ViceRylle || Songs of the Heart

Chapter 1 || Flight of the Bumblebee

Riiing! Riiing!

Someone picked up on the other line. "Hello?"

"Uhm, sorry to wake you up, pero nand'yan ba s'ya?"

"Wala s'ya rito." she sighed. "Ano'ng oras ba umalis?

"Around 11 pm, earlier than usual. Nakakapagtaka nga eh? S'ya ang nagyaya pero iniwan din n'ya kami."

"Have you tried calling the others?" she asked. "Baka naman pinuntahan 'yung boys?"

"I already checked with them but they have the same answer as you. No one knows where he went. This is the nth time he's done this pero di naman s'ya inaabot ng ganito ka late. Malakas pa naman ang ulan."

"He doesn't say, huh?" she said. "How about his family, have you tried calling them?"

"I'm here actually. Nagbabaka-sakaling umuwi s'ya rito. Pero kanina pa 'ko nandito and there's still no sign of him. I --- oh wait! He's here. I see his car. He's pulling up the drive now."

"Well, that's a relief." She said. "I'm getting worried myself. Do me a favor, please? Paki-sapak naman, mga tatlo lang. Okay na siguro 'yun? Depende sa'yo kung gusto mo'ng dagdagan basta matauhan lang s'ya sa kung ano ma'ng trip n'ya ngayon."

"Haha! That's not a bad idea. Maybe I should. Thanks a lot, Girl."

Natapos ang pag-uusap nang pumasok s'ya sa bahay na basing-basa ng tubig ulan. Tahimik lang s'ya. And, he has something on his face --- pain? No! It was more than pain. It was defeat.

"Saan ka galing?"

Napahinto s'ya sa pag-akyat ng hagdan nang marinig ang nagsalita. "Bakit? Nanay ba kita?" Walang gana at ni hindi man lang n'ya tinapunan ng tingin ang kausap.

"I may not be your mother, but I am your friend."

"Wow! Ang kapal naman ng mukha mo para sabihin sa'kin yan." He gave out a sarcastic chuckle then he slowly started up the stairs to his room. "Saka ano'ng ginagawa mo rito? You're not welcome here anymore."

"Vice!"

Humito s'ya sa paglalakad at tiningnan ang kamay na humawak sa kanang braso n'ya. "Bitawan mo 'ko." Mahina ngunit may himig ng pagbabanta sa boses n'ya.

"Pwede ba, makinig ka muna?"

"Sabi ko, bitiwan mo 'ko!" He struggled to free his arm from his grip.

"Not if we don't get to talk."

"Ano pa'ng dapat nating pag-usapan, Buern, ha? Ano'ng kasinungalingan pa ang kailangan kong marinig mula sa'yo?" Vice said in somewhat less than a shout. Sinalubong nya ng galit na tingin ang mga mata ng kausap.

"Eh, gago ka pala eh?!" Sagot naman ni Buern sabay hatak sa kanya pababa ng hagdan.