Sweet Lies: Ashford Pizarras

Chapter 9

"I'LL repeat myself in case you haven't heard me, Antheo." Ashford walked briskly towards his brother, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer. "What the hell are you doing here?!" He shouted at Antheo.

"Good to see you too, brother," Antheo replied as a response and tried to push Ashford away from him.

But he didn't budged.

"Kung 'good' sa'yo ang makita ako, then you're an eyesore to see." He pulled Antheo even closer and clenched his other hand. "You know, I couldn't care less wherever you are, but I could care less whenever you're near," he added.

Ashford was about to lift his clenched fist and punched Antheo in the face when a hand grabbed his arm.

He turned around to see that it was Gonzalo, shaking his head.

"Kalma lang tayo, hm?" Gonzalo uttered. He then looked at Ashford and smiled. "Ashford, calm the fuck down, please?" He added, while keeping his smile sarcastically.

Ashford sighed before letting go of Antheo's collar briskly. "Fine." He kept his glare at Antheo, who can be seen slightly smirking. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Antheo then brushed his t-shirt. "Nandito na ako, way before your friends got here," he replied.

"What?" Ashford asked again. "How did you—"

"I followed you once when you were visiting him." He smirked even more. "Then, nalaman ko kung saan niyo siya tinatago."

"You followed me here?!" Ashford raised another fist, aiming it on Antheo's face.

"You motherfu—"

Ashford was cut when a hand slapped his nape.

He angrily turned around to see who it was.

It was Arlo, ang irritation is plastered on his face.

"Hindi ka ba titigil sa kagaguhan mo?" Arlo exclaimed at him. "You fucking idiot. Umayos ka nga, para kang tanga."

Ashford somewhat growled, then he looked back at Antheo. "Explain why do you think that someone helped him escape," he asked him.

Antheo then cleared his throat and began speaking. "Bago pa natin siya ikulong, 'di ba't confiscated lahat ng gamit niya?"

And the four nodded synchronously.

"Kung wala siyang gamit, kahit isa, paano siya makakatakas nang siya lang mag-isa?" Antheo asked them. "Unless someone opened the gates and barricades of his cell," he added.

"The explanation seems plausible," Arlo butts in. He then turned to Ashford and the rest of their friends. "May point si Antheo. Some of our gates have a keypad lock. And it's located to the other side of the door, contrary to his position." He then turned his gaze away from them. "Plus, maliban sa mga gumawa, naglagay ng mga gate at barricade na 'yon, and tayong apat, wala nang ibang nakakaalam ng code. Maliban sa'tin, wala nang ibang may access sa mga susi ng mga 'yon."

And immediately, Ashford turned his gaze towards Antheo.

"Oh, bakit ka nakatingin sa'kin?" Antheo asked, slightly backing away.

"You. You told us na may tumulong sa kaniya. How did you know that?" He stepped closer as he asked.

"Oh, boy. Here we go again," Jax muttered underneath his breath.

Antheo gulped. "O-Of course, I'd know. Hindi naman siya makakatakas kung wala siyang katulong—"

"Then how did you know that he escaped?" Ashford retaliated, cutting off Antheo's sentence.