Bewitched

CHAPTER II

(Flashback)

Everything in the room screamed that I didn't belong.

Siksikan, napaka-ingay, sigawan dito, sigawan doon. Naghalo ang amoy ng pawis, hininga at lahat ng baho sa katawan, amoy ng perang nakaladlad sa mga pumusta, amoy ng lupa o kahit ng dugo. Hindi mo na malalaman kung ano ang mga sinisigaw ng mga tao dahil sa sigaw ng numero rito, sigaw ng numero sa kabila doon, sigaw ng pangalan rito, sigaw naman doon habang nagpapalitan ng pera at sigawan ulit dahil hindi nagkakarinigan at pilit na nakikipag komunikasyon sa pamamagitan ng mga senyas at sigaw. I squeezed through the crowd trying to follow closely behind my best friend, Andrea.

"Hawakan mo ng maigi wallet mo Annie!" Andrea called to me. Her wide smile gleamed even in the dim light. I winced.

"Stay close too, kung ayaw mong mawala! Mas grabe pa to pag nag-simula na!" Jimmy, her cute and sweet boyfriend yelled over the noise. Andrea grabbed his hand and then mine as Jimmy led us through the rowdy center. Nakakangilo ang ingay ng kung anong metal na pinukpok sa bakal na nakapagpatalon sa akin sa gulat saka nilingon ang pinagmulan ng ingay.

A man holding a handful of cash in one hand and a microphone on the other.

"Welcome to the blood bath, madlang people! If you are looking for Economics one-oh-one...you are in the wrong f*cking place, my friend! And! if you seek Circle, this is Allan at your service! Now, before the game begins, I'll make some clarifications first coz I'm the one who makes the rules and calls a fight, so!" the music blasted and drum rolls for a dramatic effect.

Sa ibabaw ng literal na Circle ay may balkonahe kung saan naka-upo ang mapaghahalata mong may mga kaya sa buhay na mga negosyante.

"Matatapos ang laban at pustahan once the opponents are on the floor...no touching the fighters, no assistance, no bet switching para walang dayaan at walang lalapit sa ring. If you break these rules, you will be thrown out on your ass without your money! So don't use your hoes to scam the system, boys!"

Napa-boo ang ilan habang may nagmumura mula sa kung saan. Pumito ang mga kalalakihan sa bandang likuran ko. Hindi na ako nag-abalang lingunin ang mga ito dahil napangiwi ako saka itinakip ang buhok sa mukha para hindi masilaw sa napaka-laking ilaw na nasa sentro. Jimmy shook his head disapprovingly.

"Jesus, Allan!" sigaw niya sa emcee sa kabila ng sigawan, hindi nagustuhan ang mga bulgar na salitang lumalabas sa host. Habang ang dibdib ko ay mabibilis ang kabog, pinilit kong huwag mahilo sa mga naghahalong amoy at nakakasilaw na ilaw. With a pink cardigan and pearl earrings, I feel like a school kiddo on the sea of mature men and their under-dressed clingy girlfriends.

Nangako ako kay Andrea na I can handle whatever will happen upon the fight or during our entire time here, but now I feel the urge to grip her stick of an arm with my both hands and pull us out of this rowdy place. Alam kong hindi niya ako ipapahamak o ilalagay sa kapahamakan pero hindi ako siguradong makaklabas kami ng walang galos dahil sa sobrang limampung lasing na college boys na ang intension ay madugong pustahan para sa katuwaan at pera, hindi ko lang talaga alam.

Pagkatapos ng unang pagkikita nina Andrea at Jim noong orientation for the freshman students, naging madalas na ang pagsama-sama niya sa boyfriend tuwing may nagaganap na underground fights sa mga sekreto at iba't ibang basement sa lugar nila. Each fight was held in different places and kept secret not until an hour before the fight. I was surprised about this fact and that Jim said he knew about these even before he enrolled in college.

Chase, Jim's roommate and cousin who Andrea said, entered his first fight seven months before he entered college and during his freshman years, he was rumored to be the most lethal competitor Allan had seen in the five years since creating The Circle. Then during his sophomore year, according to Andrea, Chase was unbeatable. Those facts made me cringed. Those are people I don't want to get myself involved with. It's a relief that I do not belong to his circle. I like to be by myself. Naiirita ako kapag may katabi akong maingay dahil obligado akong sagutin at kausapin siya, except Andrea. She understands.