Bad for You (GU #1)

fifty-three

Fifty-Three: The Trip

"Someone's sending you threats?"

I looked up at Slade. Pagkauwi namin sa Montereal Place ay agad ko nang sinabi ang tungkol sa mga natatanggap kong note sa locker ko. "Actually, they weren't threats. Basta lang sinasabi na layuan kita. Something like that. At isa pa, dalawang beses lang naman nangyari. 'Yung huli nga 'yun nung pagkatapos ng nangyari sa bar; the note telling me that whoever the sender was knew what I did."

"Then out of nowhere, I received pictures of you and Miles." Tinapatan ni Slade ang tingin ko. "Don't tell me, your note sender and those who sent the pictures are the same?"

I sighed. "I'm afraid but yes. Nakita ko 'yung envelope, kapareho nung papel na ginagamit panulat sa akin. Paano mo pala nakuha 'yung pictures?"

"Saw it on my locker. May nilagay kasi akong gamit bago sana pumunta kay Hanzel sa ospital. Then I saw it, and you know what happened next." I nodded. Doon naman nagsalita ulit si Slade, "Whoever that person is, estudyante siya ng Gainesville."

"'Yun din ang naisip ko."

"Do you suspect someone who can do it?"

I hesitated. May mga pinaghihinalaan na ako, pero hindi ko alam kung dapat nang sabihin sa kanya 'yun. Lalo pa't may posibilidad na kumilos agad siya at problema 'yun dahil paano kung mali ako ng akala?

So I shook my head no. Slade stared at me skeptically as if he was analyzing if that was the truth. Pinirmi ko ang tingin sa kanya, tahimik na kinukimbinsi siya sa sagot ko.

Nakahinga na ako nang maluwag nang makita siyang tumango. "Alright. Don't worry, we'll find out who the sender is. We'll make a way. Trust me. Basta, kapag nakakuha ka pa ulit ng note, sabihin mo agad sa akin."

-=-=-=-=-=-

Pumasok na si Miles nung Biyernes at doon ko pa lang nalaman na nagkaayos na pala sila ni Slade. They finally talked about what happened to Miles' brother and Miles accepted Slade's apology.

I was more than glad after knowing about that. Finally, nagiging okay na rin silang dalawa though I could see that Miles was having a hard time dealing with Slade but at least he was trying. He even went with us for lunch break that day. Magmumukha sanang double date kung nandoon si Kimberly pero wala ang huli dahil may report na kailangan daw tapusin sa library.

Ewan ko, pero may bahagi talaga sa akin na gustong paglapitin sina Kimberly at Miles, lalo pa't sa pagsasama naming tatlo ay hindi ko sila nasaksihan na mag-usap nang maayos. Siguro, sa ibang pagkakataon mangyayari rin 'yun.

It was now Saturday and I found nothing to do. Kanina pa umalis si Slade para pumunta kina Melissa. Siyempre, para alagaan si Hanzel. Hindi ko pa rin nakikita ng personal ang batang 'yun. Naalala ko may ipinakitang picture nito sa akin si Slade dati pero syempre gusto ko pa ring makita 'yung bata nang harapan. Kung medyo maaga-aga nga lang ako nakagising kanina, siguro sumama na ako kay Slade.

Natigil ang pag-iisip ko tungkol doon nang marinig na tumunog ang cell phone. Kinuha ko agad ito sa tabi, bumangon sa kama at agad na sinagot nang makitang si Mama ang tumatawag.

"Ma."

"Hi, anak," bati niya. "Kumusta dyan?"

"All is well," sagot ko. "Napatawag ka po?"

I could sense something was wrong. Hindi naman siya tumatawag bago ang araw nang pagbisita niya dito kung walang problema.

I heard her sigh and I knew my instinct was right. "I can't visit you tomorrow. May urgent na business trip sa Singapore. It's one of our biggest business deals. I am not the one who supposed to go there kaso nagkasakit 'yung dapat na pupunta. You understand it naman, 'di ba? Don't worry, babawi ako. I will even buy you some pasalubong. Anong gusto mo?"