Chaining Lockets

Kabanata 6

Kabanata 6

I was so fucking embarrassed.

"Come on, Madame—okay na, kakainin na namin, oh." I heard Earn saying, trying his best to stay serious pero nabasag lang ang boses at napapiyok.

Pasimple akong sumilip at nakita kong pinapalibutan ako ng apat, lagat sila'y nagpipigil ng tawa, si Locket at seryoso rin pero nakita ko ang pagkagat niya ng ibabang labi at pagtungo, natatawa pa rin.

"T-tinatawanan niyo naman ako, eh." I said in a small voice at kita ko ang sabay-sabay nilang pag-ayos ng upo.

I even saw Locket's eyes widen as he smacked Adam beside him.

"What the fuck are you laughing?!" he hissed seriously and I saw how Adam's eyes widen, hindi nakapagsalita sa gulat.

"Hala ka, Lt., ikaw din naman!" Brent burst out laughing but froze when Locket glared at him.

Nawala ang ngisi niya at ang tawa'y bigla naging tikhim at ubo.

"Grabe, parang may bumara sa lalamunan ko." Brent muttered and laughed awkwardly, umiiwas ng tingin sa kanya at bumaling sa akin. "H-hindi ako tumatawa, Madame. Si Ernesto 'yon."

I saw how Earn froze and smacked his head, "gago ka! Hindi ako tumatawa, ah—" I saw how he bit his lip because his smile almost escaped again.

"Just—just go laugh." I said in a soft, sad voice. "Baka mautot pa kayo."

And I didn't know what to feel, dapat ba akong magalit o anon ang pagkasabi ko no'n ay sabay-sabay silang natawa. Locket remained serious at first but then, tumikhim siya at napapangiti na naman.

"Lt., ilabas mo n-na 'yan." Earn encouraged and I almost closed my eyes when Locket laughed with them, napapailing na.

"F-fuck, I'm sorry...I'm just..." Locket started but then he glanced at my specialty again on his desk, I saw how his shoulders moved when he started laughing hard like them.

Will I be amazed he laughed that way or be embarrassed for what the fuck I've done?

I was pouting at them, kunot ang noo at halos mag-tantrums na. Nakikita ko ang pamumula ni Brent doon sa sobrang tawa, si Adam ay napapahawak na sa tiyan at si Earn ay napabuga pa ng hangin kaya parang tunog pa ng utot ang lumabas sa bibig niya.

I was glaring at them dahil nasobrahan na sila sa tawa hindi makamove-on. My eyes caught Locket's who was stunned again and closed his mouth, bahagyang namumula.

"That's..." he tried to be serious but his voice broke. "T-that's enough." He said with a ghost of smile on his lips.

"P-pancit canton...sheyt!" natahimik na si Locket, Brent at Adam pero si Earn ay 'di pa rin ata makamove-on at humahagalpak pa rin.

Nanliit ang mata ko sa kanya, nakita kong nahuli iyon ni Adam kaya mabilis niyang binatukan si Earn.

"Ernesto!" he hissed and I heard Earn coughed a bit in laughter but then realized it. Natigilan siya, biglang nanlaki ang mata at umayos ng upo.

"M-madame, sorry..." he cleared his throat and smiled a bit at me. "S-sorry, hindi na."

Humaba lang ang nguso ko roon at humalukipkip sa harapan nilang apat.

"Veronica—"

"A-ayaw niyo ba?" I asked and I saw them all froze on the spot. "Ano...uhm, kunin ko na lang, bilhan ko na lang kayong ibang pagkain—"

"No!" they all exclaimed, stopping me. Nagulat ako nang kunin nila ang paper bag at si Locket ay mabilis na kinuha ang Tupperware na nasa desk niya at halos yakapin na.