The early morning sun casts a golden hue over the streets, reflecting off the sleek cars parked outside the mall. I checked my phone, rereading the message from Lux for the tenth time.
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
My fingers hovered over the screen before I typed a response.
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
I pocketed my phone. There was an uneasy feeling in my chest, a sense that today's race would be different. Parang iba magchat si Lux ngayon? Karaniwan kasi may mga emojis ang chat n'ya, but I shrugged it off, siguro stress lang s'ya sa pagp-plano ng wedding nila ni..
Hay..
By the time I arrived at the usual meeting spot, Lux was already there, leaning against her car, her expression unreadable behind her sunglasses. I parked beside her, stepping out and greeting her with a casual nod.
"Hey," I said, trying to change Lux's mood.
"Nandito ka na," Lux said as I approached. She tossed me a helmet, her face a mask of determination. "Handa ka na ba?"
I nodded, slipping the helmet on and securing the strap. "Ready as I'll ever be."
"Ready to lose?" She said while smirking.
I chuckled, but the sound felt hollow. "Not planning on it."
We exchanged a few more words, the usual pre-race banter, but something about Lux's demeanor seemed off. I couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened, something that Lux wasn't sharing. Para s'yang galit na pagod na ewan. Tahimik din s'ya, which is really not her.
May nangyari ba sa kanila ni Yoko?
We got into our cars. As we lined up on the starting line, I glanced over at Lux. Nagkatinginan kami saglit, before looking away, her jaw set in a determined line. The track were clear, the perfect setting for our adrenaline-fueled escape. Lux started her engine, her eyes focused straight ahead. I followed suit, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
