Playing Provincial Proxy (MSS#3)

65. Pro-Criminal

Playing Provincial Proxy

Kabanata 65

"I LIKE YOU—I mean, I like you as a woman—" he looked sideways, like he says something wrong. "It's like this. I see my model of a woman in your persona, Rural. To tell you the truth, I learned to cook, even how to look great because of you. I tried to be cool, I tried to join that theatre play even it's way out of my league. You've proved me to do unusual things for the sake of this infatuation. I even encouraged myself one time that I know liking your cousin is a sin, it is incest, but could you resist the current of your feelings? But then, as days past by, there is someone who made me reflect that you are indeed just the impersonification of my ideal girl. You're not my ideal girl. You're beautiful, brainy, strong and independent, Rural. Yet this someone has trampled my bucket-list of an ideal girlfriend. Because of her, I tried to become myself once again."

Ninamnam ko muna ang nakakagulat na pag amin ng pinsan ko bago nakabawi. "Who is she?"

His facade relaxes. It's as if I saw the most loneliest man in the world.

"Do you still believe that Beverly really killed your father, Rall?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused with the train of our conversation. I am asking who is the girl who influenced him that much, why did he mention that witch?

"What if there was a foul play involved in your father's case?"

"What are you trying to imply, Edom?" unti unti na akong nainis. Why do I feel like he's defending that woman! "Are you telling me she's not the suspect? What about the evidence I found, then?"

He tried to look apologetic, but he's going way too far! "That's what I'm trying to say, Rall. What if the real killer concealed his crime by involving Beverly in the picture? What if she was just a trap to lead you on the wrong scent?"

Halos hampasin ko ang mesa sa pagkadismaya at galit.

"That's all bullshit, Edom! Maybe that witch has poisoned your mind to make you think that way!" I stormed out of the restaurant before we make our worst scene. Mabibigat ang mga hakbang ko palabas at malalalim ang hininga. May nakabangga pa ako papuntang wayside ngunit hindi na ako humingi ng tawad. I summoned a cab and left the place without looking back.

Weeks after that hot encounter with my weird cousin, I returned to Coastalic with a very heavy and contrite heart. The day before I need to report at Guevarra's Private Hospital I visited CPWO for an update of my father's long suspended case. It's been two years! Two painful years had passed yet my father had not met his justice yet. The criminal still freely hanging and shopping the street feels like an arrow straight to my pride and heart. Plus the fact that the my loyal and reliable cousin had just parted his ways of beliefs from mine, it's totally tiring and frustrating. How could he indirectly tell me that my criminal is not Beverly? Anong pinakain ni Beverly sa kanya. Ginayuma niya siguro ito.

"Si Inspector Revo ba kamo, Ma'am? Naku, kalalabas niya lang din po! May bago kasing kasong iniimbestigahan."

"Ngayon lang? Kailan siya babalik?" tanong ko sa babaeng pulis na pulang pula ang mukha habang nalilitong tinitingnan ang kanyang cellphone.

"Opo, Ma'am, ngayong lang po. Hindi ko po alam kung kailan babalik, eh."

Disappointed, I left the station. Kung may oras ako bukas pagkatapos ng aking duty, babalik nalang ako.

This year I got my immersion at GPH, even though I was offered by the impressive university to their school partners in and even out of the country. I chose GPH with no other reason than to get closer to my father's case.