Unholy Sinner [R-18]

17 : Stomatitis

Aviona

Nakaw na pagsulyap ang ginagawa ko kay Luke ngunit tuwing ginagawa ko iyon ay naaabutan ko siyang nakatingin sa akin.

" Ang saya ni Gov ngayon. Ngayon lang iyan ngumiti ng ganyan kalapad ma'am." Usisa sa akin ni ma'am Esther. May edad na din si ma'am Esther, maybe she's already in her early 40s tantiya ko.

Nang sumapit ang hapunan ay nagbreak ulit kami. Kahit kanina pa nangangalay ang mga kamay ko ay parang wala lang iyon sa akin. Seeing the people patiently standing in line. Alam kong halos karamihan sa kanila ay hindi pa kumakain ngunit nagtitiyagang makipila para sa relief goods. We were guided by ma'am Esther inside a vacant room. May nakahanda ng pagkain dun. Henry was with me, tatawagan ko na sana siya para magkatabi na kaming kumain ngunit naramdaman ko na ang kamay ni Luke sa bewang ko. Giniya niya ako palapit sa mesa at pinaghila ng upuan.

Kaysa mag-eskandalo pa ako, masminabuti ko ng tumahimik na lang at umupo.

Someone volunteered to pray for the food. After the prayer, isa isa ng kumuha ng pagkain niya.

Luke offered me a cup of water.

He even took some food and placed it on my plate. Literal na pinagsilbihan niya ako. He might have not noticed that his team was observing his every move and if he does, it seems to me that he doesn't even care at all.

" Let's eat everyone" He smiled to his team. Halatang nagagalak ito na katabi ako sa hapag. He ate a lot. Typical of the Luke I've known. Malakas kumain at nakakagana kung papanoorin mo.

" Babe here try this" Wika niya sabay lagay sa plato ko nung balat ng fried chicken niya. All of his team looked at us. I am literally cursing at my mind.

" Governor" I tried to voice out.

In situations like this, ano ba dapat ang dapat kong gawin? Will I act like I don't care too? Or will I make corrections? Dahil alam kong ang nangyayari ngayon ay hindi basta basta. I cannot trust everybody in this place. Nor will I have their assurance that everything that they see and hear in Cagayan stays in Cagayan.

Napatingin ako kay Henry. He is silent but I know that he has a lot of questions to ask me.

I want to say something but my voice won't come out.

Tila ba nagsisi ako sa ginawa kong pagsulyap kay Henry dahil naabutan ako ni Luke na nakatingin sa kaniya.

Luke's mood suddenly changed in an instant. Natahimik itong kumakain.

" Everybody eat. Don't stare at each other. Ayoko ng nagtititigan sa harap ng mesa" His voiced boomed like authoratively. Iyung ibang nag-uusap ay napatahimik sa biglaang wika ni Luke na pagalit pa kung pakikinggan mo.

After lunch, nauna ng tumayo si Luke at naglakad pabalik sa station. He is definitely not in good mood.

" All the boys will stay outside and look after those sack of rice." Pinal niyang utos. Pinalabas naman ni Ma'am Esther lahat ng mga lalaki para sila na ang bahala sa bigas na ibibigay kada pamilya.

Hindi ko na siya pinansin pa. His jealousy is out of place. Hindi na kami mga bata pa para maglaro ng ganitong klaseng laro ng selosan.

Naramdaman ko ang paglapit niya sa akin.

" Sino iyun" Ramdam ko na may katigasan sa boses niya.

" Your jealousy is out of place, Luke. Drop that" I told him. Napangisi ito sa akin.

" You did not answer my question, Avi" He said not giving attention to my prior answer.

" Ininsulto mo ang camera man ko. And you can't just use your position to your own advantage" I told him.

" Then tell him to beat me in politics. Dahil wala akong balak magpatalo" He said while looking straight at my eyes.

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