The Prowess Inside - COMPLETED

Chapter 20: Love Life

WALKING has always been a therapy for me. It always refreshes my mind every time I do so but at this time it felt like the opposite. The tension from the earlier scene did not assuaged. Everyone looked bothered and are drowning from their own thoughts. Honestly, I do not know what to do, so I have decided to invite them here, in a place surrounded with tall and enormous trees with the leaves that has the same hue as the sunset. The surroundings looked like a scenery in an autumn but the truth is it does not have anything to do with the season. This place is all natural no matter the position of the earth towards the sun; no matter the degree of the temperature; a place that science cannot explain.

" Where are we going? " Datu Pula suddenly asked. Maybe, to lessen the intense ambiance around us. 

" Palengke, magdadag tayo ng stocks, pa-ubos na 'yon hindi ba? " Sagot at pagbabalik tanong ko subalit hindi pakaniya ang panghuli kong mga salita at tila napansin naman niya iyon dahil bumaling din ang tingin niya sa taong tinitingnan ko.

" What!? " Asik ni Gai sa amin ng mapansin niya ang aming mga tingin. He is still in his bad mood. Nagpapahuli nga ito sa paglalakad at salubong parin ang mga kilay. Way too different from the Gai that is always playful and the guy that always have that mischievous glint in his eyes.

" Pa-ubos na ang  stocks natin sa kusina hindi ba? " Malumanay na tanong ko ulit sakanya bago siyanilapitan at inakbayan at dahil mas mataas siya sa akin ng halos ilang sintemetro lang ay hindi iyon naging mahirap gawin. " Oh eh ano ngayon? " Pabalang niyang sagot kaya naman sinamaan ko siya ng tingin, hindi nagustohan ang tonong pinakawalan niya pero tinawanan lang ako ng loko.

" Yeah, paubos na yung stocks, actually the other day ko pa napansin, " wika niya sa kalmadong boses bago ako inakbayan pabalik at ngumisi. " You know what, speaking of pansin, kanina ka pa ah, may gusto ka sakin noh? Baby? " Malakas na aniya bago natawa na para bang sayang-saya siya sa pinaggagawa. I rolled my eyes at him to hide my amusement dahil ang bilis mag-shift ng mood niya. Napabuntong-hininga ako ng dahil doon.

" Hindi ka na galit? " I asked again ng nakatingala sa kanya habang siya naman ay diretso na ang tingin sa daan. Tumingin din siya sa gawi ko at sinabayan ang aking titig. He's emerald eyes are twinkling in playfulness. Ngumisi siya bago ininguso ang kaniyang mga labi, umaaktong hahalik. Nasa pinakahuli kami ng lahat kaya walang nakakapansin, pero bago pa man niya ituloy ang balak ay malakas kong tinampal sa kaniyang buong  pagmumukha ang aking kaliwang kamay pero imbes na magalit ay hagalpak lang ang naging tugon niya sa ginawa ko.  He seem to be back to normal, huh. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin para mahimasmasan pero patuloy parin siya! 

" Nakakatawa 'yon!? " Asik ko sakanya ng akbayan niyang muli ako. He grinned then responded, " slight! " He's other hand that is not on my shoulder did a gesture that indicates ' a little ' based on my comprehension. I shook my head before I smiled mockingly, my gaze are all set to the little village in front of us.

" We're near huh, by the way, I know where your bracelet is, " I uttered my last words carefully and almost voiceless. Gai just eyed me suspiciously, slightly glaring but of course, I did not mind it. I just winked at him playfully, fixed his curly hair a little, before advancing to reach the spot in front of everybody. When I did, I smiled at them all. Everybody is here, namely, Gai, Datu Pula, Lee, Walter and Paris who is looking at me with their confused expressions, Zach who's silent and looking bothered, while Ivan who never seized to be emotionless almost everytime.

" So should we shop now, or later? " I asked them while smiling broadly.

" Food, " they said in unison making me grin even more. 

" Same thought, " I laughed at my own remark bago ako nagpati-unang maglakad papunta sa isang lumang kapehan na pinakamalapit sa kinatatayuan namin. 

' Kapehan ni Gloria ' the wooden signage states bago ito tuluyang mahulog sa doorsteps. Napailing nalang ako ng nakangiti habang binubuksan ang dalawang pwerta.

" Naaaaayyyy Gloriaaaa! " I shouted dahilan para manlaki ang mga mata ng mga kasama ko. 

" Bastos, uy! " Pagsasaway ni Paris dahil pinagtitinginan na kami ng mga tao sa paligid pero tinawanan ko lang siya bago sumigaw ulit. " NAAAAAAYYYY MAY SUNOOOOOGGG! " 

Lee took me by the arm gently para mapalapit ako sakanya bago niya sinalpak ang isang kamay niya sa bibig ko ng makitang sisigaw nanaman ako.

