C: 03

Chapter 3: Trouble.

GEMINI's:

"Cathya, are you out of your mind?!" Napapatayong sigaw ni Hector at masamang tingin ang ipinukol kay Cathya.

"Oh, come on. This will be fun. Gemini, being sold? Who would think of that? Eh kung hahawakan pa nga lang siya, pinapatay niya na ang hangal na humawak sa kaniya, kung ibebenta pa kaya siya?" 

Nagngitngit ang ngipin ko habang walang emosyong nakatitig sa kaniya. I badly want to press my knife on her neck. Gusto ko siyang saksakin at barilin pero hindi ko pwedeng gawin 'yun. Our master is here, sitting and listening with us.

"What's your point?" I coldly uttered.

She devilishly smiled at me before standing in front of me. She leaned closer to whisper something on my ear so I prepared myself. I know her very well, of course she'll do this.

"I thought of selling you and then we'll watch you if ever that man will lend a finger on you. I wonder what you will do, hmm?" Mapang-asar na sabi niya't mabilis na binunot ang baril niya at itinutok ito sa sintido ko. "If that man failed to touch you, then I'll kill you." Naging seryoso ang mukha niya.

I heard everyone's gasp, except from the man beside me and of course, Noah and my father. I remained as calm as a tree before lifting my gaze on her. Ang lamig ng bibig ng baril niya ay tila wala lang sa 'kin.

"Who are you to command me? This is not a theatre, Cathya." Mabilis kong inagaw sa kaniya ang baril at sa isang pikit lang ng kaniyang mga mata, nasa sintido na niya ang bibig ng baril na hawak ko. I grinned at her mad face. "If that man failed to touch me, I will kill you." I warned her.

After giving her a threat, I immediately throw her gun. Sa sobrang lakas ng pagkabato ko, nasira ang baril niya na ayon sa pagkakaalam ko'y isa sa pinakapaborito niya.

Wala nang paalam pang tumalikod ako sa kanila at naglakad paalis. Hindi pa ako nakakalayo nang muling sumigaw ang demonyita sa likuran ko.

"We're not done yet, Gemini! Are you accepting the offer or not?!" she shouted.

I looked back at her. "Do anything you want, I won't budge. But make sure that the man who will bought me was powerful than me. Or else, I'll take your life instead of me."

Naglakad na talaga ako paalis. Pagkalabas ko'y agad kong kinuha ang susi ng Ducati ko. After that, I wore my black helmet before lifting myself up to ride my motorcycle. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako pupunta kaya dumiretso na lang ako roon.

Ang tanging lugar kung saan tinatawag kong 'pahingahan ko'.

••

"Kumusta?" tanong ko sa kaniya at ibinaba ang regalo ko. "Ang tagal nating hindi nagkita tapos hindi ka 'man lang magsasalita dyan? Speechless ka ba na ngayon lang kita dinalaw?" I asked.

I am standing in front of my friend's tomb. Nakalagay sa itaas ng nitso niya ang dala kong sunflower. Ito ang pinakaunang dalaw ko sa kaniya simula nung mamatay siya.

Matapos ko siyang makitang walang buhay na nakahiga sa abandonadong building, tinawagan ko agad ang mga magulang niya. I still remember how tragic it was, I can still hear his voice.

By that time, I found a man wearing a blood stained sleeveless shirt. I felt the chills in my spine when I saw his eyes, it was dark and unpredictable. To describe him, overall, he looked like a well-built demon.

"Portia Benedicto. Have you regained your strength?" I asked her while staring at her name on the tomb.

I closed my eyes when I felt the cold breeze of the wind. Pakiramdam ko, nandito si Portia. If I am just a schizophrenic, I might have a chance to talk to her. I missed her. My one and only true friend.

"I miss you, Gem." I can hear her voice in my mind. "Please take care of my Mom and my Dad."

After she said those words, biglang tumayo ang balahibo ko sa buong katawan ko. Hindi dahil sa takot kun' 'di dahil sa kaba. Tumatayo o tumataas lamang ang balahibo ko sa tuwing may nangyayaring masama.

And special thanks to Portia, she gave me a hint. I opened my eyes and then I run to my motorcycle. Mabilis pa kaysa kay Flash ang naging kilos ko. Wala na akong pake kung may mabunggo o may mabubunggo 'man ako.

I started the engine before going on. Ilang beses akong nagpa-andar kahit na red light. Just like what I've said, I don't care anymore. Nang makarating ako sa bahay nila Portia, agad kong pinasok ito nang walang pahintulot.

Hinawakan ko agad ang aking baril sa tagiliran ko't hinanap ang mga magulang ni Portia. Umakyat ako sa second floor at pinakinggan ang bawat tunog sa buong bahay. I need to be aware, lalo na kapag ganito ang nangyayari.

After a few seconds, I heard someone's footsteps coming from the first floor. Based on my hearing skills, it's Portia's father. Dinig ko ang pagtikhim nito't pagbagsak ng sapatos sa sahig. He must be so tired because of work.

Agad akong nagtago sa library nila Portia nang marinig ko ang papaakyat na mga hakbang. The question for now is: Where's Portia's mother? Daig ko pa ang detective sa ginagawa ko ngayon.

"Ahh, what a tiring day!" I heard Portia's father yawned outside the library.

