No One Will Know (PUBLISHED)

XIX. Burned Bridge

XIX. Burned Bridge

I slept soundly that night knowing that when I wake up, one of my problems would be taken cared of... permanently. I only woke up when Nathan began making noises. He was pacing back and forth inside the room, trying to find something.

"Hey..." I called as I sat down on the bed.

"Sorry if I woke you up," he replied as he kept on looking for something. I was about to ask him another question nang maunahan niya ako. "I gotta go somewhere. You can stay here if you want. I'll talk to you later." Then he kissed my forehead.

Puno ng pagtataka ang mukha ko sa bilis ng pangyayari. I went to the bathroom instead. I took my time in taking a bath. Sinuot ko iyong t-shirt at boxers ni Nathan. I was plopped in front of a TV, watching a news about the whistle blower gone missing.

"Tanga kasi kayo," bulong ko habang tutok ang mga mata sa nagbabalita. I figured that since I couldn't rely on the system here in the Philippines, might as well use that weakness to my advantage. Hindi na ako nagulat pa na nahanap ni Pamela si Harvey kahit pa nasa witness protection ito.

The police force here's incompetent, in general. That's the truth. Walang aasahan sa kanila. Mamumuti ang buhok mo bago pa may mangyari.

I was watching the police chief who was giving a statement with regards to the status of the case now that the primary source of information's gone. Halos matawa ako sa mga sagot na binibigay niya. Kasi kung gusto talaga nilang protektahan si Harvey, they'd find a way.

Kung sabagay... kung gusto din ni Pamela na mahanap si Harvey, she'd find a way, that's for sure.

"Hey," I said upon answering Thomas' call.

"Ary," he replied, his voice laced with fear. "Fuck!" he cursed.

I crossed my legs, and leaned against the cushion of the sofa. "What's wrong?" nag-aalala kong tanong. I looked around, and remembered that I was still in Nathan's loft. Mabilis akong tumayo para pumunta sa CR. Mahirap na. Hindi ko alam kung may hidden camera pala sa lugar na 'to. After all, why would Nathan even bother to secure this place so badly kung wala naman palang dapat itago?

"I... shit!" mura niya ulit. "Can you help me?"

Naka-tayo ako sa harap ng salamin habang tinitignan ang itsura ko. I was far from the fifteen year old who ran to a foreign land. I could barely recognize the old me. I didn't know if it was the circumstances or just the mere fact that I badly wanted to change everything about me, but it happened.

I looked different.

But the eyes... God, Blake was right. Baguhin ko man ang lahat sa akin, hindi ko kayang baguhin ang mga mata ko.

"Please tell me what happened first, Thomas. You're making me worried," mahinahong sabi ko kahit na may ideya ako kung ano ang naganap. The fact that it was Thomas who was calling me, I knew that it was Harvey who lost. Too bad. I'd really rather deal with Harvey than Thomas. Dahil kung ako ang papipiliin? Mas malala si Thomas. This guy didn't have remorse for anything. Na kahit harap-harapan mong sabihin sa kanya ang mali niya, he'd still find a way to make it about him.

Such a first grade asshole.

"I can't. Shit! Please meet me, okay? I need you, Ary," sabi niya bago sinimulang sabihin ang isang address.

Nang matapos ang tawag, lumabas ako. Naglakad-lakad ako habang iniisip kung ano ang gagawin ko. I could... I could just call the police on him. Sa tipo ni Thomas? He wouldn't last a day in jail. Or if he would, he'd be some prisoner's bitch. Lihim akong natawa. It would be such a sight to see Thomas being fucked in the ass. Kabayaran sa lahat ng kagaguhan niya sa buhay.