Chapter 3: Night Angel

CASS

"Cassidy sweety, choose a suitable dress okay?"

"Yes mommy-bear!" I yelled from the inside of my room before I opened up my closet to check out for a dress to wear.

I want to find a perfect dress for me to look dazzling for the man I'll have my eyes on all evening. Although all of my dresses are as classy as it is, I still want to give a little humble vibe so I think I'll choose something simple.

I hummed while scratching my chin as I try to decide what to wear. Isa-isa kong inilabas ang mga bestida mula sa aparador at panay ang tingin ko sa salamin kung ano ang dapat kong isuot. I've seen a lot but then my eyes locked on the light green dress with a halter neckline and a big waist belt.

As I look in the mirror with the dress covering my front, the door suddenly opened and then my mother's head popped out to check on me. "Sweetie, have you chosen your dress?"

I showed her the one I'm holding, "I wish to wear this tonight."

"Whatever you want baby. Anyway, we'll be going to a salon for a hairdo before we go to your tita-mommy's house okay? So hurry up."

I nodded as a reply before my mother finally leave the room to let me fix myself. I'm going to surprise Zeke.

***

As our limousine sets its wheels in front of the house of Trevoirs, the chauffeur immediately parked it outside the entrance and went out to open the door for us.

As I step my white closed stilettos on the cemented floor, the crafted wooden door of the house immediately greeted me, paired with the black doorway lines and clean white walls. The porcelain stairs and the arranged potted plants at each side of it makes the entrance even more pleasing.

"Let's go now sweetheart," ani ni mommy bear bago niya ipinulupot ang kamay niya sa braso ko't sumabay sa pag-akyat.

A maid slowly opened the door from the inside of the mansion and greeted before she lowered her head to pay for respect. The next person behind her was tita Devin, wearing her red fitted tight dress with an Elizabethan collar filled with white pearls in the edges.

"Glad you could make it!" Her arms spread wide open to welcome me and my mother.

"Looks like our visitors have arrived."

I turned at tito papa who was now walking towards us, and since my mother and tita Devin are enjoying their company, he came on to me and gave a hug.

"My daughter in law."

"How sweet of you, tito papa."

Yumukod ito nang bahagya kaya't ipinatong ko ang baba ko sa balikat niya at agad na nakita si Zeke na nakaupo katabi ni Chad sa sofa ng living room. Ilang segundo pa ay bumitaw na sa pagkakaakap si tito papa bago nilingon ang mga anak niya.

"Zeke, Chad, go and prepare the foods for our visitors," Tito commanded his sons but both of them just frowned.

They look like they both hate the idea but since they have no choice but to obey their father, they still stood up and went to the kitchen.

"Well then, let's get this started and have some fun."

***

I am sitting beside mommy bear in front of Chadler in a long table at the dining room of the Trevoirs. You will immediately drool in front of the mouth watering meals at the table as if the occasion was too special to have a feast like this. From the fried to roasted viands, up to the sweet desserts. It's like we can feed the whole street for this.

The kitchen looks so fancy and the 3 chandeliers above our make it even more luxurious. The yellow dim light gives me this royalty vibe as it reflects to every corners of the room. Even the chairs look like the ones that King Arthur sat on and the other furnitures are worthy of appreciation.

But what stole my attention was my mommy bear checking her phone like a hundred times now. My guess is that she is checking on daddy bear who was still out in his business trip in Tokyo.

"Oh come on, Margaret! Your husband will never cheat on you! Let him be!"

Napalingon ako kay tita Devin na sinaway si mommy bear na agad namang binitawan ang telepono at nahihiyang tumingin sa kanya.

"I'm just worried. You know him, he's the same jerk I married."

Tito papa almost blew off his food out of his mouth when my mother insulted papa bear. He immediately took his glass full of wine and drank it before laughing.

"Just eat okay. Your daughter is distracted because of you." Tita Devin pointed at me so I shook my head in disapproval.

"Nah! I'm used to it. Mommy bear is really clingy to daddy bear."

Natawa ang mag-asawa at nagsimulang asarin si mama kaya't nakisawsaw na rin ako. Samantala, nanahimik lang anv magkapatid habang patuloy sa pagkain at walang imik na nakatingin lamang sa kanilang mga pinggan.

"Anyway, I am very proud that Chad is joining the Mendel Tigers! It's a very great news!"

Napabaling ako bigla kay Chad na napatigil naman sa pagsubo pagkatapos marinig ang anunsyo ng ina.

"Awh! Congrats Chad! You know what, Cassidy always watch the game." Ani mommy bear.

Everyone knows that I watch the game but the reason made me feel a bit shy to Chad. I only watch because Zeke is a varsity player.

