Before Reality Knocks (DLC Series #1)

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

"Blair? What are you doing here?" Gulat na bulalas ni Jamarius.

Napatingin ako kay Damphier.

Hindi niya ba sinabi sa kanila na kasama ako ngayon? Why do they look so clueless?

Damphier removed his gaze from me, fixing it on Jamarius.

"I invited her."

Kumunot ang noo ni Jamarius. "Pier, you know this isn't... we're not just planning to attend an opera―"

"She knows," pag-puputol ni Damphier sa sinasabi ni Jamarius.

"What do you mean she knows?" Dewi interjected.

I decided to speak for myself. "If this is about the plan about Aeros, I'm already aware of it."

"What?" gulat na bulalas ni Jamarius. Nilingon niya si Damphier. "Pier, are you serious?" nang hindi sumagot ang huli ay ibinaling sa 'kin ni Jamarius ang kanyang atensyon. He sighed in frustration, "Blair, I'm sorry but this isn't just some child's play you could join in―"

"Who said anything about this being a child's play?" 

Jamarius is a nice guy but when it comes to matters like this, ibang-iba na siya. I would've been offended by now only if I wasn't aware of it.

Ayaw man nilang tanggapin ang presensya ko ay wala na silang nagawa. Damphier refused to go on without me and I refused to leave without getting what I came here for. In the end, we came to a consensus to bear with each other's presence just for tonight.

Sabay-sabay kaming pumasok sa loob ng opera house dahil mag-sisimula na daw ito in ten minutes. Pre-order pala ang ticket, buti nalang pala at nabilhan ako ni Damphier in advance.

"Why didn't you tell them?" I asked Damphier when I finally had the chance. Kaming dalawa kasi iyong nahuhuling mag-lakad.

"If I had, you wouldn't be here." Napalingon ako sa kanya, samantala diretso lang ang tingin niya sa harap. "They would never approve of you being here. A spontaneous meeting would have more chances of being a success. As you can see."

He does make a good point. Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman ko na ayaw talaga akong pasamahin nila Jamarius. May utak din pala 'tong si Damphier.

Naupo na kami sa pwesto namin. May kalayuan ito mula sa stage pero naaaninang parin naman namin ang huli. Katabi ko si Damphier sa kanan samantalang sa kaliwa ko naman ay isang estranghero.

"Why here?" Napatingin ako sa stage nang biglang lumiwanag ang screen at lumabas roon ang katagang Teatro de la Zarzuela's 10th Anniversary.

"Aeros' father is one of the people who made this opera house come to life. He's one of the founders." 

Mabilis akong napalingon sa kanya. "Really?" I asked, wide-eyed. "Son of a bitch. His family's fucking―"

"Shhh!" Napapitlag ako nang may mang-sita sa 'kin. Pag-lingon ko sa tabi ko ay may matandang babae roon na masama ang tingin sa 'kin.

I clamped my mouth before returning my attention to Damphier. "―loaded." I continued in a low voice.

His expression turned serious. "Do you want to know why?"

My eyes widened in curiosity. "Why?"

Bahagya akong napaatras nang ilapit ni Damphier ang mukha niya sa 'kin. Hindi nag-bago ang kanyang ekspresyon, nanatili lang itong seryoso. And, in a low voice, he spoke. "They are the number one supplier of submarines used to smuggle drugs in the country."