Taming The Night [Cosmos Series#2]

Kabanata 25

I don't know if I should trust Lance. I have no idea if he's telling the truth but I hope he is. Sana naman ay huwag na niyang dagdagan ang kasalanan niya sa akin.

Si Lolo lang ang makakasagot kung totoo ang mga iyon. I really need to talk to him as soon as possible, for Lance's daughter and for my daughter. Hindi ko pa nakakalimutan ang mga sinabi niya sa akin. I don't know if I should be mad at him for using my daughter for me to follow him. Pero ako ang kusang sumunod, I got curious that's why. And I'm hoping that Lolo's words about my daughter is not one of my his schemes to manipulate me.

I maneuvered the car towards the parking lot. I glanced at the side and  the rear mirror. Wala na roon ang itim na kotseng kanina pa nakasunod sa amin.

I turned off the engine of the car after parking it as I looked at Crizzy seating on the passenger's seat. Bumaling ito sa akin at ngumiti bago nagmamadaling lumabas ng sasakyan. This kid!

I shook my head as I went outside the car. Isasara ko palang ang pinto nang nakita ko ang pamilyar na kotse, mabilis ang takbo nito at mukhang hindi iyon napansin ni Crizzy dahil nananatili itong nakatungo at tila tinitignan ang kanyang sapatos. Mukhang walang balak magpreno ang sasakyang iyon at nasisiguro ko na mahahagip si Crizzy. Patuloy nitong binabaybay ang direksyon patungo kay Crizzette.

Marahas kong isinara ang pinto ng kotse kaya gumawa iyon ng ingay at nakita ko na nakuha noon ang pansin ni Crizzy. She looked at me with a confused expression on her face.

"Tita, why-"

I immediately run towards her direction. Nang makalapit ay agad kong hinila kung ano man ang unang nahawakan ko sa kanya. Kasabay noon ang mabilis na pagdaan ng kotseng nakasunod kanina sa amin.

I saw Crizzy's eyes widened as she looked at the car who nearly hit her. She looked at me while her mouth's hung open.

"Are you okay?" I held her shoulders as I unconsciously roamed my eyes on Crizzette's body, looking if there's something wrong.

She nodded her head. "Thank you, Tita. I didn't saw the car coming." Gulat pa ring sambit nito.

Malalim akong napabuntong hininga. "You still want to go inside or you wanna go home?"

She gently shook her head. "I don't want to go home, Tita."

"Alright, let's go." I said after holding her hand. We entered the fast food restaurant she chose. Mabuti at hindi gaanong maraming tao rito ngayon.

We sat on the vacant table near the counter and I sighed when she smiled like nothing happened.

"I'll just order our food, stay here. Don't talk to strangers." I reminded before leaving her seated on the table.

Luminya ako sa kung saan iilan lang ang nakapila. I keep on glancing at Crizzette while I'm in line hanggang sa nahagip ng mata ko ang pamilyar na bulto sa kabilang linya.

With cold eyes and creased brows while standing so firm. "Adriel." Mahinang tawag ko ngunit alam ko na sapat iyon upang marinig niya.

He turned to me with his frown and his eyes suddenly widened when our eyes met. My brow automatically arched on his reaction. "What are you doing here?" Pinigilan ko na matawa dahil sa mukha ni Adriel na halata ang pagkainis at para bang nabuhayan ng loob nang makita ako.

Akmang sasagot si Adriel nang may babaeng pumagitna sa amin. She's wearing a wayfarer and a cap to cover her face but I'm sure she's a woman because of her hair.

May sinabi si Adriel kaya napaharap ang babae rito ngunit hindi ko iyon narinig. "Ang tagal mo kasi. I thought something happened but it turns out..." Bumaling sa akin ang babae at bahagyang ibinaba ang salamin at tinaasan ako ng kilay. Noon ko nakilala ang babae at natanto kung bakit tinatago nito ang mukha, the famous Peony Zaldivar, I smirked as I raised my brow up on her and she rolled her eyes before turning to Adriel. "You're already flirting with someone," She continued.