The Legacy (COMPLETED)

XLIX. The Appearance of the Mushroom

I was happy na walang nakasunod sa amin. Looks like Kenjie didn't follow us after all. Siguro he's giving us a headstart. Well, no matter what his reason is, I'm thankful. Gusto kong gumala na walang inaalala. But of course, kahit gusto ko man, kelangan kong maging magmatyag. We are not certain of what his intention is.

I stopped the car in front of a fastfood chain. Nilingon ko sila pero nasa magkabilang direksyon pa rin yung tingin nila.

"Kain muna tayo?" aya ko sa kanila.

Halos magkasabay nila akong nilingom at ngumiti. "Tara!"

I never saw them this happy before. Ang taas naman ng energy nila. Parang kanina lang wala sa mood tapos ngayon bigla nalang ngingiti. Napailing nalang ako. Were they sharing the same mind?

"Let me open the door for you," sabi ni Cato. Agad silang nagkatinginan ni Noah.

Uh-oh. Mukhang mag-uunahan na sila.

Hindi nga ako nagkamali. Nag-uunahan silang makalabas ng sasakyan pero bago pa man sila makalabas ay agad kong tinanggal yung seat belt at lumabas ng sasakyan. Huli na nang makalabas sila kasi nasa labas na din ako.

"Will both of you stop? It's annoying!" reklamo ko.

They are being too much. Hindi naman kailangan akong pagbuksan ng pinto. I am more than capable of doing so.

"But I always do it for you," sabi ni Noah.

Walang-gana ko siyang nilingon. Yung totoo? 'E never pa nga niya akong pinagbuksan 'e. He was too preserved to show his feelings to anyone. Yes, pinaramdam niya sa akin na special ako sa kanya but he never open car doors for me. Ngayon nandito si Cato, he's acting like that? Bakit? Takot ba siyang mas pipiliin ko si Cato keysa sa kanya?

"It's not surprising for me to do it, diba?" sabi naman ni Cato.

Unlike Noah, Cato does open car doors for me. He's a romantic kind of guy. Sobrang gentleman niya din talaga. But he knew too well that I can manage opening the door. Why make a fuss?

"Alam niyo, tama na muna 'yan," pagsusuko ko. "Kain nalang muna tayo, okay?"

Magkasabay silang tumango. Buti naman at sumang-ayon sila. Nagsimula na akong humakbang papalapit sa fastfood habang nakasunod naman sila sa akin. I am really hungry. Sana magbehave muna sila ngayon.

When we entered the fastfood chain agad kaming nakahanap ng mauupuan. The two fought kung sino ng uupo sa tabi ko. Sa huli ay sila yung magkatabi habang nakaupo ako sa harapan nila.

Hindi pa dyan nagtapos yung away nila. They're even fighting over who's gonna take the order. In the end, silang dalawa yung pumunta ng counter para um-order. 'E hindi pa nga nila nakuha kung ano yung gusto kong kainin. Hay! Bahala na silang bumili. As long as I can eat. I'm famished.

Nilibang ko nalang yung sarili ko sa mga taong naglalakad sa kabilang side ng glass window. One of these may be part of the Mafia, we'll never know. I don't know when they'll strike, but I'm preparing myself.

"The witch isn't with you?"

I was interrupted by a familiar voice. Agad ko siyang nilingon at nanlaki yung mata ko nang makita kung sino yung nakaupo sa tabi ko.

"Lucca!" I exclaimed.

"Olivia," he smiled.

I immediately hugged him. Ghad! Hindi ko inasahang makakita ako ng pamilyar na mukha ngayon! I immediately broke free from the hug. Hindi pa rin siya nagbabago. Para pa rin siyang kabute na kahit saan nalang sumusulpot.

"Ikaw lang?" he roamed his eyes. "Nasaan sina Tita Snow?"

Malungkot akong ngumiti. "About that. I ran away."

Bumilog yung mga mata niya. "You what?! Bakit?!"

Bumuntong-hininga ako. Sinabi ko sakanya kung ano yung nangyari and he was actually listening. There's no point of hiding it from him. Besides, he's family.

"What a mess," komento niya.

"Yeah. Kaya mog ipagsabi kahit kanino, huh? Kahit nina Tito Stephen. Hindi alam nina Mama na nandito ako," sagot ko.

"You're basically hiding right now. Look how much you've changed! Ang badass mo na!"

"Hindi naman badass. Ano ba?"

Nagulat nalang kami nang padabog na inilapag nina Noah at Cato yung mga pagkain sa mesa. Gulat namin silang nilingon.

"Who are you?" halos magkasabay nilang tanong.

Naguguluhan kaming nagkatinginan ni Lucca. Yung mata niya parang tinatanong kung sino yung nasa harap namin. Biglang sumilay yung pilyong ngiti sa mga labi niya saka niya ako inakbayan. Napatingin yung dalawa sa kamay ni Lucca na nakaakbay sa akin.

"Bakit? Anong kailangan niyo sa prinsesa ko?" nang-aasar niyang tanong.

Gulat akong napalingon sa kanya pero kinindatan niya lang ako. Napairap nalang ako. He's trying to make the fire bigger.

"Get your hands off her," madiin na utos ni Noah.

Lucca squinted his eyes at Noah. "Kilala kita," he paused. "You're a Stein, tama?"

"Oo," simpleng sagot ni Noah pero hindi pa rin inalis yung mga mata niya sa kamay ni Lucca.

"M'lady," kuha ng atensyon ni Cato sa akin. "Sino siya?"

Inalis ko yung pagkaakbay ni Lucca sa akin na siyang ikinatawa niya nang mahina. Dun na kumalma yung dalawa pero hindi pa rin nila nilubayan ng tingin si Lucca.

"Si Lucca nga pala," pagpapakilala ko. "Pinsan ko."

Their facial expression softened. Para silang nabunutan ng tinik. Napaupo na din sila.

"It's my turn to ask," sabi ni Lucca. "Who's this guy?" turo niya kay Cato.

"He's Cato Gordon. He's been by my side nung nasa The Grounds pa kami."

"Pleasure meeting you," inilahad ni Cato yung kamay niya kay Lucca.

"Oh, fancy," komento niya bago tinanggap yung kamay ni Cato. "The pleasure is mine."

Natahimik ulit kami. Lucca was looking at the two boys in front of us, amused. Habang yung dalawa naman ay hindi maipinta yung mga mukha. Looks like the feud between them didn't end yet.

"Kung tama lang yung deductions ko, the two men in front of us likes you, right?" basag ni Lucca sa katahimikan.

Him being the detective wannabe never fails. Talagang on point yung mga deductions niya. Oh well, it's not that surprising. His mom is a detective and the situation is very much obvious.

"Let's not talk about that," sagot ko. "Pag-uusapan muna natin kung saan tayo tutuloy."

"Why not at our mansion?" suhestiyon ni Noah. "There's a lot of space for us."

"No," madiin na sagot ni Cato. "You know the place better than anyone else. I can't give you the advantage of hiding Via away from me."

Huh? Ang wild naman ng imagination!

"I disagree too. Stein Mafia was affiliated with the Ahedres in the past. Alam din ni Kenjie na kasama ka namin. It would be easy to track us down if we stay where they expected us to stay," sagot ko. "Secondly, if we have to stay there, I won't let Noah hide me."

"Tsk."

I can't imagine Noah and me hiding. Kahit anong kababuyan na ang naiiisip ko kung mangyari man 'yun. I need to stop!

"Why not in my condo?" suhestyon ni Lucca. "No one knows that we've met today. Plus, it's totally safe there. Don't worry. Hindi ko itatago si Via. I'm not an incest."