After that tiring morning session, we were given an hour to eat lunch and rest. Those who failed would be given only the remaining minutes to finish their lunch after rendering 200 laps.
Nasa kalagitnaan kami ng pagkain ng tanghalian sa mahabang hapag nang bigla na lamang tumayo si Uno at nagsimulang lumabas ng komedor. Sabay-sabay na ring tumigil sa pagsubo ang aking mga kasamahan.
Freaking rule #2: Once he's done eating, everyone on the table must be done, too.
What was he? The King of his own monarch eating with his lowly subjects (who happened to be us)? I badly wanted to scowl, but I stopped myself knowing that that the other two Delrios were eyeing me.
Kahit hindi ko pa gaanong nagagalaw ang pagkain ko, I didn't have any choice but to follow his rules. Gaya ng nakasanayan ng mga cadet, sabay-sabay rin silang nagsitayuan bitbit ang tray ng pinagkainan at inilapag sa cart. Nakisabay ako para 'di mapag-iwanan.
"Congratulations, Lieutenant Everdale," Kai said after appearing at my side. Nagulat man sa biglaan niyang pagsulpot ay hindi ko na ipinahalata. Plastered on his face was this exaggerated ecstatic facial expression.
"You seemed too happy to see me succeed the test, and I wonder why." Hindi naman kami close para ipagbunyi pa niya ang aking naging tagumpay. Unless he got some hidden agenda.
"Oh...how easy for you to deny me of my happiness, Lieutenant. You used to be so fun. What happened to my old Everdale, huh?"
"Believe me, I am anything but fun, Lieutenant Delrio." Nagsimula na rin akong maglakad palabas ng komedor upang dumiretso sa silid para makapaghanda sa kung ano man ang naghihintay ngayong hapon. I needed all the rest I could get after draining myself earlier.
"You were no fun even after the Academy, Penny. Even with your condition, your cold attitude never changes."
Nakasunod pa rin ito sa akin—ayaw akong lubayan. Gusto ko tuloy isipin na sinasadya niya ito para hindi ako makapagpahinga at tuluyang pumalpak mamaya. Tumigil ako sa paglalakad upang harapin siya.
"You speak as if you knew me," sabi ko.
"Ohh...We used to date during our Academy days." He wiggled his eyebrows, trying to look cute in front of me. Thanks to Terrence's uncalled-for presence, I was immune to such. It would take him more than this to fluster me, and I knew for a fact na hindi ganito ang tipo ko. Ginawaran ko siya ng nakakalokong ngiti.
"You're definitely not my type," matapang kong wika. Hindi na siya nagulat sa naging sagot ko kaya inabangan ko ang magiging bawi niya.
He was about to open his mouth to say something, but he stopped mid-air when his other brother graced us with his presence.
"Stop fooling around, Kai," he said. "Don't mind him." Seryoso at may pagka-suplado itong bumaling sa akin bago kami tuluyang iwan sa gitna ng corridor.
"GD's no fun, too!" Naiinis na ngitngit ni Kai. "Anyway, you are never my type, too. Too cold and stiff. Halos lahat ng ka-batch natin intimidated sa'yo. Maliban sa akin, of course." Medyo may kayabangan pa nitong sabi.
"We belonged to the same batch?" I asked, not minding his other remarks.
"Yes."
"How about the other two?"
"Uno's in Captain Venzuela's batch. GD belonged to the batch after that," paliwanag nito.
"What?" Tanong nito nang makita ang natigilan kong reaksyon. Never did it cross my mind that they were just siblings!
"Akala ko triplets kayo," pag-amin ko. All this time, I really thought triplets sila. Hindi kasi nagkakalayo ang mga mukha nila. Isang malutong na tawa naman ang naging reaksyon ni Kai.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Tale of the Ascendants
AcciónWhat if one day, you'd find out that you are not who you believe to be and the people around you become the ones you couldn't trust?
