The Detective: Frankiana

CHAPTER 18: Cebu

Samantha tensed up for a while but eventually gave in. She smiled widely and swore she's blushing so hard right now. She finally wrapped her arms around Hannah who had hugged her tight.

"So ikaw pala yung kasama ko mag walk to the parking lot? That's not Salazar?" Hannah asked as they broke the hug.

Samantha chuckled. "We're both Salazars. You should start calling her Sid, that's what I call her."

"Oh, yeah. That was not Sid? I thought that was Sid because I actually shared a table with her two months before we met and she was drinking a hot Espresso and Matcha Fusion, milk substituted with soymilk. How was I supposed to know there was two of you?"

Salazar chuckled at Hannah. "You're so cute and innocent."

Hannah blushed at the statement.

"So I guess that was the first time in two months that you've been to that Starbucks no?" Samantha asked.

They were sitting on the couch now. It was actually light talking to each other. It felt like they knew each other for far too long now.

"Yes. How did you know?" Hannah answered.

"Because you were drinking her drink, and you were eating her favorite pasta. Knowing my twin, you must have thought she was hot at your first meeting. And when you finally got to that Starbucks again, you remembered her, so you ordered her order." Samantha analyzed.

"Well, you kinda got it half right." Hannah admitted. "I was intrigued by her drink so I ordered it for myself, and the lasagna, I have been craving for that since the last time - your twin got the last order and leaving me with Penne Pesto." Hannah chuckled. "And yes, I found her hot."

"Looks like someone's got a crush." Samantha commented. Hannah looked at her. 'Hala, bakit parang lumungkot siya bigla? Siya naman yung crush ko ah.'

Hannah only smiled widely in response. 'You don't know Sam. I've been crushing on you since the night we first met. I thought it was Sid but that was actually you.' She mentally stated.

Samantha sighed. "Well, for starters, my favorite Starbucks drink is Iced Espresso and Matcha Fusion, Sid's is hot Espresso and Matcha Fusion with milk substituted with soymilk." She looked at Hannah, stating little differences between her and her twin. Hannah was just listening intently.

"And I have a small birthmark here." Samantha said as she pointed to a birthmark by the right side of her neck.

"Oh yeah! I noticed that when we 'first' met. The time I thought I met Sid for the second time." Hannah chuckled. "Why did I forget that detail? I should've known!" Hannah dramatically said.

Samantha chuckled again. "And well, Sid's getup – and by get up, I mean favorite get up, and most-of-the-time-get-up, is all-black. Me, I prefer-"

"Denim jackets." Hannah finished the sentence for her and chuckled. 'You look hot in them. Don't worry, I prefer the denim getup.' She almost said that, but thankfully she didn't.

"Yeah, denim jackets. And, uh, well, Sid has light brown eyes like you." Samantha stated which made Hannah blush.

'She noticed my eyes. My god, she noticed my eyes.' Hannah mentally commented. She bit her lips to hide the kilig.

"Me," Samantha continued, "I have dark brown orbs, almost black, and bad eyesight."

"So that's what the glasses are for. I thought you were just wearing them to complete the spy aura." Hannah chuckled.

"I wish!" Samantha responded and laughed. "But nope, it's just really bad eyesight."

As if on cue, Hannah remembered something. "Wait, so we actually met twice already, didn't we?"

"Yes." Samantha replied and paused for a while. "I finished your third drink at the bar."

"Oh my god! That was you!" Hannah exclaimed. Mapaglaro talaga ang tadhana.

Salazar smiled widely. "Bakit ka ba heartbroken n'on?"

'Because Sid had a girlfriend, and I thought you were Sid. Thankfully, you're not.' Hannah almost said that but she stopped herself and only smiled widely. "Thanks for singing for me. I appreciate it."

Samantha only smiled widely at her as response. Hannah could melt at the intimate moment.

"Hala. I have to go home na." Hannah remembered and acted to stand up when Samantha stopped her and pulled her back to the couch.

Hannah crashed into Samantha as a result of the pulling. She looked at the other girl, and she wished she didn't have to do that – they were only a few inches apart and milliseconds away from a kiss.

"You can't go home." Samantha said and with their closeness, Hannah could smell her fresh breath. 'Bakit ganon? Kakatapos lang naming kumain pero fresh breath pa rin.' Hannah got conscious and pulled herself away to get some distance.

"Why not?"

"Because you're dead Hannah."

"Ano? Dead? I'm not dead! Kidnap ba 'to?" Hannah dramatically exclaimed.

Samantha looked at her with all seriousness. "No, I did not kidnap you. Pinapalabas lang na dead ka na, to set the mission perfectly."

"Mission?"

"Yes, Hannah. You and I, we have a mission."

"Anong mission? At bakit ikaw kasama ko?"

"That night when I saved you - I shouldn't have done that. It was a threat to my identity. But I couldn't help it - he was pulling the trigger straight into your heart. I had to save you. I took the risk, I got out of hiding, I compromised my identity." Samantha explained. Hannah was just listening close.

"Pinalabas nila that it was Sid who stabbed Felipe on the heart and that you died in the encounter para hindi ka na hanapin ng ibang tauhan nila. Sid can handle herself, we've been trained for this all our lives and you're not. And para hindi ka rin madulas at masabing may isa pang Salazar."

"Oh. But does my family know?" Hannah was concerned about her family.

"Yes. They signed a confidentiality agreement with the agency."

"If my family is safe, then I'm okay with it."

"Don't worry." Samantha assured.

"So where is this mission? What do we do?"

"Remember when I said that I already got the intel about Mason Fire's boss? Well, we're going undercover to bust him. We're going to Central Visayas. That's where his hideout and main operations is located."

"Central Visayas? That's like a two-hour plane ride away from here. How long will we be there?"

"Long enough to finally bust him. Guess we'll have to stick with each other in a new place, a new world, a new paradise. Think of it as a honeymoon." Samantha gave her sweetest smile to Hannah.

Hannah chuckled, she was blushing. "Where in Central Visayas, though?"

"Cebu."