Imee's Point of View

For quite some time, lot of questions filled my mind. I, somehow don't know what to do. I just have so many things on my mind right now. Hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong unahin sa lahat.

Napailing na lang ako nung pumasok ako sa bookstore. I just wasted my time looking for some books which is until now, I haven't choose any. Wala ako sa mood. It's as if nililibot ko lang ang sarili ko rito sa loob until I bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry." That person said. Tinignan ako nito at nagulat ako nang makita kung sino iyon. She was shocked too.

"Denniese?" She asked. "Oh my God! It's really you!" She stated, full of surprised when she realized whom she bumped into.

It was Summer. She even hugged me nang makarecover siya. Napatango na lang ako habang nakatingin sa kanya. Hindi lang kasi ako makapaniwala.

Summer Smith was my best friend since my first year in high school and I haven't known Keizer back then. It's Summer who introduced me to him. When Summer and her family migrated in States just after one month of our sophomore days, it's only Keizer and I who was left. I became close to him after that and that's also the time when I became part of the Black Gang which she doesn't know.

"What are you doing here?" I asked while we were walking. I just can't believe that after so many years, she's now here.

"I'm just looking for some book novels."

"You hate novels." I told her, as if I'm reminding her. She's not fond of reading novels before. I'm just wondering now. Lumingon ito sa akin at ngumiti.

"I was influenced by my cousins." Kumuha siya ng mga book novels sa isang shelves.

Since I haven't choose any, I bought some. Maybe I could just give this to Denver. Pumunta kaming dalawa sa counter to pay for the books we got. After that, sabay na kaming lumabas.

"This mall was really big. I got a hard time looking for this bookstore." She mumbled, roaming her eyes around the whole place.

"It was Kuya Denver's." I shared, not bragging though.

"Oh. Your Kuya?" She faced me and my brows furrowed a little when she smirked at me or I was just wrong? Maybe it's a smile, it just turned out to be like a smirk on my sight.

"Miss ko na sila. I'll visit them soon." Natutuwa nitong sambit and definitely, she's pertaining to my family. She's close with them, though. "Let's eat? My treat." She offered. Though I really wanted to go home now, tumango na lang ako sa kanya.

"Summer." Tawag ko sa kanya habang kumakain na kaming dalawa. I just want to ask her something.

"Hmm?" Her attention was focused only on her food.

"When did you get back here?" I asked, sounds normally. Noon niya lang ako nilingon.

"I arrived here just last week." Nakangiting sagot niya tsaka siya muling bumaling sa kanyang pagkain.

Napatitig na lang ako sa kanya. Maybe it's not really her. Napagkamalan ko nga lang siguro. That was weeks ago. Imposibleng siya nga iyon kung kakauwi niya lang nung last week.

Hindi naman kami nagtagal sa restaurant na iyon. After eating, Summer asked me if I can accompany her in buying some of her things. I just agreed. Pagkatapos noon ay naghiwalay na kami ng direksyon.

"You're being sweet now, Princess." Denver amusedly said when I placed the books on top of his table.

Napakibit balikat na lamang ako, hindi pinatulan ang kanyang pang-aasar tsaka ako lumabas sa kanyang kwarto.

Kinabukasan, I went to school alone. There, Jazz saw me when I settled off the car. I narrowed my eyes when he walks near me.

"Denniese."

"What are you doing here?"

"Transfer." He answered and smiled a bit. Napatango na lang ako.

Mas okay na rin siguro ito so we can easily communicate with each other. Dati niya ng sinabi ito sa akin, I just didn't know na ngayong araw pala iyon.

Sabay kaming pumasok sa university until Irish appeared in front of us. Pinakilala ko na lang sila sa isa't isa. Habang naglalakad kami, Irish secretly nudged me.

"He's Keizer's friend. Gang mates." I answered in between her gestures. She's curious, I know.

Pansin kong napalingon si Jazz sa amin and his one brow lifted. Nagtataka siguro kung bakit ko iyon sinabi kay Irish at kung bakit mukhang kilala nito si Keizer pero hindi naman siya nagtanong.

Irish and I headed to our room while Jazz went to the Principal's office directly, to fix his papers I guess. Sa gitna ng diskusyon namin, the door opened and one teacher came in, sa likod nito ay si Jazz. Oh, we're classmates?

Pinakilala siya sa amin and later on, he walks towards me when the teacher told him to sit where he prefers.

Kasama ko sina Irish and Alice including Jazz nung lumabas kami pagkatapos ng klase. Hindi naman nagtanong yung dalawa.

"This school is big." Jazz commented while we were walking.

Nakarating kami sa tambayan. Irish and Alice had their talks while Jazz and I was just silent. Until the boys arrived. Nagulat pa ito nang makita si Jazz. Like what I did earlier, I introduced him to them.

"He looks familiar." Jazz whispered when I introduced Xydelle to him. Xydelle was just looking at us intently. I just shrugged.

Pagkatapos naming kumain, I stayed under the tree, leaving them on the table. Hindi ko alam na sumunod pala si Jazz sa akin.

