BY HOOK, BY CROOK

Chapter 01

It's 5 o'clock already at hindi ako mapakali kakatingin sa labas ng bintana ng Grandia namin. Today's friday kaya alam kong ngayon sya susunduin ng parents nya to stay at their house for the weekend. I came here early to wait for their van so that I could execute my plan perfectly.

Ellisse, our future private investigator, reported to me the information about my Third Leviticus Cruz last thursday.

I asked her a favor nung Monday and that is to do some background check. I know she's good at stalking dahil matagal na niyang ginagawa 'yun sa crush nya, pero nagulat kami ng may pa-powerpoint pa ang gaga at feel na feel pa ang pagrereport na akala mo talaga ang galing mag-present, eh pag sa room nag-rereport nganga naman,
pag dating talaga sa kalandian ang galing.

"Kuya hindi pa ba dumadaan, Toyota Revo, gray, TDI-125."

"Eh Maam hindi pa po eh, basta Maam ah sagot nyo po ako kila Sir ah."

"Si Kuya naman parang di ako kilala, ako na bahala kila Tianna."

Nakita ko na yung sasakyan nila na dumating kaya agad agad akong bumaba ng sasakyan. Binilinan ko pa yung driver namin na mag-hintay unless I text him the password.

"Kuya remember, when I text you the word 'green' that means you can already go without me, Are we clear?"

Our car was parked far from the seminary school so I have to run to reach them on time, hindi naman ako nahirapan dahil iniwan ko ang school bag ko sa sasakyan at cellphone lang ang dala ko.

I saw their car parked near the front gate, hindi na sa parking dahil puno na rin 'yon ng mga sasakyan na susundo sa ibang seminaristang uuwi rin.

"Fourth!" I called the little boy holding a monkey stuffed toy and smile widely, he's playing outside their car.

"Hello!" he greeted and smiled back at me.

Ang gwapo talaga ng batang 'to hmp pero mas gwapo pa rin yung Kuya.

"Where's Tita and Tito Flynn?"

"They went inside to fetch Kuya Third"

"Are you alone?"

Tumango muna sya bago nilaro ulit ang stuffed toy na bitbit nya.

Iniiwan lang nila 'to mag-isa? Pano kung may kumidnap dito sa batang 'to? Muka pa namang madaling isako kasi maliit lang sya.

"You like animals?" I asked because he seems so fascinated with his toy.

"Yes Ate!" Ate? I like that.

"So, do you have pets at home?"

Nalungkot naman ang muka nya at umiling, he's looks so cute lalo na nung nag-pout sya. Ang sarap pisilin ng pisngi, nakakagigil!

I'm thinking of ways to uplift his mood when I remember that I brought my tamagochi with me today, nagpapagalingan kasi kami ni Annika at syempre panalo ako kahit pa pet lover sya.

Kinuha ko sa bulsa ng skirt ko ang tamagochi kong kulay pink at masiglang tinawag si Fourth.

"Fourth look," I showed him my tamagochi.

He looked at it curiously so I explained to him how it works. Na-gets nya naman agad kaya inabot ko na sakanya para makapag-laro sya. I can see that he's very happy with the toy I gave him.

Hawak ko ang monkey stuffed toy ni Fourth habang sya naman nag-lalaro ng tamagochi nang may tumawag sakanya.

I saw his parents walking towards us and behind them was the guy I was actually waiting for, wearing their school uniform and backpack.