Pretending with the Snob (Pyxis #1)

20.2

Girl Talk

"Hazel, I think I like Tyler."

Napamaang ako sa sinabi ni Jiesel, kasalukuyan akong nagbibihis sa loob ng isang cubicle ng washroom ng marinig ko siyang magsalita. I'm a bit shook dahil sa biglang pag-amin niya, pero may pakiramdam na 'ko na may ibig sabihin ang mga ngiti at tingin niya kay Orange. Kaya pala palagi siyang pa-cute! Gano'on ako dati kay Austin, eh. Tsk.

"Who doesn't like him?" sagot ni Hazel, classmate namin at friend din ni Jiesel.

"I know, but this is different, Hazel. Call me assuming, but I think he likes me."

Alright then, assuming! Hintayin niya lang akong matapos sa pagbibihis, makakatikim ang babaeng 'to sa'kin!

"What? How can you tell?" asks Hazel, obviously confused.

"You see the way he treats me. Sa'kin lang siya mabait."

"At kay Alisson."

"Of course, she's the girlfriend."

"Exactly Jie, may girlfriend na si Tyler."

Tumawa ang chimpanzee, "Exactly, Hazel. Girlfriend pa lang, magb-break din sila."

"What's your point?"

"I think he's falling for me. Hindi pa lang siguro siya aware. He always greets me back, at kahit hindi siya palangiti, he's trying hard to smile back at me kapag nginingitian ko siya! Nakita mo na ba siyang ngumiti kay Alisson?"

"That doesn't mean may gusto na siya sa'yo. And yes, nakita ko na siyang ngumiti kay Alisson. Kanina lang habang yakap ka niya. Kumindat pa nga, eh."

"See? He does it while hugging me! I'll make him realize he's falling for me."

What kind of thinking is that?! Ibang klase talaga ang chimpanzee na 'to!

"Jiesel, as your friend. I'm telling you, don't. Makakasakit ka, at for sure, masasaktan ka."

Tumango-tango ako. That's right Hazel, keep convincing your friend kung ayaw mong ako ang mag-kumbinsi d'yan. Kung ako siya, baka nadagukan ko na si Jiesel kanina pa.

"I see hope, Hazel. Ngayon pa ako hihinto?"

I hear Hazel sighs, "To be brutally honest, wala kang laban kay Alisson. She's got Pyxis on her back, Pyxis Jiesel! Plus, she's a delinquent! Gang leader din daw 'yon sa Langston. And I'm sure you've heard the rumor about her taking down five gangsters, right? Five big gangsters that are probably twice or triple her size? All by herself? Marami sa mga schoolmates natin ang nakakita at nag-video no'n, hinarang lang ng Pyxis kaya walang nag-upload sa internet. Baka hindi ka lang masaktan emotionally, baka physically pa."

"Ipagtatanggol ako ni Tyler." Jiesel says confidently.

Aba talaga 'tong Chimpanzee na 'to. Sandali ka, nagsusuot na kong palda!

"Paano kung pati si Tyler walang magawa?" si Hazel ulit.

"What do you mean?" tanong ni Jiesel. Kahit ako naguluhan sa tanong ng kaibigan niya.

"Listen Jiesel, I'm not a hundred percent sure yet, so don't ever mention this to anybody." Humina ang boses ni Hazel, kailangan ko pa tuloy ilapit ang tainga ko sa maliit ng siwang ng pinto upang marinig siya. "But I think Alisson is the granddaughter of Tatsuo Kurumizawa."

"Tatsuo Kurumizawa? Who is that?"

"He's the head of the Kurumizawa clan, a yakuza or the so called Japanese Mafia. They don't operate here, but they are notorious in Japan. God, Jiesel you really shouldn't mess with her." mahina pa ring sambit ni Hazel

Malakas kong sinpa pabukas ang pinto ng cubicle for dramatic effect, "If I were you, I would listen to your friend."

Sabay pa silang napatalon sa gulat ng makita ako.

"A-a-alisson!" Hazel says nang makabawi.

Ngumiti naman ako. "Hi."

"I'm n-not scared of you!" Jiesel screams defensively. Hinarang pa ang katawan sa kaibigan.

Masyado naman 'to. Nag-hi lang ako.

Pinalawak ko ang maganda kong ngiti. "Thank God. I hate it when people get scared of me. Pakiradam ko kasi halimaw ako. Though sometimes being a monster isn't that bad."

"H-have you heard e-everything?"

"Yup," sagot ko sa tanong ni Hazel bago binalingan si Jiesel, "I think you should know Tyler was kind to you, because I told him so. But good luck with your plans I guess." I take a step forward, at nag-unahan silang dalawa na umurong. "Where did you get that idea, Hazel? Me, being the granddaughter of a yakuza head?"

"I saw your name on our class record once. Your whole name."

"W-what's her whole name?" Jiesel asks, confused and probably scared.

"Alisson Hershel Kurumizawa Moretta." sagot ni Hazel, hindi inaalis ang tingin sa'kin. "It's not a coincidence that you have Kurumizawa as your middle name, and Hershel as your second. Isinunod ang pangalan mo kay Herschel Garcia Kurumizawa, ang Pilipinang asawa ni Tatsuo Kurumizawa."

Tumango-tango ako. "I think you have too much imagination honey."

"Kaya ka magaling makipaglaban! Tell me, Alisson, are you going to start and lead an operation here? Wala ka na bang ma-recruit sa Langston, kaya nag-transfer ka rito sa Luxford? Are you trying to recruit Pyxis?!"

Geez, her mind! Pinatunog ko ang mga kamay ko, "Gusto n'yo ba ng sample?"

Napaurong ulit silang dalawa. "S-sasaktan mo kami?"

I smile wickedly, "You know way too much about me now, I think it's time for you..." I whisper the next words, "To die."

And they become hysterical.

"No, please. Please! Ang dami ko pang pangarap sa buhay—"

"Hindi ko na kayo guguluhin ni Tyler, I promise—"

"Joke!" I blurt, laughing. Ako lang ulit ang natawang mag-isa sa joke ko. I feel a bit guilty, that was bad. Jiesel deserves it though. "Wild, Hazel. Your imagination is wild, you could be a writer! I'm not trying to recruit anyone or start an operation! Geez, mukha ba akong member ng yakuza?"

"But your gang—"

"My gang in Langston is a group of people who fight the bullies. At hindi ako ang leader do'n." I pause for a moment, "But you know who else we fight? 'Yong mga malalandi," diniinan kong mabuti para madama ng chimpanzee, "Iyong mga nang-aagaw ng jowa. You know what we do to them?" In a straight horizontal line, pinadaan ko ang kamay ko sa leeg ko at muling bumulong, "We kill them."

I think they are about to call the emergency hot line, kung hindi pa ko nagsalita.

"Joke ulit! Pero kung gusto n'yong malaman kung ano talaga ang ginagawa namin sa mga gano'ng tao, try n'yong mang-agaw ng jowa. 'Wag lang ang jowa ko,dahil baka magkatotoo ang mga jokes ko." I give them my sweetest smile, bago tumalikod at kumaway, "See you in class!"