Chapter 4

"May pros and cons ang pagiging matalino. Pros, they consider a lot of problems as mere mind games and are entertaining. They can invent something extraordinary and leave legacy. They can think logically even in a stress situation and can work well in a minimal supervision. Sometimes, they can stay cool even under pressure. Intelligent people are more likely to gain respect and preferences from people."

"Indeed. Kapag matalino ka, marami kang magagawa. Marami kang matatanggap at malayo ang mararating mo."

"Nevertheless, intelligence does not result pure advantages. Some people abuse their capability, and that's when the disadvantages occur. They stay away from people who make them feel stupid. Madalas din silang makakita ng mali sa iba, ng pagkukulang. They are also at risk of sounding arrogant because they think they're the best, they think they are superior of others. Consequently, it will hinder them from accepting suggestions and criticisms. They won't heed pieces of advice because they are used of being the one who teaches, gives orders, and pinpoints mistakes. Some intelligent individuals who look too much of themselves can possibly turn into self-righteous people."

"That's a bad thing."

"Absolutely. You know what's the most possible result of it? In fact, it's the worst result of it."

"Tell me."

"Everyone . . . Everyone will leave you."

Ipinilig ko ang aking ulo. Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla-bigla ko na lang naaalala ang mga 'yan. It was a dialogue in one of our activities during senior high school. We are tasked to create a dialogue out of the given topic and present it for partial fulfillment of our requirements in Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social Sciences. I was assigned to record every presentation, and this is the most remarkable.

Doing nothing in this house, memories are randomly flashing like I permitted them in passing by. Kulang na lang bilangin ko na rin ang aking pulse rate sa sobrang pagka-buryo.

Gayunpaman, walang magawa ang utak ko kung hindi bumalik sa mga alaala na nagbigay ng marka sa aking buhay—mga pinagtagpi-tagping pangyayari na siyang nagdala sa akin ngayon dito.

I have a very sharp memory. I can clearly remember that the day after the dialogue performance in DIASS was our university ball. My mom was out of town ang my dad is nowhere to be found. Our driver was sick, and an asshole sabotaged my car. It was an exact midnight and I ran out of choices—I needed to take a ride with my cousins.

"Hid, you drive," Poppy said as she handed me the keys.

"Of course, I'll drive. Don't give me orders." I settled in front of the steering wheel. I guess this MPV is Poppy's. Or is it Nite's? I am not truly aware who owns what.

"Hid, drive safely." Ngayon naman ay boses iyon ni Perrie.

Natigil akong saglit bago ipinasok ang susi para sa pag-andar. "Don't give me orders, I said. And I heard that two of you called me Hid, but I don't remember myself being close to anyone of you."

Wala ni isa ang nagsalita na. I was about to rev the engine when I noticed that no one sat beside me.

"What? No one's sitting here?" tukoy ko sa tabi ko.

I looked at my cousins through the rearview mirror. Halos sabay-sabay pa silang umiling.

"So, all of you will sit in the passenger's seat?" I stupidly asked.

Ngayon naman ay sabay-sabay silang tumango.

I gritted my teeth and breathed out. "Okay, fuck."

Marahas akong umibis ng sasakyan at padabog na isinara ang pintuan. Walang-lingon na iniwan ko sila at taas-noong diniretso ang labasan.

I'm not your driver, bitches.

Trying to stay cool while saving my sinking dignity—what a word—I ignored them as they repeatedly called my name. Nagtuloy-tuloy lang ako ng lakad, umaasang may mapapara pa akong sasakyan.

Nagkakaubusan na dahil sabay-sabay naman ang uwian, siksikan ang mga estudyante sa himpilan ng sasakyan. Eww, I wasn't born to wait in a stinky queue of taxis and tricycles.

Funny how my life stuck in here, but what a record-breaking scenario that I found my self walking under an overcast sky with my high stilettos that I just bought in a famous boutique this morning.

If not because of these life-saving highway posts, I can no longer see the road. My phone ran out of battery, and what an unfortunate moment, even the moon and stars seem to hate me. Uulan ba?!

I was about to ask every existing spirit why did they let this happen when a four-wheeled vehicle stopped beside me.

Dinig ko ang pagbaba ng bintana nito.

"If I already turned my back, I mean it. Bakit ba ang kulit ninyo?!" asik ko at nanlilisik ang matang bumaling sa kanila.

