Dark Phoenix #2: Echoes Of Lies

CHAPTER 8

Chapter 8

It felt so weird because every time I glanced with kuya Jarrix, I caught him staring at me and when I smiled at him he will look away. It happened two or four times, can't remember. Just like earlier when we're both having our breakfast, I was busy making my sandwich and I felt someone was watching me then I look at kuya and saw him staring at me. I asked him why but he shook his head and say nothing. So weird right?

"What are you thinking?"

I blinked twice and glance at Laurence then back to my phone. Typing Jin's name on IG's search box. Still, no result. I tried his whole name, his last name even his first, none. I tried Ren's followers, because she followed no one, even me her bestfriend. Kahit kay kuya ay wala ang pangalan niya. Wala ring Facebook, kung meron man ay fanpage. Sikat, ah?

"Nothing. Just searching someone."

Sa huli ay sumuko na din ako at ibinitang ang cellphone sa table. I knew that he's a member of Dark Phoenix like my brother. Dark Phoenix is a known gang here in school. Notorious guys. They are gangsters, alam naman ng lahat dito sa school. Palagi silang nasasangkot sa street fight o drag racing. That's a normal thing to them. I even heard kuya and his friends talking about guns and drugs. Mukha namang hindi sila seryoso doon kaya walang dapat ikatakot. Hindi naman gagawa si kuya ng gano'n. Our parents was known in the country. They run a business which make them earn a lot of money.

"Wala ka bang number ni Jin? He is your cousin!" hindi ko tanda kung bilang beses ko na itong naitanong sa kanya Basra hindi lalampas sa twenty.

"For the nth time, Cassandra Marie, wala. Kahit numero ni Millicent ay wala ako."

Oh eh ano naman kung wala siyang number ni tita Milli? Eh sa pinsan niya naman ang kailangan ko.

Inilibot ko ang paningin ko at napadalawang tingin pa ako sa pamilyar na mukha ang pumasok sa kinaroroonan namin rin na Starbucks. It's Jin! Pero bigla ring bumagsak ang tuwa ki nang makita kong may inaalalayan siyang babae papasok ng shop. His arms were snaked to the woman's small waist. I stare at the woman, she has a pair of well-made eyebrows. Ang pilik mata ay halatang peke, she has a slant line above her eyes. Her eyes are big pero bagay sa kan'ya. Her narrowed nose... is fake. I can't explain how I find her nose fake, ang mga labi ay mapupula at makintab. Tipong natapunan ng mantika o 'di kaya'y kumain ng mamantikang pagkain. Down to her boobs, it almost got out from her skimpy heart-shaped dress. And she has a legs of a barbie. In short, I'm way more beautiful than her.

"C'mon. May gagawin pa ako."

"Ha?"

"Haduken. I said may gagawin pa ako."

I burst out laughing, is she joking about haduken? Because she doesn't look like one. Mukhang hindi siya nagbibiro when she said that word. Seryoso at malamig lang ang tingin niya. Where did sbe learn about that word anyway?

"Stop laughing. Iiwan kita dito." pananakot nito

"Psh! Okay lang!" sinulyapan ko ang table nila Jin and saw him laughing

"Okay." kibit balikat niya at nagdiretso na paalis. Hinabol ko lang siya ng tingin habang nakabukas ang labi, hindi makapaniwala na nilayasan niya talaga ako.

She really did left me!

Nakasimangot na kinuha ko ang cellphone sa table nang magbeep ito.

Ren-luv:
Stop staring at my cousin, also stop murdering the woman.

Inis na nagtype ako ng reply sa kan'ya.

Me:
I hate you. Don't text me!!!

After I send it tiningnan ko ulit ang lamesa ilang lamesa ang layo sa akin. Nakita kong tumayo na silang dalawa. Habang naglalakad ay nakahawak sa braso niya yung babae. Narinig ko pa ang hagikhikan ng dalawa nang mapadaan sila sa tabi ko. Yumuko ako at pasimple silang sinundan ng tingin. Tumayo na rin ako at dali dali silang sinundan.

"Hey!"

"Sorry! Sorry!"

Hinging paumanhin ko sa nabangga ko. Nakatanggap ako ng irap galing dito samantalang nakatingin siya sa cellphone niya habang lumalakad, kung nandito lang si Laurence ay baka sumagot pa iyon tapos napaaway pa kami.

