She's a Thief

Chapter 1

SHE'S A THIEF

A glimpse of sunrise can soothe your skin, they say. I wonder what odds they have for me today.

It’s a typical Friday morning and I decided to go for a walk since today is holiday. No classes, a perfect time to feel young, wild, and free.

While the sunlight’s kissing my skin and the wind is giving me a warm cuddle, I noticed an old woman, maybe in her 50s or 60s, walking in what I think ten meters ahead from me while holding her long, rectangular, red wallet and what seems to be a figure with a hoodie tailing the grandma. If I’ll judge according to her body, she’s a she.

She’s kinda weird from the way she pan her head left to right and then, back again to the old lady.

In a snap, she snatched the wallet and ran. I never planned to risk my life and capture a snatcher before, but right now, here I am, running as fast as I could to catch up with that brave little snitch.

I won’t deny. She’s fast— but I’m way faster.

I grabbed her left wrist using my right hand and used force to pull her on a halt and make her petite body face me. I let my left hand snatch away from her the thing she was preying into. I made sure that she will not be able to get it back. I also ignored the fact that our faces are just an inch or two away from each other, but as I looked at her eyes… I was astounded.

What I saw is what appeared to be a lonely soul, jailed to the depths of love and freedom, longing for million of years to find a way out.

And with that short span, I realized it’s been weeks.

I can still remember her eyes, those deep hazel brown eyes with so many untold thoughts, pain, and secrets.

The moment we’re locked into a deep staring contest from the abyss, I felt nervous because of an unknown reason. Basta na lang lumuwag ang pagkakahawak ko sa kamay niya na nagbigay sa kaniya ng pagkakataon upang itulak ako at makatakas. That time when I fell to the ground, didn’t know what’s happening, she just got away.

But why?

The fear I felt that day built nostalgia in my mind. Do I fear because I haven’t had a grasp of your real intentions or—

“Ah! Sino ka ba kasi?” naiinis kong ipinikit ang mga mata, I then slapped my face, trying to get myself to think straight.

“Really? This is crazy. I feel like I’m under some kind of a curse. Nagayuma ata ako,” I sighed.

I want a peace of mind. In order to calm myself, I grabbed my jacket, wallet, and my phone then stormed out the door.

It’s six pm.

Cars’ headlights, cold breeze.

While walking, I can hear my tummy grumbling like as if I didn’t eat for years. I stopped for a moment and looked around. I decided to grab some ready-to-eat meal in the nearest convenience store.

I was about to enter when my eyes caught someone wearing a pair of black old shoes, black skinny pantaloons, maroon hoodie jacket and a gray cap. It’s her, holding a bag— stealing—again.

I immediately walked towards where she is, grabbed a small basket on my way, at inagaw ang bag niyang pinaglagyan ng mga ninakaw niya. Itinaob ko ‘to dahilan para lahat ng laman no’n ay mahulog sa plastik na basket. I then carried her emptied back pack for her and held her wrist tightly without even having a slightest glimpse of her. I went straight ahead to the counter and paid for everything. Hawak ko pa rin s’ya. I pulled her gently and sent us both out of the store. Inilagay ko ang mga pinamili niya sa bag sabay binalik sa pagkakahawak nito. My eyes met hers.

Dahan-dahan akong lumunok for her not to notice how resistant I am in meeting her gazes.

I tried so hard to open my mouth and speak, “Why are you doing this?”

Her eyes were just fixated at mine intently. I didn’t dodge the look she’s giving me despite of this jittery feeling hiding behind my calm bearing. “Bakit mo ginagawa ‘to?” pagbalik niya ng tanong at may diin ang boses.

That caught me off guard and made me ask myself as well. Ano pa nga bang kailangan ko sa kaniya? Bakit ko nga ba ginagawa ‘to?

I’m trying really hard to calm my system down. Heck, the timbre of her voice feels like hundred of waves. Calming, but at the same time worrisome. “I asked first, so you should answer first.”

“None of your business. You?”

“If that’s none of my business then, what I’m doing has nothing to do with you as well. Kung gusto mong makakain, pwede ka namang manghingi na lang ng pera sa nanay mo or you can ask me to help you, even if we’re not that close, I’m willing to lend you a hand.” What the hell. It feels like something inside me wants to explode, as if what she’s doing worries me so dang much. “Why are you doing such thing that is illegal?! Hindi mo ba alam na ‘pag nahuli ka nila they’ll put you behind bars?!” There, I said it fast and I know I sounded frustrated. I breathed in and out making me look like I ran from North Pole to South.

My respond made her stare at me and drew a small curve on her lips. It’s neither a smile nor a smirk. And the feeling is indescribable, but one thing’s for sure: It’s giving me weird feelings on every internal organ I have.

Dahil sa katangahan ko, hindi ko namalayan ang pagtalikod niya at paglakad palayo. I didn’t even get a chance to ask her name.

Don’t be funny, dude, like as if she’d tell you. I hissed and sighed out of frustration. I still have these foreign emotions creeping inside me. This is so unbelievable.

I just watched her slowly disappear from my sight.

Pero bago pa man siya tuluyang mawala sa paningin ko ay huminto muna ito at hinarap ako, “Salamat!” With that, she ran away and totally vanished in the dark street with some not-so-bright streetlights.

And that very moment, I realized that she really is a thief, a snatcher and she just stole my heart.

Or… did she?