The Mysterious Mr. Black

20.5

Chapter 20 (Part Five)

I was taken back to present when a hand wrapped itself around my arm. "Hey are you alright?" my seatmate asked me. I looked around me and I'm still on the train. There was no available ticket at the airport and I took the train home as an alternative. By the looks of it outside, there's still hours left on my ride.

"Hey. Are you alright?" my seatmate asked again, looking more concerned.

"Why? What's the matter?" I asked. She pointed at my face. "Is something wrong?" I used my left hand to navigate my face, searching for anything alarming. My cheeks were wet. Did I cry without me noticing it?

"Yeah. It's fine. I just remembered something." I said to stop here from worrying.

"A sad memory?"

I wiped my face using my sleeve. "Maybe. It's what I'm trying to find out."

I looked outside the window. My penance starts now. I shall once again revisit that buried part of my memories no matter how much it would hurt me in the end. Confusion. Regret. And most importantly, guilt. I'm guilty of something that isn't exactly my fault. Or is it? I need to remember so that I can make a verdict. Because if I am truly innocent, why is my conscience bothering me?

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"Do you still want to explore more what Carmona Rosa has to offer?" I asked Hector when we reached our house.

"I think I'll pass. I'm tired from all that walking."he said.

"Good. Me too." It was just three in the afternoon and I think he can't do much in his room so I decided to invite him to our living room even though it is usually off-limits to guest. "Hey, if you got nothing to do, you can watch TV with me."

"Sure. I can do that."                        

We watched a movie in one of the channels and shortly after the film was done, my mother called us for dinner. Since he was our only guest, we invited him to join us for dinner.  My parents mostly did the talking and after supper, we went back to the living room to watch more TV. 

My father followed us afterwards "Is NCIS on?" he asked. It was his favorite TV show even though I don't understand the appeal of it. I changed the channel to CBS but it's currently on commercial.

"Hey Hector, Harvard, Upenn, Yale or Columbia?" he asked our visitor.

"That's stereotyping." he replied.

"Maybe. Maybe not. You look like the type that goes to an ivy league school. Am I wrong?"

"I say dropout!" I butted in. Hector stared at me offensively. "If it makes you feel better, most billionaires are college dropout."

"Harvard." he said as he looks at me to prove his point that I'm wrong.

"I knew it. Believe it or not, I was once a student in Harvard too." my dad replied. 

"Really dad? You went to Harvard?" I said sarcastically. I knew my father was smart but Harvard smart? My father has told a thousand lies and I'm calling that this is one of his fabricated dinner conversation.

"Yes, I did. I'm a dropout but I'm not a billionaire." funny how my father never mentioned his college life and where he got the money to study there. "Is the old man Carver still there?"

"Yep. Still talking about supply and demand."

"If  you see him go tell him to go fuck himself." 

I choked. I didn't expect those words to come out  of his mouth.

Hector grinned. "I certainly will."

"And tell him that I didn't cheat on his class. I've read the whole book thanks to his boring ass." my father added to his rant. There is certainly a deep seated hatred for that man I didn't even know.

"Dad, please don't take this the wrong way. Were you expelled from school because you cheated?" No wonder he never mentioned going to Harvard in college. 

"Allegedly cheating." he corrected. "Shhh! It's already starting." he shushed me because NCIS is back in broadcast but I knew he does not want to talk about it so I dropped it. After the program was done he left and said that he's going to bed.

The TV is already our but there was nothing interesting to watch. Hector probably got bored because when I glanced at him, he was arms crossed with his eyes closed.

I don't know what took over me but I ignored whatever is  playing on the TV and decided to take a good look at his face. Darn it. He is perfect. His faced is carved to perfection for the whole world to see. It's a sin not to stare.

Then I felt my heartbeat getting faster and faster. There's an indescribable warmth spreading through my body.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and I immediately turned my eyes away from his.

"Were you staring at me?" he chuckled. A wide grin on his face. 

There's no point denying it. He caught me and I can imagine myself being flustered right now. "Yes." I said but then an excuse appeared on my mind. "But only because you were snoring."

"I don't snore." 

"Yes, you do."

He yawned. "I think I'm going to hit the sack." he said.

Yes! Crisis averted.

"Yeah. Okay. Good night." I said.

He stood up and shook the dirt on his pants. "Good night." He replied and went on his way to his room.

I was left staring at the television screen but my mind was running somewhere else. After a realization that I wasn't watching anymore, I turned the TV off.

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