Chapter 18: An Unexpected Ending (Introduction Chapter)

Tell me if I am dreaming or not. Did Jeremy just win the so-called "Deduction Battle" against Gray? Hindi ba ako nananaginip kanina nang isiniwalat ni Jeremy ang tricks na ginamit ni Alice and the latter just admitted to it?

"Je?"

"What?"

"Natalo mo si Gray?!"

"And so? Maliit na bagay", he said and copied Math's annoying laughter. I looked at him like I am still half  dreaming until he snapped his fingers in front of him. "Stop that kind of stare Bestie. Nakakakilabot. Iisipin ko tuloy na nagkakagusto ka na sa akin. Please don't Bestie. Please."

"Keep dreaming." I started walking ahead of him at tinalikuran siya. He walked just right behind me.

"Ah oo nga pala. You cheated."

"I was just lucky. Nakipagkamay ako and observed something. When she tripped I saw something. Then Gray's list gave me the whole picture. Ang mga napansin ko pala ay mga missing puzzle pieces sa puzzle na nabuo ni Gray.

"Why are you explaining? I am not asking about it", I said, rolling my eyes. Okay, I am interested but there's no wat that I will admit it. Never.

"Ah talaga? Kaya pala curious na curious ang mukha mo", he said sarcastically and pulled my blouse na dahilan upang mapahinto ako sa paglalakad at lumingon sa kanya.

"Ano ba?"

"Ikaw ang regalo ko kay Gray", he said in a serious voice. Unti-unti namang promoseso sa utak ko ang sinabi niya.

Ikaw ang regalo ko kay Gray.

Teka, ano bang tingin niya sa akin? Bagay na pag-aari niya at gusto niyang iregalo kay Gray! What the hell?!

"I am not a fucking object!" Ah! My mouth was really bad lately at hindi ko na iyo napipigilan. And I just said the F word in front of Jeremy.

"Who said you are?"

"Then why the hell are you giving me to Gray? I am not yours to begin with!", singhal ko sa kanya. I'm not really mad. Just a little bit annoyed.

"Ang OA mo. Para din namang ayaw mo, kunwari ka pa. Basang-basa na kita." He pointed his fingers on my face at agad kong hinuli iyon and twisted it. He made a face at napa-aray dahil sa sakit. Like I said, I am not an object na pwedeng iregalo kung kani-kanino lamang! Not even to Gray. Argh! What has the world become!

"Jeremy listen. You don't own me okay, kaya hindi mo ako pwedeng iregalo kay Gray!"

"I won", he said.

"I don't care. Si Math ang iregalo mo total dakilang papansin naman iyon. I'm sure she'll jump in glee once you tell her she will spend time with Gray." I know I sounded like a brat but who cares? Wala akong pakialam. Wala.

Je waved his hands in front of me. "Ikaw ba talaga yan Amber? Lately you're a stranger to me."

I blinked few times as I looked at him. Stranger? Hindi na nila ako nakikilala?

"Your words become colorful— too colorful. Your attitude. You became obnoxious at times. The way you act. Everything. You've changed a lot."

Para akong nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig. Did I really change a lot kaya naalarma na si Jeremy sa pagbabago ko? But don't they know that if people get hurt, they change.

"Not that I don't like you this way. Kahit na ikaw pa ang pinakamalakas magmura na tao sa buong mundo, you're still my friend. I was just surprised by these sudden changes", he said and look intently at me. Nag-aalangan ako kung ano ang maari kong isagot sa sinabi niya but he immediately divert the topic.

"Anyway, maghanda ka na para sa date niyo." He pushed me gently at agad ko siyang inirapan.

"I'm not going!"

"You are!"

"I'm not!"

"Bakit ang tigas ng ulo mo? I know you want to! Bestie, hindi ito time para mag-inarte ka, okay? I know there's something going on between you and Gray—"

"Stop blabbering. There's nothing going on between me and Gray, okay? Isaksak mo yan sa kukote mo. What made you think about na meron, ha?"

