Chapter 45: The Calm Before The Storm

Mahigit isang buwan din ang nilagi ko sa bahay ni Trap Lennon o Trapezoid Bermudo. Nag-insist si papa na hindi ako aalis sa poder ni Trap hangga’t hindi tuluyang gumagaling ang sugat ko. Lumala kasi iyon nang ilang beses akong kinaladkad ni Palomo, pusanginang hayop siya bakit hindi pa siya nagkapigsa sa pwet!

On my stay, ilang beses kong nakausap si Papa sa boundary hanggang sa muli akong sumakay sa isang capsule at halos pitong araw rin ang pamamalagi ko sa capsule bago nakarating sa Capital. When the capsule stopped, I immediately open my eyes and noticed the place.

Nasa 5th ward ako. 

Hindi ko maiwasang malungkot habang tinitingnan ang lugar. Anarchy hasn’t done any good and it only made people of the Capital become rogue knowing that there are no rules that tell them which is right or wrong.

Nagkalat sa daan ang mga batang gaya ko ay gutom na gutom. Hindi gumana ang strategy ko na kumain ng marami bago umalis dahil paglabas ko sa capsule ay gutom na gutom pa rin ako. Tahimik ang lugar habang naglalakad ako roon hanggang sa dumating ang dalawang malaking sasakyan.

The people came rushing out of their house and formed a line. Eh? Anong meron?

Nang bumukas ang isang sasakyan, may isang lalaking nagsalita. I hide myself among the pile of junks na nakaimbak sa gilid.

“Makinig kayong lahat, hindi kami magbebenta kapag hindi maayos ang pila ninyo!”

The people are very obedient-- to my surprise! Daig pa ng naka-ruler na guhit sa tuwid ng linya nila. Some looks awfully disgusting dahil nakalabas pa ang dila nila na parang aso at excited habang winawagayway ang dalang pera. Some are counting their coins at lahat sila ay tila eager na eager na makabili ano man ang binebenta roon.

I saw a kid around 13 or 15 years old walked on my side.

Hinawakan ko siya sa braso at tinanong. “Excuse me, anong meron?”

“Canned goods at mga frozen products na PRUM 2.0,” sagot niya at pinakita sa akin ang dalang pera.

“What’s with the hype? Wala ba ‘yan sa mga grocery stores?” tanong ko. Mukha akong estranghero dahil sa tagal ng pagkawala ko.

“Saan ka ba galing bakit hindi mo alam?”

“N-nagkasakit ako kaya ilang araw akong hindi umaalis ng bahay,” sagot ko.

Mukhang nauto ko naman siya at tumango siya. “Binebenta nila sa napakamurang halaga at napakasarap pa. Mauna na ako, baka maubusan ako eh, lagot ako kay Mama.”

Nagpasalamat ako sa kanya at binitiwan ang braso niya. I cringed upon the thought of what’s with PRUM 2.0 products.

Bumalik sa alaala ko ang pag-uusap namin ni Papa noong gabing nakaschedule na ang pag-alis ko.

“You know I don’t want you to leave Sunny pero ayaw ko ring pagbawalan ka sa mga gusto mong gawin,” sabi ni papa at mahigpit na hinawakan ang mga kamay ko. “You were running for so long now and you’ll never succeed if you stop halfway.”

“Pa, sa tingin mo may pag-asa pa kayang mabago ko ang Capital? Papatayin ko ba si Moran, if that’s what it takes to change it all?”

Tumawa si Papa at ginulo ang buhok ko. “You are too kind to kill people, even the meanest one Sunny.”

Napalabi ako. “Pa konting-konti na lang, mapapatay ko na siya. Umiinit ang ulo ko sa kanya eh.”

Nagpakawala siya ng malalim na buntong hininga. “Here’s the thing Sunny. Not because he’s the meanest person you know, doesn’t mean he’s the one responsible for everything. I know Elpidio Moran for so long and I know he’s shitty most of the time pero hindi natin maikakailang may mabuti naman talaga siyang nagawa dati.”

I rolled my eyes. “Walang mabuting nagawa si Elipdio Moran Pa, trust me.”