Wait. What . . . ?

"Hi," a stranger smilingly greeted me.

Ngunit bagaman nakangiti nang bahagya ang kanyang manipis at mukhang nang-uuyam na labi, kitang-kita ko sa mga mata niya ang kaseryosohan. His pair of midnight black eyes screams both danger and comfort. It is complemented with dark long lashes and aristocratic brows. He looks like a villain in disguise, but his blonde and wavy hair are making him look kind and danger-free.

And right now, these eyes I am currently describing are sweeping on my head down to my heels. I felt uncomfortable of how intense they are, so I gulped a couple of times and decided to speak.

"Ano ang kailangan mo?"

Isang mapaglarong ngisi ang pinakawalan niya. "Wala akong kailangan sa'yo, pero may kailangan ka sa'kin."

Nalukot ang mukha ko sa terminong nagamit, ngunit hindi ako nagsalita. Damn, this kind of behavior of mine is a stranger. Am I under a spell? Is he a witch?

"At bakit naman ako magkakaroon ng kailangan sa isang estranghero? Nagkamali ka yata ng tinigilan."

Pinilit kong paikutin ang mata ko at nagsimulang maglakad ulit. Holy Mary, when did I force myself to roll my eyes? Oftentimes it happens voluntarily, what a creep.

Napansin kong nakasunod siya sa akin. Nang tumapat ulit ang sasakyan ay muling dumungaw sa bintana ang lalaki.

"Look, your cousins are coming. If you don't want me to take you home the—"

The last words of his sentence were blown by the wind when I almost flew through his shotgun seat and immediately closed the door. It would be a shame if those girls will catch me in a pathetic situation. No way.

"Oh . . . kay," the stranger slowly reacted.

Parang biglang sumikip dito sa loob. Hopefully, I won't regret this decision.

Malalaki ang hininga'ng sinabi ko ang address ko sa kanya. Tumango siya at nagsimulang magpatakbo.

"Heather Cassia Del Puerto walking beside a highway with her pair of high stilettos around twelve o'clock AM. I should remember this day," he playfully said.

My senses warned me. He knows my name! Nang-aakusa ang mata kong bumaling sa kanya pero nang makita ang bahagyang paglandas ng kanyang dila sa pang-ibabang labi at ang natural na paggalaw ng kanyang Adam's apple ay nawala ang takot sa dibdib ko.

However, my heart is skipping a lot of beats for a reason I couldn't comprehend.

"You know my name," I stated.

"Who wouldn't?" he said like it's the most normal thing to say.

Nakagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi at tumingin sa labas ng bintana. Siya kaya? Ano ang pangalan niya?

What?! I didn't ask. Of course, I didn't ask.

"I know you're not interested, but," he spoke again using his deep, manly voice, "my name is Lord. Lord Lavigne."

Just when I thought I was being saved, my life started to go wrong and every bad thing came to happen.

Okay. Relax. I should not entertain hilarious memories in my head. Hindi ko dapat sinisira ang araw ko dahil... tangina. Wala na naman ba akong gagawin ngayong araw kun'di makipag-patintero sa hangin at makipag-usap sa bubungan?!

"Ma'am Heather."

"Heather lang!" Bumaling ako sa pintuan at nakita kong halos mapatalon si Manang Ymir sa biglaan kong pagsigaw. "Heather lang," ulit ko sa mas mahinahong boses. "23 pa lang ako, pinapatanda ako ng 'Ma'am' na 'yan."

"S-sige po," nauutal niyang sagot. Hindi naman siya masyadong natakot, ano?

"May kailangan ka?"

Huminga siya nang malalim, ngumiti nang matipid. "Kailangan ko nang mag-grocery. Lalabas ako ng mansion. Gusto ninyong sumama?" So far, that's the best news I've ever heard. "Pero ipangako ninyong hindi kayo tatakas dahil baka matanggalan ako ng trabaho," babala niya sa akin nang marahil napansin ang ngisi sa aking labi.

"Don't worry, Manang Ymir. I won't let that happen." I flipped my hair and stood up. "Hintayin mo na lang ako sa labas. I'll be out in 20 minutes."

Nang makalabas na siya ay halos sumigaw ako sa tuwa. Man, it's showtime.