I gave him my most deadly glare and he felt uneasy. I know it. "I—I just thought so. I have seen you—" he paused bago nag-aalangang tumingin sa akin. He raised his two fingers and put it together awkwardly. "You kissed few times—" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Psychic ba siya? How did he know about those?! Argh! This is so awkward. I thought he will be apologizing but then he was not. He held my hand and smiled at me. "Ay ang tanga ko. Kiss lang iyon, it doesn't seal the deal."

I stopped on my track and look at him. Why is it that he felt like a stranger to me? I was supposed to say those to him and not the other way round. Is he the person that I used to know? Why do I feel like he is always wearing a mask? Sino nga ba si Jeremy? I remember the time that he was accused of a murder. Kahit napatunayan na hindi siya ang may gawa niyon, I am still not convinced about it. I saw him in the footage, he went up to that floor but he keep on denying it. Sila ni Math. They've been there. But until now, I wasn't given the exact explanation of their appearance there. Posible nga bang hindi ko talaga kilala si Jeremy? Isn't he the nerd who always sit beside me?

"Wag mo akong tingnan ng ganyan Bestie. It's creepy." He slightly brushed his hands on his arms and looked away.

"Who are you?"

Pareho kaming nagulat sa tanong ko na iyon. Bakit nga ba naitanong iyon? It wasn't my intention to do so but it eventually slipped off my mouth. And there's no way I can take it back.

"I'd always thought that you'd ask that one. Think what you want to think Amber but I am telling you, I am someone that you can rely on. Say, I am someone who will be with you till the end."

He looks so serious and sincere but I am not letting myself be easily swayed. No, I must not trust immediately dahil ilang beses na akong nagtiwala sa maling mga tao. And I have learn from it.

"Tatanungin kita ulit Jeremy Martinez. Who are you?"

He sighed so heavily at tiningnan ako gamit ang kanyang mapupungay na mga mata. "Fine, I'll tell you the truth about me."

There are only few times that you will hear his serious tone and this is one of those few times. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kinakabahan ako na marinig ang sagot niya. I am afraid that I might realize that I trusted a wrong person again.

"I am...."

Oh, please. Just please don't tell me that you are another Marion or Detective Tross.

"Amber... I'm sorry..."

Shit, this is not happening again. I know na posibleng ganoon nga but I am not yet ready to accept it if ever.

"I am...."

Oh God, please no.

"I am Superman."

What the hell?!

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I got you there Bestie! Ikaw naman masyado kang seryoso! Chill lang!"

"Je, I would love to wring your neck." Ahh! Isang sakal lang please!

"Really Bestie?"

"Absolutely!"

He grabbed me by my arm at nagsimulang maglakad na kasama ako. "You know what? I just realized something, bakit kay Gray kita ipapasama gayong ako naman ang nanalo?! Huh! No way, I'll have you for myself. Halika na nga, I heard there's a newly open sweet shop. Sirain natin yang ngipin mo", he said while giggling bago ako tuluyang hinila papunta sa gate ng Bridle. 

Hindi ko na lubusang maalala kung kailan ang huling pagkakataon na nagskip ako ng klase upang gumala lamang. Well, we did it countless times but I am taking about when was the last time that I skipped school and walked out if the main gate. We always use the "backdoor" but now I realized that using the gate is so much fun. Mukhang nawiwili yata sa katext niya ang guard dahil panay ang ngiti nito habang nagte-text and he didn't notice us passed the gate so comfortably. We were on the way towards the sweet shop that he talked about. Yup, we were still wearing our uniforms and I am pretty sure that people thinks that we skipped school.

The sweet shop was cozy and the ambiance is nice. Ayon kay Jeremy, it's been a week since that shop opened ngunit ngayon lamang siya nakapunta dito.

"I never thought that you would dig so much on these sweet foods", wika ko sa kanya nang mailapag niya sa mesa ang order niya. Cupcakes, chocolates, cookies— oh mind you, those were really tempting to taste and nice to look at. "Wag mong kalimutan na magtoothbrush mamaya."

He scowled at me before be stuffed the whole cupcake in his mouth. "Ayham koh yan noh!"

