Poison Empress

Chapter 14

[14]

Walking across the beach in its nightlife is so amazing, and I was afraid to tell Sky that I got tired. He seems to enjoy what he's seeing but when he turned to me, one look and he decided it's time to rest.

Kung paano niya nalaman sa isang tingin na pagod na ako, hindi ko alam. Maybe he's good at observing things, just like me.

Una niya akong pinapasok sa nirentahan naming hotel room. Mukha siyang motel sa sobrang liit para sa dalawang tao. Kung tama ako sa pagkakaintindi sa pinanood kong movie, ang motel ay para lang sa leisure ng dalawa o higit pang mga tao na gustong gumawa ng milagro. Geez. I wonder what possessed me to watch something like that.

Inupuan ko ang gilid ng kama at napatango ako nang maramdaman ang lambot nito. "The bed's fine."

Ngumiti siya at sinabit ang coat naming dalawa sa likod ng pinto. "Iyan ba ang lagi mong tinitignan sa tuwing magho-hotel ka?"

"Yep. It's not worth the rent if the bed suddenly breaks in the middle of the night."

"Don't worry. They said mahogany is their main material in the hotel's furniture." I watched him as he unbutton his shirt from the top. "But it's definitely hot in here."

Sang-ayon ako sa kaniya. "We're just not used to the size of the room. You'll get to bath first?"

"Uh, wait." Naglakad siya papunta sa isang pinto sa gilid at binuksan iyon. "This is too small. Hindi ka na madudulas dito."

"Really?" I grinned. "That's nice." Nice that he actually remembered me saying that about bathroom floors.

Tinignan niya ako. "You can change your own bathroom like this, you know."

"I can't. The walls and floors at the estate are too old and fragile to even get a renovation." I laid my back on the bed and gestured my hands like forming an angel. "Take a bath now."

"Yes, ma'am." Then I heard a door closed.

Umupo na ulit ako at nilapag sa side table ang dala kong limang kutsilyo na nakalagay sa waist band, medical tin, wallet, at phone. I never go outside the estate without these things. Fortunately, they're lighter than anyone can imagine.

Tinanggal ko ang blouse ko at skirt. Doon ko lang naramdaman ang init sa loob ng kwarto. Paano kaya natitiis ng mga nagrerenta dito ang init? Only one old ceiling fan is present.

Kinuha ko mula sa bag ang bathrobe ko at sinuot ito. Voxen carried my overnight bag over here earlier and I'm guessing he also rented a room not far from here.

Nakita ko rin ang portable fan sa bag kaya agad ko iyong ginamit.

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was my dear cousin who's calling.

"Dearest cousin?" I called her through the line.

"Yeah, Max. I want you to open your laptop for a bit."

"Why?" Kinuha ko naman ang laptop na nakalagay din sa bag ko at binuksan ito. "Is something wrong?"

Dian's voice seemed rushed. "I sent you a picture. I'd like you to tell me what you think of it."

"Okay. Wait a sec." Pinindot ko ang website kung nasaan ang email account ko at tinignan ang sinasabing picture ni Dian. "Where did you take this?"

"San Francisco. At the port." Huminga siya nang malalim. "I don't know if this is a coincidence or not, but I'm fucking troubled. Sa tingin mo ba, sinusundan niya ako?"

I zoomed in the figure of a girl centered in the picture. With a ribbon clip on top of her auburn hair, she wore something next to nothing, and her grin is totally cringe-worthy.