“He maybe manipulative and heartless since he only care about himself, hindi mo pa rin maikakailang may mga mabuti siyang nagawa. Sunny, if you’re going to criticize a person, be fair. If you attack him with the bad deeds, never forget and discredit the good ones. Elpidio Moran opened the opportunity for everyone to be accepted in the Academy, hindi gaya noon na mga taga 1st hanggang 3rd Ward lang ang pwede. He increased jobs for every citizens in the wards kahit parang merong hierarchy ng mga trabaho. Noon kasi, literal na isang kahig isang tuka ang mga lower wards at hindi sila tinatanggap sa trabaho. He set up Foster to take care of the old people-- until Dr. Aaron suggested the idea of using the old people as meat through launching Project: RUM before even the new one. He’s the one who opened such idea to him.”

Puto, so all this time Dr. Aaron is the bad guy? Well Moran is never better pero pusangina, si Doc Aaron?! I thought he’s just this loyal doctor na kung ano ang gusto ni Moran ay para siyang aso na susunod agad pero pusangina, siya pala ang pasimuno ng lahat ng iyon. All this time that I hated Moran, I was close to the real enemy which is Doctor Aaron of the Research Laboratory!

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. Magbabayad siya sa kahayupan niya.

***

By the time I reached the 1st Ward, halos hatingggabi na. I walked my way inside the academy and perfect timing dahil antok na antok ang guard kaya hindi niya ako napansin. I ran towards Bldg. 1485 at patay na ang ilaw ng buong building so I figured out everyone is asleep.

I walked through the normal passageway ngunit sarado iyon. Pumunta ako sa likod at naghanap ng bukas na bintana at swerteng may isang hintana na bukas.

I tried counting the windows and it seems like it’s Triangle and Nikon’s room. Hindi na ako nagpatumpik-tumpik pa. Naghanap ako ng hagdan na pwedeng gamitin at umakyat. Konti na lang ay wala na akong lakas at parang mahuhulog na ako kasi pusangina, gutom na gutom ako. I struggled hard until my hand held the baluster of the small terrace from the window of Triangle’s room. I pulled myself up at hinayaang mahulog sa sahig ang katawan ko, creating a loud thud.

Puto, kapagod!

Hindi lang pala ang bintana ang bukas kundi maging ang pinto ng terrace. I stood up from the floor at mukhang wala namang nagising. The huge room welcomed me at bakante ang isang kama. I know it’s Nikon’s bed dahil palagi naman siyang wala roon kaya hindi nakapagtataka.

My eyes shifted towards the person on the other bed. Nakatalikod siya sa akin kaya lumapit ako. Puto, naka-topless siya at napalunok ako. Saktong-sakto gutom ako, ayan na ang ulam. I frowned on my own thoughts before walking towards the bed.

Triangle.

He’s no longer bald at medyo mahaba na ang buhok niya. He looked like an obedient student who just had a new haircut dahil sa buhok niya ngayon. I sat beside him and he unconsciously moved, facing me. I felt my tears on the verge of my eyes ngunit pinigilan ko ang sarili ko.

I will not cry. I’m here already, I’m not leaving again.

Pero puto, kasingtigas yata ng ulo ko ang mga luha ko. Pilit na kumawala pa rin ang mga luha ko at tila nagpaligsahan pa sa pag-agos. Pusangina. I bit my lips to suppressed my sob.

How is he coping with the past days? Did he miss me kasi ako puto miss na miss na miss ko siya. Silang lahat. And I feel bad for leaving but only a little.

If I didn’t leave, I wouldn’t have learned about Trap Lennon who made a mistake but corrected it. If I didn't leave, the guys captivated by Palomo would still be in those cages if not yet sold. If I didn’t leave, I would have viewed Moran as the root of all this pero hindi pala. He’s evil, alright but not as evil as Doc Aaron.

Hinawakan ko ang pisngi ni Tatsulok. He sleeps so peacefully na parang bata. Kapag ganitong tulog siya, malayong-malayo ang hitsura niya kapag gising siya at bagot na bagot sa buhay. Marahang hinaplos ko ang buhok niya.

Goodbye spiky hair. He looks so good in that but this clean cut whipped me hard. Pusangina, wag lang sana siyang magpakalbo ulit, kasi mukha siyang M&M’s.