Gross! Haven't heard about don't talk when your mouth is full?! Inirapan ko siya at hinarap na lamang ang pagkain sa harapan ko.

"Alam ko yan no", he repeated what he said after he swallowed. "Ilang taon kong binakuran tong ngipin ko Bestie kaya aalagaan ko talaga 'to."

I smiled when I remember his braced teeth before. Ahh! He's not used to talking and mingling with everyone before kaya isang malaking prebilihiyo na sa akin ang manaka-nakang pakikipag-usap niya since I am his classmates. It's just that I found it nasty to talk to him at times since he salivate a lot. Err, maybe because of his braces. I've known people who wears braces too but Jeremy's a little— uh how should I say this? Gross? Iba siya dati sa mga naka-brace na kilala ko.

I remember a time when he said good morning and then his saliva just flew out of his mouth. I pretend not to see it and he just wiped it with his palm. Ew. May pagkakataong rin na tumitilapon ang laway niya sa libro ko. You know the kind of saliva that flow out of your mouth, white and bubbly? Uh, I always end up not finishing the book kapag natapunan iyon ng laway niya.

There were also times when food particles were caught in his braces. And he always smile to me ear to ear kapag may naiwan sa braces niya! Argh! He is very annoying before! Kapag ganoon at eksaktong kumakain ako ay nawawalan talaga ako ng gana!

"Hoy, hoy, hoy! Ano yang mukhang iyan Bestie? Don't tell me iniisip mo ang mga panahong nakabakod pa ang ngipin ko?", he said as he snapped his fingers in front of me.

Bingo!

Esti, am I that obvious?!

"Wow, mind reader ka na pala ngayon?", I said sarcastically.

"Elementary deduction Bestie. First, I told you about my fenced teeth, then I observed you wandered your mind off as  you looked at my teeth. Then napasimangot ka at tila nandidiri so I must say you have reminisced those times. Teka, naalala mo ba Bestie noong kumakain ako ng chocolate cake at tumilapon yung laway ko sa libro mo? Oh, itim pa yung laway ko dahil sa cake Hahahahaha!"

Ew, what a disgusting reminiscence.

“Can we just eat?”, suhestiyon ko bago pa ako tuluyang mawalan ng gana. Uh, these foods are so tempting to eat and I feel bad if I am not able to eat those dahil inaalala namin ang kababoyan ni Jeremy dati.

“Okay Bestie, eat to your heart's content just pay later”, he said while grinning. Inirapan ko siya at nagpatuloy na lamang sa pagkain. He also started eating but then he stopped and looked at a table to our right. He had this dreamy look in his eyes at para siyang na-startstruck. I looked on the direction that he was looking and notice a man around 30’s na nakaupo at nagkakape. He was reading some papers at manaka-nakang umiinom ng kape. Nang muli kong tiningnan si Jeremy, nakatingin pa rin siya sa lalaki. He totally forgot about the food in front dahil lamang sa lalaking iyon. Uh, what’s special with him?

“Je? Gusto mo rin ba ng kape?”

He didn’t reply at nanlalaki pa rin ang mata na nakatingin sa lalaki.

“Jeremy.”

Still he ignored me.

“Je.”

“Jeremy!”

I decided to snap my fingers in front of him just like what he did to me a while ago. And there I have his attention. “Who’s that guy?”

Napatingin siya sa akin na tila ba hindi makapaniwala sa tanong ko. “Hindi mo siya kilala?”

“Tanga ka ba? Itatanong ko ba kung kilala ko?”

“Seryoso?”

“Kailan ba ako nagjoke?”

“Oo nga naman ano? But ah! How dare you don’t know him! Sikat kaya siya!”

“Ah, kaya pala hindi ko siya kilala”, I said sarcastically at sinamaan niya ulit ako ng tingin. He sighed three times at may kinuha sa bag niya. Inilapag niya iyon sa harapan ko. It was a book with the title License To Die.

“Oh?”

