Flames

CHAPTER 7

A week has passed when I discovered that I'm rich at a very young age. My parents' real word. I've been thinking about it for many days, ano bang buhay meron noon ang mga parents ko? Even though Winston explained it to me furthermore, I just don't get it. There's still a void in Winston's statements. Business partners ang mga magulang ko, mga magulang ni Wayne at Wynona at ang mga magulang ni Winston. But living a very simple life back then doesn't make any sense.

He also did not mention what kind of business we have. He just said that it is in underground economy and I'm too young to be exposed in that.

As soon as we arrived here in Manila, Winston gave me an ATM, a regular credit card and a black card. Magkasing-yaman kaya kami ni Winston? Marami pa rin talaga akong hindi alam tungkol sa mga kasama ko sa bahay.

"Jusko, wala na naman sa mood si Mr. Winston. Nakakatakot pa rin." Rinig kong sabi ng isa sa mga maids dito. Dalawa silang pababa ng hagdan at nakasalubong ko. Paanong wala sa mood si Winston? At bakit sila natatakot?

I immediately went to his office to see if it's true, but to my surprise, he's not there. So he's in his room? Nagtungo ako rito, I'm about to knock when Wynona stopped my arm from knocking. I looked at her, confused.

"Just don't." she seriously looked at me.

"Why?"

"He's not in the mood, he might hurt you." Mahinang sabi nito. I saw a glint of pity in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Why would he hurt me when he's just not in the mood?

Wynona sighed heavily. Hinila nya ako bigla sa pulsuhan papunta sa kwarto nya. And I'm surprised since this is the first time I entered her room. Her room screams minimalism. It has a Scandinavian interior, sobrang ganda lalo na't bukas ang kurtina sa glass door ng veranda nya.

"So you're just gonna stand there?" mataray na tinaasan nya ako ng kilay, sanay na ako sa attitude nya. And I'm taking it lightly, hindi naman nya ako pinagmalditahan kahit kalian. Naupo ako sa sofa sa tapat ng bed nya while she sat on her own bed.

"You have no idea about Kuya Winston's situation, right?" tanong nito kaya naman ay tumango ako.

"I don't know how to explain but it's better to leave him alone when you sensed that he's not in the mood." Huminga ito nang malalim bago magsalita muli, "..today is his birthday and his parents' death anniversary."

I got shocked about what she just said. Last last week, death anniversary ng mga magulang ni Wynona at Wayne, last week was my parents', and now...

Isang lingo lang ang pagitan sa death anniversary nila, same month and same year. Is it coincidence?

"As I have noticed this week, he's been having episodes of verbal aggression towards the bodyguards, Kuya Benj told me, too. And I'm pretty sure his room is a mess one right now. Nasugatan nga si Ate Lou because of small pieces of broken glass."

My heart started to pound. I suddenly got worried about him. "I still don't get it." Sabi ko rito. Ang alam ko lang ngayon ay nag-aalala ako para kay Winston? Anong nangyari? Is he always like that? What could he be possibly doing in his room right now? Why is there a broke glass?

"Just stay out of it, okay?" nag-aalalang sabi nito sa akin. Natuwa naman ako dahil sincere talaga sya. Nagpasya akong lumabas ng kwarto nya matapos nyang sabihin sa akin iyon.

"Hey." Napahinto ako sa paglalakad nang tawagin ako ni Wynona kaya nama'y bumaling ako rito, "..if you want to have chika, just knock on my room ha?" sabi nito na ikinangiti ko. Ganyan din ang sinabi noon sakin ni Wayne, kambal nga talaga sila. Ngumiti ako sa kanya at tumango. Pagkarating sa kwarto ay agad akong nagbihis nang maayos dahil napagpasyahan kong bumili ng blueberry cheesecake.