Sinclair Secrets

Chapter 14: Another blow...

Ayoko sana muna siyang kausapin dahil nainis ako sa kanya kanina pero kailangan ko talaga gawin 'to. I need to know what's happening with them. Bakit kelangang lumipat sa condo si Mensie? Bakit di ko na sila macontact? And what's with the 'danger' issue?

Mabilis akong naglakad papuntang SSG Office after class. Sasama pa sana ang gang kaso sabi ko baka lalong di namin makausap ng matino si Vaughn.

Bubuksan ko na sana ang pinto kaso natigil ako. May nag-uusap sa loob.

"So what did Dad say?"

Tasha...?

Ilang sigundong walang umimik. Narinig ko nalang may kung anong tumunog, parang silyang hinila.

"He said it's only a matter of time before they find us," malamig na boses na sabi ni... Vaughn. Malapit lang siya sa pinto.

"They've been tracing us since the start of school."

'Tracing them??'

'Who?'

"And... Is he part of it?" Tasha again.

"He was assigned the job." 'He? Who's he?'

"Jeez, Vaughn! He might get you." she's panicking now. "When are you getting help?"

"She can't contact me. Not even Tito. Not anytime soon. He said it's risky. They have their eyes on her already. They thought she knows something. One wrong move of getting in contact with people outside might lead them to us," he said quietly.

'I don't understand. What are they even talking about?

Tasha sighed. "I know it's not gonna help, but Vaughn, there's not much of a chance that you'll evade them longer, especially under the circumstances. If that happens, are you ready?"

The lonely way she said it caught me by surprise.

"I still have time. They don't know me yet. That is more important. And I'll make sure to keep it that way as long as I can." Yung boses n'ya nakakatakot. Parang yung boses n'ya lang nung sa prom accident.

"What are you gonna do now?"

Long silence. "Hide."

"I'll help."

I blinked. 'What was that supposed to mean?'

Nang makarinig ako ng kaluskos palapit sa pinto, bigla nalang ako tumakbo. Ni hindi ko alam kung bakit ko ginawa yun. Tela may sariling isip yung mga paa ko't bigla nalang pumihit palayo sa lugar na 'yun. Natagpuan ko nalang ang sarili ko sa loob ng ladies room.

Nanlalamig na humarap ako sa salamin. Putlang-putla ako nang titigan ko ang mukha ko. Nanunuyo din yung lalamunan ko't ang lakas-lakas ng tibok ng puso ko.

Nag-play ulit sa utak ko yung narinig ko kanina. It felt like I was hearing something I wasn't supposed to. 

But, Tasha knows everything. Even her father does. Bumalik na naman yung sakit. Ako yung kaibigan eh! Ako dapat yung nakakaalam. Ako dapat yung tumutulong sa kanya.

Pero bakit parang ako yung parang tangang tumakbo nalang palayo na parang ako pa yung guilty?

Mabilis na lumabas ako ng restroom saka kinuha yung cellphone ko at tinawagan siya.

Matagal bago niya sagutin yun.

"San ka?" Ang sikip-sikip ng dibdib ko ngayon pero pinipilit ko wag ipahalata sa kanya.

"Pauwi na," mahinang tugon nito.

Tumigil ako sa paglalakad saka tumingin sa ibaba. "You're on the road?" pigil-hiningang tanong ko.

"Yeah."

Naikuyom ko bigla ang kamao ko. Parang biglang gusto ko nang sumabog. "Why are you lying to me, Vaughn?"

There was silence on the other line before I heard a sigh.

"Ellah..."

"Now you're lying to me too." Kahit anong pigil ko, di ko talaga maitago yung hinanakit sa boses ko.

"Ellah... we talked about this..."

Another silence.

"It's better this way, ayoko nang idamay ka pa. So please Ellah... We've talked about this right?"

I closed my eyes and summoned all my courage for this. "Somebody's coming after you and Mensie. Is that it?"

"Panu mo...-"

"I heard you. You and Tasha. And I called Mensie too. I know she'd been living away from you for a month now. You think I could afford not to care? What the heck, Vaughn?!"

I heard him sigh again. "Meet me in the car."