I gently kissed his lips and lay down beside him. I lifted the sheets that cover half of his body and tried to slip inside the sheets pero pusangina, bakit naka-boxer lang siya!?!!! Tapos bakit may monster?!!!

Sa gulat ko ay napasigaw ako. “PUSANGINA!!!”

Naalimpungatang nagising si Triangle at binuksan ang lampshade sa tabi. He was surprised to see me while I curled myself as I sat on his bed, hugging my knees.

“Pancake?!” He rubbed his eyes and looked at me again. “Shit!” hinawakan niya ako like he's checking if I am not some sort of bubble or anything. “Shit!” he cursed again before pulling me into a tight hug.

Pinigilan ko siya gamit ang isang kamay ko at bahagyang inilayo ang sarili sa kanya.

“What?” he asked with impatience in his voice.

“May monster!” Puto nababaliw na ako, gutom kasi.

“You left without saying a word, don’t do that again Pancake,” seryosong sabi niya.

And that reminds me! Mahinang binatukan ko siya at napamura siya. “Hindi man lang kayo nagpanic!”

“What now? You left just to see us panic? Pancake we’re panicking inside but what can we do? It’s your choice.”

Napalabi ako. Now I feel ad for leaving without saying goodbye before. “And that wasn’t a bad choice,” sagot ko kasabay ng buntong-hininga.

Triangle nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we think so too. Why did you come back?”

I shot him a glare. “Bakit gusto mo na ba talagang umalis ako? ‘yong hindi na babalik? Pusangina mo Tatsulok, may babae ka ano?”

He laughed hard and pulled closer. Puto, ‘yong monster!

He kissed my check ngunit natigilan siya nang makitang may maliit na peklat doon. Puto, I swear the scar isn’t that visible dahil unti-unti na iyong nawawala pero anong klaseng mata meron si Tatsulok at napansin pa rin niya iyon?

“What happened to this?” tila iritableng tanong niya. His hand gently caressed my cheek where the scar is.

“Long story,” sagot ko at yumakap sa kanya. “Longer than the monster.”

His expression darkened samantalang natawa naman ako. I kissed him hard. God, I missed him. I missed him so much. Paano ko kaya nakayang iwan sila? Pusangina that was so selfish of me, I know but I will try correcting my mistakes now. I will be more responsible for my actions. We will run together. We will run hand in hand.

Triangle rolled me on the bed at pumatong sa akin. He kissed me passionately and I did the same-- until a loud growling in my stomach interrupted the romantic ambiance.

He stopped kissing me and stared at me with disbelief. “Did you fart?”

“Ano?!” Parang gusto kong manakal, pusangina!

He giggled at tinulungan akong tumayo sa kama. “Let’s go grab something for you to eat. You can eat me later.”

Sinipa ko siya sa likod, causing him to fall from the bed. “Pusangina mo Tatsulok! Magbihis ka nga!”

Sa halip na magalit ay natawa lang siya bago tumayo at nagtungo sa kanyang closet. He grabbed a shirt at sinuot iyon. He didn’t bother to slip himself into his pants at hinila lang ako paalis ng kama.

“Everyone missed you,” sabi niya at hinalikan ang tuktok ng ulo ko habang palabas kami ng kwarto. “I missed you.”

I missed them all. And I'm back to fix the mess that the Capital has become. Not only me but all of us. We can do this together.

#

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A/N: The chapter title says it all haha so chill muna 'to. Also, we're down to the last 5 chapters (did I tell everyone this will be 50 chapters or more? I said it right? hehe)

And ANNOUNCEMENT!

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE Book 1 will be published this December!

Yey!!! I need to divide it to 2 parts to fit the standard book size (medyo mahaba pa naman ang RFYL) but you don't have to worry. I didn't remove scenes in my manuscript! Binawasan ko lang ng konti ang pagmumura ni Sunny sa book version hihi :3

Thank you so much for running with me! Can't wait to hold Sunny, TTP cousins, Team Pura and the rest of the gang! ❤❤❤

And I love you guys. This will not be possible without you huhu di baleng walang jowa nandyan naman kayo haha

Thank you! Love lots!
—Tammii/ShinichiLaaaaabs