Hi, Ghost

Kabanata 7

'Are you sure?' I asked mina for the third time. Tumango ito.

I told her about everything and she decided to help me. Now she's driving papunta sa apartment ni benj.

She's 25 years old, a biology professor. Bago lang sya dito. Taga ibang probinsya sya but she decided to move here last semester.

Tinuro ko ang direction papunta sa apartment ni benj. It's 8pm na. We talked a lot kanina, she didn't know me but she cried with me kanina while i'm telling her about my story.

Bumaba ako ng sasakyan nya at pinasunod ko sya sakin. Pumasok muna ako at nakita si benj with peter sa sala.

'Benj!' Lumingon ito sakin at sumimangot.

'Where did you go?' Pagalit na sabi nito.

'Huh?' Takhang bumaling si peter sa kaibigan. I giggled.

'May bisita ako. Pagbuksan mo sya dali' kunot noo naman akong tinignan ni benj. Lumapit sya at binuksan ang pinto.

'Who is she?' Benj asked me.

'She's a friend. She can see me too.' I told him. Ngumiti naman si mina kay benj pero tumingin lang ito sakin.

'May bisita ka benjie?' Peter asked. I laughed. Benjie? Tumayo si peter at tinulak bahagya si benj para makita ang bisita.

'Oh h-hi miss'

'Let's talk' hinila ako ni benj papunta sa kwarto nya.

'Um hi' i smiled at him. Sinimangutan nya lang ako at told me to spill everything.

Kinwento ko lahat ng naganap sakin kanina. Nakatingin lang sya sakin.

'Sumama ka kay dela vega?' Pagalit na sabi nito.

'Seriously? Sa dami ng sinabi ko dito yan pa nag napick up mo? Di ako sumama, more like sumabay? Di naman nya ako nakikita e' Tiningnan nya lang ako ng masama.

'Why did you bring your new friend here?' He asked. Hinila ko sya palabas. Mina awkwardly sitting on the sofa while tinatabi ni peter ang mga bote ng beer.

Umupo ako sa tabi ni mina. She smiled at me.

'So I'm going to help her. You must be benj?' Tumango lamang ito.

'Ang rude mo naman' inirapan ko sya. Tiningnan ko si peter na patingin tingin lang sa dalawa, umupo na ito.

'Who are you again?' Benj asked mina. I glared at him.

'I'm Mina Cruz, i saw her kanina accidentally. But I want to help her.'

'Sinong her?' Peter asked confused. I laughed. Mina smiled at him apologetically.

'Should we tell him?' I asked benj.

So they told peter eveything. And oh boy, tahimik sya kanina pa while we continue talking.

'I-is she h-here?' Peter asked. Tumango lamang si benj.

'Next time wag kang sumasama kay charles' benj said. Tumango ako. Di pa rin pala nya nakakalimutan.

'W-what?' Peter asked again tumitingin sya sa paligid nya.

'Sumabay sya papunta sa kabilang bayan sa kaibigan nyo kanina' Mina said to peter, at namutla naman ito.

'R-really?'

'Sabihin mo sakanya na narinig kong nasa hospital sya because of a rape victim' Mina told him that, and lalo syang namutla.

'Don't scare him' sinimangutan ako ni benj. Sinabi na din ni benj kay peter na i'm the reason why he asked for the copy of cases. Pagkasabi non, biglang nagseryoso si peter. Mukhang nagsisink-in na sakanya ang lahat.

'But there are no new record of murder here. Kahit pa sa kabilang bayan' Peter said seriously.

'Bago ang start ng semester may binalita na aksidente sa highway na yun right?' Mina asked peter.

'Madami ang cases ng accidents especially sa highway na yon, but you said she was murdered' Peter answered. Naramdaman ko naman na pinaglalaruan ni benj ang mga daliri ko unconsiously.

'Maybe, it was murder pero ginawa don para isipin na aksidente lang ang nangyari sakin given the fact that na normal lang ang aksidente sa lugar na yon?' I asked and i saw mina and benj smiled.

'That make sense' Mina said and inulit nya ang sinabe ko para malaman ni peter. Tumango naman ito.

'Well, I'll help you too. What's your name?' Tanong sa kawalan ni peter.

'She doesn't know nga' benj rolled his eyes at him. Mina laughed.

'I'll ask charles for help' peter said. Pero agad na umiling si benj.

'I don't like him. Don't you dare' pagalit na sabi ni benj. I squeezed his hand.

'Sino ba yung charles na yon?' Mina asked.

'He's a friend. Pulis din sya sa kabilang bayan' sabi ni peter. Benj rolled his eyes. Hinampas ko naman sya.

'Ang rude mo naman kay charles' bulong ko sakanya. Mina looked at us. She's smiling, but when i asked why umiling lamang ito.

'So i guess aalis na ako, may work pa ako tomorrow' she said.

'Me too, sabay na tayo. Um uh goodnight benj and miss' tumingin si peter sa tabi ni benj.

'She's beside you' benj said. I laughed ng mapatalon ito.

'Thank you mina and peter' I said waving at them.