FOUR
MASYADONG busy sa pag-iisip si Venna kaya hindi niya na pinansin ang pagdating at paglapit sa kanya ni Kale at pag-upo sa tabi niya.
Bumukas ang bibig ni Kale para sana tawagin si Venna pero sinara niya rin ito agad. What is happening with this woman?
"What?" biglang tanong ni Venna pero nakatingin parin ito sa kawalan. Kumunot ang noo ni Kale. He felt creeped out so he slowly stood up and tried to leave.
"I said, what?" Nakatingin na ngayon si Venna kay Kale, na nakaturo sa sarili tinatanong kung siya ang tinatanong ni Venna. "Yes!"
"Are you alright? You look like a stressed sloth," tanong ni Kale at umupo ulit sa tabi ni Venna.
"Aww, thank you for your concern." Sarkastikong ngumiti si Venna. "What do you want?"
"Why do you sound rude? What's wrong with you?" Nakakunot ang noong tanong ni Kale. Hindi siya sanay na nagsusungit 'tong babaeng 'to. She irritates him, yes, but he considers her as a true friend. Isa lang naman si Venna sa kakaunting estudyanteng walang pakialam sa yaman niya. Those students are already rich but they still look at him with hungry-for-money gazes.
"This is the sound of someone who can't get a math equation." Tipid na ngumiti si Venna.
Kale scoffed. "Venna Morrigan never complained about acads." Huminga ito ng malalim. "I don't care about your problem. I'm here to tell you that Andrea is inviting you to their house after school."
"Hmm, is that so?" Tumaas ang dalawang kilay ni Venna. "Let's go together." Bumalik na ulit ang sigla niya.
"I'm not invited," Kale said with an annoyed expression.
"Pfft!" Venna tried to stop her laugh but couldn't. She playfully pouted. "Awww, I'm going to steal your girl," she teased.
"Whatever. I actually don't want to go. Her brother might be there, his stares make me feel like I'm being torn apart. I can feel it, he doesn't like me." Kale shivered.
"Why wouldn't he?" Ngumisi si Venna. "You have money," she teased. "I'm kidding." Bawi niya agad dahil sumama ang itsura ni Kale. Ayaw niyang nasasama sa mga usapan ang yaman niya. "I'm kidding." Tinaas niya ang dalawang kamay sa ere.
"Yeah whatever." Nag-iwas ng tingin si Kale kaya malayang nakairap sa hangin si Venna. Why is she here trying to please some guy?
Napataas ng isang kilay si Venna, may naisip. "Have you met his Father?"
"Yeah. Actually I thi—"
"What's his name?" Venna asked in an emotionless manner.
Kale stared at her, this is the first time he looked at her in actual seriousness. "I can't tell you that."
He knows about the Mafia. Venna concluded inside her mind. "Never mind, you were saying something?"
Kale stared at her for a few more seconds before talking. "I think I saw his brother on my way here. I'm not sure if it's him though," sabi niya at nagkibit balikat. Kale came from the direction where the college campus is. "I already said what I needed to say, I'm leaving," paalam niya na tinanguan lang ni Venna.
Venna sighed when she couldn't see Kale anymore. Kale knows about the Mafia so he's being cautious about spreading information about Venna's family. But it looks like he's not very trained about this kind of thing because he just confirmed that Kier Drystan is really here.
Napunta sa isang lalaking naglalakad na nagmula sa college campus ang atensyon niya. Unti-unting kumunot ang noo niya nang dumeretso ang lalaki sa inukupa niyang study shed at umupo sa harap niya.
