DOWN IN THE DUMPS

Chapter 9

Nang mabuksan ko ang pinto sa backseat ay sinalubong kaagad ako ng masungit na boses ni Yohan. “Wag ka d’yan umupo, hindi mo ako driver.”

For my safety, sumunod ako sa sinabi niya at umupo sa shotgun seat. Pinaandar niya kaagad ang sasakyan kahit hindi pa ako nakakapag-seatbelt kaya muntikan na akong tumapon paharap.

“Wala ka pang driver’s license ‘no?!” isang bulyaw ang ibinigay ko sakanya. Dali-dali kong inayos ang seatbelt ko habang siya ay parang wala lang at pinaharurot ang sasakyan.

Higit pa ata sa one hundred na mura ang sinabi ko dahil wala talaga siyang preno-preno. Humawak ako ng maigi sa handle para bigyan ng proteksyon ang sarili ko. I guess sitting in the backseat and the shotgun seat doesn’t make a difference! Kung gusto niya akong patayin sa kaba, papatayin niya talaga ako. Instead of praying for my safety, I chose to look at him with despise and wish for the car to lose control so that both of us will suffer.

I realized the path we’ve taken was the opposite of where the sports complex was located. Yohan and his crazy antics should decrease at least if he couldn’t stop.

People who were born with silver spoons always got a way to live to their liking without thinking about how their actions would affect the people around them. Yohan has crossed his line to me several times and dealing with him, again and again, is sickening.

Rather than talking, which for sure he won’t even take a single word, I kept silent the entire hell-ride. I almost fell at his no war for us tonight.

He made a turn and my eyes squinted at the familiar surroundings. He literally takes the path towards the Milea Bay cliff where I usually stay if I want to unwind. Bakit kami napadpad dito?

If he’ll do something bad to me tonight, I hope he’ll be stupid enough to forget about the dashcam.

“We are here!” anunsyo niya na parang sanay siyang kasama ako pumunta rito. “Dog shows aren’t for us because we’re no ordinary people,” he said as if we were close enough.

Una siyang bumaba ng sasakyan at pumunta sa likuran. Nagdadalawang-isip pa ako kung bababa ba ako o hindi dahil baka may baseball bat siya sa likod at pagkatapos ay itatapon ako sa dagat. After a minute of contemplating, bumaba ako ng sasakyan with my fists tight close. I need to gather my strength para dalawang suntok lang ay mapuruhan na siya.

To my surprise, Yohan pulled out a picnic container and a blanket from the car’s trunk. Is he taking me out on a picnic night date? Like eww?

“Gago. Wala akong gusto sa’yo.” sabi niya at pinabitbit sa akin ang checkered blanket. Minura pa niya ako tapos papabitbitin pa ako ng super badoy na picnic blanket.

Nakita kong sumenyas sa kanya si Donato pagkatapos ay binalingan ako. Yohan and his connections will really make me feel small.

“Nagpa-background check ako sa’yo,” saad niya. For a moment, I suddenly felt naked in front of him. His boldness in confessing he ran a background check on me is a total disturbance. Out of uneasiness, my thumb is busily scratching the tip of my pointer finger.

Hinayaan ko lang siyang magsalita tungkol sa mga nalalaman niya sa akin kahit hindi ako komportable. Gusto kong malaman kung hanggang saan ang mga nalalaman niya sa buhay ko para makapag-isip ako ng maayos kung ano ang dapat kong gawin.

“Pero wala akong makuha na kahit ano bukod sa pangalan mo kaya pinasundan kita at nalaman kong palagi kang pumupunta rito.”

Para akong nabunutan ng tinik nang marinig iyon. Hearing that he got nothing from running a background check made me at ease. Ibig sabihin lang ay maayos kong nagawa ang pagtago ng mga impormasyon ko.