Dinig na dinig pa rin ang footsteps niya hanggang sa mawala na ito at ang malakas na pagbagsak na lamang ng pinto ang marinig ko. Akala ko, ayos na, nothing happened. But I guess I was wrong when I heard the silent footsteps after Portia's dad entered their room.

Naalarma ako at mabilis na binuksan ang pintuan ng library. Kung sino 'man ang nasa likod ng pintuang ito, sana'y hindi masamang tao. And what surprised me the most was the person behind this door.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko, pati ang taong nasa harapan ko, halatang gulat na gulat din. This is unexpected, extremely unexpected.

"Gemini?" Clueless na tanong ng Mommy ni Portia sa 'kin.

I immediately bowed at her, I can feel the uneasiness and awkwardness between me and her. It's been years since we last saw each other. I thought they were still grieving over Portia's death but I was wrong. I think they already moved forward, base sa hitsura ng mama ni Portia ngayon.

"So tell me, what happened, 'iha? You went to see Portia's tomb after years and then she whispered something to your mind? How is that possible?" Nagtatakang tanong ni tita Pretty.

I sighed while playing my fingers. "That's a truth. I sometimes hear things I shouldn't hear. And then I heard Portia's voice in my mind." I scratched my nose in the middle of my explanation. As I explained my side, I am directly staring at her eyes. "She wants me to protect you at all cost."

Kumurap ng tatlong beses ang mga mata ni tita Pretty bago tuluyang bumagsak ang mga luha sa mata niya. But me? I looked away. Hindi ako sanay makakita ng taong umiiyak, lalo na't hindi ko alam kung paano mang-comfort.

Hello? I'm as cold as ice.

"Portia..." she mumbled while crying.

I relaxed my back on the backrest. Ngayon ko lang naramdaman ang pananakit ng likod ko. Paano ba naman? Nakayuko ako buong byahe, mas malaki pa sa 'kin ang motor ko, ano.

"Even if you're in heaven, you're still worrying about me and your daddy." Malungkot na wika nito at napabuntong-hininga na lang ako.

The disadvantages of having an overdramatic auntie. I hate to say this but she's so dramatic. I'm not a romantic person so I don't know how she feels.

Matapos naming mag-usap ni tita Pretty, lumisan na ako sa kanilang tahanan. Binilinan ko siya ng napakaraming beses para matandaan niya ang pinapagawa ko sa kaniya. After that, I immediately leave.

Ang bilis nga ng byahe ko pauwi sa Mansion. Naglalakad ako sa isang mahabang pasilyo papunta sa loob ng Mansion. Ang dami naman kasing arte ng nagpagawa nito, kailangan kasing laki pa ng isang school ang hallway.

"You made it here." Naramdaman ko ang pagdikit ni Hector sa gilid ko. "Saan ka galing?" Nanunuring tanong niya.

I shrugged. "Nowhere near," I replied.

Nang malingunan ko siya, naniningkit ang mga mata niyang nakatitig sa 'kin. My eyebrows meet because of his interrogating eyes. What is he? A detective or police? Kahit ano 'man dyan, alam kong papasa siya. He's good in one-on-one combat.

"I tracked your phone but it's not corresponding, I'm worried sick."

"I blocked your phone and that means you can't locate me anymore." I hardly say and my gaze strikes his eyes sharply. "I can't keep my privacy when you're always following me."

"Now you're saying that you don't trust me, Gem?" he asked me and I shook my head.

He's the first person who gained my trust. He worked hard for 6 years to gain my trust. See how he worked for it? He's a true person, sa aming dalawa, siya ang pinaka-transparent.

He showed me his true self, his flaws, and his imperfections. That's why I chose to trust than push him away from me. I'm always pushing others away from me because they might be in trouble because of me.

In this org, I am the troublemaker.

"I didn't say anything like that, Hec. Anyway, you need to come with me. We'll go somewhere." Aya ko nang marating namin ang kwarto ko.

He entered my room at isinara ng maigi ang pintuan ko. Siya lagi ang nagsasara n'yan dahil wala raw siyang tiwala sa mga tao rito sa loob ng Mansion, sa 'kin at kay Crest lang daw. But Crest was always busy dahil siya ang naging utusan ni master Geraldo these past few days.

He lost 3 of his trusted associates, so Crest will be the next, I guess? Well, as a true friend, I will let Crest handle his own life. I'm not 100% percent sure if he gained my trust but he will, soon. Sa mga ipinapakita niya, mukhang sincere naman siya at baliw lang talaga.

"Where are we going this time? Baka nakakalimutan mo, we're not partners in crime anymore. And you know that we couldn't cross our boundaries, we're both dead." 

Lumingon ako sa kaniya at malamig siyang tinitigan sa kaniyang mga mata. I know that I'm off limits but man, I badly want to do this. To protect Portia's parents, I need to cross our boundaries, even if it cost my life. 

"There's no limits for me, lalo na kapag buhay ng malapit sa 'kin ang nakasalalay dito." Malamig kong turan at isinuksuk ang baril sa gun hostler ko, I did that without looking away from him. "Are you with me? Or should I call my new partner?" I challenged him.

Halata ang pagtutol sa mukha niya pero determinado ang mga mata niyang nakatitig sa 'kin. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke.

"Then I guess I have no choice but to come with you." Kumurba ang labi ko sa isang ngisi nang hugutin niya ang baril niya at ikasa. "Let's borrow trouble!" 

•••

End of Chapter 3.