06

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MONDAY MORNING, ON the bus ride to school, I received a text message from Cinna.

That's weird. She never texted me, even after getting our phone numbers the first week we worked together. When I opened the message, this is what was written:

sorry for last Saturday. let's talk later???

Which I replied:

sure

Throughout the day, I was just thinking about Amethyst and her father. Her father having any mistresses doesn't guarantee that 'they' did it, medyo nag-aalangan lang akong sabihin kay Amy. Still, I think investigating more onto this will be better.

Napatitig ako bigla sa picture niyang naka-pin sa bulletin board. There are flowers and candles around the bulletin board along with a few notes from her friends. In the photo, she's smiling, a grin on her face, teeth showing off. Her hair is tied up in a bun.

Amethyst Cambray — we
will miss you.

Nakakakonsensya makakita nang ganito lalo na't alam kong buhay pa siya. How weird would it sound if I start screaming to the Ashmore town, telling them that Amethyst cooks for me every God given day? I was caught staring at her photo when Cinna appeared suddenly beside me.

"Obvious mo naman."

She fixed her glasses as she stared on the photo as well.

I just responded a laugh. "It's just sad knowing that many people are . . . you know." Napahawak ako sa salitang miss na nakaimprinta. "Grieving."

Tahimik lang si Cinna. I sighed. Napatingin ako sa kanya saka tumawa.

"What?"

"Wala lang," she replied, smiling. "All this time . . . nakausap mo man lang ba siya?"

I shook my head.

"Oh, god." She bursts out laughing. Kung alam niya lang.

"Stop laughing," I said, then flicked her forehead.

Wait . . . napakurap ako sa ginawa ko. That was an impulse. Nasanay ako sa pagpitik ng noo ni Amethyst, everytime she's being silly. She was touching her forehead, still laughing, when I saw Pierre coming towards us.

"Hey, Cinna," sabi ko. "Can you not tell Pierre about . . . everything?"

"Kahit tungkol kay Amy?"

"Specially about that."

"Seryoso? You guys are best friends, right?" she said. "How come he doesn't know?"

Fuck. "You know how he is." I mean, Pierre is loud, he's got tons of friends and is always surrounded by many people. I mean him, knowing my secret, is a no-no.

But actually, Pierre is excellent at handling secrets no matter how much of a social butterfly he is. He'd always known I like Cinna, and nobody, not even a single soul heard about it.

"Okay," she said with a smile.

"Minsan, ang sarap sipain ni Oliver sa pwet," sabi ni Pierre saka inakbayan si Cinna. "Uh, no offense."

Cinna laughed. "I feel the same way sometimes."

"Nyare?" I asked Pierre.

"Ewan. Naiinis ako sa mukha niya e. No offense ulit."

I sensed Cinna feeling awkward. I gave Pierre 'the look' and he bit his lip.

"Hey, Cinna. Hiramin ko muna si pareng Vin ah?"

"Yeah! Okay," she said and walked. "Later, Vin."

"Later," I replied, smiling.

She walked far enough before Pierre wrapped his arm around me. "Getting closer everyday, huh?"

"Shut up," I said.

"C'mon. Steal her away from Oliver as soon as possible," sabi niya sa 'kin. He pulled me towards a hall and hid behind a wall. From the corridor I can see Oliver and three other girls surrounding him. "Damn. Seryoso ba 'yan kay Cinna?"

Pierre and Cinna are friends since grade school, but they're not that close. Still, they're updated in each other's lives and they can always joke around each other. Though, kahit may gano'n silang klaseng friendship, Pierre can just only chit chat with Amethyst even though he's friends with her best friend, Cinna. "Amethyst's IRL friendlist is full, got no room for me", I can remember him telling me once.

"I-I don't know," I said, but I'm irritated as hell inside.

"Mabalitaan ko lang na sinaktan niyan si Cinna, babangasan ko 'yan."

