Snow White is a Gangster (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Chapter 16: City Lights

Chapter 16: City Lights

It took us five more booths and few rides before Wycliffe decided he wants to have some snacks and drinks. Medyo hapon na rin kung kaya't normal lang na makaramdam sya ng gutom. We decided to eat in a pizza and pasta house. Napansin ko ang ilang beses na pagsulyap ni Ethan kay Wycliffe habang kumakain ito ng pizza. I looked at him making sure that he'd feel the uneasiness of having someone's eyes fixed at you while eating. He looked at me and faked a cough when our eyes met.

I'm sorry. I just remembered something," wika niya.

"Someone?" Tanong naman ni Wycliffe sa gitna ng pagkain.

Saglit na natigilan si Ethan bago muling sumagot. "Hmm, yeah. Kinda like that."

"Well, sino si 'Someone'?" Patuloy ni Wycliffe. I'm pretty sure that this isn't something he should ask so I decided to cut him.

"Elric doesn't need to answer that," wika ko at saka sumulyap kay Ethan. Mukha namang nakahinga siya nang maluwag sa ginawa ko. Subalit hindi ganoon kabilis sumuko si Wycliffe. He still pushed the question and I watched as Ethan grew uncomfortable about the situation.

"Is it your ex-girlfriend? Nag-ta-trabaho ba siya sa isang pizza parlor?" Tanong nitong muli.

"Not a girlfriend," he said and tried to smile at him.

"A friend?" Marahan at tila nag-aalinlangang tumango si Ethan. Hindi na siya muling nagsalita pa. Mukha namang naintindihan ni Wycliffe ang pananahimik ni Ethan kung kaya't hindi na niya sinundan ang kanyang mga katanungan. Tahimik naming ipinagpatuloy ang pagkain.

"We need to go home after this," wika ko sa gitna ng katahimikan. Nasundan naman iyong ng agad na pagtutol ni Wycliffe.

"But we're not yet done here," protesta niya.

"You've ridden almost all the rides this amusement park could offer," I reasoned out. Nanatiling tahimik lang si Ethan sa kabila ng aming argumento.

"But not the Ferris Wheel," aniya at saka tumingin sa glass wall ng kainan.

I saw the gigantic Ferris Wheel with people enjoying the view from above. If it was a different situation, going inside one of those boxes would definitely be a bad idea. It was like making yourself an easy target inside the bottle.

"No," tipid kong bulalas. Tila malayo ang sagot na iyon sa sinabi ni Wycliffe because I saw saying 'No' to the scenario in my mind.

"What? How could I say that I went to an amusement park without riding a Ferris Wheel? Come on! It's the most important ride." He was close to throwing a tantrum. Magsasalita pa sana ako tungkol sa Roller Coaster subalit napigil iyon ng pagpasok ni Ethan sa konbersasyon.

"Being at the top of a Ferris Wheel at night offers an enchanting view. Siguro naman maaari mo siyang pagbigyan na maranasan ang ganoong pagkakataon," seryoso nitong sabi.