Death Trap Pandemonium (COMPLETED)

Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX
The Disappearing Act

October 20, 2015; Tuesday
Elysium University

"Honestly, I'm more surprised that he didn't try and turn things around. In-expect ko na ikaw yung sasabihin niyang nagsinungaling dahil engaged ka habang. . .nagkakamabutihan kayo," lintaya ni Cess nang maikwento ni Ailee ang tungkol sa pag-uusap nila ni JC. "I still think you should've punched him, though."

Pabagsak na naupo si Cess sa tabi ni Jean who proceeded to share her water bottle with her. Ailee remained standing, sweat dripping down her face as she tried to perfect a particularly difficult move. Silang tatlo lang ang nasa dance studio dahil naghahanda sila para sa kanilang performance sa Elysian Music Festival sa darating na Sabado.

Dati, apat silang nagpe-perform. Ngunit dahil hindi art-related ang kurso ni Nika, hindi tugma ang schedule niya sa kanila.

"Cess, 'wag mo na nga dinedemonyo si Ailee. She can't just. . .attack the people who piss her off," Jean admonished her. Then, she muttered, "No matter how much we'd pay to see it. At isa pa, kaibigan pa rin ni Shem si JC. Ailee wouldn't want to put a wedge between the two friends. Isipin mo kung sa inyo ni Ailee nangyari 'yon."

Cess pouted, displeased that no boxing match was about to happen. Pagkatapos ng pagsapak ng kaibigan kay Ashanti, handa na si Cess para sa bagong aksyon.

"Sobrang labong mangyari 'yon. Pero, anyway, anong plano mo ngayon, mi amor¹?" tanong na lamang niya kay Ailee.

Ailee shrugged, looking confused more than ever. Hindi maiwasan ni Cess na makaramdam ng awa para sa kaibigan.

"I really have no idea. Humingi siya ng tawad para sa mga sinabi niya noong nakaraang linggo. You know that ever since the accident, I've been having trouble with my memories. Kaya may mga sinabi siyang hindi ko naintindihan. Lalo lang dumami ang mga katanungan ko." Naupo na lamang ang nakatatandang babae sa tabi ni Cess. "Sabi niya ipapaliwanag niya ang lahat pagkatapos ng Music Fest."

Nasamid si Cess dahil sa pagtawa. "Wow. Pa-mysterious?"

Sandaling natahimik ang tatlo, lahat sila may kanya-kanyang iniisip.

"By the way, I think we're gonna need to watch our backs," pag-iiba ni Jean ng usapan. "Pakiramdam ko may pinaplano ang squad ni Ashanti. Therese keeps staring at me."

Nakunot ang noo ni Ailee at natigil siya sa pag-aayos ng kanyang bagong-gupit na buhok. "Anong ibig mong sabihin? 'Di ba lagi naman kayong halos magsaksakan sa tingin dahil kay Jerald? Are you sure you're not just being paranoid?"

Jean rolled her eyes. "No. Hindi lang dahil kay Jerald-which, might I add, I'm completely over. May iba talaga, eh. Alam niyo naman yung history namin. Hindi ko lang ma-pinpoint kung ano."

Even Cess scratched her head in confusion. She understood why Jean was worried, she really did. Maging siya, nag-aalala para sa mga kaibigan niya dahil hindi nila sigurado kung ano ang takbo ng isip ng apat na impaktang 'yon, lalo pa't galing sila sa mga makapangyarihang pamilya sa Santa Filomena.

Sure, Cess herself is from a well-respected family but they're not locals, her father was born in Santa Filomena but studied abroad while her mother's clan was from the neighboring town of Pilar. Saka lang sila lumipat sa Santa Filomena nang ito ang maging sentro ng business nila at nang ipanganak si Cess at ang kapatid niya. Unlike Erza who was rumored to be a descendant of the family that founded the town, which is probably the same reason Ashanti took Erza 'under her wing'. Having a Santillan as a friend had its perks--until the patriarch's fall from grace, that is.