“Argh! Nakakainis ka!” Kinuha niya ang libro at pinukpok iyon sa ulo niya out of frustration. Pagkatapos ay hinarap niya ang libro sa akin. “License to Die”, he said pointing on the title. “By Ric Enriquez.”

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Aba! Anong akala niya sa akin, hindi marunong magbasa?!

“I know how to read Jeremy.”

“Ahh! You’re so frustrating! That man is none other than Ric Enriquez, a budding crime novelist!”, he said at muling pinukpok ang libro sa ulo niya. "My God Bestie, his crime novels are bestsellers at itong License to Die is just one of those two! Grabe Bestie, super intense! You can line him up with Patricia Cornwell—"

“Hindi ako mahilig sa crime novel.”

“What?! You proudly call yourself a detective yet hindi ka mahilig sa crime novels?”

“I don’t remember a time that I PROUDLY call myself a detective.” Hello? Hindi ako si Math o kaya si Detective Adler na pinangangalandakan sa buong mundo na mga detective sila!

“Kahit na! You should at least- ahh! There’s no point in telling you. Wait here”, he said at bigla na lamang tumayo. Before I knew it, nasa harapan na siya ng lalaking nagkakape, dala-dala ang kanyang libro at isang sign pen.

“Uhhm, excuse me Sir.”

The man raised his gaze from the papers that he was reading to Jeremy. Pagkatapos ay bumaba ang paningin nito sa dala niyang libro at napangiti ang lalaki.

“Hello Sir Ric! I’m a fan! A big fan!” Bigla na lamang siyang napatalon dahil sa excitement. Kulang na lamang ay gumulong siya sa harapan ng writer. Uh, really? Never know Jeremy was such a fan boy! Tila hindi makapagsalita ang lalaki at maya-maya ay bigla na lamang itong napahalakhak.

“So, you saw me through huh?”

“Sir kapag isa kang fan, kahit anong wig pa ng idolo mo ay makikilala at makikilala mo siya. I’m really a big fan of yours, Sir", he paused and covered his mouth. “Shhh, you are disguising so I must keep my voice low bago pa kayo dumugin ng mga fans niyo Sir.”

Muling tumawa ang lalaki. “I like you hijo”, Ric said at tinuro ang katapat na upuan. “You can join me for coffee.”

Bigla na lamang nagningning ang mga mata ni Jeremy. I know he didn’t expect that his favorite author would invite him to sit with him. Napakalawak ng ngiti niya but then he suddenly remembered me. Nilingon niya ako at agad na tinuro. “But Sir, you see I have a company over there. Do you mind if I will bring her to sit here too?”

Yuck Jeremy, that puppy eyes is not really necessary.

Tumingin ang lalaki sa akin at agad naman akong nag-iwas ng tingin. I know it’s rude to stare, you know.

“Sure you can”, I heard him say at bigla na lamang akong dinala ni Jeremy sa mesa ng lalaki. He also brought the foods along with us.

Medyo awkward sa akin na maupo doon but I know Jeremy is really looking forward to it kaya hindi na lamang ako promotesta. Jeremy introduced me to him at mabuti naman ang pakikitungo nito.

“Ako nga po pala si Jeremy and this is my friend Amber", pakilala ni Je. Nagpakilala din ang lalaki sa amin.

"Sir, I know it’s too much but can you please sign this book for me? Idol po talaga kita dahil sa akda ninyo. You are really amazing. Kahit budding writer pa lamang kayo, you are so damn good— oops sorry that was a compliment.”

Mas natawa naman si Sir Ric at agad na kinuha ang libro mula kay Jeremy. “No need for such flattery. Masaya na ako dahil nagustuhan mo pala ang libro ko. I never knew that it would be a big hit.”

“Grabe talaga Sir! Pwede na po kayong mapasali sa New York Times Bestsellers” Jeremy said carelessly. Uh, he doesn’t sound like he is making sense.

“Haha! You are really funny boy.”

Napatingin si Jeremy sa mga papel na nasa mesa ni Sir Ric. “Ano nga po palang binabasa ninyo?”

He looked at the papers and picked it up. “Ah, this? Draft ko para sa pangatlong libro ko.”