" Ang sasama na ng tingin nila, Flare, alam ko kung paano manuntok pero, pre, please lang ang lalaki ng mga 'yan, " bulong niya pa sa tenga ko dahilan para mamula ako sa pagpipigil ng tawa. Ang OA ng mga 'to ah! 

" Flarey Claret?! " An old woman's sweet voice called me dahilan para makawala ako sa hawak ni Lee. 

" Nay Gloria! " I excitedly said out of glee. People around are looking at us with their forlorn look. I do not understand why they are like that but I did not have the fortune of time to ask dahil bigla-bigla na lang din akong hinablot ng matanda sa kamay bago sinabihan ang mga kasama ko na sumunod sa kaniya. Wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang magpadala sa mabilis niyang paghatak. The place looks like a tavern in medieval times with a little touch of modernity and minimalism because of the glass shelves and some ornamental plants around the place displayed in wooden pots.    

Pumasok kami sa isa pang pinto na halos walang katao-tao maliban kay Mayette. Kababata ko at anak ni Nay Gloria. Nang makita ako ng babae ay agad niya akong sinunggaban ng sampal. 

" ANO ANG GINAGAWA NG BABAENG 'TO RITO!? " Sigaw niya habang naghuhuramintado sa galit. Hinawakan ako ni Gai sa braso para tingnan ang mukha ko na namamanhid na sa hapdi. I can taste blood on the right side of my lip where Mayette had slapped me. " You okay? " Tanong ni Gai saakin. Ngumiwi ako sa kaniya na sana pala ay hindi ko nalang ginawa dahil mas sumakit lang ang gilid ng labi ko. Crap!

Sinamaan ko nalang ng tingin ang lalaki bago ako bumaling kay Mayette para sana kalmadong magtanong ng kung ano ang nangyayari at kung bakit niya ko ginanoon gayong magkaibigan kami pero huli na ang lahat. The place is now surrounded with dead air. No one seems to breath, I can not hear anyone, not even a single soul except for my own heartbeat that is slowly throbbing painfully. Naninikip ang dibdib ko; hindi ako makahinga at paunti-unti ay nilamon ako ng kadiliman. Crap, what is this? Am I going to die? 

" FLAMMA! FLAMMA! "

" THAT'S IT WAKE UP, LOVE. "

Familliar voices registered to my auditory. The amalgam smell of chemicals reached my nostrills and when I slowly opened my eyes a blinding light came  before the sight of an all white room followed. Masakit ang ulo ko pero hindi ako tanga para hindi ma-realize kung nasaan ako.  Hospital, I'm in the hospital, but why? 

I remember losing conciousness on the, wait what? I lost conciousness?! I do not remember! What is happening? Why can't I move my body?  

" Calm down love, don't try moving yet, " ani ng isang malamyos subalit baritonong boses. " I am glad you're awake."

Tiningala ko ang taong nagsalita ng nakakunot pa ang noo subalit nawala rin iyon ng makita ko kung sino. Nakangiti siya sa akin displaying his well cleaned and orderly white teeth. 

" You did well on your last mission, but please do not do it again hmm, " he told me tenderly before he kissed me forehead. The door opened showing a person on a lab coat with two nurses with her. " Flamma! Good thing gising kana hayop ka pinag-alala mo sila tita! " Sigaw ng matinis na boses ni Lluvia. 

" Ang ingay mo Lluvia kakagising lang ng tao papatayin mo na agad, " asik ng doktor na kararating lang. Bumuka ang bibig ni Lluvia para sigawan ang sumabat pero hindi ko na sila pinansin pa. Knowing this girl, she will not shut up unless she wins the conversation. I rolled my eyes at the thought bago binalingan ang doktor na tinitingnan ako. 

He smiled at me before asking me a few questions. Assessing and letting the nurse beside him scribble things on her chart. Pagkatapos noon ay tiningnan niya ang hindi matigil-tigil sa kakadada na si Lluvia na hindi ko naman pinansin dahil itinuon ko ang atensyon sa lalaking nakatungo at kanina pa ako minamasdan. 

" Hey! " Paunang bati ko dahilan para matawa siya. " Hey to you too, love, " he answered habang patuloy lang sa paghaplos ng aking ulo. 

Looking at his clean shaven face, his prominent jaw linre, his projecting front nose, thin lips and his slightly long jet black hair that became a hindrance to the sight of his very expressive almond shaped charcoal black eyes, it felt nostalgic. The first time we saw each other, but with his rectangular eye glasses, it felt the same, however in different situation. One of the best asset of the Block Agency, Obed Louis also known as Undercover Louvre, the love of my life...