SEVEN AND ARROW (Montana Series 2 | BXB)

08: Nemesism

๋࣭࣪☾⭑

Since when I arrived at Montana City and saw Arrow again after ten long years, the only emotions I saw from him were annoyance, anger, and a bit of delightment, but after meeting the guy he called Emilio, a rare emotion flashed across his face.

Tila ba may lungkot at pagkabahala sa kanyang mukha. Kilala ko si Arrow bilang tao na walang pakialam sa mundo, ngunit habang nakaharap siya kay Emilio ay para bang naging maamong tupa ito.

"How are you?" asked the guy named Emilio.

"I'm good, how about you?" Arrow said, but he couldn't look straight to Emilio.

"Doing better," he said. "By the way, this is Jacob. I'm sure you know him," he introduced, staring at his friend.

"Yes, I know him," said Arrow. "Last year's valedictorian."

"Hello," said the other guy named Jacob and waved at us.

"And you are?" asked Emilio to me.

I was about to introduce my self, but Arrow did the honor. "Oh sorry, I completely forgot. Emilio, this si Seven, my classmate." Then he looked at me. "Seven, this is Emilio, a writer and director, and this is Jacob, a musician. Both graduated from Northside High under Performing Arts Program."

Mabilis ko namang binigyan ng ngiti ang dalawa. "Hello po! Nice to meet you both," I said and offered them a handshake. Nakipagkamayan naman sila sa'kin at kita sa mukha nila na sila'y palakaibigan.

"Nice to meet you too," said the guy named Jacob. "But, I've never seen you at Northside before. Are you a transferee student?"

I nodded my head in a flash. "Yes. I'm supposed to be in college now, but I stopped for a year," I explained.

"Gano'n ba," sambit ni Emilio. "Well, college is not a race after all. Mabuti 'yan at itinuloy mo ulit ang pagaaral mo."

Matapos kaming magpalitan ng ngiti ay lumingon naman siya kay Arrow na ilang minuto ng tahimik. "Ikaw rin Arrow," saad ni Emilio. "I'm happy you decided to go back to school."

Arrow took a deep breath. "I continue because this is your request."

Saglit namang natigilan si Emilio sa sinabi ng aking kasama. After a moment of awkward silence, Emilio smiled at him and said, "Can we talk for a moment privately?"

Arrow's lips flattened, and then he turned to me. "Wait me in the car."

Tumango naman ako at dumistansya mula sa kanila. Maging si Jacob ay sumunod sa'kin para bigyan ng sandali ang dalawa upang makapag-usap.

I was meters away from them, but I could see and feel how serious their conversation was. Emilio looked emotional but smiling, while Arrow was only standing there without any emotion. The curiosity about their conversation was building inside me.

"Matagal na kayong magkakilala ni Arrow?" tanong sa'kin ni Jacob habang nakatayo kami sa tapat ng sasakyan.

"Oo," sagot ko. "Mga bata pa lang kami ay magkakilala na kami."

"Childhood friends," he uttered. "Just like Elio and me."

"Elio?" I asked.

"Yes, Emilio. That's his nickname. Actually we were five back then along with Andres, Poly, and Juno," he paused and gave me a look of realization. "Oh sorry, hindi mo pala sila kilala. They also graduated at Northside High."

"I see," I replied, then my attention was drawn from the name Andres.

Iyon ang pangalan na nabanggit nina Audrey at Maze nang unang beses ko silang makausap. Sa pagkakatanda ko ay iyon ang lalaking naging biktima ng aksidente kung saan sangkot si Arrow at ang kanyang ama.