CHAPTER SIX

“Ate, meet my friends.”

When did my brother meet such friend emitting with great authority? These friends of his are intimidating, freaking intimidating. I gulped three times as I give them a smile, I bowed a little to give respect.

What will I say? Hi? Hello? Sino ba ang hindi matatakot kung ang mga mukha nila ay parang galit sa paligid nila, and their aura is strong, very strong.

Parang sinasabing ‘don’t mess with me or you’ll regret it’. They look like business men’s, I mean they are those respected and luxurious bachelors, nakita ko ang mga magazine collection ni mom and these men are the models.

“H-hi, nice to meet y-you,” nauutal kong saad, I faked a chough and spoke again.

“I’m Dazinco Roosevelt, call me Anzi.” Ngumiti ako ng hindi ako nautal sa pagpapakilala, they are tall just like Ian, so more looking up for now, sasakit mamaya ang leeg ko, panigurado. Lumiit ata ako dahil sa kanila, I was tall on my high school days.

“Hi Anzi, I’m Cullen Walton, they call me Cullen but for you, call me Len,” saad ng lalaking naka ngiti at lumapit sa akin habang nakalahad ang kanyang kamay, napatingala ako ng ilapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin, I gasped when he took my hand and kissed it. He is fast, napahinga ako nang maayos ng umatras siya.

“Nice to meet you, Len,” mahinhin kong saad, nakita ko ang bigla nilang pagtigil sa kanikanilang ginagawa. They looked at each other with shocked visible on their faces, bigla naman ako kinabahan, did I say something wrong? Is it not okay to call him that way? But, he said it’s okay to call him Len.

“Ate relax, hey buds, quit with those faces, you’re making my sister nervous,” saad ni Ian, nakita ko naman ang pagsilay ng mga ngiti sa kanilang labi at mayamaya ay nagtawanan sila ng mahina lamang, I sighed in relief, are they really that silly?

“Hehe, we’re trying to lighten up the mood Ian, right guys?” saad ng isang lalaki na parang sinasabing sumangayon sila, tumango-tango lang naman ang anim, why do I feel like they’re lying? Napailing na lang ako sa iniisip ko, baka guniguni ko lang yun, it’s been years, people change.

“Anyway, I’m Kuesaun Cortez, just call me Saun.” Napatango naman ako sa pagpapakilala niya, he looks more matured now, compared to the past he is the happy-go-lucky kind of guy. But still he has the humour? I don’t really know.

“I’m Blake, this is my twin Blaze.” Napalunok ako ng marinig ko ang boses niya, it is very emotionless, cold as ice and dull as a broken pencil, napaiwas ako ng nakatitig ang kanyang mata sa akin, he was observing me or rather reading my soul.

Napatingin ako sa gawi ni Blaze, they really look alike, cold and emotionless, what happened to them? Especially Blake, I know him being casual and smiley but, looking at him now, he is a complete copy of Blaze.

“I’m Daxon and this is Dexon, we’re twins. They’re our elder twin brother.” A man stepped forward and also kissed my hand, it’s Daxon, well at least he still has his smiling face but, Dexon lost his.

Huminga ako ng malalim, my eyes are beginning to sting with an unknown reasons. There is one left, I can’t see his face because his facing the other way, is it Calyx? From what I’ve read from the magazine, they’re five, where is the third one?

“Huy, mag pakilala ka, ang tigas na ata ng earwax mo,” sabi ni kuya Len at hinila ang lalaki papunta sa harapan ko, he doesn’t look familiar to me.

“Grabe ka, palagi kaya ako naglilinis ng tenga,” sagot naman nito kay kuya Len na hindi pa ako hinaharap, he is facing Len but already standing right in front of me, nalanghap ko ang pabango niyang matapang kaya napatakip ako sa aking ilong at bibig, shit, not that smell.

