Aurora Borealis

Chapter 21 - Pulled Trigger

>> • EAST • <<

This feels odd.

My twin brother and I went to grab a bite on a drive-thru for lunch, but Jamila refused.

"I've never seen her so distressed." bati ni West at pinihit ang manibela upang iparada ito sa parking space.

"You noticed too?"

We arrived back on the university right after we managed to buy our lunch. There are numerous cafeterias out here in the university, but we can afford to wait for so long since West's grumbling stomach and his rants were as long as the waiting lines for the cafeteria.

"Kahit hindi niya sabihin, mababasa naman sa mukha niya." kaswal na tugon niya at tinulungan akong bumaba sa sasakyan. "Perhaps there's an issue between her and her boyfriend."

Umiling ako, "I don't think so. Talon seems fine earlier. Hinanap niya pa nga sa 'kin si Jamila kanina, aayain daw niya ng date sa Sabado."

"I don't think that it is what you think so. Baka may misunderstanding na nangyari kaya nagbabalak siyang mag-aya ng date. Mas laganap pa ang mga gano'ng tipo ng lalaki na nag-e-effort lang kung kailan sa tingin nila kailangan."

"Whatever. How's your racket going?" tanong ko at kumagat sa shawarma.

"Affirmative. Angelu's coming with me—hey! Bakit mo kinagatan yung burger? Pinahawak ko lang sa 'yo 'yan!" binawi niya sa kamay ko ang burger at nakangiwing tinitigan iyon. "Kadiri! May laway mo na. Ano ba yan..."

"Para laway lang, wala naman 'yang kamandag. Akala mo nakalimutan ko na kaya ka nagbibigay ng pagkain sa 'kin noon kesyo nahulog na sa lupa." I sardonically grinned.

Pikit-matang kumagat siya roon at nagpatuloy sa paghatid sa 'kin. "I'll remember this."

On our way to the building, nakasalubong namin ang humahangos na si Jamila. Seems she's on a phone call with someone while rushing through.

"Jamila!" tawag ko sa kaniya ngunit mukhang hindi niya kami napansin. Sa halip, mas binilisan pa niya ang pagtakbo.

"Should we chase her?" tanong pa ni West. He squinted his eyes and placed his hands sidewards on his eyebrows, trying to follow Jamila's trails with his sight despite the blinding rays of the humid noon.

"What if it's serious?" tanong ko pabalik sa kaniya at hinatak ang braso nito upang tumingin sa wristwatch niya, "Anong oras na?"

"I'll contact Talon. Maybe he knows the reason." ani West at kinuha ang kaniyang phone.

"We still have fifteen minutes." pagsang-ayon ko pa. "We should check on them."

"Don't you think we should get paid as private investigators? Or espionages? Or partners in crime—"

"Yes, yes, you may now shut up. Now, work." utos ko sa kaniya. "You can save those dreams of yours for later. Sa ngayon, pumwesto muna tayo sa may lilim. Malapit nang magliyab 'tong anit ko."

Humuni-huni pa siya habang nagri-ring ang phone, "Oh, he picked up. Hello, bud. It's me, West."

Hindi ko marinig ng ayos ang pinag-uusapan nila dahil ayaw niyang i-loudspeaker ang tawag. Doon ko na kinurot ang binti niya dahilan at naibaba niya nang hindi sadya ang phone. Inabot ko ito at ako ang nakinig sa tawag.

"Frankly speaking, I don't have an idea what's happening to her. Noong isang araw pa siya nagkakaganyan. Tinanong ko siya kung anong mali o kung may problema ba, pero wala siyang sinasabi sa 'kin. I mean, I can help her is she wants me to." paliwanag ni Talon mula sa kabilang linya.

Panay naman sa pagsenyas si West sa akin na ibigay sa kaniya ang phone ngunit iling lamang ang sinagot ko sa kaniya. Bumusangot ito at padabog na naupo sa bench na nasa tabi ng punong kinaroroonan namin.

"May napag-awayan ba kayo recently? Like, mga instances na nakita ka niyang may kasamang babae or what?"  tanong ko pa.

There was a long silence on the other line. Perhaps he's digging up and recollecting his recent encounters these past few days.

"Uhm, no. Our block in the Architecture department consists of all males, by coincidence. Also, I don't have any girl bestfriends so interacting with other women aside from her, my mom, and some of my professors seems less likely." he enunciated.

"I see. Just now, we ran into each other. She's heading to the university gates."

"Really? Thanks for informing me! I've been looking for her since yesterday but some of her blockmates told me that she went home early. Thank you, really. Leave her to me."

He then hung up.

"Are you done making phone calls from someone's phone?" naiinip na tanong ni West nang inabot ko 'to sa kaniya. "Anong sabi niya?"

"Siya na raw bahala kay Jamila."

"At tayo na rin ang bahala sa kaniya." dugsong pa ni West. From the looks of it, he doesn't feel like going to his remaining classes. I'll tell him on Lola later.

"Let's go, East." iniliko niya ang wheelchair paharap sa direksyon ng entrance.

"What? Where are we going?"

Hindi niya sinagot ang tanong ko at tinulak ang wheelchair na para bang shopping cart lamang ang tinutulak niya.

"Magdahan-dahan ka naman!" sigaw ko sa kaniya ngunit nagpatuloy lamang siya sa pagtutulak nito habang tumatakbo.

Naramdaman kong nagvibrate ang phone ko kaya agad ko itong kinuha sa bag ko habang nasa kalagitnaan ng rides na sinasakyan ko ngayon.

"H-Hello?"

"East..."

"Jamila— Ano ba, West? Hindi ka talaga titigil?"

Nakangisi nitong inihinto ang wheelchair sa isang sulok malapit sa guard's desk.

"Jamila, nasa'n ka? Bakit ka tumatakbo kanina?" tanong ko.

"E-East..." bakas sa boses niya ang panginginig.

Nagkatinginan kami ni West. Tinapunan lamang ako nito ng nagdududang tingin.

I shrugged my shoulders off.

"Anong nangyari, Jamila?"

"N-Nandito ako sa terminal pauwi..."

"Huh?" halos malaglag ang panga ko sa narinig, "Bakit?"

"Baka hindi na muna ako pumasok sa mga susunod na araw." matamlay na sagot nito.

"May sakit ka ba? May clinic dito sa university—" binatukan ko na siya bago pa siya makabanat.

"Hindi. Uuwi muna ako sa 'min. Sa probinsya."

A screeching sound was heard from her side. Looks like a train has just arrived on the terminal she's in.

"Anong problema?"

"W-Wala."

"Sigurado ka?"

"Hmm-mm."

"Sige, pag may problema ka, magsabi ka. We'll try our best na makatulong." sagot ko na lamang.

"Salamat... kailangan ko pang mag-ayos ng papeles para makauwi."

"Are you gonna go on an airplane or something?" pagsingit ni West. "Maybe we can help you."

"Thank you so much. I'll take an airplane since I think it's much faster to get there. Kailangan ko talagang umuwi agad." saad niya.

Her voice was finally put into ease. The shaking has stopped, although the hint of disappointment is still there.