Bullet

Chapter 24

SI Valente, nakatayo habang nakaalalay sa kaniya si Doc Annie, habang nasa likuran naman si Colonel Francisco. Nakasaklay si Val ngunit kunot na kunot ang noo niya habang palipat-lipat ang tingin sa amin ni Neon. I bit my lower lip as I pinched my finger so hard.

"L-Lieutenant!" Kinakabahang tumawa si Neon. "A-ah, sorry po, sorry po talaga. Nataranta po ako kanina."

"And you almost hurt her." Malamig na saad ni Val at dumako ang tingin niya sa akin. I quickly looked away and sighed helplessly. "Don't do that again, de Luna. You can leave now."

"S-sige po, lieutenant. Colonel." Neon said while he acknowledged the colonel as well. Linagpasan niya na ako pero bago iyon ay nginitian niya ako na tila humihingi ng tawad. Ngumiti nga siya pero naging ngiwi iyon at mahinang bumulong. "I'm really sorry, Nadia. Mamamatay na ako sa kaba kanina tapos bigla ka pang nahulog. I'm really sorry."

"Okay na, okay na. Sige na." I smiled and tapped his arm.

"Sorry talaga, Nadj."

"Sige na nga. Ayos na."

"Sorry ulit," his last words before he walked away and left. Nakaligtas na si Neon pero ngayon naman ay nakatitig na sila sa aking tatlo. At hindi na ako makatingin kay Valente.

"And you,"

Muntik na akong mapapikit sa kaba dahil sa boses niya. Malalim iyon, malamig, at tila napakastrikto. Mas lalo pa akong kinabahan nang makitang papalapit na siya sa akin. He can't even walk properly, but he's still intimidating. Hindi naman sa natatakot ako sa kaniya, si Valente kaya 'to, pero lagot ako, sigurado!

Natatakot ako kapag alam kong may tinatago ako sa kaniya!

"Look at me."

That deep, commanding voice awakened something in me. Pero huminga ako nang malalim at hindi agad nakatingala sa kaniya. I didn't meet his eyes immediately because I'm still intimidated.

"Aurora, look at me."

"Sorry." Halos hindi ko na marinig ang boses ko.

"Look at me first."

"Sorry, Val." I repeated softly.

But I felt his fingers on my chin, and then he slowly lifted my face up, to make me meet his eyes. Ang akala ko ay makikita ko ulit iyong mga mata na nakita ko kanina. Napakaseryoso kasi no'n at malamig. But instead of those eyes, I saw his eyes.

That soft and deep gaze, that hypnotizing hazel brown eyes. Dahil doon ay kumalma na ako. It calmed me but I still looked away. By now, I already know that he knows why I'm here and why I'm with Neon. Hindi pa naman kami nakakalayo sa kinaroroonan ni Mario Schwanes.

"Why are you saying sorry, hmm?" He softly spoke, a little smile broke in his lips. "You should be back there. In your room. Resting. Tell me, why are you here? With de Luna?"

He let go of my chin but continued staring me, still with the same intensity and gentleness.

"I...I want to talk to the man. Gusto ko siyang makilala." I explained.

"He's dangerous, ma'am." Colonel Francisco said. "Mas mabuti pang huwag mo na siyang kilalanin. Maganda na rin na itinakbo ka agad ni sergeant palabas pero huwag ka nang babalik doon. He's a half Russian-Mexican mercenary-born turned into a Guerilla member. Your boyfriend personally knows how dangerous he is."

Doon ako napatingin kay Valente. "Totoo ba ang sinabi ni colonel? Ibig sabihin ay magkakilala nga kayo?"

I was asking him, but oh boy, there he was. Nakatulala lang sa akin at parang malayo ang iniisip. He looked like he was daydreaming because he never blinked. Kahit sina doktora at colonel ay sinilip na ang mukha niya dahil hindi man lang siya umiimik.