Assassinate the Class President ✔

Chapter 17

NATIGIL sa paglalakad si Aria nang biglang may humawak sa kamay niya at hinila siya paharap dito. Ibinalik niya ang cellphone sa bulsa.

Nabungaran niya si Adhel na madilim ang mukha. Magkasalubong ang kilay nito habang nag-iigting ang panga. Matalim ang tingin nito sa kanya.

"What was that all about?" sigaw nito.

Napatingin siya sa kamay nitong nakahawak sa kanya. Hinili niya iyon at piniksi para makawala siya. "What do you mean?"

Sinuklay nito ang hanggang-balikat na buhok. "About last night! Damn it, Aria! You made me look like a coward. And I hated myself for acting on impulse."

Umangat ang sulok ng labi niya at napaismid. "Stop pretending, Adhel. Stop acting like someone else when you're not. You do your job while I do mine, okay?" wika niya rito at tumalikod na.

Wala siyang panahon pa para patagalin ang pag-uusap nila. Hinihintay niya ang muling pagtawag ni Joanna para sa location ng batang iyon.

Pero mas lalo siyang nairita nang hilahin na naman siya nito pabalik.

"What is your problem?" pasigaw niyang tanong. Sandali siyang pumikit at napalunok. Nagpakawala siya ng malalim na hininga. Binuksan niya ang mga mata nang siguradong kalmado na siya. "Nakakainis ka na," mahina niyang sabi. But her tone was full of warning.

Muli nitong sinuklay ang buhok gamit ang kamay. "So, that's it? You won't even apologize to me for this?" wika nito at itinuro ang pasa nito sa isang bahagi ng mukha.

Napailing siya. Gusto niyang hilahin ang buhok nito at kaladkarin. "I'm sorry," nasabi na lamang niya. Ayaw niyang may kaaway ngayon.

Sarkastiko itong natawa. "That's the most insincere apology I've ever heard."

Hindi na siya sumagot pa. Hinawakan niya ang braso nito. Hinila niya ito at nagsimula nang maglakad.

"Where are we going?" tanong nito.

Iginiya niya ito sa clinic. Walang doktor pagpasok nila kaya tinulak niya ito para maupo sa isa sa mga kama. Nilibot niya ang kanyang paningin. May isang jug container na may label na 'cold compress' na nakapatong sa ibabaw ng mesa. Tinungo niya iyon at binuksan. Kumuha siya ng isa.

Nilapitan niya si Adhel na nagtataka habang sinusundan siya nito ng tingin. Walang ano-ano'y sinalampak niya ang cold compress sa namamagang bahagi ng pisngi nito.

Napaigtad ito. "Ouch! That hurts!"

She tsked. Binigyan niya ito ng masamang tingin. "Stay still," wika niya. Inilapat niya ulit ang hawak niya sa mas marahan na paraan.

"Why are you doing this?" tanong nito.

Napatitig siya sa mukha nito. Because of the short distance, she can see every detail on his face. How he scrunched his nose every now and then and how many times in a second he would blink his eyes.

Napatiim-bagang siya. Tinanggal niya ang cold compress mula sa pagkakalapat sa pisngi nito. Ginamit niya iyon para itago mula sa kanyang paningin ang kalahati ng mukha nito. She also used her palm to hide his forehead, leaving only his eyes for her to see.

"What are you doing, Aria?" tanong nito.

But she knew better than to answer his question. Pilit niyang inalala ang mga mata ng taong naglakas-loob na barilin siya sa loob mismo ng kanyang dorm. The problem was the image that she was trying to scan in her memory was vague and she only remembered how he stare at her. And that reminded her how Adhel would look at her eyes.

Napaatras siya ng ilang dipa. Kinuha niya ang kamay nito at inilagay doon ang cold compress.

Naguguluhan itong tumingin sa kanya. "Bakit hindi ka na sumasagot? Have you become mute already?"

Hindi niya pinansin ang sinabi nito. Tumikhim siya. "If I will ask you for the truth, I will disclose my own truth. Can you handle it?"

Kumunot ang noo nito. "God! You're talking in riddles, Aria. Stop confusing me!"

"You said that you will tell the truth if you think that I deserve to hear it. And I thought that in order for me to become deserving of your truth, then I need to spill my truth. Can you handle it?" pag-uulit niya.

It was weird to feel what she felt at this moment. Pinakiramdaman niya ang puso. It seemed like all the tiny needles in the world came over to prick her heart. She felt pain over betrayal. And that was totally weird because it meant that if betrayal existed, then trust was born first.

And that left her to conclude that she already trusted Adhel without her even knowing. At kung totoo nga na ito ang assassin, then she would have no choice but to protect herself. He will do his job and she will do hers.

"Whatever truth that is, I will tell you!" wika nito at ngumiti.

Napaawang ang kanyang mga labi. It was the first time to see him smiling without a touch of mockery. Aaminin man niya o hindi, it was pleasing to the eyes.

"I can handle it!" dagdag na sabi nito.

Tumango siya at naglakad palayo rito at sumandal sa dingding. Mas mabuti nang malayo ang distansya nilang dalawa. Sinalubong niya ang mga mata nito.

She will let him run this time because she expected him to do so. And she will also let him fight back if he was really the assassin.

"I will spill my first truth then I'll ask you one question. That's the time that you'll tell yours." Huminga siya nang malalim. "My name is Aria Montessa. I am not here to attend school. I am here for another purpose. Did you already know that?"

Matagal itong walang reaksyon bago umiling. "I don't know who you are and I don't have any idea on what you do."

"I work for the country. Have you ever been to my dorm?"

Muli, umiling ito. "I have never been to anyone's dorm. But what do you mean you work for the country?"

"I am an agent. How do you know about the ledger?"

Napalunok siya at mariing pumikit sandali. Nang magmulat siya ng mga mata, nandoon pa rin si Adhel, nakaupo at nakatingin sa kanya. Well, she expected him to draw a gun and point it to her face.

"I accidentally found your record along with the information of MBI on my father's table. It was written there that the truth is on the ledger. And agent? You mean, insurance agent? Or special labor agent?"

Hindi niya mapigilang mapangiti. Napaka-immature pala talaga ng lalaking 'to. Wala sa bokabolaryo nito ang mga context clues.

Umayos siya ng tayo. "Nevermind," wika niya at naglakad na paalis.

"Hey!" sigaw nito.