Remains in the Sand | Los Quiros Series Book #01

15

RITS: Chapter Fifteen

"It's not like we were purposely hiding it from you... We were carefully looking over how you'd react if you'd knew..."

"Should I convince myself that it's better this way? Na nalaman ko... Ilang linggo na ang nakaraan?"

I saw how Lach looked down after trying to explain his side profusely habang si Lincoln naman ay prenteng nakaupo lang sa couch while looking over me.

After crying for a whole moment I had with myself on my room, nagulat nalang ako nang paglabas ko'y nadatnan ko si Lach na halatang binabagabag si Lincoln na walang imik magmula pa kanina... That later on I knew na tinawagan siya ng isa na pumunta sa condo ko. I wonder if he also called Leorthon... Though he's the last one I wanted to know about this entire shit happening.

Napasabunot ako sa aking buhok. Pakiramdam ko'y pinaglaruan nila 'kong lahat... All of them knew... Except for me.

"I get that you're mad at us—"

"Don't start me with that bullshit!" I cut Lach off at agad ko rin namang naipikit ng mariin ang aking mga mata nang mapagtanto ang nagawa. I calmed myself down. Walang patutunguhan ang usapan namin kung hindi ako kakalma... Hindi ko malalaman kung ano pa yung alam nila. "What more of his doings that you've known... Na hindi niyo pinapaalam sa'kin?"

Lach looked dismayed with the term I've used pero nasabi ko na... And he just brushed it off with a warm smile he always gives to assure that everything's okay... Everything's fine on his end... To the point na hindi ko na alam kung nahasa niya na ba ang sarili niyang maging magaling sa pagpapaniwala sa mga tao or was he just actually okay with it.

"On the double case of Hane..." Lach started. Kaagad kaming napatingin ni Lincoln sa kaniya. "The very essential piece of evidence on the other case was missing. Iyong pumasok si Lj sa opisina ko nung nandu'n ka... I asked him to do any means to find it... And he did..."

Fuck.

Pati 'to?

Ano paba ang hindi ko nalalaman?

Ano pa yung mga kailangan kong malaman tungkol sa kaniya?

He was... Far... From who he is now... Him cheating, was unlike the Islear I knew who would always shower me compliments and assure me whenever he has the chance... And him tampering an evidence... Is far from the Islear I knew who was dedicated and held conviction to bring justice in every case he had...

Was it just for show?

Pati 'yun ba... Pangpapanggap lang?

What else's there to think twice on who you really are, Islear?

"Islear's fingerprints were found on the disposed uniform," mapait na napangiti si Lach at nakita ko kung paano iniwas ni Lincoln ang paningin sa'kin. He clasped his palms together at inilagay 'yon sa kaniyang baba. "And he was brought in for questioning."