Caught In Flames

24 : Lost track

ARTEMIS

When I say breakfast is the only reason I wake up early in the morning, it's not impossible. But eating it is nearly unbearable right at this moment. Sa tuwing igagalaw ko ang ulo ko ay may sumisigid na kirot.

"What have we learned yesterday?" Napangiwi na lang ako sa tanong ni Sue na ngayo'y nakatutok nang muli sa laptop niya. We didn't get to finish our lesson yesterday but I did learn many things. But I guess she wasn't pertaining to that.

Hindi ko na lang pinansin ang tanong niya at nanahimik na lang. Anong sasabihin ko? Huwag nang tatalunan ang plywood? Come on. It's like one in a million chances I would have to do that again.

"Ang sakit, tangina." Napahawak ako sa ulo kong may benda. I quickly regretted doing so, though. Muling kumirot ang ulo ko sa ginawa ko. I heard a loud sigh near me pero hindi ko na ito pinansin. Inilayo ko ang kamay ko mula sa ulo ko at napatingin dito. Walang dugo. I sighed in relief.

"Sigurado ka bang nagamot mo ng ayos ang sugat ni Art?"

"Of course!" Nakalimutan ko nang nandito si Khali kaya medyo nagulat ako sa pagsigaw niya. That's weird. She doesn't shout unless she sees an act of stupidity with her own two eyes or when she's pissed.

I looked up from my plate at nakitang malamig ang titig ni Temper kay Khali. Fuck. Nasaan ba si Trailer? Baka mag-away ang dalawang 'to. Pareho pa namang mainitin ang ulo at walang preno ang bibig.

Si Dean din. Bakit wala ang mga ugok na 'yon dito?

"It's Trailer." Biglang bumulong si Sue sa hangin kaya't napakunot ang noo ko. Temper hasn't returned yet? Of course, I'm glad because it means he wasn't the one who kidnapped Khali, pero kahapon pa siya wala dito.

And I was never aware Trailer's gaze and voice could be this cold. At bakit kay Khali siya nagkakaganyan? I ought to tease them with each other but the tension felt heavyand suffocating I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Not just that, they don't know each other, right?

"Do you know each other?" I wanted to break the tension between them but I unconsciously asked a question. Ugh. Stupid Art.

"No." Trailer answered, picking up his plate and stood up. Nagpaalam ito na dederetso na sa kwarto niya. Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko sa nangyari. What the fuck?

Napaharap ako kay Khali na ngayo'y nakayuko at nakatitig sa pagkain niya. Hindi ko alam kung magagalit ako sa inaasal nila. Ang aga aga ay nagbabangayan.

"You have a question in mind. Ask her." Bumulong na naman si Sue na nasa tabi ko. Hindi pa nababawasan ang pagkain nito sa plato. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako at humarap muli kay Khali.

"Who did you ask for help?" Nag-angat ng tingin sa'kin si Khali ng sandali at inilapat ang tingin niya sa hagdan kung saan umakyat si Trailer. She called him? Akala ko ba hindi sila magkakilala?

"Natakot ako kahapon, Art. Gaga ka talaga. Tumalon ako pabalik at kinuha 'yung phone mo. His name was the first thing I saw in your contacts so I dialed it and he answered." I nodded. Ako lang ang pinagbigyan niya ng number niya. I asked her once why even her twin siblings never had her number but she said it was a secret. I remember rolling my eyes at her that time. Alam ko kasing kahit anong gawin ko ay hindi niya sasabihin. I know she has reasons.

"Asan nga pala ang phone ko?"

"In your pockets, dummy." She chuckled and continued eating. Kinapa ko ang bulsa ng suot kong pantalon at naramdaman ang phone ko sa kanang bulsa ko. I couldn't help but steal a glance at Khali but I shook my head.

Walang basag ang screen. I remember falling backside first so I shrugged it off. Buti na lang hindi ito ang napuruhan.

Nang mabuksan ko ito'y agad akong dumeretso sa contacts. The last person I had a conversation with through a call is Khali.

"Si Temper." Narinig kong muli ang pagbulong ni Sue sa tabi ko. Nanlalaki ang mga mata nito at nakaawang ang bibig. I couldn't help but be nervous. What about Temper? May nangyari ba?

"Sue? Anong nangyari?" Kinakabahan ako. Kahit gaano pa kami kadalas magbangayan ay hindi ko itatanggi na itinuring ko na din siyang kaibigan. He kind of grew on me.

"I-I lost t-track of him-" Napatayo ako at ginawa ang unang bagay na naisip ko. Tumakbo ako papunta sa kwarto ni Trailer.

My head hurts. My head fucking hurts. Pero hindi ko na 'to magawang pansinin sa pagmamadali. I have to tell Trailer. I have to hurry. I just wish I won't damn trip on something.

"Trailer! Trail-" biglang bumukas ang pintuan sa kwarto ng kambal at lumabas si Trailer. Nakasuot pa ito ng salamin at may hawak na libro. And damn that face is distracting me.

I mentally facepalmed at the thought.

"Bakit? May nangyari ba?"

"Si Temper-"

Bigla kaming nakarinig ng malakas na kalabog galing sa ibaba. Biglang kumaripas ng takbo si Trailer pababa ng hagdan. Susunod na sana ako nang biglang may nagsalita sa likod ko.

"I'm here!"

At this point in my life, I don't know what's more alarming. Kung ang malapad na ngiti ba sa mukha ni Temper o ang duguan niyang ulo.

Oh my gosh. Twinning!

Biglang nabura ang ngiti sa mukha ni Temper at mabilis na napalitan ng isang ngisi. At that exact moment, I wanted to punch his face and make his lip bleed because that would seem cool.

"You jerk. Hinahanap ka ng kambal mo." Napakamot siya ng ulo at nagsimulang maglakad papunta sa'kin. In less than minutes we were less than a feet closer to each other. He was still wearing his irritating smirk.

Kinilabutan ako sa paglapit niya. He moved his head closer to my ear. Shivers ran down my spine when I felt his light breath near my ear. Nagulat ako. Shit.

"Don't tell anyone I'm here-" Napalunok ako at mabilis siyang itinulak palayo. He stood there, eyes wide, his smirk wiped off his face. He was blinking repeatedly for like three seconds before his lips rose into a smirk again.

"I-I'm sorry, h-hindi ko sinasad-" I choked on my words. Napatakip na lang ako sa bibig ko at napangiwi. Fuck this. I'm overthinking again. Nanginginig na naman ang mga kamay ko.

"I'm not going to fucking ask what happened to you or whoever fucking did this to you that having me whisper in your ear makes you shudder in fear," he stopped, wiping blood near his mouth.

I looked at him, eyes brimming with tears. My ears are pleading to hear words I longed for.

"Are you goddamn okay?"

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