Secrets Behind Finding Rafael (Published Under PSICOM Publishing House Inc.)

9:37 PM

Benjamin

"Putangina, baboy ka talaga." Luke hissed dangerously. He is clenching his jaw and it's a cue for me to just exclude myself from the scene that's about to come.

I purse my lips as I go back to where Shantal, Bevs and Calvin are sitting. For the love of god, they are still on the long process of tracking Rafael's device!

Walang hiya, matagal pa ba 'yan?

Gutom na gutom na kasi talaga ako!

It's been almost six hours now, wala pa akong kinakain! This is really bullshit!

"Guys, uhm," I started, I don't know where to start. Kahit ano naman kasing gutom ang maranasan ko ay tinutubuan pa rin talaga ako ng hiya.

Alam ko namang wala sa putukan itong hinayupak na pagkalam ng tiyan ko. Pero masisisi ba nila ako kung ganito na talaga ako katakaw simula pa noong bata pa ako?

Shit lang.

Para tuloy akong hinuhihusgahan sa kasalanang hindi ko naman ginawa.

They all stared at me, except Shantal who busied herself with her failing plan. Wala naman talaga siyang pakialam.

"Lalabas lang ako, saglit." I scratch my nape. "Kakain lang. Gutom na ako, eh." I made an awkward smile.

I saw Shantal to roll her eyes.

Bevs gave me an approving silent nod.

And Calvin obviously want to say something rude but he just ended up with, "Go on, fucking piggy."

Then I heave my most relieved sigh.

Yes! Kakain na ako!

I was about to walk away with a wide smile on my face when I was halted by Shantal's voice.

"I give up, this motherfucking plan of mine won't work!" She threw her phone away pero agad niya rin iyong kinuha. Wala sigurong pang-bili ng cell phone. I prevent myself from laughing.

"I can't!" Napasabunot siya sa kanyang buhok, halata ang pagkairita, "you see? Ginawa ko namang lahat pero it's still not fucking enough!"

Her chest goes up and down momentarily, "Fuck you, Rafael! Fuck you for always making me feel that I was never enough!" Napaupo siya sa sahig at saka napahilamos ng mukha, "Tangina ka talaga."

Dae, Luke and Anj quickly come near us.

"Okay, let's just chill." Dae stated with an enigmatic voice. He seems to decipher the situation without even giving it a clearer focus.

Shantal faced him with raging eyes. "Chill? Are you fucking serious?! How can I fucking chill when I know, tomorrow will going to be the death of my future if we fucking failed finding that damn Rafael!"

Dae heave a sigh. A long deep sigh. Halata ang pagpipigil niya ng inis. "Hindi lang naman ikaw ang nakakaramdam niyan, Shantal."

He swallowed and gestured his hand around us, "All of us are feeling the same way! Can't we just chill and deal with this thing without irrational mind? Kasi sorry to say, your rage will never produce any valuable solutions."

On my mind, I am mumbling, "Right."

Shantal just rolled her eyes at him.

"Okay. Ganito na lang." Calvin started, I don't know kung magtataka ba ako dahil hindi siya nagagalit ngayon? Lagi kasi siyang galit the whole time na nakasama namin siya.

Anong nangyari? Bakit nag-iba yata ang ihip ng hangin?

Is this what you called The Rafael Effect?

I prevent myself from laughing.

"Why won't we all split up individually?" He suggested, "Kasi we are sure na nandito siya." Then he raised the two small sheet of papers that we found here and on our class room. "These papers are the proofs that Rafael is just somewhere. Watching us."

Okay, ang creepy ng idea niya. Hindi ko kaya mag-lakad nang mag-isa sa dilim! Baka may mumu!

On my mind, I am debating with him.

But I chose not to mumble any word when all of them agreed.

"Do we really need to go individually?" Bevs, as the biggest overthinker continued, "We should not go out without someone beside us. Kasi, what if Rafael is armed? What if he has a gun or something?" She shook her head, "We can never tell. Mag-by partner na lang tayo."

"Okay," Calvin said, with a heavy obvious annoyance on his breath, "we will go by two."

Kaunti na lang, hihilingin ko na talaga na sana, araw-araw na lang na mawala si Rafael. Para lagi kaming maging ganito. Iyong may cooperation. Iyong walang away kada-segundo.

"Luke and Shantal will go at the north part of the school. Kami ni Anj, sa gitnang part. While Dae and Bevs will go south part. And you," he pointed a finger at me. Wala akong partner?! Pati ba naman dito?! "You will go to the motherfucking cafeteria alone."

"Bro," I almost choke, "You know I can't go there by myself alone." I pointed out the last word as if that was the last word that should come up to his god damn mind.

"He can't defend himself, pare." Luke eye me with a look on his eyes that said I am pathetic because of my fat body. "Samahan mo na lang. Anj will join me and Shantal."

"Bakit naman ako ang sasama sa baboy na 'to?"

"Because practically, you are physically fitted for the job. You're a fucking criminology student, right?"

"Ako lang ba ang criminology student dito?"

Luke still insisted, "Dae will go with Bevs." By the look on his eyes, I can clearly get that he is saying "Dae is already dealing with the weakest link of this motherfucking group."

Napahilamos na lang ng mukha si Calvin dahil sa inis. "Putangina. Fine!" Then his blazing eyes were darted on me. "Fuck you. Kapag naging pabigat ka sa akin, iiwan talaga kita."

Takte, anong kasalanan ko?

Trip ng gagong 'to?

"I want to go alone." Shantal suddenly said.

All of our eyes went to her. For a moment, I was afraid of what I saw from her eyes. It was . . . full of flaming emotions. It's like a bottle of rage, envy and hopeless determination.

"You can't, Shantal--"

"No," Shantal cut off Luke. "I want to fucking deal with this thing alone. I want to find that fucking Rafael. Alone."

We are all intimidated by her dangerous stern voice. I am aware of that when Calvin unexpectedly agreed.

"Okay, this is the plan. We will find Rafael before the sun comes up." Calvin started with a sheer hopes on his voice, "We have to. We can't not find him. We should find him no matter what the circumstances are."

"Mag-message na lang tayo sa Messenger kapag nakita na natin siya." Dae added, "And please, don't hurt him. The dude has had enough, we should just fucking chill and make sure he's safe with us."

"Yep," Calvin mumbled, "H'wag niyo siyang sasaktan," he is obviously saying that to Shantal, "we should just beg for his forgiveness and this shit will come to an end."

Right after that moment, we all started to move.

With the hopes of finding Rafael before the morning comes, I am still starving. I fucking need food!