“Talaga po? Wow! I’m sure gaya rin po yan ng License to Die at Guilty Beyond Unreasonable Doubt yang isang yan! Pipila po talaga ako dahil for sure magkakaubusan ulit! Hindi po talaga ako makapaniwala na kaharap ko po kayo. I was just reading your book this morning tapos ngayon, ahhhh!” Jeremy even stumped his foot under the table. Kung hindi pa lamang masamang tingnan, I would have rolled my eyes for a few times.

“It is an honor to meet a fan, kahit hindi ako sanay na tawagin ang mga readers ko bilang fan. Ah, how about this, do you want to know about this new book of mine? This is my way of appreciating your love for my books”, nakangiting wika ni Sir Ric at napanganga si Jeremy.

“I-iispoil niyo po ako?”

“No, not like that. I’ll be giving you a teaser kahit hindi pa talaga ako sigurado na ilalabas ko ito.”

“Sir, you have no idea how much would that makes me so happy!”

Kung iisipin ay nagmukha lamang akong flower pot doon. I cannot go along with their conversation at kahit na gustuhin ko man, I cannot follow. I am not a die-hard fan of such man gaya ni Jeremy. I haven’t even read his books. Pero gaya ng sinabi ni Jeremy, his books were bestsellers. Bago pa lamang siya but his books are a hit. I have heard Andi and Therese talked about his books too.

Akmang kukunin na nito ang manuscript na nasa mesa nang bigla na lamang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone. He gave Jeremy an apologetic smile and excused himself for a while bago sinagot ang tawag.

“Yes Thalia?”

Pinagpatuloy naming ni Jeremy ang pagkain upang hindi sabihin ni Sir Ric na nakikinig kami sa usapan nila ng kung sino mang nasa telepono. Hindi naman nagtagal ang tawag dahil agad itong nagpaaalam.

“Okay Thalia, I’m on my way”, wika nito bago pnatay ang tawag. He looked at us with an apologetic look. “Something came up, dumating na kasi ang pamangkin ko so I have to head home. I also need to talk with my publisher but if you want you can come with me at my cousin’s home.”

I know that such offer was just out of formality and was about to decline ngunit bago pa man ako makapagsalita ay naunahan na ako ni Jeremy.

“If you don’t mind Sir, we will be glad too!” hindi pa rin nababawasan ang pagkaka-starstruck nito sa author na kaharap.

“No, no it’s fine since I will discuss this with my editor too kahit wala pa itong ending”, nakangiting sagot nito. “I’d be glad to have you as my guests and witness my ending. Maybe the end will justify the means."

Muling tumunog ang cellphone nito at agad niyang sinagot ulit.

“Thalia, I told you I’m on my way-“ he paused for a while at bahagyang nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata. I tried to ignore the curiosity that aroused in me but I can’t. “A big X on my desk?!”

Napatingin ako kay Jeremy na bahagyang nagulat dahil sa sinambit ng manunulat. It seems like it interess him too.

“At isang sisiw? I will hang up now Thalia.” Pinatay ni Sir Ric ang tawag at nag-aalalang tumingin sa amin.

“I’m afraid I have to cancel my invitation to the two of you.”

“May nangyari po ba?”, nakakunot ang noo na tanong ko. I know I am not in the position to meddle with his affairs but then hindi mapigilan ang sarili ko.

“The big X on the table is just like in the License to Die at gayundin ang sisiw”, Jeremy said. “Kung gayon ay may nagpa-prank sa inyo gamit mismo ang plot ng estorya ninyo.”

“It seems so…”

“If that’s the case sir, then I guess you really have to invite us. We’re just the right person aside from the police to deal with these”, Jeremy said and he let out an irksome smile. “We’re high school detectives and an avid reader of your book, I might find some motives and possibly the culprit by connecting the dots of what happened to the plot of your book.”

I thought for a moment na tatanggi si Sir Ric at sasabihing ipaubaya na lamang namin iyon sa mga eksperto but I was surprised upon hearing his brief reply.

“Very well then, come with me.”

#

—ShinichiLaaaabs