"Here." He handed me a bottled water. I took it then he sat beside me.

"How is it?" I asked and I'm sure he knows what I'm referring to.

"No progress yet." He idly said. Sabay kaming nagpakawala ng buntong-hininga.

Jazz is still in the process of finding the message sender as well as Death Shadow. Mas okay nga sigurong nagtransfer siya rito. Madali kaming makapag-usap tungkol sa mga bagay na iyon.

We went back to our designated classrooms after break time until our last teacher dismissed us. Irish and Alice already made their way home. Jazz was gone too while I'm still here.

Pagkatapos nilang magpaalam sa akin, dumiretso ako sa locker ko to get some of my things. As I opened my locker, a piece of paper fell. Nangunot ang noo ko. The last time I got a piece of paper was all about the message that the sender is giving me.

Don't dig too much information. Just keep an eye to your love ones.

I crumpled the paper. Shit. I muttered curses because of that fucking message sender. I'm becoming impatient now to know who really this person is. The heck with these messages? Whoever this message sender is, can't he just show up? Damn. This is crap.

My phone rings. Bahagyang nabaling ang atensyon ko roon. It was Xydelle.

"I'll wait you here at the parking." Um-oo lang ako tsaka ko kinuha ang dapat kong kunin sa locker.

Nang paalis na ako, I felt something weird around me. Then I realized the message. Shit. Enrage fills me again. I balled my hands into fist. No one can ever touch the people I love. I won't let them.

I run quickly to where Xydelle is. Tila nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang makita siyang nakasandal sa kanyang kotse, halatang naghihintay sa akin. Sinalubong niya ako. Nakangiti siya habang ako ay nakatingin lang sa kanya. Nagpalipas lang kami saglit tsaka kami sumakay sa kanyang kotse.

Tahimik lang akong nakaupo na parang normal but my whole system is busy with our surroundings. Pinapakiramdaman ang paligid. Then I saw this black car on the side mirror that is following us. Napamura na lang ako.

Hindi nagtagal, I heard gunshots behind our car nang dumaan kami sa madilim na kalye because Xydelle made a shortcut due to traffic.

"Shit." Halos sabay pa naming sabi.

Pinabilis nito ang pagpapatakbo but they were still following, firing us with their guns.

"Stop the car." I stated.

Xydelle's worried. I can see it in his eyes but he stopped the car dahil halos matrap na kami sa mga eskinitang nadadaanan namin. Hindi kami makalabas. Hindi namin alam kung saan kami liliko.

"Please stay here. Don't get out." Bago ko pa marinig ang panunutol niya, nakalabas na ako ng kotse.

Sa ibang direksyon ako naglakad, making a way to trap these people who are following us. Tiwala naman akong magiging ligtas si Xydelle dahil sa madilim at sa may tago ito nagpark. Hindi ko naman siya iiwang hindi ako kampante sa kaligtasan niya. I just have to face and finish these people.

The car that's following us stopped not far from where I'm hiding. Mula sa likod ng kotse nila, I quickly made my way from their spot and strangled the guy who went out first from the back seat and took the gun away from him.

Nagulat man ito but I didn't give him the chance to get back from me when I shoot him. His fellow rascals moved and they tried to attack me, I almost got hit. Just two shots were enough to finish them but another car came.

We keep on running, hiding and avoiding every gunshots.

Mula sa liwanag na nagmumula sa iisang street light, kita ko ang pagdami ng mga ito. I don't know who these people are but they are really persistent to dispatch me.

From the narrow sidewalk, I rolled over the ground and shoot the guys' feet from their car. Their body fell and I shoot them again. Just making sure that they will all die. Others attack me. I almost got hit again but they failed in trying to kill me.

Pagkatapos ng sunud-sunod na putok, lumihis ako sa kabilang direksyon at hindi ko mapangalanan kung anong mararamdaman ko nang makita si Xydelle na nakatayo, on his right hand was a gun, in front of him were the fallen rival he just shoot. He fought them.

Dala ang kaba sa dibdib, I went near him.

"I told you not to get out of the---" Xydelle didn't finish my protests because he prisoned me in his arms.

My heart beats fast because I was afraid to see him here. Later did I realize the tear that escaped from my eyes.

"You stupid! I told you to stay there! Damn it! Don't fucking risk your life for me!" I raved against him.

Hinigpitan lang nito ang yakap sa akin. Pinakawalan niya lang ako nang marinig nito ang pag-iyak ko. He hushed me down by wiping my tears away. I've never been this nervous like before.

"I'm the man here baby. I should be the one risking my life for you." Niyakap ko na lang siya ng mahigpit, not minding my cries.

He can't understand it. Hindi niya dapat sinasakripisyo ang buhay niya para lang sa kaligtasan ko lalo na sa isang taong katulad ko.

I cried hard on his chest.

"Just fucking please, don't get killed Xydelle."

For the first time in my life, I almost beg. For the first time after three long years, I learned how to hug back a person. For the first time, I felt how to be this nervous. For the first time, I became this scared.

I can't bear to lose someone in my life again. I just can't. It really hurts.