "I need to go. Something urgent came up."
Michie also did the same, stood up, and bowed down her head. "Yeah, sure. Don't say everything to Carmela."
"Don't worry, the one you said is safe with me," Xian put his index finger on his lips and shushed.
Michie beamed and said, "Okay, sir Xian. Go back here for an affordable meal."
She giggled and looked into Xian's eyes. Xian got dazed by that smile and can't help the butterflies in the stomach to form. He then realized that he was staring too long at Michie when she clicked her fingers in front of his nose. Michie's smile was beautiful, cheery, and lovely for Xian. He got back to reality when Michie talked.
"Sir, I'm off to the counter. There is a new customer," Michie muttered, nodding towards the counter. She was still looking at Xian. Xian shifted his eyes and saw that there were two customers lining up in the queue. They were observing the menu while waiting for the kitchen staff to arrive.
Xian looked back at her.
"Yeah. I'm off now. Hope to see you again," Xian keened, fixing his cap straight and wearing his black shades for him not to recognize. Michie grinned while waving. Xian walked through the exit door. Michie walked fast towards the counter and took all the orders.
When Xian got out, he inhaled fresh air coming from the chilly breeze of the east. He closed his eyes, halted two steps away from the entrance door of the Kelly's Diner, and breathed. In a matter of seconds, he opened his eyes and walked.
But when he was observing his feet one way and another, someone collided with him. Xian held his left shoulder, grimaced because of the pain, and looked at the one who smashed into him.
He was wearing a red shirt and tight jeans, simple rubber shoes, and he was tall, standing about 6 feet and 1 inch. Xian was just standing at 5 feet and 11 inches normal for Xian to look up when they were talking. The man who collided with Xian doesn't recognize him by the eyes because he was wearing black shades. But Xian widened his eyes underneath it.
"I'm sorry," the man apologized with a charismatic and manly voice that was so gentle to hear, even for Xian. It was Xyrelle!
Xian wore off his shades and looked straight through Xyrelle's eyes. He froze in his place and gasped. Xian clenched his jaw for a bit, remembering that this was his mortal enemy years ago. But he realized it was a long time ago, but it's forgotten a long time ago.
"X-xian?" Xyrelle asked, raising his eyebrows. He blinked his eyes numerous times, not wanting to believe that Xian was standing right in front of him.
"Is that you? Long time no see," Xyrelle lilted, smiling. Xian tilted his head and grinned.
"Xyrelle... It's been a long time. I thought you were in the United States of America," Xian hollered. He averted his eyes from Xyrelle and looked at the cast surrounding his right arm. He lifted his arm a little.
"I'm alright now. I think I can heave a hundred pounds now through my right arm," Xyrelle chuckled. Xian nodded and still observed the cast. A terrible injury he must undergo.
"Miserable injury?"
"Yeah. A critical injury," he simply uttered. They took a silence first before starting a conversation again.
"How are you? Haven't heard from you over the years," Xyrelle inquired. Xian straightened his cap before answering.
"Here right now, busy with gallery meetings. You know, my mom always displays my paintings through everything. Even on social media," Xian explained happily, proud of his achievements.
"Wow. When I came back here, I heard a lot of your paintings. I've seen it. They are exquisite and unique," Xyrelle in awe, his smile plastering his face. He was happy to see someone he knew in the Philippines.
Not an acquaintance, Xyrelle and Xian, had a tragic relationship. They considered themselves as mortal enemies since high school, at Gustin University.
When they were in college at Del Rio University, they didn't want to take down their grudges. They were like crabs placed inside a barrel to pull each other down.
For a long time, a blooming friendship between them had been forgotten. Replacing another relationship they didn't know existed.
"Thank you, Xyrelle. You? What are you doing now you are here in the Philippines again?" Xian asked, boosting the conversation from formal to friendly.
Xyrelle shrugged, "Hm... I don't have a job right now. My therapist said I need to rest for a few more weeks before doing something."
"How about Abbey? Is she doing well?"
"Yeah. Abbey always goes out with her friends," Xyrelle pointed out. Xian nodded and darted his eyes towards the diner. He remembered how he was happy to be with them when everything was going down. How Carmela became his leaning shoulder when he was going through a tough time.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say everything about Abbey's friends," Xyrelle apologized.
"It's okay, Xyrelle. Nothing to worry about."
"Do you have any plans on showing up with Abbey's friends, you know to say sorry for..." Xyrelle cut off, signing something in his statement.
"I don't want to show up right in front of their noses. Marcus and Matthew will beat me up, even Mina can, he's a guy at first hand," Xian cackled.
"I agree with you. Zoey can beat up with her ranting and loud voice," Xyrelle mumbled as if Zoey was nearby and they could hear him.
Carmela's group of friends, they were the most feared at Gustin University. Even when they were in college, in Del Rio University. Xian doesn't know the reason, and Carmela, too. He thought because they were rich and they could do anything they wanted.
Xian realized he needed to talk to Carmela, so he said goodbye to Xyrelle for now.
"Xyrelle, I'll be off now. Something urgent came up, and I needed to do it." Both of them nodded at each other.
"Sure. This is the first time I've seen you in years. It's such a great time to talk about a lot of things," Xyrelle pointed out, soothing the cast on his arm.
"Looks like you are in a rush, so, see you when I see you?" Xyrelle asked while reaching out his hand. Xian also did the same, and they shook hands.
"Okay. I'll see you again, Xyrelle," Xian smiled, patting his right shoulder. He turned his back to Xyrelle and walked towards his car, parked at the last lot. When he was walking towards the car door, he noticed something.
They spray crimson and bloody red letters-painted onto the right side of the jet black door of his Audi car. He touched it, and it felt like someone put it there minutes ago before he reached his car.
Xian looked at his fingers and saw the blood-like color in them. He glared through the letters that formed into sentences that he didn't understand.
Alioquin interficiemus te, et omnem
*Translated from Latin: I will kill you all...*
Xian seemed confused by the sentence, and he knew it wasn't the English language. It came from Western countries, and he didn't know how to read it. He observed the whole parking lot, peeking in every corner while staying in his place. Someone caught his eye, someone who was riding a motorcycle and wearing a black hoodie.
Xian scrutinized the person. He was climbing out of his motorcycle and walking towards a boysenberry compact car. The man crouched down and got out a spray of paint from the back pocket of his jeans.
Xian knuckled his fists when he realized the person was the one. He's the one responsible for the letters painted in his expensive car.
When he was about to press the button that spills out the paint from the can bottle, Xian yelled.
"Hey! Hey!" Xian shrieked in his place. The man heard him, stood up hastily, and rode his motorcycle in a rush of capturing him.