Willford University

ᗯᘮ - Chapter 67

Dangerous

"Articles are all gone. Did you do something?" Hiro called only to ask me this.

"I did. Monterverdes cannot know about this so I had get rid of it. This should be good for you too, right? You wouldn't want to be known as someone who is already engaged, anyways." Irap ko sa kawalan.

Saglit siyang nanahinik at napabuntong hininga, "Right. I should thank you, I guess?"

"I guess?" Nalilito kong sagot. What's up with him?

"Anyway, iyon lang ba ang itinawag mo?" I asked. Ilang saglit ay tahimik pa rin ang kabilang linya na inakala kong ibinaba niya. But then, I was so startled when he started talking again.

"Yeah. Well," Sabi niya kaya naman naghintay muli ako na baka sakaling may sasabihin pa siyang kasunod.

"What?" Kunot-noo kong tanong.

"Nothing. Just, I want to talk to the council. Please arrange a meeting for me. I don't think they'll agree to meet if I were the one to ask." Malumanay niyang sabi.

Napabuntong-hininga naman ako sa sinabi niya. I guess he's still worried about it. Muntik ko ng makalimutan ang ganap noon na sinabi niyang I mess up everything. Until now, I still don't understand what he meant.

I still wonder.

"I will, Hiro. I hope this time you'll tell them properly." Sabi ko na lang at sumagot siya ng mahinang okay.

I dropped the call and sighed.

"What?" Agad kong tanong sa dalawang babaeng nakangisi sa akin.

"I knew it! You two are talking!" Tili ni Annica.

Napairap naman ako. "Of course, we do? I mean we're both councils?"

I scoffed when Annica rolled her eyes to me. The nerve of this girl!

"That is not what I am talking about! Right, Olivia?" Irap ni Annica and Olivia did agree to her.

"You two talk outside the council stuff." Olivia pointed out. Agad kong napalingon sa kanyang sinabi. I don't know but for some reason I was guilty in a way.

Wait. Guilty? Me? Okay, that shit is confusing. I mean I shouldn't be confused! Right? What's there to be so confused about? I mean we do have some weird relationship but like not an actual relationship?

"Hold on. Topaz? Are you blushing?" Annica asked with wide eyes.

"What? No!" Gulat kong sagot sa kanyang paratang. I immediately got rid off the thoughts at tinawag na muli ang mga manicurists para matapos na ito.

I can't believe these two! They love making issues so much. Though I can't believe myself too! Why would I be suddenly reminded of those things?

The manicurists finished drying our nails. We gave them few tips and thank them before leaving the shop.

"So, what are you guys up to after this?" Annica asked.

"I'm dead tired because of you two. Uuwi na ako." Sabi ko na lang at nag-wave ng kamay sa kanila bago dumeretso sa sasakyan ko.

Those two drained my energy. Hindi ko akalain na interesado sila sa kung ano mang mayroon kami ni Hiro. Which is none, by the way!

Pagkauwi ko ay agad na sumalubong sa akin si Butler Lee. Nagulat ko naman ako dahil mukha siyang nagmamadali.

"Is there something wrong, Butler Lee?" Tanong ko. Napansin ko pa ang pag-hingal niya ng kaunti.

"Miss Topaz, your father is home." Nagulat naman ako dahil hindi ko iyon inaasahan. I was a bit confused dahil mukhang ninenerbyos si Butler Lee which is a bit unusual.

Hindi ko na lamang siya pinansin at nakangiti akong pumunta sa office ni Dad. Napatigil naman ako nang abutang nakayuko si Ate.

"Dad?" Taka kong tanong. Everyone is so being weird today!

"Topaz! Oh god, thank goodness you're okay." Alalang sabi ni Dad. Kumunot ang noo ko sa kanyang sinabi. Am I supposed to be not okay?

"What do you mean, Dad? I was out with friends today." Sabi ko pa na may kasamang ngiti. "Everything's going well, Dad."

"No, that's not it. I saw the headline." Biglaan niyang seryosong tanong. Nawala ang ngiti ko sa sinabi niya. Agad akong kinabahan. He already saw it! That fast? I even quickly asked the Chavaliers to get rid of it! How was Dad able to find it out so quick?

"What about the headline, Dad?" I asked calmly. "I properly got rid of it, okay? No need to worry if people you know will speculate that I am engaged which is I am not." I added, assuming that it was what he was worrying about dahil iyon rin naman ang rason ko kung bakit .

"No, Topaz. I wasn't worrying about the media or anything else. I was worried about the headline itself! Alcantara for pete's sake! Did you meet him, Topaz? Did you meet that fucking Arman?" Nabigla ako sa sinabi ni Dad.

It was a first time that I heard him curse and it was even in front of me! And Arman? Hiro's dad? Why would he ask about him? Also, this is my frst time hearing that he knows him!

"Well I did, Dad. It was an Alcantara party so of course we would have met eventually. We just had a small talk, that's all! His wife and other son is also there. That's it, Dad. What's wrong with it?" I asked, still confused dahil sa naging reaksyon niya sa nasabi ko.

"Iho de puta! Even his other son!" Gigil na sabi niya at napa-atrad ako.

"Ate? What's wrong?" I nervously shifted my eyes to Ate and asked her.

"Topaz, I think you should stop seeing Hiro." She said.

"What do you mean? We're not even dating, Ate!" I quickly said. "I don't know him much but he's to be trusted! He helped us with the Stone case, right?" Sabi ko pa.

"What is this about, Lauren? His son is involved with the Stone case?" Pasigaw na sabi ni Dad at agad akong napatayo ng maayos.

"There are circumstances..." Pagrarason ni Ate.

"You didn't tell me about this!" Galit na galit na sabi ni Dad.

"I didn't know we had an issue with the Alcantaras, Dad. I am sorry. Nadala lang rin ako, kami ni Topaz. He didn't do anything wrong. He even helped us catch Sally Stone." She calmly explained but I knew she was still a little scared. I could see her hands trembling behind her back.

"And I can't do that! I was just recently appointed as a council of the University. He's the president and I am literally the vice president. I can't ignore my responsibilities just because of your vague reasons." Nalilito kong sabi.

What's with them? I have never seen Dad so frustrated before!

"Alcantara is a dangerous family, Topaz. It is one of the families you shouldn't have met and more so, be talking to."