Safety Pin

Chapter 37: Unfinished

Chapter 37: Unfinished

Walking out of that foul-smelling cell was easier than getting in and I've never been thankful to breathe fresh air. The same guard who accompanied me and George earlier was there to escort me back and I thanked him by smiling. Hindi ko alam kung paano nakakatagal ang mga tao sa ganitong lugar. I mean the smell alone is enough to bring waters to my eyes and I certainly don't want to go back in there and smell the same kind of hell.
Hindi pa ako nakakapasok sa mismong kulungan pero parang ayoko nang tumuloy doon. A chill ran down my spine from the unwelcome thought.

"Prim!" tawag ni Amanda nang malagpasan ko ang booth na kinaroroonan niya.

"Yes?"

"George left this here before he went home," she said handing me a paper. I eyed the note suspiciously then at her, already dreading what the content would be. The last time George gave me a note, it had been his number in it and I remember tossing it in a trash bin.

"Uhm, hindi ko binuksan yan. Promise," awkward na sabi ni Amanda nang hindi ko pa tinatanggap ang note sakaniya.

I shook my head and smiled at her. "Of course. Thank you."

Tinanggap ko ito atsaka nagsimulang maglakad palabas ng opisina. Napagpasiyahan kong sa bahay ko nalang ito basahin dahil hindi ko pa alam kung dapat ko bang sabihin kila Sam na nagkita at nagkausap kami ni George dito. That would freak them out knowing someone had seen me here but that seems like the least of my worries right now.

I scowled at the rays of the sun as I stepped outside. The sun was very mocking compared to the dark hallways I had just been. I turned round a hidden corner, away from the line of sight at the entrance. Sam must have felt the need to hide so far.

"So how did it go?" he asked, his voice raw from disuse. Well, he is indeed uncharacteristically quiet today and it was worrying.

I settled safely in the back seat as he prepares to drive us back. "It went well."

"Iyon lang?" Rylie gaped. "You owe us details."

I rolled my eyes, annoyed. "No, I don't. But since I'm nice, I'd tell you anyway."

Sinabi ko sakanila kung anong nangyari sa loob. Leaving George's participation and some personal conversation of me and the mayor about Jack, they seemed to be okay with how it went.

"I got a problem with the booth though," I remember, thinking how I'll explain this part of the story without mentioning George's help. "Amanda, the girl from the reception, won't let me in. She said I had to have some sort of permission from the family lawyer?"

"Oh," said Sam, his voice small. "Oo nga pala. Nakapasok nga pala kami dahil kay Atty. Brian."

"Yeahㅡyou overlooked that part," walang emosyong sabi ko.

"Hindi nila tinanong ang pangalan mo?" nagtatakang tanong ni Rylie.

"They did. At kung maghihinala man sila, kailangan ko pa rin i-deny kung sino ako. I can't go in there parading my name... if that's what you expected me to do."

Rylie's confused frown stopped me from leaving the conversation at that when a realization dawned on me. "Oh my God! You did it, didn't you? Alam mo na hindi ako makakapasok pero pinapunta mo pa rin ako sa loob ng mag-isa dahil inaasahan mo na gagamitin ko si papa para makapasok. Are you crazy?"

She didn't deny it but she didn't admit it either. Instead, she shrugs and looks up front. Marvelling her stone cold heart and knowing I'm at the upper hand now, I continued. "Funny. Kanina mo pa ako pinaghihinalaan na papalpak pero ikaw rin pala itong bubulilyaso sa plano."