Teach me how to Mafia

21

Colt drove us home as fast as he could. Yesterday and today is too disastrous to think about. Questions came rushing in again and just like before, I prefer to shut them up since I don't know where to get the answers for them.

"Saan kayo galing kanina?" Levi asked Andela and Ercole while he sits in the front seat. Nasa back seat naman kami nina Andela, Ercole at Zaire.

"My dad told me to go the nearest convenient store thru sms. Nakita namin si Adisa doon." Napalingon ako kay Andela na sumagot.

"Sino si Adisa?" tanong ko nang marinig ang hindi kilalang pangalan.

"Adisa is Andela's older brother." Ercole explained. Oh, I see. Tumango tango ako dito.

"He told us that the boss was being targeted and they suspected a long range assault. Inisip kong tawagan si Levi since he was a specialized sniper. Pero wala nang oras. We need to move fast dahil kailangan pa naming hanapin ang sniper." Pagtuloy ni Andela sa pagpapaliwanag.

"Then this gray haired guy popped out of nowhere and told us to check on the PQK building near the school. We set up the rifle at nang tignan ni Andela ang lugar na sinabi nung lalaki we confirmed the presence of a gun man." Dagdag naman ni Ercole. So they are saying na kung hindi naagapan yung sniper ay baka nabaril na ako ngayon?

The thought sent shivers to my spine. The thought of it was painful, paano pa kaya kung tumama talaga sakin yung bala. Yikes!

Teka, why am I scared of the pain? Shouldn't I be scared of dying? Ugh, I'm getting weird, I have to admit that.

"Thank you for saving my life. You guys did a good job guarding me today. Thank you." I thankfully greeted them. I remembered every little thing they do for me. I have to be grateful that I have them beside me.

Walang sumagot sa thank you ko. Hindi ko alam kung nahihiya ba sila, kinikilig, naiiyak o ano. Bigla nalang silang nag iwas ng tingin. Parang mga timang. Hindi ko nalang sila pinansin, sigurado kasi flattered sila e. Pfft.

"Ngapala, alam niyo ba kung sino yung lalaking gray ang buhok? Grabe ah, inutos utusan kayo?" tanong ko sa mga ito. Natahimik sila ng saglit at para bang iniisip ng maayos ang isasagot sa akin.

"Hindi namin alam ang pangalan niya but we've seen him at the 69th's house before. They say he was the Boss' right-hand man's apprentice." Sagot ni Colt sa tanong ko.

"We were 10 when we first saw him. Zaire and I and the rest of our cousins always see each other when our parents were summoned. And he was always at the Boss' side." Paliwanag pa ni Andela.

"He is a year older than me, Mom always tell me that the boy was extra ordinary." Zaire stated as he leaned his head near the window.

I wonder what his name is. They all seem to have encountered him pero mukha siyang mailap. But he helped me when I was sick and almost stumbled on the grounds. Was that not a coincidence?

"We're here." Colt announced.

Bumaba na kami sa sasakyan at pumasok sa loob ng bahay. These past few days, my house seemed bigger than it usually is. Mas madami na kasing tao ang laging nandito, hindi nalang kami ni JIlad.

"You're home." Bati ni Jilad na nakaharap sa laptop niya habang gulo gulo ang buhok at akala mo'y dinaanan ng bagyo dahil napaka disoriented ng itsura niya.

"Are you alright?" tanong niya nang hindi man lang ako tinitignan.

"I'm fine." Sagot ko dito. They all seemed so busy. Ares and Zoran are both on their phones talking with someone. I've never seen the house like this.

"The Barone started with their lunatic way of attention seeking again." Saad ni Ares nang makabalik siya sa living room.

"Oh, nandito na pala kayo. Are you okay?" nag aalala niyang sabi. We politely answered her and relieved her from her worries.

Umupo ako sa isang single seater na couch na nakatapat sa bintana kung saan makikita ang bahay nila Zoran. I don't know why but everytime I see that house ay naaalala ko ang batang nakatira doon.

