Ch. 5: Strānge

Hunter's point of view

Naiwan akong nakatayo sa labas, watching Haylen car drive away. Napahilot ako sa batok ko. I really need to clear things up with Kadecy. Akala ata nung isa, happily taken pa rin ako.

​When I walked back inside and returned to the table, Kadecy was quietly sipping her juice, eyeing me curiously. For a split second, I caught a strange, pale look on her face, but it vanished so quickly I thought I just imagined it. Something felt off, though. Biglang iba ang vibe sa lamesa nang maupo na ako, it was as if everyone was suddenly trying to act normal and smooth things over.

​I reached the table, pulling back my chair right next to her.

​"Sino 'yun?" tanong kaagad ni Kadecy pagkaupo ko, trying her best to sound like she didn't care, pero halatang gustong may malaman sa ganap sa labas. "Si Haylen ba 'yun?"

​"Yeah," I replied smoothly, leaning in a little closer to her. "I just handed her something for her mom."

​"Ah... sweet naman, 'yun ata ang extra gift na binili mo, e," pabulong niyang sagot, looking down at her food again. Ah, 'yun na kaagad ang iniisip niya?

​I stared at her side profile, suppressing a smirk. If only you knew, Kadecy. If only you knew.

​Pero nung iikot ko ang tingin ko sa buong lamesa, mas lalong lumalim ang hinala ko. The loud laughing was gone. Sina Kane at Declan, biglang tutok na sa pagkain nila na akala mo mawawala na lang bigla habang si Leonhardt naman ay nakatitig sa aming dalawa ni Jack. I squinted my eyes at him.

​"Why are you guys so quiet now?" I asked, my voice getting serious. I looked at their faces one by one. "Bakit parang naging tahimik kayo bigla? Anong nangyari nang nasa labas ako?"

​"Wala, bro!" mabilis na sagot ni Kane sabay tawa nang pilit at kamot sa kilay niyang may design pa ata. "Pagod lang sa kakadaldal. Nabigla ang mga tiyan namin sa mamahaling pagkain, e." Na para bang hindi sila sanay sa mamahalin na pagkain? E, ang yaman naman nila, mostly 'yun talaga ang kinakain nila.

​"Yeah, solid kasi ng steak," giit din ni Jack. He was smiling, pero nang magtagpo ang tingin namin, may galit at inis pa rin akong naramdaman sa kanya. Hindi ko alam, parang biglang nag-iba na 'yung nararamdaman ko sa kanya.

​Hindi ako tanga. Alam kong may nangyari nang nasa labas ako. I glanced down at Kadecy. She was surprisingly quiet, keeping her distance and barely touching her glass anymore. Her body was tense, like she was holding back her feelings.

​Leonhardt broke the uncomfortable silence. "Let's call it a night. Gabi na rin, and we all have things to do tomorrow."

​"Yeah, correct," sang-ayon ni Declan habang tumatayo na.

​I didn't ask any more questions, but the bad feeling in my chest didn't leave. I stood up and reached for Kadecy's small bag, naturally holding her things for her.

​"Let's go," mahinang sabi ko sa kanya. "Hatid na kita."

​Tumango lang siya nang parang wala pa rin sa sarili, nakipagtanguan na rin siya sa iba except sa isa na kahit tingin manlang kay Jack ay wala na. Napakunot ang noo ko doon pero binaliwala ko na lang muna. Baka pagod na nga lang talaga sila sa asaran kanina. As we all walked out to get the cars, I kept my hand gently on Kadecy's back, keeping her close to me.

​I don't know what happened at that table while I was outside, but one thing is clear, hinding-hindi ko palalampasin 'pag may gumawa sa kanya ng masama.

    Nang marating namin ang sasakyan, I opened the passenger door for her first before walking around to the driver's seat. Pinaandar ko na kaagad ang makina.

​Habang nagmamaneho ay pasulyap-sulyap lang ako sa kanya because she was unusually quiet. Hindi talaga ako mapakali kapag ganito siya. Feeling ko may kasalan akong nagawa na hindi ko alam. Fvck this. I really don’t like this feeling. I’m used to her constant blabbering, pero ngayon, parang may mabigat na hangin sa loob ng kotse.

​"So, Kadecy... do you have something to tell me?" I asked softly, keeping my eyes on the road. "Why the sudden change of mood?"

​Bigla namang nagbago ang timpla ng mukha niya. She quickly tried to fix her expression, but I could tell she was just forcing that weak smile for my sake.

​"Oh, nothing really! Ikaw naman, parang hindi ka sanay sa akin," pabalang niyang sagot habang pumapaypay ng kamay. "Nalowbat lang ang physical energy ko, something like that! Paano ba naman kasi, ang ingay-ingay nina Kane at Declan kanina. Akala mo hindi nagkita nang tatlong araw!"

​I chuckled softly, glancing at her side profile. "Well, you know how those idiots get when there's free steak. Si Leonhardt lang ata ang matino sa kanila kanina."

​"Naku, kahit si Leonhardt! Akala mo lang tahimik 'yun, pero pasimpleng nangsusupalpal din 'yun kina Jack at Kane, e!" panggagaya niya sa aksyon ni Leonhardt kanina. "Minsan nga naiisip ko, paano mo ba sila natatagalan? Kung ako sa'yo, matagal ko nang pinatapon si Kane sa kabilang planeta."

​"They're loud, I know," I replied with a half-smirk. "But they've got my back. Tsaka adjusted na ako sa kagagúhan ng mga 'yun." Yeah. Parang sila 'yung tipo ng kaibigan na kahit anong mangyari sayo, ay to the rescue kaagad sila.

​"Sabagay, pare-pareho naman kayong may sariling amoy," she's crunching her nose sabay irap. "Pero seriously, ang gulo nila. Para akong nanood ng teleserye na walang script sa lamesa niyo."

​"At least hindi ka nainip," I said, a genuine smile breaking on my face.

​The playful banter continued for a bit, and I felt the tension in my chest ease up. At least, the chaotic Kadecy I knew was coming back.

​Kalaunan ay tumahimik na naman siya habang nagmamaneho na ako patungo sa gilid lang ng labasan. Malapit lang naman ang bahay nila sa exclusive village namin, just a short drive past the main guardhouse.

​When I took another quick glance, she was staring intently at her phone screen. I caught a glimpse of a paused video before she hit send to whoever she was chatting with. Maybe it’s just another meme video, mahilig pa naman siya mag-send ng mga ganun sa group chat para mang-trip.

​I didn't push it further. Minutes later, I pulled up right in front of their house.

​"We're here," I smiled, putting the car in park.

"Thanks sa libreng dinner at sa hatid, Mr. Lover boy," biro niya pa habang binubuksan na ang p***o.

​"Anytime, Kadecy," I looked at her, my voice softening. Mukha siyang napagod talaga at problemado. "Magpahinga ka na, okay? If may problema ka you can always tell me naman. One call away lang ako. "

​"Yup! Ingat sa pagmamaneho pauwi, baka makabangga ka ng poste sa sobrang pagka-pogi mo," ngisi pa niya bago tuluyang bumaba at kumaway pa na parang bata.

​Pinagmasdan ko muna siyang makapasok sa loob ng bahay nila bago ko dahan-dahang pinaandar ang kotse pabalik sa bahay. But as I drove, the uneasy feeling in my chest slowly returned. Parang hindi talaga ako makatulog nito. Something definitely happened at that dinner table, and I was going to find out what it was. And fvck. Kailangan ko pa pala kausapin si Kadecy about sa amin ni Haylen. Maybe next dinner na kaming dalawa na lang, hindi na kasama ang tropa.