PICK YOUR POISON
VANDER SIDES#1


My hand was bloody...

So as my side.

Unti-unti akong napaatras, at tila tumahimik ang buong paligid. I know the party is still going dahil sa malakas na tunog ng musika. Everybody is sweaty as they danced to the beat. Napahawak ako sa dumudugong tagiliran ko. If not because of alcohol in my system, I bet this hurts like hell. Sumisigaw rin sa harap ko si Tristan, but I have no idea what he was saying.

I know the blood in my hand wasn't mine, but my mind seemed to stop processing whose blood it was. Muli akong napaatras, pilit na inaalis ang alak sa sistema at nagbabakasakaling maliwanagan ako sa nangyayari.

A slap on my cheek is what helped, but it was fucking painful. Dumoble pa ang sakit nang mapagtanto kong si Tristan ang sumampal sa akin.

For a while, it seemed like everything stopped. The music, the time, and the sweaty bodies walking back and forth behind us.

"What the fuck, Star? What did you do?" sigaw ni Tristan sa akin. He was mad, I know he was. I knew him very well. I knew when he's truly mad because his ears turn red, kahit pa may makukulay na ilaw sa paligid. I know he's mad when his veins are visible up his neck, at kung ibang pagkakataon ay iisipin kong napaka-seksi ng paraang iyon.

But he was angry because of what I did to this bloody woman.

Her face was bloody, because of what I did. I mean, if you see your man cheating on you, what would you do, cry?

Me? Nah. I stabbed the whore in the face but Tristan stabbed me on the side.

Right, that explains the pain on my bloody side. The woman was freaking out over the small carving on her face, meanwhile, I might die if this shit continues.

I hope I don't.

Maybe I won't die due to the stab wound I had on my side. Siguro ay mas mamamatay ako sa sakit na nadarama. I was there. I saw how they were feeling high to the sensation of grinding with each other after some drinks, cigarette and the special party brownie.

Bumaba ang tingin ni Tristan sa tagiliran ko, and when he realized it was blood dripping, he grabbed the whore and ran away. Naiwan akong hindi alam ang gagawin. I was confused of what to feel right now, at hanggang ngayon ay tila hindi pa rin tuluyang pumoproseso sa utak ko ang mga nangyari.

Getting stabbed was uncomfortable but feeling the gaze from behind makes it weirder. I slowly turn around, with hopes to find Tristan running back to me. Unfortunately, there wasn't a sign of him around. It was more painful than any pain I could imagine.

The stab wasn't fatal but it slowly makes my vision hazy. I tried to grab for something but I keep grabbing the air. The party is still alive, but here I am, almost dead sa katotohanang sinaksak ako ni Tristan and he fled with the woman he was cheating me with.

One more turn and here goes that feeling of being stared again. The corner of the room was dim, marahil iyon ang rason kung bakit doon napili ni Tristan na makipagtalik sa kung sinu-sinong babae. What the heck is wrong with him?!

Sinubukan kong hanapin sa dilim ang pinagmumulan ng tingin, and there he was. A man, with his hands tucked in his pocket slowly walked towards me.

He stopped in front of me and I can't help but realize that he's actually towering me. Mula sa kaunting liwanag ay naaninag ko ang kanyang mukha. He wasn't smiling, he doesn't look particularly amused o anuman. Walang emosyon na mababasa sa kanyang mukha. Not even wonder as to why I was bloody. He stared right at me, and I can't back down so I stared back. Akala ko ay mahabang titigan ang mangyayari, not until he stood in one knee to examine my wound.

"You're stabbed," komento niya.

Malalim ang kanyang boses ngunit nakatitiyak akong ito ang unang beses na narinig ko ang boses na iyon.

"Thanks for stating what's fucking obvious," sagot ko sa kanya.

He stood up at hindi nakaligtas sa paningin ko ang pagkunot ng kanyang noo dahil sa sinabi ko sa kanya. I swear my wound doesn't hurt ngunit ngayon ay tila nagdidilim ang paningin ko. I took a step but my feet don't feel like supporting my whole body.

I walked past the stranger at nang makakita ng upuan ay agad ko iyong hinablot at umupo. I grabbed my shoe off my foot, struggling to do the same to my other foot. Naramdaman kong lumapit ang lalaki sa akin, and seeing how I struggled, he helped me toss my shoe off somewhere down the dim corner of the room.

"Sino ka ba?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Hindi na ako nagulat nang bigla niyang hinubad ang suot. His long fingers carefully unbuttoned his white shirt and unfolded his sleeves. He used the cloth on my wound and I winced in pain.

"If not treated, maiimpeksyon ang sugat mo. Also, you could die of blood loss," sabi niya sa baritonong boses.

Alright, I was amazed how he moved as if the place wasn't dim. It seemed like he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Hindi mo sinagot ang tanong ko," I replied, flicking his forehead. No reaction from him. Normally, people would wince or whine about getting a flick on the forehead but this mysterious man doesn't.