"Thanks tita Margaret. I just hope Cass could watch me too." Napakagat-labi ako dahil parang nagpaparinig talaga si Chad. Lahat din sila ay nakatingin ngayon sa akin at nakangiti na para bang may hinihintay silang sagot.

"Sure. At least, magkasama na kayo ng kapatid mo." Kinakabahan kong sagot at naiilang na ngumiti.

Sumama bigla ang tingin sa akin ni Zeke na napatigil na ngayon sa pagkain pero ngumiti lang ako bilang tugon.

"Speaking of Mendel Tigers tito papa, I also want to congratulate Zeke. They won last Monday and he was the player of the game." I excitedly cheered and was expecting for them to be more active but the whole table remained silent.

No one reacted. Not even a clap. Para bang nailang ang lahat sa naging anunsyo ko.

"Well, we already knew it Cass." Tito papa forced himself to smile, "anyway, Chad will be having his jersey tomorrow." Tito papa patted Chadler in his shoulder with a proud smile plastered in his face. "I am very proud of this man."

Nagtaka tuloy ako sa naging reaksyon kanina. Kapag si Chad, talagang tuwang-tuwa sila at parang nanalo ang mga ito sa lotto kung makahiyaw pero kapag kay Zeke, wala man lang ni hi o ha. Aren't they proud of Zeke's achievement?

***

Nakaramdam ako bigla nang pagkabagot dahil wala akong ibang magawa kundi ang panoorin si mama at sina tito't tita na kumanta ng mga awit na hindi na inabot ng panahon ko. Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses akong napabuntong-hininga at kaunti na lang na minuto ay aantukin na talaga ako.

I'm currently sitting on the sofa while all the parents are enjoying themselves singing on a videoke. Chad excused himself since he was going to finish something while Zeke immediately left after dinner and went to his room. My eyes are now focused on the second floor of the house and thought of something crazy.

I stood up and decided to go up and find Zeke's room since I really have nothing else to do. Umakyat ako sa hagdan at nilibot ang mga kwarto sa second floor ng bahay nina tita Devin.

There are too many rooms so I decided I'll just check one by one. Binuksan ko ang unang pinto na una kong nakita and to my surprise, nakita kong kalalabas lang ni Zeke sa banyo niya. I knew he just came out of his bathroom because the only thing that covers his body is a towel strapped around his waist while his upper body is completely bare.

Hindi ko napigilan ang mapatili sa sobrang pagkagulat at tuluyan ng natulos sa kinatatayuan ko habang nakatingin kay Zeke na n*******d baro. Nakita ko na siyang topless every after his game or practice but I have never seen his after bath look.

"What the hell?" Bulyaw nito na agad ko namang ikinatiklop sa sobrang kahihiyan.

"I'm so sorry!" Paghingi ko ng tawad dito at balak na sanang umalis pero nabigla ako nang hilahin niya ako papasok ng kuwarto niya bago isinara ang pinto at agad na idinikit ako sa pader.

"What the hell are you even thinking?"

I was speechless as I stared at his angry eyes while his manly scent filled my nose. "Uhm..." I couldn't utter anything since I didn't know what to say.

"The next time you open my room again, I'll kick you out do you understand?"

Instead of answering or even saying anything, ibinaba ko pa ang tingin ko sa abs niya. Makapal na kung makapal pero hindi ko talaga mapigilan ang sarili ko. His oozing yummy six packs is a bit wet and it makes me want to bite my lip.

"Cassidy!" Galit niyang tawag sa pangalan ko kaya't agad akong napatingala sa guwapo niyang mukha while still feeling high and the image of his body still in my brain removing all the data in my mind.

"What?" I absent-mindedly asked and even gasped cause I already forgot how to breathe.

Lalong sumama ang tingin niya sa akin sa sobrang inis at balang sanang magsalitang muli nang biglang bumukas ang pinto kaya't napatingin kami sa doorway kung saan nakatayo si mommy-bear.

"What is going on?" Tanong nito sa amin habang nakataas ang isang kilay at nakapameywang.

"It's not my fault! She just opened the door without knocking! What is your daughter thinking?" Agad na dipensa ni Zeke kaya't nalipat sa akin ang tingin ni mommy bear na ngayon ay matalim ang mga matang hinila ako palapit sa kanya sa labas ng kuwarto.

"It was an accident mommy bear! I swear! I didn't know he was---" I tried to explain my side but then I was cut off when tita Devin came.

"What's happening Margaret?" She asked with her usual high-pitched worried tone before turning to Zeke. "Zeke? What have you done?"

She looks very angry to her son like he was not hers. Her voice is very loud and hard while pointing at him.

