Crime In Love Line

Chapter 23

Months had passed. It was sometimes terrifying that I'm feeling too much happy in my life. Natatakot ako na bakit, walang dumadating na problema sa buhay? Is fate dealing with my joyfulness? Or it was just preparing to give me something devastating that will ruin my life.

Nakakatakot. Masyado na akong masaya sa buhay. What if fate would someday surprise me and kill everything that was the reason of my current happiness?

The next days, ay may pasok na ulit. Same blockmates pa rin naman pero may mga transferee rin daw.

My mouth formed a huge smile when I saw Ruby, my former classmate on art class, walking on our classroom's aisle. She introduced herself before sitting beside me.

"Gago! L.A!" Mahina, ngunit mariin na bati ni Ruby. I greeted her with the same excitement. She became my closest friend before.

"Bakit L.A?" Nagtatakang sumingit sa gitna namin si Maenn.

"Dzuh! Lianne Aprilynn..." Kalog na sagot ni Ruby na akala mo'y close na kaagad sa mga kaklase ko.

Simula pa lang ng klase pero triple-triple na kaagad ang stress. We're assigned for various of researches and I'm glad na ka-grupo ko ang mga kaibigan ko.

"Ano ba yan! Punta na lang tayo sa party ng mga Cadiente," I heard Erich. It was the next month of our classes and nothing changed at all. Same routine, same people around me. "Libre pagkain tapos sigurado akong bongga!"

"Wala 'kang invitation! Hindi naman 'yon kagaya ng fiesta na pwede 'kang kumain kahit taga ibang baranggay ka!" Maenn answered while doing her nails. "Cadiente 'yon! At slapsoil ka lang!"

Inilapag ko saglit ang librong binabasa ko bago tumabi kina Maenn at Erich.

"Did I just heard...Cadiente?" I asked.

"Oo girl! Yung mga mayayaman?!" Erich answered. "Ang gwapo pa naman nung Nathaniel ba 'yon? Gagi tapos mukhang mabait pa! Gahd!"

I swallowed hard after confirming that they were referring to the same Cadiente on my mind. The family who ruined another family, for them to get their satisfactions on money.

"Eh, why daw may party?" I raised my brow.

"Birthday nung bunso, Nathalia ang pangalan." Singit ni Maenn. "Sabi sa article, double celebration daw dahil ikakasal na finally ang Cadiente at Salcedo! Yung mga Salcedo, gago mayayaman talaga 'yon! Ka apelyido mo, April..."

"May connection ka ba dun sa Ronaldo Salcedo, L.A?" Biglang tumabi sa'min si Ruby. "Ka-apelyido mo, eh."

My dad's name sounds like a villain. I shook my head before smiling a little.

"We're not rich so...obviously, ka-apelyido ko lang."

I'm confident that I could overcome everything I heard from my friends. Nathaniel, Nathalia, Sylvia and dad. They were like a sharp knives that keeps on stabbing my wretching heart. Masakit pa rin pero...wala na akong pakialam. Masaya na ako sa lahat ng meron ako ngayon.

Hindi na kami nagkasabay ni Jiro pauwi dahil may outputs pa raw siyang dapat tapusin. I went inside mom's room to ask her what she wants for dinner.

"Mom what do–"

I stopped when mom acted so suspicious, hiding something under her pillows. Bigla siyang nataranta at nahagip ng mata ko ang pills na itinago niya sa unan. I raised my brow but she just smiled sweetly like I saw nothing.

"Is...that a pill, mom?" My forehead creased.

"Eat na Lianne, I already cooked for dinner because I know that you're tired." She scoffed.