Napatitig lang ako kay Oliver. That's the asshole who fetched Cinna from the bus stop. That was the day I skipped church because I was worried about her, tapos susunduin lang pala niya. Pero no'ng gabing 'yon, I saw how happy Cinna became. The relief in her eyes. The smile she'd never worn because of me, but because of this guy.

When I went home, I directly asked Amethyst about him.

"Eh?" she said, a cookie on her mouth. She sure is chilling around my house.

"Can't shake anything out?"

"Yeah, no. Naaalala ko siya. Siya 'yung naging friend namin around second year, until we discovered he used a dummy account to ask for nudes."

Mula sa pagsilip ng kahit anong pagkain sa ref, napalingon ako sa kanya. "What the hell?"

She laughed. "Cinna never believed me, though. She liked him so much." Ngumuya siya ng isa pang cookie. "Even with a screenshot."

"I'm sorry that happened," I said.

"It's fine. Men like him belong to trash."

Napaupo lang ako saka napasapo sa mukha. That Oliver guy seems like the kind of guy who'd do it.

"What gives?" tanong ni Amethyst. She wrinkled her nose. "Hubarin mo na nga 'yang uniform mo tapos ilagay mo na sa labahan. I'll wash it later." "Nagseselos ka,'no?" she asked.

I stood up and unbuttoned my uniform. "Shut up, Amethyst."

She laughed then stood up. Lumakad siya papunta sa kusina. "Mag-a-alas tres na, shouldn't you be going?"

"Oh. Yeah." Binato ko 'yung uniform ko sa labahan.

"Nga pala. Dumating na 'yung bill kanina."

"Lumabas ka ng bahay?!" I exclaimed, looking at her.

"N-No!" she said, blushing and looking away. "Siningit ng Bill Boy sa ilalim ng pinto." Inabot niya sa akin 'yung dalawang envelope ng water at electric bill.

Right. It's been a month since Amethyst started staying here, and I'm kind of worried about the bill. I've lived my three years here in Ashmore only worrying about paying for myself. After all, ayun lang naman ang kaya ng sinusuweldo ko sa coffee shop ni Tanya.

"Don't worry about the bill," Amy suddenly said as if she's reading my mind. "Use my ATM, okay?"

She said that after I saw my bill. It's twice the price I've always paid.

"N-No, Amy. It's okay," I said, staring at the printed numbers.

She mocked my voice, "no, Amy, it's okay." She made a face. "Use your money and I'll run towards the police office. Then I'll tell them you abducted me."

I rolled my eyes. "Sick humor, Amy."

"Go on, Vin. I swear, it's really okay."

"Puwede mo pa magamit 'yang pera mo sa ibang bagay."

"Like paying for my stay here?"

"You're sure?"

"Yup."

I left the house then, planning to go withdraw after work. Habang nasa bus, bigla kong naalala 'yung text message sa 'kin ni Cinna. I thought of it until I reached the coffee shop.

The wind chimes made a sound when I opened the door. Iyong kapalitan kong si Niño, tuwang-tuwa na at makakaalis na rin. We chatted for a little bit as I wore my apron, then he mentioned that Tanya won't be here again.

The lazy bitch. She hasn't been here for a few weems and now I am kind of worried about what's wrong, or if something is bothering her. She hasn't always been this tardy.

A few minutes later, the chimes softly rang. I looked at the door and I saw the heaven's greatest gift to me. Wait, no. I mean . . .  Cinna walked in.

"Sorry, late!" she said, closing her umbrella.

I smiled. "It's okay, not much customers as you can see."

"It's better this way, don't you think?" she said, passing me by and entering the staff room. "Mas tahimik."

Her soft vanilla scent embraced my nose as she passed. Goddamn, even she smells like heaven. I don't think Oliver deserves that kind of angel.

The work went on smoothly. The coffee shop is small and it only needs one staff at a time, believe me, but having Cinna is still handy.

Around 7 PM, dumating na si Tanya. She arrives here only around 7 to 8 in the evening just so she can close the shop. While she was doing it, I walked towards her and asked how she's doing. Cinna is waiting on the bus stop.

