Endless Pen [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE

ATHANASIA'S POV

I remained emotionless as I stared back at Mr. Policeman, who was in front of me. We're currently in the same fast-food chain where I last celebrated my success.

Hindi kasi ako pumayag na pumunta siya sa apartment ko kaya naman napagdesisyunan ko na lang na makipagkita sa kanya rito.

He cleared his throat before he gave me a tight smile. "So Miss Infinite Ink, una sa lahat ay ano po ang tunay mong pangalan?"

Ayoko sanang sagutin iyon kaya lang kung konektado naman ito sa maaaring maging kaso ko kapag hindi ko nalinis ang pangalan ko ay mas pipiliin ko na lang sabihin ang pangalan ko. "Athanasia."

Mr. Policeman wrote it down in his little notebook before he raised his head to look at me once again. "Athanasia ano po?"

I sighed. "Athanasia Dolores." I don't actually have a surname, but for ID purposes, Bangun gave me one.

Muli itong yumuko para magsulat at nang matapos ay tiningnan siya muli. "Kailan ka po nagsimulang magsulat?"

"Five years ago," I nonchalantly answered. But to be honest, I have been writing for almost a century now.

Mr. Policeman wrote it down again before speaking to me. "Aware ka po ba sa mga nagaganap na pagpapakamatay sa Sitio Tumana?"

I nodded. "I heard it from the news last night."

"Kagabi niyo lang nalaman?" I nodded and he went back to writing. "Nasaan kayo nitong nakalipas na taon?"

Napaisip ako sa tanong niya saka sumagot. "Mostly in my apartment. I barely go outside."

Gulat at nagtataka naman siyang tumingin sa akin. "Buong taon?" I nodded. "Anong ginagawa mo sa apartment mo ng isang buong taon?"

"Oh. Writing, sleeping, eating, writing, taking a bath, I think I watched a couple of movies and repeated the cycle," walang buhay kong sagot sa kanya.

"Nakayanan mo?" 'di makapaniwalang tanong niya.

I literally frowned at his reaction. "Uhh... yeah."

"Woah." Bumalik siya sa pagsusulat saka muling nagtanong. "May mga kaibigan ka ba? Pamilya? Ganon?"

"My parents died in an accident seven years ago. I could already handle myself at that time so I didn't want to be adopted and decided to work. Then I don't have friends because I'm not a fan of socializing," I answered, almost like a robot. I've been doing this for almost fifty years, same plot, exact words. Napatango-tango naman ang pulis saka nagsulat. I finally got curious about what he was doing and so I asked, "Why do you keep on writing if you could just use a phone or a recorder?"

Napakamot naman siya sa batok bago nahihiyang sumagot. "Yung cellphone ko kasi eh walang recorder, tapos wala naman na akong pambili kaya ayos na sa akin itong pagsusulat sa papel."

I slowly nodded my head and didn't further ask. Ilang saglit pa ulit ang lumipas bago natapos si Mr. Policeman sa pagsusulat.

"Bale may makakapagpatunay po ba ng mga sinabi mo? Like kahit yung sa isang taon mo lang sa apartment mo?"

I nodded once again. "The apartment I'm currently living in has CCTV cameras all over the place. You can just ask them about it, y'know? Police stuff."

Tumango-tango lang naman siya saka nagsulat. "Saan mo nakuha ang inspirasyon mo sa pagsusulat?"

Bigla naman akong natigilan. It's what I have been trying to do. All those kinds of trying to kill me. I have always tried to do it, but because of my effing curse, I always end up going back to three days before my attempted suicide. "I've always liked thrillers and suicide documentaries and movies."

He seemed to buy it and just wrote it down without any further questions. "Sige, Miss Dolores. Ayun pa lang naman ang maitatanong ko po sa ngayon. Kung maaari lang po sana ay sagutin niyo po ang mga tawag ko, at baka kailanganin pa po ulit namin ang kooperasyon niyo patungkol sa mga kasong ito." Tumango na lang ako saka siya tumayo. "Maraming salamat sa kooperasyon niyo, Miss. Pasensya na po sa abala."

"It's fine." It's not like I dislike talking to anyone other than Bangun and the determined publishers. "Happy to help."

Bahagya siyang yumuko saka tuluyang nagpaalam. Inubos ko na lang naman ang Coke na iniinom ko saka tuluyang tumayo at lumabas ng fast food chain.

Tuloy lang ako sa paglalakad papauwi nang biglang nag-ring ang cellphone ko. "This is the second time in a row that you've called me, Bangun. What is it?"

(I just saw you chat with a policeman. So, what happened?)

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "As if you don't know what happened." I took a glance at the car window in front of me and saw his reflection behind me. "You've been watching me."

I heard him chuckle. (Wait for me.) He then ended the call.

I let out a sigh before putting my phone back in my pocket and waited for him. Saglit lang naman bago siya nakarating sa kinatatayuan ko.

And his handsomeness seems to have not faded at all. Moreno, six-footer, athletic body, brown twinkling eyes, proud nose, thick eyebrows, and luscious lips.

I'm a writer, I tend to describe almost every feature of a person. Nothing more.

"What's up, Athanasia?" He greeted me while giving me a bright smile.

I frowned at him. "What do you need, Bangun?" I started walking.

Sumabay lang naman siya sa akin. "Why do you call me Bangun? I said it's Wake." He even pouted.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Don't pout. You don't look cute at all," I said, still looking ahead.

I heard him chuckle. "Anyways, so anong nangyari sa usapan niyo nung pulis?"

I glared at him. "Don't play dumb, Bangun. You were occupying the other table, and I doubt you weren't able to listen to our conversation."

"Ikaw, napaka-taray mo sa akin. Para namang hindi mo tinatarayan yung lalake kanina ah," may pagtatampong reklamo niya.

I sarcastically grinned at him. "That's because he has blue eyes."

Bigla namang tumigil si Bangun sa paglalakad. Tumigil na rin ako't naguguluhang tiningnan siya. He stared at me and then suddenly his eye color changed. "See? I have glowing gold eyes, Athanasia—"

Dali-dali kong tinakpan ang mga mata niya saka pagalit na bumulong. "You don't do that in public, Bangun. That's very irresponsible."

He pouted and held my hand covering his eyes and slowly removed it. "I'm just making a point."

I was about to roll my eyes when I noticed how near we actually were. I cleared my throat and quickly moved away from him. I looked everywhere except him. "Whatever. My apartment's near already. So, I gotta go. Bye."

Nagmamadali akong naglakad papauwi at hindi na siya muling nilingon. Nang tuluyan akong makapasok sa loob ng apartment ko ay dali-dali kong isinara ang pinto saka sumandal doon.

I don't know why but I kept catching my breath. Hindi naman ako tumakbo papunta rito kaya naguguluhan ako kung bakit ganoon ang paghinga ko.

Nang tuluyan akong makahinga ng maayos ay naiiling akong umupo sa sofa saka tumulala sa kisame.

My life is finally getting interesting. I said to myself before finally taking a nap.