Beneath Your Smile (The Old And The New Series #1)

Kabanata 13

Kabanata 13

I stormed my way out of their Headquarters when I heard noises outside.

Hindi ko alam paano ako naka alis gayon na kanina ay nahihirapan ako. Pero sigurado akong hinayaan ako ni Demetrio na makalabas dahil narinig din nito ang ang ingay na nagmula sa labas.

And when I was out, I came face to face with Demetrio's mates. Gulat ang naipinta sa mga mukha nila paglabas na paglabas ko ng Headquarters nila. Narinig ko pa ang ilang gulat na sinabi ng iba sa isa't isa ngunit ipinagpatuloy ko ang paglayo.

I saw Tobias leaning on his car and a phone on his hand. Nakangiti pa si Toby at umiiling. Pero nang ilang baitang na lamang ang layo ko mula sa kanya at tumayo ito ng tuwid.

Nalukot ang noo niya nang makita ang mukha ko. Maybe the irritation was visible on my face kaya gano'n na lang ang reaction niya. Hindi ko siya pinansin at pumasok sa sasakyan. Matunog kong sinara ang pinto. Mabilis na sumunod si Tobias papasok sa driver's seat.

"What happened?" he asked.

Humalukipkip ako. "Nothing." Iniling ko ang ulo para makatotohanan. "Can we go now? I want to go home," I said. The possibility of Demetrio to follow me was big. Lalo na at hindi ko sinagot ang tanong niya at matulin na umalis sa Headquarters nila.

But then, maybe his mates will question him. Na bakit ako nando'n? Ang alam ko'y walang may pumapasok sa Headquarters nila. Only the officers are allowed. E, hindi naman ako officer kaya siguradong marami ang nagulat sa nakita nila na lumabas ako ng Headquarters nila.

"No. We can't. I am still waiting for Toden and Chary."

"Okay. I'm gonna sleep. Wake me up if nandito na ang dalawa," nasabi ko na lang para hindi na ako tanungin ni Toby.

Alanganin na tango ang naisagot ni Toby sa akin habang tinitingnan ako sa rearview mirror. I just rolled my eyes at humiga sa upuan.

Nagising ako dahil sa walang tigil na pagyugyog ng katawan ko. Dahan-dahan kong minulat ang mga mata at nabungaran ko si Toby na nakayuko. His curly brown long hair was all over his face. It was already covering the sides of his face because it was too long.

"B-Bakit?" I asked, my voice was groggy.

"Nasa bahay na tayo," sambit nito.

Alerted, I stood up and studied my surroundings. Nakatulog ako? Nasa garahe na nga kami. Kunot ang noo ko. Hindi nila ako ginising?

"Saan umupo sina Toden and Chary?" I asked.

"Chary sat at the passenger's seat. Inangat lang ni Toden ang ulo mo at nilagay sa hita niya para hindi ka na magising."

"Oh... Sa'n ang dalawa?" I inquired.

"Nakapasok na."

...

Days passed like a blur. Demetrio never tried to talk to me. And I can't help but to roll my eyes whenever I remembered what we did last time in their Headquarters.

What a crumby place for him to pull a Defensor like me!

The Defensor clan is known in our school because of my grandmother, down to her children, to the wives' of her children, and to us. Especially Ely who is loved by many.

My mom is Italian and also my cousins' mom. It was rare that my father and his brothers married also to an Italian woman, and they met their wife in our school!

It was a rare coincident that my teachers who are close to my parents' age recognized my parents and their love story here in our school. Nangingilabot pa ako kapag kinukuwento nila ang love story ng mga magulang ko sa buong klase. It was not to be proud of, you know. For me, but I found out that most of my classmates, women, liked their story. But as for me, who grew up with them, it creeped me. Kahit naman sina Toby, Chary, at Toden ay gano'n din. Hinahayaan na lang namin minsan na mag-overshare ang mga guro. As if may magagawa pa kami.