Seventy-Four

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"Nasaan na ba 'yon?" Hinalungkat ko ang buong kama. The sheets are gone, the pillows are on the floor, and even my suitcase is open. "You've got to be kidding me." Anas ko sa sarili habang paulit-ulit na hinahalungkat ang mga gamit.

Tandang-tanda ko talaga eh. Hawak-hawak ko ang disc bago nakatulog. Panonoorin ko sana ito kaso naabutan ako ng antok.

"If it's not here then who took it?" Tanong ko na naman sa sarili. Tumingin ako sa pintuan. I forgot to lock it last night. Someone came in here and took the disk. "EJ" Wari ko sabay tayo at paika-ikang lumabas ng kwarto. This stupid pain in my foot is killing me. Huminto ako sa tapat ng kanyang pinto at kumatok.

I knocked several times before he opened the door only to be dumbfounded when I saw his naked... body. My mouth hung open as my eyes traced the muscular linings of his stomach. What—why is he naked for Pete's sake!? And, my God, why does he look like a guy pulled out from a magazine? Gulo-gulo ang kanyang buhok pero hindi siya mukhang engot tingnan. His pajamas are loosely tied around his waist showing a bit of his Calvin Klein underwear and that muscular V on his... oh dear God, parang awa niyo na... stop this man from evolving already!

"What do you want?" He squinted, mukhang kakagising lang.

I cleared my throat and forced myself to keep my eyes focused elsewhere. "Where is it?"

Kumunot ang kanyang noo, "Huh?" Sumandal siya sa pintuan, "What are you looking for?"

"The tape... where's the disk tape?" Namaiwang ako, "Pumasok ka ba sa kwarto ko kagabi? Did you get it? Where are you hiding it?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Pinasadahan niya ng kamay ang buhok. "What tape? I didn't see you holding a tape before."

I glared at him. "Let me in."

"What?"

Tinulak ko siya, "Let me through." Sapilitan akong pumasok sa loob ng kanyang kwarto. Inikot ko muna ang aking paningin bago nagsimulang halungkatin ang mga gamit niya.

"Bloody hell, what are you doing to my things?" Lumapit siya sa 'kin pero hinagis ko ang dalang unan sa kanya.

"Where did you hide it?"

"Hide what?" He shrugged, "I'm not hiding anything!"

"Oh please," Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mata, "Just tell me where you put it para matapos na 'to. Where Mr Javier!? Where!?"

"For God's sake, I don't know what you're talking about woman! What tape? Why are you looking for it? And why in God's name would I take it?"

Hindi ko siya pinakinggan, nagpatuloy na lang ako sa ginagawa. Hinagilap ko ang buong kwarto, pati drawer niya binuksan ko na. Lahat ng pwedeng mapaglagyan tiningnan ko, kahit banyo sinuri ko pero wala talaga...

And then I realized something... "Aling Lupe!" Tumakbo ako palabas ng kwarto at hinagilap ang butihing matanda sa buong bahay. Sunod naman ng sunod si EJ sa 'kin. Hindi pa humihinto sa kakatanong kung bakit ako naghahanap ng tape.

Lumabas ako ng bahay at nakita si Aling Lupe'ng nagsusunog ng mga basura sa bakuran. Hawak niya ang huling basurahan at mukhang itatapon niya na ito sa apoy. "Aling Lupe sandali lang po!" Sigaw ko at nagmadaling lumapit.

"Bakit Miss Longworth may problema po ba?"

"Ah wala po, teka—may napansin po ba kayong disk kanina sa kwarto?" Bilog po siya na manipis na—

"Yon po ba?" Tinuro ni Aling Lupe ang nasusunog na disc sa 'di kalayuan.

"Oh my God—no! No, don't burn away!" I ran towards it at pinulot ito without thinking twice. "Aray! Aray—tangina—aray!" Hinagis ko ito sa lupa at tinadyakan pero siniguro ko namang hindi masisira ang disc sa loob. "Shit, sana hindi pa sira!"

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