Behind the Veil

(2) Two Sides of Ace

"I mean who are you and what are –"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentences when I interrupted him by splashing the water on his face. My intrusive thoughts made me do it, thinking it's just a bad dream.

"What's wrong with you?" he said in a baritone voice, while I'm here struggling to find the right words to say.

Mukha naman napansin niya ito. "Okay, answer my first question first. Who are you?"

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa uniform na suot ko. There's no way I can introduce Vale looking like this.

"H-hindi ko alam,"

"Baka ako ang konsensya mo,"

"Ay mali! Ligaw na kaluluwa pala,"

"Ewan basta tao ako!" pagsuko ko.

Buenas, Valéria! You're making yourself suspicious.

I'm busy scolding myself when I heard him laugh in response to everything I said.

"Kalma. Tinatanong ko lang kung sino ka at ano'ng ginagawa mo rito, bisita ka ba ni Elly?"

Bahagya akong sasagot nang sumigaw si Elly sa loob.

"Damit! What have you done to our house, Eloise?" he screamed in surprise while looking around.

I can't blame his reaction, the house is quite a mess. Floors are hiding beneath dirts, creams covering the tables, and things are scattered in every corner of the house.

Bumaba ang tingin namin pareho kay El nang bumangon ito sa pagkahiga. Please El, hold my secret in depth of your consciousness.

"Oh girls just wanna have fun..." she sang.

"You're wasted," wika ng lalaki bago saluhin ang pagbagsak ng kapatid. "Naka ilang bote kayo?"

I cleared my throat to turn my voice a little bit high pitched to sound like a normal girl. "Two."

He sighed. "Pwede ko ba mahingi ang tulong mo para linisan siya?" pakiusap niya pagkatapos kargahin ang kapatid. Tumango lang ako.

Pagkatapos ko makahanap ng pamalit ni El dumapo ang atensyon ko sa kapatid niya. Siya ba talaga 'yung kasama ko sa LU kanina?

Because the guy in front of me is built in a different way. He's quite mature in his denim jeans and well-fitted black shirt that hug his body. Idagdag mo pa ang naka-gel niyang buhok.

Napalunok ako nang mapansin kong basa ang damit niya banda sa dibdib. It reminds me of what I've done. Napansin niya sigurong nakatingin ako kaya nilingon niya ang direksyon ko. Agad naman akong nagbawi ng tingin at hiniling na huwag niya 'kong makilala.

"Did LU for girls start early?"

I don't know but the deep sounds of his voice sends chills into my spine.

"No, I'm just trying the uniform,"

I saw him nod before he asked for my name. I was about to lie when Elly raised her hand between us and spoke my name... in her sleep!

"Valéria," he repeated and I felt a strange feeling with that. "I'm Felix Ace. Eloise' big brother."

It took me seconds to answer because of my nervous heart system.

"Valéria Rivera. Elly's bestfriend," I lied.

"Val?" aniya na ipinagtaka ko. Si Elly lang ang tumatawag sa'kin no'n. "Ikaw 'yung Val sa mga kwento ni El back in 6th grade. I thought you're a boy."

Well, I pretended like one.

"It was Elly's fault. She made me believe it to annoy me," turo niya sa kapatid. "I can't believe I spent years hating a beautiful maiden."