Splendiferous (Legazpi #1)

Thirteen

13.

Xerxes placed me back inside the car because of the rain while he's still outside while talking with someone on the phone. Minutes later, I saw Denver coming to our place riding Xerxes' black Ducati Diavel.

"You made me drive all the way from Muntinlupa to Sampaloc just to get your goddamn motorbike and bring it to you in the middle of the rain?" Denver scoffed when he arrived. Tulad ni Xerxes ay basa na rin ito dahil sa ulan.

"I have no choice. My friends got important stuffs to do. And, I cannot contact Rengell. Alangan namang si Lance pa ang tawagan ko gayong bumalik na 'yon sa Batangas?" Xerxes answered.

"Sino ba kasing may gawa sa'yo—" natigil ito sa pagsasalita at kumunot ang noo habang nakatingin sa akin na umiyak.

"I know what you're thinking, fucker." Xerxes pulled down my wig. "Arlszent's not gay and I'm not with him, this is his sister."

"And why is she dressed up like a male?"

"Long story and I have no time to chitchat it with you."

Napasinghap ito. "Well, as I was saying, sinong may kagagawan niyang pagbabaril sa sasakyan mo?"

"El hijo de puta que asiste a la misma escuela que yo," Xerxes said in a blank tone. "Sino pa ba?"

(TRANSLATION: The son of a bitch who attends the same school as me.)

"This is obviously still about what you did to that Chivas and Dela Gente, huh?" makahulugang sambit ni Denver. "Talagang pagtatangkaan kang patayin niyan."

I heard Xerxes tsk-ed. "I won't even let them."

Nakaramdam ako ng gulat ngunit hindi ko iyon ipinahalata. So those firing of guns a while ago has something to do with the rape case? Hindi ko naman naintindihan iyong sinagot ni Xerxes nung tinanong ni Denver kung sino dahil ibang lenggwahe ang isinagot niya kaya pinili kong manghula na lang.

Are those the police or some kind of constabulary or gendarmes? Because if yes, they shouldn't have fired their guns that way!

Sa kabilang parte, hindi ko alam pero masaya akong hindi nahuli si Xerxes. I don't know why I became chuffed that Xerxes dispatched the car chasing after us. And the part where he assured that I won't die, I felt at ease… I felt secured with him.

"So what's your plan with this Lambo of yours?" Denver asked, pointing at Xerxes' car. Basag na ang isang bintana noon pati ang isang side mirror. Madami ring bakas dito ng mga balang tumama dahil sa sunod-sunod na pagpapaputok kanina.

"Ipaayos mo tapos ibenta mo na," saad ni Xerxes. "Ipapa-padala ko na lang 'yong iba kong sasakyan."

"Hati tayo sa magiging bayad ng bibili niyan. Ako ang magpapaayos, e," pangongondisyon ni Denver.

"Kahit sa'yo na lahat. I don't care," walang ganang sagot ni Xerxes. "Leave now. And don't tell anyone about this."

"Cuidate primo," saad ni Denver at tumango. Hula ko ay nagpaalam na ito.

(TRANSLATION: Take care, cousin.)

"Cuidate," Xerxes replied. "Alis na. Balikan mo na 'yong bata mo."

Denver laughed insultingly. "Pati ba naman ikaw? "

"Biro lang," Xerxes replied. "Pero huwag mong totohanin."

"Nasa tama akong pag-iisip," ani Denver.

When Denver left, Xerxes loosened his grip on me and placed a helmet on my head before wearing his. Sumakay na ito sa kanyang Ducati bago ako nilingon at sinenyasang sumakay.