#WIAE Chapter 15

I held my breath. This was happening all too fast. I had tried to stop this but every time I would remember Laurie's face, I couldn't help but feel remorse against her Uncle. How could he do that to his own blood? He killed an entire family! For what? For power? That's just freaking insane! Money isn't everything. Bakit ba masyadong pinapahalagahan iyon ng mga tao?

"Yes, Miss Belinda. Consider it done. Expect the plan carried out within the next 24 hours," Sandra said.

Closing my eyes, I heaved out a heavy sigh. Was I really doing this? Or was I just blinded by my rage? But someone like him didn't deserve to live... But who was I to decide who gets to live? Was I playing God? Kagaya ng ginawa ni Night nung pinatay niya iyong mga babae?

I was about to withdraw my order when the phone was taken from my hand. Napalingon ako at nakita ko si Lorenzo.

"What are you doing here?" tanong niya sa akin.

"I was talking to someone," I replied and tried to take the phone from him. "May kausap ako."

"You're not allowed here," he pointed out.

"Well, talk to Night about that. He's the one who helped me get inside," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Night?"

I nodded. Akmang aagawin ko sana ulit iyong phone mula sa kamay niya pero ayaw niya talagang ibigay sa akin.

"Sino ba'ng kausap mo?" he said. He tried to listen to the other end of the line, but I was quick to get the phone from him. I didn't know how I was able to do it. He's much taller than me, much stronger than me. Maybe because I was really worried for a second. Baka malaman niya na galing talaga ako sa Mafia Estrella. And he shouldn't know about it. Kailangan mas mauna kong masabi kay Avo, bago pa man kanino. I owed him that, at the very least.

I ended the call, and then delete the details from the log.

"You know, for someone who claims to hate people, you're too nosy," I told him.

"You know, for someone who's not allowed to be here, you're too arrogant," he replied.

I didn't want to give away my real identity, so I remained as impassive as I could. But Lorenzo's smart... he might figure it out on his own. But that's his problem.

"As I have mentioned earlier, if you have a problem with me being here, kausapin mo si Night," I reiterated.

Akala ko ay may sasabihin pa siya pero kibit-balikat lang ang nakuha ko mula sa kanya. He tossed the phone, inilagay iyong kamay sa loob ng bulsa niya, at saka nagsimulang maglakad palabas. He's really... ineffable. I had no words.

Mabilis ko siyang sinundan palabas dahil baka maligaw ako dito sa loob. At isa pa, hindi ko alam kung paano lumabas... if I had to write another phrase, or what. At palagay ko, kung maiwan man ako rito sa loob, hindi ako pag-aaksayahan ng oras na balikan ni Lorenzo o ni Night. O baka balikan nila ako kapag hinanap na ako ni Avo.

"Why were you there?" I asked Lorenzo. As usual, hindi siya sumagot. "Bukod sa phone, ano pa ang nandun?"

He kept on walking, while I kept on throwing him questions. Based on probability, more questions mean higher chances of getting answered. Ang dami ko kasing gustong malaman, pero walang sumasagot. I wanted to ask Avo but at the same time, I didn't want to ask him. I didn't want him getting curious as to why I was curious. He was already facing lots of problems outside, ayoko na dumagdag pa ako.

"Stop asking," he said, after I asked my twentieth question.

"Why?"

"Because the more you know, the more danger you are in."

"But I'm already in danger... don't you think? Someone's trying to kill me. How worse could it get?"

Napa-tingin sa akin si Lorenzo.

"I don't know if you're just naive, or you really just have a death wish..." sabi niya at napatawa naman ako. That's what my mother often told me. "But for everyone's sake, just stay your nose out of things that do not concern you."

"Per—"

"Or just leave me out of it. Kung may guguluhin ka, go to Avo or Night. 'Wag ako," sabi niya tapos iniwanan ako.

Ang sungit.

Nung makabalik ako sa dorm, nandun na si Cathy... But she was already sleeping. Sayang! Gusto ko pa naman sanang makipagkwentuhan muna bago matulog. Imbes kasi na antukin ako, para mas na-trigger lang ni Lorenzo iyong utak ko... Kasi kapag sinasabi sa akin na hindi ko dapat gawin, mas gusto kong gawin...

Around midnight, I was finally able to sleep. I had practicals to worry. I needed all the sleep I could get.

Pagka-gising ko, wala na naman si Cathy. That girl! Hindi ko na talaga siya nakikita. Ganon ba talaga kapag upper level na? Mas busy na? To the point na hindi na masyadong nakakauwi?

Nung dumating ako sa klase, nagtinginan agad sa akin iyong mga kaklase namin. Every time this happened, I always blamed myself for hating the attention. Why couldn't I just ignore them? It wasn't as if I could do anything about that. They could look, but that's all they'd ever get—a look from afar.

Iniiwasan ko na kausapin si Night... At mabuti na lang dumating na si Avo. Huminga ako nang malalim para kalmahin ang sarili ko. I didn't want him to notice anything. If anything, I wanted him to believe that I was doing fine. Because I really wanted to do things on my own... Hindi iyong parating gusto niyang ginagawa ang lahat para sa akin.

"Good morning," I greeted with a smile. Avo smiled back. "Are you alright? You look... tired."

"Well, yeah. I had to finish things last night."

Bigla akong kinabahan. Nandun din ba siya kagabi? Nakita ba niya ako?

"Were you disturbed? Ella was throwing tantrums again last night," biglang sabi ni Night.

"Yeah..." Avo replied. "I had to transfer to my room because I can hear her from the study area."

