Snow White is a Gangster (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Chapter 23: Fire and Ice

Forest decided to give a laugh and said, "You couldn't punch like that? Man, what are those muscles for? Pillow fight?"

The guy smiled casually at her and said, "I could go and enter the Mafia if I want to. I could ask Van to train me how to become a Mafia Bad-ass. But I'm content with the small and humble gang I have right now. And aside from that, my parents already made sure that I will have a bright future."

Forest raised an eyebrow and smirked at me. He couldn't enter the Mafia just like that. "Boy, you can never have a chance to be with us. Not with the bright future you're seeing. We don't like bright things," she almost sang playfully.

He seemed to have a plan of arguing but Van cut him off. "Henrietta, please take her home now," wika niya. I looked at her  and realized that she hadn't said anything after Tres left.

"Sabay-sabay na lang kami. Kasya naman kaming lahat sa kotse ni Makki," wika ng isa sa mga babaeng bisita.

"Why? You brought me here. Why don't you bring me back yourself?" Summer Leondale finally asked. She seemed unhappy about having a different driver.

"I need to talk to Sebastian, Summer. I hope you understand," sagot ni Giovanni. But she was not one of the most understanding people in the land so she glared at him and marched heavily to the door.

"Makki, bring Mirden and Jamie to their home. Henrietta will be with Summer," pinal na wika ni Giovanni. Pinanood ko ang pamamaalam ng mga bisita ni Giovanni hanggang sa tuluyan na silang makalabas ng silid.

"Naiintindihan ko na may mga bagay na mas madaling ipahayag gamit ang kamao at karahasan. Subalit hindi nito kailanman matatalo ang kagalingan ng mga salita. Kay raming dugo at pawis ang maaari nating matipid kung pipiliin natin ang pag-uusap."

We both looked at Maximus Brown as he took the vacant chair in front of the Mafia boss' desk. His words are probably the most sensible and soothing ones I'd ever heard today. Maging ako ay hindi pa lubos na maintindihan ang mga sinabi at inasta ni Tres. Kung kaya't bago pa man ako umalis at ihatid si Summer Leondale ay minabuti kong kausapin na rin si Giovanni tungkol rito.

Giovanni seemed to be fighting his own confusion silently. He closed his eyes as he sat on his chair.

"Giovanni?" I uttered silently.

Iminulat niya lang ang kanyang mga mata at tumingin sa akin. "You will talk towith him, right? I know you can make him understand. I believe in you," wika ko.

Marahan siyang tumango at sinabing, "I have to make him understand. A confused, dangerous man is too deadly to have around."

Nang makalabas ako ng mansion ay nakita ko si Summer Leondale na nakaupo sa hood ng aking kotse. Napakunot-noo ako at dali-dali siyang pinuntahan. Why did people have to make a couch out of a good car?

"Get in the car," I commanded and got in the driver's seat. Agad kong pinaandar ang makina ng kotse nang makapasok siya.

"Wow! So eager to get back to the mansion?" She commented with a fake laugh. I decided to ignore her and sped up. "Your secret love must have hated me so much," she said trying to engage me in a conversation. Or maybe, she wasn't trying at all. She was probably just taking her time voicing out words trapped in her head.

"I know he hates me even before but this time, he seemed to hate me, even more, today. Something must have triggered that." And with those said, she gave me an accusing look. Tiningnan ko sya na tila wala akong narinig at saka nagpatuloy sa pagmamaneho. Mukha namang hindi rin siya naapektuhan ng aking pambabalewala dahil nagpatuloy sya sa pagsasalita.

"He's probably seeing himself in me. He must be seeing something he doesn't like. Like you and Van talking together on your own. He must be jealous! God! I hate cheaters!" And with that, I forced the car to a halt causing her to almost smash on the dashboard.

"What the hell! Are you gonna kill us?" Sigaw niya habang nagmamadaling ikinakabit ang seatbelt.

"If I'm gonna kill you, I will not do it inside my car. I like the interior of my Mercedez and it would just be a waste if I would paint it with your blood." She started to frown like a kid about to throw a tantrum. "Listen, young lady. No one's cheating here. And don't use Sebastian and jealous in the same sentence. It would be irrelevant! You are the one who's jealous. I have so many things in my mind and dealing with your ugly, insecure heart is not included. So just do me a favor and keep the air silent!" I blurted out. Treachery and violence were common in my kind of living but being involved in love triangles and jealousy was a high school trash that I should live without.

I thought she would still continue arguing with me but she didn't. She just glared at me and turned her eyes on the road in front of us. The Mafia should pay me triple for getting me to protect someone I'd be happy to silence if I would be asked to.

I pulled myself out from mentally murdering the girl beside me when I heard the sound of my phone. I fished it out from my pants and grudgingly opened the message. It was from Wycliffe. As I finished reading the text, I felt the sudden coldness rushing through my body. Muli kong pinaandar ang sasakyan at pinaharurot sa direksyong taliwas papunta sa lugar ni Summer Leondale.

"Where are we going?" Nagtataka niyang tanong.

Hindi ako sumagot. She was going to ask more if I gave her a chance. I bit my lip as I realized the weight of the new situation I had now. The lines were tangled and I was in the center. It would destroy me. Hindi ko napigilang suntukin ang manibela. Ethan Montreal was missing. Wycliffe was asking me where he was because he couldn't find him in the tree house. Where was he now?