"It wasn't me okay? She opened up my door without even knocking!" Zeke tried to explain his side to her while pointing at me angrily too. Agad naman akong nakaramdam nang matinding hiya. Naghanap pa ako ng gulo.

"You could've locked your room! Masyado ka na namang naglalandi sa babae!" I got shocked with tita Devina's words. Instead of defending her son, she even thought of something worse.

Zeke never flirted to any woman. Not even to me. She did not even saw what happened!

"Ako pa ang malandi? She's the one who's after me!" Zeke raised his voice already while telling his point out. I want to second the motion but tita Devina already spoke.

"You're grounded! Give me your gadgets now! You won't step out of this room until I said so!"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at nakaramdam nang matinding pagsisisi. Napayuko ako sa sobrang hiya kay Zeke at napilitang magsalita.

"Tita Devin, it was my fault. Please spare Zeke. I was the one who opened the door without asking permission." I already speak out and confessed.

Nakakaawa naman kasi kung siya ang pagagalitan at hindi ako. I was the one who was sneaking and just open a random door. I admit that was rude of me and it was inappropriate.

"Let go of it Devina. Let's just go back." Sabi naman ni mommy bear dahil mukhang naawa naman siya kay Zeke sabay tingin sa akin nang seryoso. "And you, young lady, it is not right to sneak in a man's room. Hindi yan gawain nang matinong babae." Saway ni mommy sa akin kaya't agad akong lumingon kina tita Devin at Zeke.

"I'm sorry po. Sorry din Zeke." I said sincerely to them while I tried to look into Zeke's eyes.

"Tss." He replied before he slammed the door hard without minding the people outside the room and left all of us shock.

"That man! Argh!" Nanggigigil na sambit ni tita Devin habang matalim na nakatitig sa pintuan.

***

"Tomorrow, I want to see your prepared introduction for your research paper. If you fail to submit, then don't expect that you'll pass my subject."

We got home exhausted last night so thankfully, mommy bear did not bring up the mistake I did and just went to her room early. She enjoyed the party too much that she did not even noticed that we went home passed 1 am.

Now here I am in class trying to keep my eyes open as our teacher announced another stressful activity. I hate Practical Research. It kills people. They drain not just my money, but also my mind and my soul.

"I hope your research for this school year is better than your former research. Remember that you are all graduating students." She lectured as if we are too forgetful to not remember about our research last year. "That's all for today, dismissed." Our subject teacher stood up then she walked out of the room which made everyone loud again.

"Goodbye ma'am!" Pahabol na bati ng mga kaklase ko but they did not even receive any response from the teacher.

"Pano ba yan Cassidy? Research season is starting to come again!" Pananakot bigla sa akin ni Trixy which made my eyes roll. She sat beside me since we are seatmates on the next subject but as what best friends does always, she teased me. Trying to point out that I am a dumb researcher.

"Oh, shut up! Your research is not even good!"

Kung makapagsalita ay parang ang galling niya sa research! Pareho naman kaming hindi magaling sa Academics eh! Ganda lang ata ang nakokontribute ko dito sa Mendel.

"At least I passed. If I heard it right, you paid for our former research teacher to pass right?" She even crossed her arms as she raised her left eyebrow and looked at me in oddly.

I can never forget about last year's research since that moron sir Claude gave me the highest price I have ever heard from the former teachers my mother paid for me to reach SHS. Talagang sinamantala ng loko ang kahinaan ko.

"Are you insulting me?"

"Nope. I just want to tell you to get ready so that it won't happen again."

Umirap ako ulit bilang tugon dahil hindi ko naman maitatanggi ang katotohanan. I am not really a smart student. I have to admit that I do not excel at school and I don't care.

"Fine. I'll ask for help na lang."

Pera lang naman ang katapat para pumasa ako eh. People will do everything just to earn money nowadays. Sabi nga ng ama ni Chanel Oberlin ng Scream Queens, If you want something done, then pay someone a lot of money to do it for you.

"To Chad?" Tanong nito habang nakangiting aso na biglang ikinatalim ng titig ko sa kanya.

She knows that I don't ask anything from that man! He maybe smiles and communicates with me now pero, hindi naman makapal ang mukha ko para humingi agad ng pabor sa kanya.

"Of course not! Ano ka ba! Wala naman akong ibang lalapitan kundi si Zeke angel ko!"

"Ang tanong, papayag ba?" Agad niyang pagputol sa akin bago napailing at bumuntong hininga, "you know what Cass, Chad is just there. He can help you out for sure since siguradong hindi iyon tatanggi sayo. Why won't you give him a chance?"

The truth is, I want to try. But I really want to think of ways to be with Zeke. It is not that I hate him since we are starting to be okay na rin naman. I just want to try to find reasons to make Zeke talk to me.

***