Stay Alive

PART FOURTEEN: THE PACT

Neska and Casper smiled at each other once more until Andrius came back.

Casper and Neska felt good. To be honest, marami pa silang gustong pag-usapan pero alam nilang hindi ito ang tamang lugar at panahon. Masaya sila na kahit papaano ay napag-usapan nila ang nakaraan—ang rason kung bakit hindi na sila nagpapansinan.

At least, pareho na silang nabunutan ng tinik sa lalamunan.

"Ba't ganito ang atmosphere?" tanong ni Andrius nang dumating at inilapag sa table ang drinks na in-order nila.

Nang makita ni Neska iyon ay mabilis siyang natawa.

"Why?" Andrius asked while sipping his drink.

Itinuro nito ang nakalagay na sugar level sa isa.

"Naalala n'yo pa?" tanong niya sa dalawa.

Nangyari iyon nang magtrabaho sila sa probinsya. Napagkamalan sila Neska at Andrius na mga bagong helpers instead of the new Judge and Prosecutor.

Inutusan silang bumili sa tapat ng drinks ng tinatawag nilang 'Miss Superior'.

Soon enough, they reached the shop and they ordered the 'usual drinks' along with their drinks. Casper and Neska were just kept on laughing while Andrius was reading something through his phone. They were doing fine only to get halted by a question.

"Sugar level po?" tanong ng cashier.

"Ha?" tanong ni Neska at Andrius pareho.

"Sugar level po ng milk tea," ulit nito.

"Ano 'yun?" Neska asked Casper.

Casper shrugged.

"Ewan. 'Di ako pala bili n'yan."

Pareho silang tumingin sa cashier na halatang bwisit na sa kanila.

"Anong level ba?" tanong ni Casper kay Neska"Ikaw na magsabi."

"Ikaw na. Alam mo namang na me-mental block ako parati 'pag nasa counter na," bulong ni Neska.

Casper cleared his throat.

"Sugar level?" he asked himself as if he was thinking. When he noticed the cashier was looking at us impatiently, he faked a smile.

"Level 2, miss."

But the cashier was looking at them uninterestedly.

"Ay hinde, hinde!" he said. "Level 3!"

But the cashier wasn't really pleased.

"Enggggk!" sabi ni Neska. "Mali! Baka Level 1?"

Pinalobo lang ng cashier ang bubble gum n'ya.

Ano ba kasi 'yun?

"Engggk! Steal!" sabi ni Casper. "Level 4?"

"Enggggk! Steal!" sabi ni Neska. "Level 10! Todo na 'yan!"

But the cashier dialled something. "Hello, guard?"

"70 per cent sugar level, miss."

They looked at the one who spoke⁠ and it was Andrius.

The cashier looked at him. She dropped the call and finally moved.

Andrius looked at them with disbelief and walked away to occupy the nearest seat.