Napatingin siya sa suot na relo. "I'm late on my schedule."

He said it as if he's trying to tell me I am wasting his time. Sandali, hindi ko naman hiningi ang tulong niya, ah? Kusa niya akong tinulungan— if helping is what you call this. He pressed his in-ear after a quick scan on the place.

"Got it," tumayo siya at inalis ang in-ear sa tainga at muling napatingin sa akin. "I'll be nice and take you where you can get proper medication— that if you promise not to curse or say bad words."

Napataas ang isang kilay ko. "What the fuck?!"

He sighed. "Now that's not good."

I made a face. "Who the hell cares?"

Another sigh. "That's two. Do you want to die right here?"

I think I would, now that he's giving me headache.

Patuloy pa rin ang malakas na tugtog ng musika sa paligid. I blinked to adjust my vision. Lango na ako sa alak at dumagdag pa ang sakit sa tagiliran ko.

Oh, wait. Right. I'm stabbed.

By Tristan.

My vision was now hazy. I wonder if it's the smoke around that caused me to totally lose it. My last memory was the stranger shaking his head as he said something from his in-ear, before I felt him lift me off the chair.

Everything turned black after that.

************************************

I woke up to a dim room.

Nope, not the dim club I remember I were with my boyfriend Tristan. Ilang beses akong napakurap bago ipinilig ang ulo sa kabilang direksyon.

It was a room.

Moving my arms, I felt the velvety feeling of the sheets where I lay. Napapikit ako habang dinadama ang komportableng pakiramdam sa kama. The pillow was soft too.

Wait, nasaan ako?!

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon, only to feel a tingling pain on my side.

What?!

Dinama ko ang tagiliran and then the memories of last night flashed in my mind.

Tristan was humping someone on the wall. Nangyari iyon nang nagpresenta akong kukuha ng maiinom namin pero nang makabalik ako ay wala na siya kung saan ko siya iniwan. I remember walking around the club, in search for him and was offered a party brownie.

Alam ko kung ano ang meron sa brownie na 'yon, and I chose to decline it. In search of him, I felt like a pair of eyes was following me ngunit hindi ko na lamang iyon pinansin. What felt like forever going around, looking for my guy finally stopped when I spotted him on the wall.

With a bitch!

That moment, nagdilim ang paningin ko. When a server walked around with a bread knife, agad ko iyong hinablot ang nilusob sila ng babae. And the rest was history.

And here I am, with a pounding headache and queasy feeling in my stomach. Not to mention the sharp pain on my side, and why does my body hurts so much? I let out a gasp before turning my head around the place. Nahagip sa paningin ko ang pigura sa gilid. It was a man, sitting with his head on his palm. I blinked few times to clear my sight, and realized he was actually sleeping in a sitting position.

Unti-unting naging malinaw sa gunita ko kung sino ang lalaki. He was sort of a good Samaritan who was kind enough to sacrifice his shirt for my bloody side. Nang tiningna ko ang tagiliran ko, gone was the shirt. Sa halip ay napalitan iyon ng bandage. Oh, he was kind enough to do it to. I know he did, dahil nakabukas pa sa gilid ang box na naglalaman ng mga gamit.

I cleared my throat at bigla akong nagulat nang naging sanhi iyon na magising siya. What's up with this guy? 

"You're up," sabi niya.

Again, the obvious.

Pinili ko na lamang huwag siyang pilosopohin. "Where am I? Did we fuck?"

He made a face, as if disgusted with what I just said. I know we didn't, but hey, it's refreshing to see him panic even for a second.

"No," kalmadong sagot niya.

"No shit?" paninigurado ko.

There was that disgusted look on his face again, even nastier than when I asked if we had done it or not. 

"I would appreciate it if you don't curse at all."

I don't get this guy, but he looked really serious kaya nagkibit-balikat na lamang ako. I tried moving off the bed despite the pain all over my body and on my freaking side. I spotted my purse on the side, so I grabbed it. Despite the pain, I managed to grabbed my stilettos too.

"Thanks for your help, I'm heading out first--" bigla akong natigilan. I swear if he moved from where he sat I would have noticed it, but then he was now in front of me. 

With a gun pointed at my forehead.

Now that I noticed, he doesn't look bad. The chiseled jaw, his tan skin, that vein up his arm? Kung ibang pagkakataon ay baka hiniling ko na na sakalin niya ako gamit ang kanyang mga braso. But this is not the time for my wildest dreams and fetishes. I know for real that it is a gun, right straight to my head.

I dropped my shoes, as well as my mouth.

"Niligtas mo ako sa saksak, only to kill me with a gun?" I let out a dry laugh. "You're one weird guy."

He ignored my remarks. "Where is Zolotov?"

Napakunot ang noo ko. "Zolotov?"

"Sergei Zolotov," he said, and in a swift motion he threw some pictures toward me. I caught one, and it was some pic of me and Tristan. If my memory serves me right, this was few weeks ago. Sunod kong tiningnan ang iba pang pictures na nasa sahig, and just like the one I caught, those were photos of me and Tristan, in different places.