“Ate, are you alright?” biglang saad ni Ian na nagpatahimik sa dalawang nagbabagayan sa harapan ko,

“Lagot ka Howard, tingnan mo naamoy ni Miss Anzi,” saad ni Saun at may pa pointing finger pa ito, yung parang bata na nagsasabing ‘Lagot ka…’

Kailan pa na aamoy ang earwax? Nagtataka kong tiningnan si Saun sa kanyang pinagsasabi, he is teasing him, is it good or bad? For me It’s offensive but, looking at Mr. Howard, he doesn’t seem offended, well it’s because it is not true. But still, why is he teasing him with that? Tumatwa ito ng magtama ang tingin namin, nakatitig lang ako sa kanya, nakunot ang noo ko ng umiwas siya at parang hindi mapakali sa kanyang kinatatayuan. Anong nangyari?

“Hoy hindi ah, Miss Anzi, do you smell something bad from me?” Naibalik ko kay Howard ang tingin ko ng magsalita ito, may pagaalala ang tingin na ipinukol niya sa akin, agad naman akong umiling bilang sagot, he’s not smelly in fact he smells nice but it’s too strong for my nose

“I’m Howard Bautista, they call me Howard.” Pakilala niya habang nakangiti na at nilahad ang kanyang kamay, tinanggap ko naman ito at ngumiti pero agad rin napatakip sa ilong ko, tiningnan ko si Ian sa mata, I need him to come near me.

Nakuha naman niya ang ibig kong sabihin kaya agad siyang lumapit sa aking harapan, sumubsob ako sa kanyang dibdib at nilanghap ang kanyang pabango, this is much better. It’s been so long since I smelled a perfume like that, maybe, a year ago.

“Ian, ang tapang ng amoy ni Howard, can you explain it to him? I didn’t mean to hurt him,” mahina kong bulong sa kanya, I think I offended him, no, I did offended him. I wanted to explain pero hindi ko magagawa yun ng malapitan sa kanya, I’ll just feel dizzy.

“Hey, Howard, don’t take it to heart. Si ate kasi, she has something with strong perfumes, it’s too strong for her nose to handle and she’s sorry about acting rude, bakit ka kasi sobra mag spray ng pabango?” mahina ko namang sinapak si Ian sa huli niyang sinabi, kailangan ba niyang tanungin yun?

It’s obvious na mag perfume siya dahil party ang pupuntahan niya, well maybe he put too much perfume for a small party.

“Oh is that the case, then I should get rid of my coat for now.” Sinilip ko naman siya at hinubad nga niya ang kanyang black coat at ibinigay sa isang lalaki na sa tingin ko ay driver nito, lumayo na ako sa pagkakayakap kay Ian ng lumapit si Howard sa akin na ngayon ay naka-white polo lang, nakangiti naman itong humarap sa akin.

Okay, he looks like that boy next door, I remember scanning through magazine when a page a picture of him, he’s that Mr. Howard Bautista, the second member of the sumptuous bachelors, the calm and friendly one, naputol ang pag-rewind ko ng mga scenario sa isip ko ng marinig ko ang boses niya.

“How do I smell, now?” tanong nito habang nakapamulsa, nag-aalanganin ko namang tiningnan ang kanyang mga kasama at kay Ian, kibitbalikat lang ang isinagot ni Ian at iiling-iling naman ang kanyang mga kaibigan.

Nakangiti ang iba sa kanila pero mostly ay parang sinasabing ‘Ito na naman tayo,’ ibinalik ko na lang kay Howard ang tingin ko, naiilang ako pero hinayhinay akong lumapit at inamoy ang kanyang polo, lumayo naman ako at nahihiyang sumagot, napalunok ako ng maramdaman ko ang mukha kong umiinit.

“You smell good,” mahina kong saad at agad na nagtago sa likod ni Ian, nakakahiya, my face is really hot right now, I think I’m blushing. Narinig ko naman ang pagtawa ni Ian, sinuntok ko siya, it’s not funny it’s making me awkward.

“She’s cute,” I heard one of them said, napalunok ako.

