''Good morning. I'm looking for Fiery Glaze Avenido. Do you know her?''
Marahang ibinuga ni Fiery ang usok ng yosi paitaas. She was on her motorcycle's seat when a Lexus car came in the view and a voice openfired her a question. The man who just asked her didn't even bother to get out from the car. Instead, he just lowered his tinted window and thrust his head toward her direction. She looked at him uncaringly. He's on the passenger seat so most probably, someone's driving for him. Sosyalero. ''Hindi ako nakakaintindi ng english.'' Patuyang sagot niya.
Narinig niya ang pagbuntong-hininga nito. ''Look miss, quit stalling. Alam kong ikaw si Fiery and I don't have time for this--''
''Hoy.'' Naiiritang tawag niya rito kasabay nang pagtapon ng yosi sa door handle ng kotse. Nanlaki ang mga mata nito nang makitang nagmarka iyon sa pinto. ''Huwag mo akong ina-I don't have time for this ha? Sino ba ang may kailangan sa atin? Ikaw 'tong nagtatanong tapos ikaw pa 'tong may ganang mainis? Gago ka ba?Bumaba ka nga riyan.'Suntukan tayo.''
Nasapo nito ang noo. Mababasa sa mukha nito ang pagod at frustration. Marahan itong bumaba at lumapit sa kanya. ''Look, Fiery, I'm looking for your twin sister,
Fiera. Someone told me she was with you before she went off the loop.''
Tinikwasan niya ito ng kilay, may paghahamon sa mga mata. ''Off the loop? Pinasusundan mo ang kapatid ko?''
Agad nitong itinaas ang mga kamay. ''Fiery, I came here not to fight. And yes, pinasusundan ko siya because I was outnumbered by plan at that time. Nasa Canada ako for conferrence and I couldn't just leave my subordinates to nail the deal so I asked someone to look after her. Pagbalik ko rito, ang sabi ng report, dito raw siya huling nakita bago nawala..'' Napakamot ito sa batok.
Napangisi siya. ''Baka pinatay ko na.''
Marahas ang ibinigay nitong titig. ''Don't joke anything like that.''
''You know what, here's the deal.'' Inabot niya ang door handle ng pinto nito saka binuksan. ''Why don't you get in and go home?''
''Damn it!'' Sigaw nito saka parahas na sinipa ang gulong. ''Why are you making this harder for me, huh?'' Nilapitan siya nito but made no move to touch her. Sinalubong niya ang nagbabagang titig nito. ''I've gone crazy for full month just thinking about her and the easiest thing you can do is help me! For Christ's sake, why can't you do that?''
His eyes were clearly tormented. A sign that he's indeed hurting. But she promised her sister she wouldn't puke a confession. Deciding she'd have a word with Fiera later, she turned her back on him. ''Go home.''
