Teach me how to Mafia

32

A second with Grim in my room seem so slow. Her presence is making me so uncomfortable. I don't know if she is aware of it, well I hope she is, and she'll leave me alone.

"Chill, I won't eat you." I heard her say as she glides down the wall and sit on the floor as she leans her back against the wall of my room.

"Larkin, can you bring me something good to read?" She asked the old man but he defied. Tinignan lang siya ni Larkin and she stayed seated as she plays her fingers.

These two are making me feel sick, how can I rest peacefully when I know there are two monsters with me in a room? Wag sana akong bangungutin mamaya. I laid my back to the headboard of my bed and let out a deep sigh. I stare at them and just observed.

Larkin is standing near the door as he stares at Grim who's seated at one corner of my room. I stare at her and looked at her expressionless face. She's gorgeous. It makes me wonder, how someone as beautiful as her seem too dangerous, too?

"Larkin, can you leave us alone?" Grim's voice echoed in my room as she requested.

"Not permitted." He declared.

"You have to leave us alone." She repeated.

"For what reason, Grim."

"I have to know if the reason I went home was really worth my life." She explained that left me dumbfounded. What does she mean by that?

Lumingon ako kay Larkin para sana senyasan ito na wag umalis ngunit huli na, ang nakangisi niyang mga labi ay nagpapahayag na gagawin niya ang sinabi ni Grim. Fck. Kinakabahan ako, he can't leave me with her, I'm scared.

I heard the door of my room open as Larkin grabs the knob and the next thing I know was it was shut close, leaving me alone with a deadly demon inside my own place.

A long silence had eaten the whole room when Larkin left. I don't know how long it lasted but it was surely long and deafening. I just sat at my bed waiting for her to speak and she just stayed at where she is, doing the exact same thing.

"Priam." I was stunned by the coldness of her voice as she called my name.

"Bakit?" I asked, holding back my fear.

"Are you..." she paused then lifted up her head and looked at me straight into the eyes "..afraid of me?" Chills came running to my bones causing my hands and my lips to shake uncontrollably.

Her eyes were dark, cold and oozing with bloodlust. She wore the same dark eyes from when I first saw her.

I can feel how plethoric her desire to kill through her gaze. It makes me want get out of this room and escape my own miserable life.

I lifted my shaking hands and showed it to her. I did my best to smile and confess, "I am, I'm afraid Grim." She smiled at me and stood up. Iniangat niya ang dress niya hanggang sa may hita at may kinuha mula sa thigh pocket niya.

Naglakad siya papunta sa akin at inilapag ang bagay na hawak sa gilid ko.

"Will you accept me as the guardian of the 70th family?" She asked.

I was taken aback from her question and took me a few seconds to react. "A-a-ano.. I don't know. Do I have the right to decide who the guardian will be?" Nag aalangan kong tanong.

"Wala." She teasingly claim and took a step back with a smug look in her face.

"Aish! Ya!" kinuha ko ang unan na malapit sa akin at ibinato sa kanya. Bigla siyang tumawa habang walang ka-effort effort na sinalo ang unan na ibinato ko.

It had felt more comfortable hearing her laugh around me like that. She might be scary but hearing her laugh somehow makes me feel at ease. Ngumiti ako sa kanya see how beautiful she laughs. Kanina lang halos makipagpatayan siya bago kumain, tapos ngayon ay tumatawa siya sa harap ko.

"You can trust your life and the family to me," she proclaimed as she starts to walk to the door. Then she slightly turned and said "..just no formalities." and winked at me.

Binuksan niya ang pinto ngunit bago pa ito sumara ay lumakad papasok si Larkin. Nakahinga ako ng mas maluwag nang makita ko siya. Ngumiti siya sa akin kaya't nginitian ko din siya. I wish to have none of these situations to ever happen to me again.

"Are you fine, milady?" he said in a casual tone.

Tumango ako bilang sagot at inilagay ang mga kamay ko sa gilid ko at sumandal ng kaunti. Doon ko nahawakan ang isang malamig nabagay at naalalang may inilagay nga pala si Grim sa gilid ko. Nang tignan ko iyon ay nakita ko ang isang gintong bagay na hugis Z, sopistikado ang hugis niya at tila binase ang disenyo nito sa makalumang hiraya, at sa tingin ko ay nakita ko na ito dati.

Bahagya akong ngumiti at inangat ang bagay na iyon. Is this a gift from her?

"Priam. Saan mo nakuha ang bagay na iyan?" napalingon ako kay Larkin nang magsalita siya.

"Ah ito? Iniwan ni Grim ito matapos naming mag usap." Sagot ko. Ang kaninang kaswal na pag ngiti ni Larkin ay naging isang masayang ngiti. Woahh, I never thought a creature of darkness can ever smile like that.

"I am happy for you, Priam." Napakunot ang noo ko sa sinabi ni Larkin. He's what? Happy for me? Anong akala ng lokong 'to? Ikakasal ako?

"What do you mean?" I inquired.

"The Zaccardi Mafia's crest is a weapon. That thing is designed as our crest and that is a knife." Simula ng paliwanag niya at nang humimto siya ay may kinuha siya mula sa kanyang kasuotan at nilabas ang isang bagay na katulad ng bagay na hawak ko.

"..to acquire this crest only means that the Mafia acknowledges your loyalty. This knife is your loyalty itself. And to surrender it to another, would mean.."

"That you are giving them your Loyalty" I continued.

I stared at the knife I have in my hands. This symbolizes Grim Zaccardi's Loyalty to me.

"Do you now understand, Priam? You had acquired the loyalty of the most dangerous person in the history of the Zaccardi Mafia." He proclaimed that made me drop the knife and my jaw.

"WHAT?" His chuckles ate the silence of the room. Aba gagong 'to tinawanan pa ako.

"Oy Larkin wag kang nagbibiro ng ganyan." Angal ko dito.

"Hindi naman ako nagbibiro, Priam. That woman is a real deal. I was totally wondering how was it that she seems to like you." He said habang inaayos ang damit niya.

Hindi ko alam kung paanong magrereact sa mga nalaman ko. Nawindang na nga ako sa nangyari kanina, tapos ganito pa.

There's something inside me that wants to know her more. But am I ready?