“It’s her first time to complement a guy other than me and the twins.” Mas uminit ang mukha ko, its reaching my ears now, narinig ko lang naman ang ilang tawa nila, it’s true that it’s a first time that I actually complemented someone personally.

Sa isip lang kasi palagi ang pag puri ko sa isang tao, na tigil lang sila sa tawanan nila ng may nagsalita. Napalingon ako doon at nakita ko sa gitna si butler Paul kasama ang kambal, tiningnan ko ang wrist watch ko, kinalabit ko naman si Ian kaya humarap ito sa akin.

“It’s time for the surprise party,” mahina kong bulong, gumalaw na kami at hinanda na ang surprise.

~FASTFORWARD

“Goodbye mom, dad and brothers.” Kumakaway kong saad habang nasa loob ng kotse, the party has ended and it was fun, I didn’t really talk to girls, I talked to Ian’s friends. Well I want to approach the girls but they just gave me eye rolls and angry eyes, I hate those type of girls so I stayed on my chair when Ian called his friends over our table.

“Anak, sure ka ba na kaya mo? Your dad can drive you home,” napalingon ako kay mom na nagaalala akong tiningnan, tumango naman ako.

“I’m okay mom, you both can rest, alam kong pagod kayo sa biyahe,” saad ko habang nakangising tiningnan si dad, dad chuckled as mom hid her face on his shoulders. Napailing na lang ako at napatawa ako nang mahina, they really don’t rest huh…

“You can go now anak, your mom will surely rest for today, be safe.” Nakangiti akong tumango at isinara na ang bintana, lumarga na ako, I took a last glance at them before I drove away.

So where was I? Oh, yes, yung mga kaibigan ni Ian, so as I was saying tinawagan niya ang pito at pinasali sa table naming dalawa, mom and dad was not sitting with us, doon sila sa mga ka-business partner nila. Pinagitna ako ng kambal na sila Blaze at Blake, hindi ako approve doon pero si Ian ayaw mag-paawat, gusto niya na doon siya sa tabi ni Howard at Kuesaun.

I’m stuck in a traffic when my phone rang, agad ko itong sinagot ng makita ko ang pangalan ni Kelly.

“Hello, Kelly? I’m sorry about not coming there, something came up and I can’t decline,” bungad ko sa kanya, I totally forgot about calling her earlier, tiningnan ko ang screen ng wala akong narinig na sagot galing sa kanya, on-going naman ang call pero wala akong marinig na boses.

“Hello, Kelly? Are you there?” tanong ko pero wala pa rin, pina-loudspeaker ko ito at nagsalita ulit, kinakabahan na ako ngayon. Why is she not talking?

“Kelly, say something,” I said pleadingly, I sense danger as seconds pass. Inilagay ko muna ito sa cup holder at lumarga na, I kept glancing at the phone, pumarada na lang ako sa tapat ng convenient store at kinuha ang phone. I might bump into someone, better stop for now.

“Kelly, talk, I’m worried.” Napahinga ako ng maluwag ng marinig ko ang paggalaw sa kabilang linya, hinihintay ko siyang magsalita pero sa pagsalita ng nasa kabila ay kinain na ng pag-aalala ang katawan ko, hindi niya boses ang nagsalita.

[Hello, is this her friend?] isang baritonong boses ng lalaki ang sumagot sa akin, who is this man and why is Kelly’s phone in his hands? Last time I checked she has no boyfriend neither a brother, her father is not in the country for the moment, then who is he?

“Yes, who are you and where is Kelly,” I answered with a stern voice, I don’t know if I heard it right but, did he just laughed at me?
 
“What is funny, where is my friend.” Ginagalit ako ng lalaking ito, kinuha ko ang isa ko pang cellphone sa drawer ng kotse at pinaandar ito, it’s a tracking device.

All of the contacts in my phone are transferred here right away, once I click their phone number on this device, it will track them but, only if the owner allows it. Matagal ko ng pinapaalala kay Kelly na paandarin niya ang kanyang bluetooth kapag kailangan niya ng tulong, na tigil ako sa pagpindot ng magsalita ang lalaki.