Red Strings of Fate (Haunted Series 2)

Strings 19: TJDV 752

My heart screamed in terror while listening. Pumatong ang isang paa ni Jaceon papasok sa van at nagsalita bago umakyat. "Oo, he has the CCTV footage."

Kung pwede mahulog ang panga ko sa sahig siguro nangyari na.

So alam niya? Alam niya na ako ang may kagagawan nito pero bakit wala siyang sinasabi? Kailan pa?

"Gabe, help." Napalingon ako kay Jamie na dala ang dalawang ecobag na puno ng pagkain paakyat sa sasakyan.

"Sorry, love." Mabilis pa sa bulalakaw siyang napapunta sa tabi ni Jamie, and I'm left behind thinking... why? Bakit niya ginawa sakin yon? Why did he drive that car near the mud to ruin my day?

Ganon na ba kababa tingin niya sakin na tingin niya, pwede niya 'yon gawin?

"Scarlet." With my mind screaming, tingin lang ang nabigay ko kay Jamie para magbigay alam na narinig ko siya. "Hindi sumasagot si James, can you call him? Tell him paalis na tayo."

She was oblivious of my dilemma and I wanted it to remain that way. "Sige hanapin ko siya."

"Please, thank you Scar." I nodded and walked away, scrunching my face with the way the sun felt after walking under the scorching heat.

I was too engrossed with too many things na hindi ko man lang napansing anlayo na ng nilalakad ko.

Naabutan ko siyang nasa likod ng bahay nila, nakatayo sa harap ng mga agent na nakahilera.

His voice is authoritative, different from his playful self and the team is attentive. He's wearing a simple shirt tucked into his slacks. His arms crossed while discussing something. His stance looked regal, like a captain on a ship.

Seeing what James can do with one look has my heart racing—gaga ka naman Scarlet Hope Salvacion, kanina lang galit ka ah?

"Reports will be reported in six hundred and eighteen hundred hours every day—"

Paglapit ko, naramdaman ko ang tingin ng ibang agent and I caught the eye of one. Siya yung agent na sinungitan ako nung gabing inakala kong magnanakaw si James, he gave me a look tapos ay bumalik ang tingin sa boss niya.

"Yes, Scarlet?"

Napabalik ang tingin ko kay James na nagsalitang nakatalikod, pero mukhang naramdaman ang presensya ko. "Aalis na. Pinapatawag ka ng mga kapatid mo."

Lumingon siya. "Bakit ikaw ang tumawag sa akin? They could've called me."

Napahinto ako. Why does he look so different? Did something happen? Wala namang nagbago physically pero may iba sa overall energy niya.

I shrugged at his answer at nagsimulang maglakad pabalik. Narinig ko siyang bumigay ng ilan pang habilin bago sumunod rin sa likod ko. May mga tatlo ring agent na sumusunod sa kanya ngayon.

"Are you okay?" Rinig kong tanong niya mula sa likod ko. I didn't answer. "Pag-asa."

Napatigil ako. Taenang lalakeng 'to alam kung pano kunin atensyon ko. Inirapan ko siya at bumalik sa paglalakad. "Alam mo, I'm wondering why you guys pick on us."

"Us?" Takang tanong niya.

"Mga hindi niyo ka uri—in short, hindi mayaman." I felt his hand grab my shoulders.

"What?" When I looked up at him, binigyan niya ng tingin ang mga sumusunod na agents sa likod. Tumango sila habang naunang umalis, alam agad ang tinutukoy ni James.

Huminga ako ng malalim. "Did I deserve that? May nagawa ba akong mali sayo?"

"Hope, what are you saying?" Mukhang gulong gulo na ang mukha niya.

Sorry siya, I don't easily forget.

"Last December dumaan ang kotse mo sa gilid ko at naligo ako sa putik. After, pinakyuhan mo ako na parang ang laking kasalanan ng ginawa ko sayo." I stared at him and I saw how his face went from confusion to realization in seconds.

Bigla siyang napatango. "So that's why you scratched my car. How did you know it was mine?"

Edi nag ungkatan kami dito ng mga kasamaan. "Namemorize ko plate number mo." I murmured.

Bigla siyang na amaze, "In seconds? Wow, we might need you on the team."

"Anong gagawin ko? Magmemorize lang ng mga plate number?" Napa exhale ako ng malakas. "Alam mo, hindi ito yung point eh!"

"Right... Hope." He held my shoulders para tumingin ako sa kanya. "Hindi ako ang nagddrive non. It was Talia."

Napahinto ako. Hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong maramdaman.

"...but I was with her, so I admit I have a mistake on my part."

Ambilis niyang umamin, hindi ko na alam kung aawayin ko pa siya.

"You could've stopped and asked if I needed help. You could've apologized. Andon lang ako sa gitna ng ulan on the first day of my job. Walang natanggap na explanation and it was a shitty day." Huminga ako ng malalim. It has been months pero dala ko parin pala yung inis at frustration.

"I was curious why you scratched my car, I was waiting for you to talk about it 'cause I thought you knew I owned it." I hear him chuckle. 

He gripped my shoulders tightly at bumalik ulit ang tingin ko sa kanya, squinting my eyes as the sun rays escaped from him. Tingin ko napansin niya yun kasi mas lumapit pa siya para matabunan niya ang araw. 

"I'm sorry. I know it has been months since then, but I genuinely apologize. Pinagsabihan ko na si Talia dati but I'd tell her to apologize to you in person."

"Hindi na kailangan. I know she won't mean it." I don't need forced apologies.

I removed myself from him pero hinila niya ako pabalik. Nagulat ako sa nangyari and I can only stare at him in surprise.

Huminga siya ng malalim. "Hey... Again, I'm sorry for being an asshole. You don't deserve that."

Napalunok ako sa mariin niyang tingin. "Sige."

Ngumiti siya, "Okay ba tayo Pag-asa?" Tanong niya at napailing nalang ako sa nangyayari.

Anong katangahan ba 'tong ginagawa namin? "Okay tayo boss."

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