Sinundan ko sila hanggang sa parking lot. Natulos ako sa kinatatayuan ko sa nakita ko. I step backwards so they won't notice me. I felt my heart skip its beat as I watch the two people few meters away from me. The two are kissing, enjoying each other's lips while touching each other's body sensually. Nanlulugong tumalikod ako sa kanila at naglakad na palayo.

Ilang araw ko pa lang naman siyang nakikilala, hindi pa personally. Ilang araw lang 'yon simula noong makabanggaan ko siya sa mall tapos ay sa bahay namin at nalaman ko na kaibigan siya ni kuya, pinsan ni Laurence at miyembro ng gang na kinabibilangan ni kuya na Dark Phoenix. Bakit sobrang sakit naman nito? It's just a crush, right? Infatuation! Mawawala rin ito, tiwala lang.

But then days passed I found myself stalking him. Going to places where he go. Following him around. For how many times I saw him making out with some other girl, different each days. In the parking lot, maybe also in his black BMW. Sa school, sa patagong parte. Tumatago na nga lang ako kay Laurence masundan lang siya tapos makikitako siyang ginagawa ng kababalaghan. Kung hindi lang ako sobrang bait ay baka nai-video ko na sila at ipinakita sa boards.

"You think I wouldn't know?" napapitlag ako sa lamig ng boses ni Laurence galing sa likod ko

"Ang alin?" maang maangan ko, sa loob ko ay namumutla na ako sa kaba

"Really? Stalking? If a person doesn't like you, stop."

"I'm not!" I lied

"Whatever."

Tahimik siyang naupo sa tabi ko at umub-ob sa table. Masyado na akong halata? So it means... alam rin ni Jin na nakabuntot ako palagi? Umawang ang labi ko at napasinghap.

Nagsimula at natapos ang klase ay wala ako sa sarili. Did he just pretend that everything's normal around him and there's no crazy girl following him all around? This is so embarrassing. Baka... baka sabihin niya kay kuya lalo pa akong mapahiya at hindi niya na ako pansining tuluyan. Oh my, God!

"Cassie aba'y kumain ka na! Lumalamig na ang pagkain mo! Wag mo nang hintayin ang kuya mo at busy sa babae iyon!"

Tipid akong ngumisi kay ate Juli na nasa harapan ko. Sinimulan ko na ang pagkain ng meryenda ko. Kailangan ko na munang tumigil at pawalain sa isip niya ang pagsunod sunod ko. I should focus more on my studies. Baka bumagsak ako mapagalitan pa ako ni daddy. About my parents, kailan kaya sila uuwi? I miss them so much.

Anyway Laurence called and told me she will pick me up later. We'll go out. Maaga natapos ang panghuli naming klase kaya ng 2:45 PM ay nai-dismiss na kami. Mamasyal kami ngayon. Naging madalas na ang paglabas namin ng ganito. Pero minsan rin sobrang busy siya. After the afternoon class hours nagmamadali siyang umalis o di kaya'y nagc-cutting siya. Kapag kasama ko naman siya ay tulala siya, seryoso at palaging may malalim na iniisip. Every time I will ask her "what's running inside your head?" she would always answer it "nothing important." then back to her deep thoughts. There's something wrong with her these days, while I'm occupied with my business following Jin, Laurence was out of reach, she's loosing. And some unknown and mysterious people were around. Eyes are sharp like they are watching us or just Laurence.

I know Ren's bad doings ever since tita passed away. She never told me about it but I knew it. I once followed her and witnessed how she beat those bad guys using only her body and strength.

"What do you wanna eat?" she asked

"Hmm? I'm full. Ikaw?"

She just shook her head and watch the people playing and having fun in the World of Fun. Maaga pa naman, wala naman si kuya sa bahay kaya baka mga hanggang 6PM ako dito o higit pa.

"Pwede ako hanggang gabi!" malawak ang ngising lingon ko kay Laurence

"Saan tayo pupunta?"

Hindi ko din alam. Gusto ko sanang sabihin pero umiling na lang ako. Siya ang nag-aya tapos wala naman pala kaming gagawin dito.

"Ubusin mo ulit iyong laman ng claw machine." suggest ko pero kahit ako ay wala ring maisip na gagawin

"Okay."

Minsan naiisip ko kung may iba pang laman ang vocabulary niya. Puro okay, tango at iling lang. Ayos na rin, naiintindihan ko naman.