He is three years older than me and he's a boy, but he always come over our house and played cars with me. I played cars instead of barbies. Wheels are more exciting. Barbies will only teach you how to flirt.

He was the only friend I have since I am naturally aloof. He disturbed by boring childhood and made it fun. He bullied me sometimes and teased me too. He was the only way I had to escape the silent doors of our house. But he went away.

"Jilad, do you know why the Fraser's left the village?" I mindlessly asked. It just automatically came out of my mouth but their reactions were more suspicious. Ares, Zoran and Jilad's face were registered with shock.

"Tinanong mo na yan dati ah. What's bothering you?" Jilad asked immediately.

"I don't know. I just feel like I should know." Sagot ko. It is the truth. I don't have any valid reason why I asked about it. It was just all instincts.

I stared at the house and thought about the boy. I can't remember his face or how he looks like. All I know is that we used to be friends.

I felt and uncomfortable stare at me and I noticed Jilad's malicious smile reaching me.

"What the fck?" tanong ko dito. Para siyang praning kung tumitig.

"Namimiss mo noh?" mapang asar ang tono na tanong ni Jilad.

"Namimiss ang ano?" sagot ko dito na may tono ng pagkairita.

"Yung perslab mo. Yung batang Fraser na umalis sa kabilang bahay." Napuno ng mapangutsyang tono ang buong living room at parang nag init ang pisngi ko.

"A-anong first love. G-gagong to. Bata ko pa nun, first love? T-tigilan n-niyo ng ako." Kinakabahan kong saway sa mga ito.

"Yiiie, si boss. May first love." Pang asar ni Andela sa akin.

"YA!!" sigaw ko na nakapagpatawa sa kanila. Aish, nakakainis, pero bakit ang lakas ng kalabog ng dibdib ko?

Napansin kong lahat ng tao sa bahay ay nakatawa at parang tuwang tuwa sa kahihiyang idinulot ni Jilad sa akin. Pero nahagip ng mata ko si Zaire na nakasimagot sa gilid.

Problema nun?

Ilang saglit pa ay parang bumigat ang pakiramdam ko. Inihilig ko ang ulo ko sa sandalan ng couch. Parang napagod ako sa mga nangyari. Levi was sitting beside my couch, Andela and Ercole are in front of me. Colt was peacefully sitting while he leans against the nearest wall to me.

Tumahimik na din ang paligid at tanging tunog nalang ng pagpindot ni Jilad sa kanyang laptop ang naririnig ko. I'm not really feeling sleepy. I just need a little time to not talk or think. That's more than enough for me.

I heard a car parked outside our house. The silence in the living room didn't make it impossible to hear the car. Iminulat ko ang mata ko at umayos sa pagkakaupo. Levi was still sitting beside me with his head down. Baka natutulog siya.

Andela came out of the kitchen with two cups in her hands. She handed me of them and knew that it was coffee. Hindi ako mahilig sa coffee pero mukhang kailangan kong magkape.

"Thank you." I told her. She just smiled at me and when we heard the door open all of us automatically turned our head towards it.

Halos mabitawan ko ang mainit na kape sa kamay ko nang makita si Mang Richard na pumasok mula sa pintuan.

"M-mang Richard." He's standing as if nothing had happened to him. Kahit may stitches ang isang parte ng labi niya at may pasa pa ang ibaba ng mata niya ay nakangiti siyang nakatingin sa akin.

"Young boss." He greeted and made a mini salute. Dahil sa narinig kong iyon ay tuluyan kong nabitawan ang cup na hawak ko.

"What did you call me?" gulat kong tanong dito.

Tumawa siya kagaya ng tawa na lagi niyang binibigay sa akin sa tuwing malalaman niyang gagawa ako ng kalokohan.

"I'm sorry for not introducing myself properly, young boss. It's been a long time. I am the 69th's Knight. My name is Ricardo Fraser."