Hindi ko alam kung nababasa ba ni Night ang nasa isip ko. He just answered the question inside my head!

"Fuji took care of her," Night continued. Wala namang comment si Avo... Wala yata talaga siyang pakielam kay Ella. Medyo naaawa ako kay Ella. She's practically destroying her life for someone who didn't give a damn about her anymore. That's so... sad.

"I was knocking last night. Did you sleep early?"

"Nah. I went out for a walk," sagot ni Night sabay tingin sa akin. Jerk! "Bakit? May kailangan ka ba?"

Avo only nodded... but I felt that it was about whatever they talked about nung pumunta sila sa admin building. Ano kaya iyon? My curiosity was only worsening. Alam mo iyong may nakahain na pagkain sa harapan mo, pero hindi mo pwedeng kainin kasi alam mo na bawal? It was a torture. Na alam mong may sikreto pero hindi ka pwedeng magtanong dahil hindi mo pwedeng malaman.

Before the prof arrived, Avo told me things I needed to know. Sinabi niya sa akin kung ano ang kailangan kong i-expect sa exams, mga dapat kong gawin para makakuha ako ng mataas na scores.

"Bakit ang dami mong alam? Same year lang naman tayo, 'di ba?"

He just nodded.

"But thanks," I replied. "Kinakabahan ako, e. Para at least kahit mababa ako sa practicals, okay naman 'yung academics ko."

Nung magsimula na iyong exam, gulat na gulat ako dahil nandun halos lahat ng sinabi ni Avo na dapat kong i-expect. I believed I aced the exam! Hindi ako masyadong nakapag-aral dahil sa mga nangyari nitong nakaraang araw but still, I managed to do well.

"Ang galing! Paano mo alam na lalabas lahat 'yun?" I asked in awe. Avo just smiled. "You didn't steal the test papers for me, right?"

Natawa siya.

"No, of course not," sagot niya agad. "Even I, know that that's cheating."

I beamed.

"Well, then, I'll treat you because I fared well," sabi ko sa kanya at saka sabay kaming naghanap ng makakainan. Doon ulit kami ni Avo sa walang tao. I asked him things I wanted to know about him... Kasi kahit boyfriend ko siya, parang wala naman akong masyadong alam sa kanya.

"Is this necessary?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I only know your name. Augustus Voltaire Ostenhaimer. Tapos wala na akong alam."

He nodded.

"Fine, ask me."

I smiled cheekily and began asking him things I wanted to know. Minsan kasi, may narinig akong nag-uusap... na bakit biglang pinalitan ni Avo si Ella... Ayon sa mga narinig ko, kahit on and off ang relasyon ni Avo and Ella dati, they were happy. They grew up together and they're really tight. But one day, things started to fall apart. I wanted to ask Avo that... pero paano ko tatanungin? How would I ask him without sounding like I was prying?

"...so basically, you grew up in France, relocated here, studied here almost all your life, and you have innumerable hobbies that include target shooting, archery, equestrianism, fencing, drifting?"

He nodded.

"What about the other Dieux? Kailan mo sila nakilala?"

He still didn't seem bothered by my questions... Mukhang hindi pa naman niya nahahalata.

"I met them all in this school."

"Even Ella?" I prodded.

He nodded.

"She's the first one to befriend me when I arrived," he replied.

"Did you..." I trailed. "Did you... love her?"

Avo looked at me.

"Why?" he asked.

"I just want to know."

"No," he replied.

"Tell me. Hindi naman ako masasaktan. Did you love her? Before?"

Tinignan niya akong mabuti, na para bang sinusukat niya kung paano niya sasagutin ang tanong ko. But I just wanted him to be honest. Because at least, I deserved that...

"We wouldn't last for years if I didn't love her."

And that was the end of our discussion for today. I learned enough.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ni Avo, nagpaalam na ako para dumiretso sa next na klase ko. Practical exam namin sa target shooting ngayon at gusto kong dumating ng maaga. Magpa-practice na lang ako gamit iyong free time ko... But even before I could hold the gun, may gumulo na naman sa akin.

"Did what you have to do?"

I tried to tune out Night's voice, but it was hard... especially when he seemed keen on talking to me.

"Why don't you just talk to Laurie?"

Night cocked his head and smiled smugly.

"Laurie's fine... she has a guardian angel."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. I pursed my lips. I remained deadpanned. Night's smug smile only grew... smugger.

"Around 5am, her Uncle's house caught fire. But miraculously, he left a will inside his vault. So, Laurie's reinstated as a Deuxième," he said, checking my expression as he uttered every word. May alam ba siya? Alam ba niya na ako ang may gawa nun? And damn, Sandra! I didn't expect that she'd be able to do that in a short period of time. I really never realized the graveness of the line of business. I just did one call... and now, someone's dead.

Who said words aren't powerful?

"Funny how the world works, huh?"

Tipid akong ngumiti.

"Must be a relief for you. You won't have to console her... My bad. You never did. Wala ka nga palang pakielam."

But he only laughed at me. This asshole. Siya ang dapat kinatatakutan dito sa AdM, e! He's a psycho in the making! At least si Avo, he's black and white. But Night? He's all shades of fucked up, and that's seriously scary. Na naka-ngiti siya, pero babarilin ka niya. Na tahimik siya, pero papatayin ka. He's a contradiction, and that made him unpredictable... and dangerous.

"I care. I just have a different of showing my care."

"Must be fun to be loved by you," I spat.

"Yeah...Too bad you wouldn't know how," he replied