The Biker Brothers and the Golden Sunset

Chapter 29: Outbreak in Subangdaku

Estella moved the boy so that he was leaning on her lap. She felt Jamie's forehead and neck. He was burning. Still in shock, the boys simply stared at her.

"Has he been checked?" Estella asked. "Has he taken medicine?"

"Yes," Tonton answered. "Nurse Grace from the school had taken care of him."

"That's good. He must be dehydrated now from all this heat. Does anybody have water?"

"My tumbler is still almost full," Bogart offered.

He instantly opened his water bottle and gently touched its lid to Jamie's lips. His friend was startled by the coldness of the water. Immediately, he gulped the liquid and felt refreshed after. He sat up and looked around him. It was incomprehensible. He was still dazed that he only saw a sea of varied vibrant colors. He blinked his eyes several times until the faces of his friends became lucid. To his surprise, there were several people around him.

"Boy, are you alright?" Estella asked him.

"I think I am," Jamie answered slowly.

"Does your head still ache?"

"It's getting a little better now."

"I'd better bring you to your home to be safe."

"No!" the three boys echoed.

Jamie shook his head. He could not let his mom see him like that. She would be more worried. Estella looked at them; she really wanted to know where these boys were living.

"Ok, I won't accompany you," Estella gave up the idea. "But are you really sure you can all go home safely by yourselves?"

"Of course," Bogart replied defiantly. "We are big boys already."

Estella smiled at his response. She fished out a calling card from her denim jacket and handed it out to Bogart.

"It's got my contact information there," she instructed them. "I want you boys to call me whenever you are in trouble. And I mean any kind of trouble."

Bogart got her card and slipped it into the pocket of his polo uniform. She was smiling as she said those words. There was sincere concern and kindness in her tone. The boys nervously smiled back.

"Keep it properly. You can call me anytime. Just be safe always."

Slowly, Estella stood up and so did the boys with Tonton helping Jamie. The crowd around them clapped their hands, as if cheering a gladiator after a long battle in an arena.

"Ms. Estella really has a beautiful heart, not just a face," a woman announced.

"I'm rooting for you Ms. Estella!" a man yelled his admiration.

"You're my idol!" a lady screamed but his voice instantly broke and she coughed violently. She cleared her throat and looked at the people staring at her. "Ooppsss, sorry."

The people laughed. Others also declared their praises for Estella but like the lady, some strained their throats that they coughed hard. Estella smiled a thank you to everyone and along with Sonny, slowly went back to their car. The boys also boarded their bikes and continued their ride home.

"You just let them off easily," Sonny commented as he started the car engine and air-conditioning. It was a humid afternoon and he felt sweat all over his body.

"They are just regular schoolboys," Estella answered. "We can't involve them in our hunt for the truth."

"What if they know something about what really happened inside the camp?"