I
Tuluy-tuloy na sumugod sa kanya si Stell habang hawak-hawak nito ang isang blade cutter na hindi niya malaman kung saan nito nakuha. Ngunit hindi siya natinag. Nanatili lamang siya kung nasaan siya nakaupo.
Stell suddenly stopped just as the tip of the blade reached Tala's neck. "This is why I should avoid sleeping nowadays. Damn..." Aniya. Inilapag niya sa mesa ang hawak na cutter. "But I hate this waking world..." He muttered to himself.
"Nobody can't not sleep at some point," Tala commented. "And the same goes for 'sleeping' while their body is actually awake."
Umayos ng upo si Stell sa tabi ni Tala. Nakikain na rin ito sa mga junk food niya at kinuha ang remote ng TV. "I think I somehow failed to convince him. I didn't get to take your cat. It's frustrating when I'm ready to be a cat-parent."
Tala gave him a look of disbelief.
"What? Hindi ba sinabi ko nang wala akong kinalaman sa nangyari sa alaga mo?" Stell explained. "And whoever did that isn't around anymore. That, I can guarantee."
"Don't you feel a little bit pathetic taking my place?" Tala tried to taunt him. "Doesn't it get to you when he's actually talking to me and not you?"
Ngumiti si Stell. "Why? We are both Tala and Stell. Who's who doesn't even matter... but who's the one with him... doing some things with him."
Pinalikot ni Stell ang isip niya, ngayon ay siya pa yata ang mauunang mapikon. Gusto niyang malaman kung ano ang ginawa ng kakambal habang kasama nito kanina si Juno. Bakit nu'ng nagkita sila sa studio ay hinawakan nito ang kanyang kamay?
"Ha-ha-ha!" Nagtatawa si Stell. "It's okay, Tata... it's okay, really. I created a situation where the both of us can be with him." He patted his twin's shoulders. "I know he's wary of you as of now..." Stell touched the engagement ring he now owned. "And I have the upperhand... but I'm sure you can catch up. He liked us both and he couldn't hide it."
"Tapatin mo nga ako, Tell... may galit ka ba kay Juno?"
"No... No!" Sunud-sunod ang pag-iling ni Stell. "It's not like that!" Hinawakan niya ang kanyang dibdib. "I'm madly in love with him... I can even say I love him more than I love you... so... it's really your fault you can't take your paws off him."
Tumayo si Tala upang makalayo sa kakambal. "Hindi ako lalayo sa tabi niya hangga't nandito ka. No one trusts you anymore."
Stell slowly clapped. "That's the spirit, Tata! Natiis mo nga ang ilang taon na pag-aligid sa kanya nang hindi siya nilalapitan, eh. Ngayon pa kaya? This is the best competition we've ever had!"
"Fuck, don't treat this like a competition!" Tala said as he almost lost his cool.
On the other hand, Stell sat calmly while peeling off the wrapper of a chocolate bar he got from the center table. "Then start becoming competitive or you'll cry. As far as I know, I'm not the twin who forced himself to be liked by someone who doesn't even care if he existed."
II
Kung sa akala niya ay nag-rerelax na si Leighton sa bahay ng parents nito sa mga oras na ito ay nagkakamali siya. Nalaman niya na ibinalik na naman pala ito sa loob ng mansyon ni Morris.
Naabutan niya ito sa may sala, nakatayo sa isang hindi-kataasang bangko at hinahagupit ng mayordoma ni Morris ng sinturon sa likod ng hita nito.