"Don't worry about me, kid," she said through the cigarette between her lips. "I'm fine as hell."

"Yeah, I can see that on the bags of your eyes."

She laughed. "I swear I'm doing cool."

"Just go find a husband already," sabi ko saka hinugot ang sigarilyo mula sa bibig niya. I stepped on it and she glared at me. "So someone can look after you." I'm just joking around; I know she can handle herself well. I'm just worried.

Tumayo na siya mula sa pagkakandado ng coffee shop. "Vin. I can exist without a man to look after me." She said that seriously, her eyes as dark as her hair. She was being stern to me, then she softened and reached for the top of my head. "Stop worryin'."

"I'm not," I lied.

"Yeah, right."

She punched my chest and she went in her car. Pinanood ko lang ang kotse niyang papalayo bago lumapit ulit kay Cinna.

"What were you two talking about?" tanong niya.

"Wala," sagot ko. "Nangamusta lang."

I breathed in the cold breeze of July. A car passed.

"V-Vin."

"Hm?"

"About what you said last Saturday?"

"I want to know who killed her and her family."

"Y-Yeah?"

Cinna stepped closer to me. Tumingkayad siya. I was panicking for a few seconds until she whispered on my ear.

"I'm doing an investigation myself."

The hair on my nape stood. Napatingin ako kay Cinna na mataman ding nakatingin sa 'kin.

"It was also the reason why I was at the hardware shop," sabi niya. "The first time I went there, hindi si Penny Hughes ang nagbabantay. It was a boy from Ashmore High and he told me, Mr. Cambray and Oliver are acquainted. Apparently, Oliver knows Amy's father personally."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "What?"

"Yeah. So I went back to Oliver again, hoping to dig out some info," sabi niya.

I was relieved, but not fully. I can tell that she's just using the situation to be closer with Oliver. I am not going to forget how her eyes shone that night.

"And?"

"Nothing." She closed her eyes shut. "Nothing!"

Natahimik ako. There is still no bus, and it's 8:23 PM already.

"He won't talk about Amy's father," she said. "Ang sabi niya lang, mahilig siyang magsugal."

Napaisip ako. "U-Unpaid debts?"

"That can be one of the reasons, pero hindi ko pa napupuntahan 'yung sugalan. As of now, I'm going to visit Mrs. Cambray's workplace."

"Maybe I'll visit the hardware shop again," I suggested.

"Yeah. Do so," sabi niya. "But for now c-can we make this clear?"

Napatingin ako sa kanya. She's shyly looking at me.

"Starting from now on," she said, "we'll both work on the investigating of the death of Amethyst and her parents. "

Napangiti ako dahil doon, at napangiti rin siya. I offered my hand to her, which she shook. "Looking forward."

She sighed in relief. "I thought I'd be doing this alone."

—

I TALKED TO Amethyst about Cinna today and she cried again. It's obvious she misses her best friend a lot.

I am massaging her back. "I told you, sabihin na natin sa kanya."

"No," sabi niya. "She'll just be in deeper danger, okay?"

Napabuntonghininga ako. I sat in front of her and held her shoulders. She flinched and I noticed I held a bruise. Hinawakan ko na lang siya sa braso niya.

"Hey," sabi ko. "Cinna wouldn't like seeing you like this. Just stay here and help me with your clues. We'll make things right."

Amethyst's tears fell, and she nodded. "Yeah, okay."

Napangiti ako. "There."

"Vin."

"What?"

"If investigating involves putting your life at stake," she said, "don't hesitate and tell everyone I'm alive."

Napatigil ako. "Ano?"

"I'll take full responsibility."

J A N U A R Y  2 0 2 0

Amethyst sure is an asshole for kicking my door and entering my life. That night, I did not know what she meant. Hell, I did not know what everything meant. But I went with the flow, because I had nothing else to do, and maybe because the image of Amethyst Cambray miserable and crying is so horrible that I was afraid to see it again.

If putting my life at stake would put her in endless smiles and peace, that's where I won't ever hesitate.

—