Guarded ✔ (Alpha Sigma Omicron #5)

21. Double Trouble

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

It became our routine.

Voight and I would go outside early in the morning to play. Tulog na tulog pa si Gotham samantalang nasa parke na kami ng kanyang anak. The condominium building has its own park for the residents.

Umaga pa lang, hakot na ni Voight ang kanyang mga laruan sa parke. Bitbit ko ang toy truck niyang p'wedeng sakyan habang nasa ibaba kami. It was heavy, at the same time, he would want me to carry him.

Mabuti na lang, naimbento ang elevator. Dalawang truck pa ang gusto niyang dalhin, I just bargained with him.

I was just there to watch him play.

Sometimes, he would ask me to play with him. But mostly, he enjoys playing alone with his toys in the park. Nakasunod lang ang tingin ko sa kanya habang naglalaro, madalas na inuusisa niya ako kung pinapanood ko pa siya.

Madalas niyang gustong makipaglaro sa akin kapag nasa penthouse kaming dalawa.

Paikot - ikot siya sakay ng truck, samantalang iniwan niya sa akin ang backpack niyang dala. Binilhan ko na siya ng kanyang sariling wallet, hindi iyong nilalagay niya ang kanyang pera sa brief.

Turo daw iyon nina Badiday para kahit higitin ng snatcher ang dalang bag, may pera pa ring nakatabi.

That's very clever, I wouldn't suspect the underwear either.

May pailan - ilang bata na rin ang nasa parke kasama ang kanilang mga yaya, iyong iba naman ay binabantayan ng magulang na sa phone nakatutok ang mga mata. Most of the residents are wealthy. The area is for the rich conglomerates.

Voight doesn't like to play with kids. Mapili siya sa mga kalaro. His usual playmates were the girls, Badiday, Vikray and Bebang. He was also mentioning a friend named Freedom. Wala siyang pakialam sa ibang bata.

He has his own space to play with and he doesn't like to share his space, but he wouldn't prevent other kids from playing in his space. Siya ang nag-aadjust. Once there are other kids hanging around his area, he would simply go find another vacant one.

He doesn't like inconvenience. Hindi siya magulo pagdating sa plagyground, gusto lang niyang maglaro ng siya lang.

My eyes focused on them when a kid bigger than him approached Voight. The kid was talking to him, but Voight just ignored him and continued playing with his car truck.

He stopped Voight again with the same result. He was ignored for the second time.

Napatayo ako nang itaob niya ang toy truck ng alaga ko. Voight simply stood and tried to get inside his truck, but the kid snatched it away from him. I was watching him intently how he would solve the problem.

Ayokong pumatol sa mga away - bata. That kid was twice as the size of Voight, he seemed to be more mature, but he was still picking a fight with younger and smaller kid.

Lumingon ako upang hanapin ang yaya o magulang ng bata. I wanted to talk to the guardian to end it in a civilized way.

Nang bumalik ako ng tingin, umiiyak na ang batang lalaki, nakasakay na ulit si Voight sa kanyang truck.

I walked toward him. "What happened?" Pumantay ako.

Inilahad niya ang kanyang kamay, hinipan ko naman ang palad niyang may dumi. Pinahid ko iyon ng tissue. Ginamit niya iyong pantuon nang itulak siya ng bata. Pinagpagan ko ang kanyang suot na komportableng pajama.

"Masakit?" He shook his head. "Anong ginawa mo roon sa bata?"

Ngumisi siya. "I bit his arm because he's a-annoying! He w-wanted to take my t-toy!"