Heiresses to Gangsters

Chapter 43: We're trapped

BEA

"Hanggang dito na lang kayo."

Napakaseryoso ng mukha niya na aakalain namin na hindi siya nagbibiro. Pati yung aura niya nag-iba. Tinabig ko siya pero hindi siya natinag. Ano bang problema nito?Humalukipkip ako.

"This isn't the time to joke. Get out of the way" nginitian niya ako pero bakit parang ang sarkastiko ng dating?

"Hindi rin ako nagbibiro, Bea"

"Jaz," may pagbabanta ang boses ni Chris. Nilingon ni Jaz si Chris,

"Ikaw lang ang pwede. Kayong dalawa, alis." Iwinagayway pa nito ang kamay na may hawak na baril na parang pinapaalis talaga kami.

"Jaz, anong sinasabi mo? Lahat tayo papasok, lahat tayo lalaban," naglakad papalapit si Sohe.

Ibinaba nito ang baril na hawak. "I can't do that, Nam Sohe." Tinulak siya ng mahina ni Sohe.

"What are you doing?! You think this is the time to joke around?! Nauubusan na tayo ng oras! Get out of the fucking way!"

"I won't," anghahamon na sabi nito. What the heck? This isn't like her at all.

"Are you really Jaz?" Halos pabulong na tanong ni Chris pero rinig parin namin dahil sa focus na focus kami. Ewan ko, kinakabahan kami sa magiging sagot niya. Parang ayaw ko ng marinig. Ngumiti ito. Isang ngiti na parang may kalokohan na binabalak.

"Took you long enough. Anyway, Jaz Miguel isn't real." Nagulat kaming lahat.

"What?" Nanlalaking mata na tanong ni Sohe.

"I said Jaz Miguel isn't real. She's a fake. Just like in a book, she's a character that never existed."

Tinitigan ko ang mata niya, trying to find out if she's joking or not. I can't see any emotion in her eyes. Binatukan ko siya. She's Jaz Miguel. The one we've known since kindergarten. Masayahin, maloko, makulit, palatawa. Ganun. Of course she's joking... Right?

I can feel the tears forming in my eyes. Fuck. This gupirl is the reason why I met Chris and Sohe. She's the first friend that I had.

"Bakit ba ang bad timing ng mga jokes mo? Huwag kang magbibiro ng ganito!"

"Ang totoong pangalab ko ay Lee Rinrin." Tinuro nito si Chris. "Pinsan mo 'ko. Kaya nga Lee 'di ba?" Umirap pa ito bago ituro ang sarili niya.

"I kill people. Kumikita ako ng milyon, milyon sa bawat taong pinapatay ko," nanlaki ang mata namin.

"I work for your dad who is the boss of the Strike Mafia. Since I was ten, nautusan ako na bantayan ka hanggang sa makatapak ka sa teritoryo ng Strike Mafia. That was when Jaz Miguel was created."

"How about tito and tita?" Tanong ni Sohe. She's talking about Jaz Miguel's parents

"Well, they're my adoptive parents. Ibinigay ako sa bahay ampunan noong six ako at sila ang nagadopt sa'kin. Kaya nila ako ipina-ampon para hindi mahalata ni Chris na isa akong kapamilya. My real parents, I don't know anything about them. I just know that my father is the big boss' brother."

"Paano si Andrew?"

She chuckled, "Naalala niyo noong grade eight tayo? Yung may nagconfess na may gusto sa akin?" Napaisip ako. Oo nga, may nagconfess sakanya noon. "Siya yun." Nagulat kami. Yung nerd na 'yon naging ganun kagwapo?

"Naging boyfriend ko yun noong nakaraang taon. Anak ng kabit ni Katherine yun. Sakto naman na nabuko sila tapos namatay pa si mo—Katherine," she paused. Making me wonder. So she did love her adoptive parents. "Nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na magpanggap na depressed para makipagbreak at ipakita sa'yo yung inis ko," turo nito kay Chris.

"Me?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Chris.

"Oo. Diba nagiinarte pa ako sayo 'non? Kesyo di pa kita pinapatawad kasi ang cruel mo magpatraining and so on?" Medyo natawa siya. "Well, that's my way of saying that I loathe you."

"Kung hindi dahil sa'yo," she glared at Chris, "Siguro may one percent, only one, na maging normal ang buhay ko. But I don't care anymore. Ito na ang huling araw ng pagpapanggap." She said bitterly.

"A-all of it," lumunok ako, "was a lie?"

My head hurts. My eyes stings. This is too much information. Damn. It hurts. If this was a dream I'd gladly wake up.

"Yep!" She said it like its the most normal thing in the world.

I didn't want to ask. But I need assurance."Really?" Even our friendship?

"Oo."

Hindi kami nakapagsalita. Sohe's mouth was slightly open due to shock.

"Oh ano, tapos na ba ang interview?"

"H-how could you! Ang sama mo." Sigaw ni Sohe. Nakita ko na tumutulo rin ang luha niya. Jaz—no, Rinrin, grinned like a fool.

"Thank you."

Really, Jaz? Is this the real you? Because shit, it hurts. It really hurts seeing your own best friend betray you like its nothing, na parang lahat ng pinagsamahan namin ay wala lang sakanya, like it's nothing. But I know, I know it's something. She's acting. She's doing this to make us hate her. And it's working.

Nilingon ko si Chris na walang emosyon na mababasa sa mukha. Tumingin ako sa kamay niya at nakitang nakakuyom ito. She's mad, really mad. And I guess she's hurt too. Just like us. Pinipigilan niya lang.

I exhaled. I wish that this day had never come.

SOHE

The plan was going smoothly, until Jaz pointed her gun at us.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit nagkaganito. We can see from her eyes kung gaano niya kamahal si tita Katherine. I can see the way she used to cherish their moments with her mother.

I turned to look at Bea. After all, we know that she's the one whose been truly hurt. They're the closest.

I won't believe this. She might have changed but I know, deep inside her heart, she still loves us. For now, pagkakatiwalaan ko muna siya. Jaz is not the type of person to do things like a this. Sa dinami-dami ng taong pinagsamahan namin, hindi ako maniniwala na peke ang lahat ng iyon.

I don't know what's running in Chris' mind. But I think she's going to do something and we can't stop her to do that. There's only two things I want to do right now: fight for my best friend—my sister and fight for justice. But I don't know what to prioritze.

After breaking rules and ruining other people's noses, I don't think it's time to give up. Sa ngayon, ayaw ko munang magpadala sa emosyon. I choose the latter. To fight for justice.

Sa ngayon ay trapped na kami sa laro ng tatay ni Chris; and when you play, you use the brain. Hackers are always the brain of the group. Kailangan kong kumbinsihin si Bea. After all, masyado ng late ng nalaman naming pagkatapak namin sa boundary ng Bataan. We're trapped.

Would this problem turn us to be stronger? Or will this drag us down?

We're trapped, but we will be able to break out. We will bloody break out of this crappy game.