"The fuck! You're following us?" I blurted out.

He moved his hand, just to emphasize his gun. "Mind your language."

"And what the hell? His name is Sergei Zolotov?!"

He looked so annoyed, but I was more annoyed to learn Tristan's name from a stranger. For the past two years, his name is not Tristan North! I knew he had that Slavic feels! Dammit. Yet he claimed the opposite. I should have known he's a liar.

"Now tell us where to find him," he said, and it sounded like a demand.

"For what?"

He moved his head. "None of your business."

"It's my fuc--" He moved the gun again kaya napatigil ako. He doesn't like cursing, does he? "I have every right to know, because you held me at gunpoint!"

"Zolotov is working directly under the Capo. He's the linchpin we need."

Is he high? Insane? Or what? I have no idea what this man is talking about but I knew for sure it's something serious. Kung ano man ang gulong pinasok ni Tristan, it's something big and it might kill us both.

"Look, I have no idea what Tristan did. I don't even know that Tristan is not his real name. We've been together for like a year or two, but damn, all those years were a total bulls-- lie?"

Alam kong hindi niya nagustuhan ang sinabi ko, for whichever part of it he did not like. I extended my hand with a grin. His dark eyes followed my hand with a glint of confusion.

"Here's an idea. I've been scammed and stabbed. Just like you, gusto ko lang ding hanapin si Tristan. I couldn't be more happier if I see you shoot him. How dare him replaced me with a whore and then just stabbed me, and then what? Now I'm caught up in whatever debt he had with you, at nanganganib na ngayon ang buhay ko. I will find him for you, dahil paniguradong babalik naman siya sa akin just like he always did every time. I'll hand him to you, but what do I get in return?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"There's no negotiation here," he immediately dismissed my idea.

"Oh, then I'll have it my way--" sinubukan kong lampasan siya ngunit muling itinutok niya ang baril sa mukha ko. I stopped halfway and raised both hands.

"Look, stop scaring me with your gun. I just got stabbed, I can not imagine getting stab and gunshot wound at the same time kaya pwede ba, kumalma ka muna at makinig sa akin!"

Hindi ko mabasa ang reaksyon sa mukha niya, but he still kept the gun away from my sight anyway.

"Good, that's it. Hindi 'yong binabalandra mo yung baril mo sa harap ko. I almost peed in fear, you know!" bulalas ko ngunit wala pa rin akong naaning reaksyon mula sa kanya. Hello, bato ba siya?

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Star," tipid na sagot ko.

"I don't think that's it," tipid niyang sagot.

"So you know my name, pero tinatanong mo pa rin ako?" taas-kilay kong sagot, silently hoping I won't get to his bad side to make him shoot me in the face right now. "Alright, Bituin Miranda."

He sighed. I will just take that sigh as acknowledgment.

"What's your name?" tanong ko.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course. You asked for mine kahit alam mo ang pangalan ko. It's only fair, right?"

He blinked bago walang emosyong sumagot. "Poseidon."

I pursed my lips. "Oh, Poseidon what?"

"Just Poseidon," tamad na sagot niya. 

"That's too long. Can I call you Posei?"

A look of disgust washed over his face in response to my words. Sa halip ay may inabot sa kanyang tainga. "Zolotov escaped but I have here someone who can tell us where to find him," he said through his earpiece. Saglit siyang natahimik na tila ba pinapakinggan ang sinabi ng kung sino man. "Got it." Bumaling siya sa akin. "Tell me everything you know about Zolotov."

"Not without getting in return," sagot ko. "I might as well stab him or whatever. Labas na ako sa anumang pakay n'yo sa kanya, I have my own share of bones to pick with him kaya--"

He suddenly grabbed my arm kaya napapiksi ako. He did it so swiftly that I barely see him move. Isa lamang ang tiyak ko. This guy is no ordinary guy. 

"Look, wala akong pakialam sa kung ano ang ginawa niya sa'yo. You're in this mess already, so get ready for the dire consequences. You help us or not, I can kill you, but I might l spare your life if you cooperate. Pick your poison."

Those were his chilling words. His menacing dark eyes were piecing through me. My chest was tight and pounding. His voice was with conviction and I knew for sure he can wring my neck right here and right now. I know for a second he can drain the blood out of my body this very moment. It gave me that tingling sensation that often called fear, but for me?

That was fun. 

The fun part was him threatening to kill me. But the best part was that I was able to toy with him at the palm of my hand.

This is exactly what I wanted to happen, and he just made it easier. 

Working directly under the Capo was a privilege, some sort of a feat for a woman such as me, in a male-dominated environment. I am not letting this opportunity go to waste. This is my chance to prove myself to the Don. I had long remained steadfast in my commitment to them. I swore before him that Vander Mafia will fall.

Guess it's him who picked his poison.

#

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