On My Own Confusions

Confusion: Fourteen

Limits

"You shouldn't take it lightly, Leigh."

A serious Lervint spoke in the middle of our ride home.

Huminga ako nang malalim bago tumingin sa kanya. "Alam ko. This is getting serious. It was just a death threat before—all words. Ngayon, they are actually doing it!"

Umiling siya bago bumuntonghininga. Akala ko alam ko na ano ang gagawin, but, this is just too hard to prove kung sino ang may gawa. My life has been peaceful not until the recent case came in yet halted. Pakiramdam ko may kinalaman pa rin doon ang problema na ito.

Ulit kong naalala ang mensahe na natanggap ko pagkatapos kong nasalamuha si Mr. Velez noon sa Mediterranean kasama si Zen. It was sort of a threat but I did not took it seriously.

Sa ngayon, hindi ko ito sasabihin kay Zen o kina Mommy. This will add up to their worries. They are already worried about Zia's condition. I can't afford to worry them more.

I almost jumped on my seat when I felt Lerv's hand tapped my left shoulder. He tapped it slowly that I started to realize some things.

Shit! Why didn't I secured the bullet? Why didn't I alarmed the authorities about this? Nawala ba ito sa aking isip?

I got my phone and I saw that Lerv is confused with my sudden action. Kinuha ko ’yon at hinanap ang numero ni Nic. He's a friend.

When he answered the call, I immediately spoke to him.

"Nic, this is Leigh."

"Good day, Leigh. How can I help you?"

Huminga ako nang malalim bago nagsalita. "Nic, there was a shooting incident in front of the airport earlier. It hit the window of my car and afterwards I received a message. Can I go straight to the precinct to make a statement about this?"

"So, it was you. Other people who saw the incident actually notified us about it. Pero umalis daw kayo agad kaya hindi sila nakapag-bigay ng ibang impormasyon. If you wish to have our help, you can come here directly."

I was touched with the fact that others reported it. Kasi ako, nawala sa isip ko.

"Thank you so much, Nic."

"Don't mention it."

I breath heavily with it. It's like my adrenaline went high.

"Si Nic? You have each other's number?" Lerv asked.

"Yes. We're friends."

Hindi na nagsalita pa si Lerv at patuloy na nagmaneho. He must've heard the conversation so he immediately went straight to the station. Nic is already there waiting for us. We greeted each other bago kami pumasok sa station.

"Have a seat, both of you." Ani Nic.

"Can you tell me everything, Leigh? From the beginning?"

Tiningnan ko si Lerv at nakita ko na nakatingin na siya sa akin. He exhaled heavily before he nodded. As if it's my sign to start telling it to others. The incident began na kami ni Lerv lang ang nakakaalam.

"I don't know if I should put it like this. But... I think this started the moment I accepted Mr. Venenoso's case against Mr. Velez. It was an easy case for me to handle but Mr. Venenoso halted it because he only wanted Mr. Velez to issue a public apology. After that, I started receiving threats from different numbers," mahabang sabi ko kay Nic. Tumango naman siya.

"There's this time as well that Mr. Velez and I met in a restaurant. After that, I received another threat. I don't want to conclude immediately, right?"