The Sleuth Project ✓

Chapter 23: The Sleuths' Dispute

"Wala!" Jarrell shot back. "Hindi ako stupido! I won't go around the mansion announcing to the whole clan that I'm going to show you one of our secret—"

"Again, we never said you were stupid. For crying out loud!" Rein exclaimed, throwing his hands.

"Well you don't have to say it out loud." Quinn, who couldn't resist speaking, suddenly spat out.

"Diyan naman kayo magaling eh. Making others feel inferior even without saying so." Agad na napatigil ang dalawang lalaki at lumingon sa kanilang kaibigan.

"What are you talking about?" Rein asked scornfully. "Eh ikaw nga 'tong nang-iwan ng walang pasabi. You KNEW that we were going to record the interviews on Thursday! Tinawagan ka namin agad ni Jarrell pagkatapos ng socialite party nung gabi ng Miyerkules. But you still chose to abandon us. You selfishly chose yourself. If it weren't for your siste—"

"I wanted to choose myself for once!" Quinn yelled back, clenching his fists as the rain soon fell harsh and hard until their arguing were disguised under the sound of the heavy rain.

"Sa apat na taon nating pagkakaibigan lagi nalang akong sunod-sunuran sa inyo. Our friendship was all about you two! Your birthdays, your events — kayo, kayo, kayo — para akong tuta na sumusunod sa kaniyang amo. Both of you didn't give me a chance!"

"Anong pinagsasasabi mo?!" Sigaw ni Jarrell. "Never ka naming pinilit sa kahit na ano. We invited you to join us in everything we do because you're our friend. Besides, ikaw mismo ang sumasama sa amin! Hindi kami ang kaaway mo dito Quinston."

"Never na pinilit??" Quinn scoffed. "You guys begged me to go to your birthday parties, to your... your speeches when I wanted to join the Technokids Cup—"

"So that's the competition you joined." Rein nodded grimly in realization; the pieces of the puzzle slowly being put together.

"Eh 'di mo naman sinabi na gusto mong sumali doon!" Jarrell pointed out accusingly. "Sana sinuportahan ka namin diba? Ikaw tol, sarili mo lang iniisip mo eh."

"Look who's talking!" Quinn guffawed loudly as thunder crashed above them. "Ako pa talaga ang ganid? After being your loyal dog, I'm the selfish one now?!" The spectacled boy scoffed once more.

"Well if I'm selfish, then at least I'm not the stupid one being exposed in that photo!" He then laughed bitterly.

"ANONG SABI MO?!" Sigaw ni Jarrell bago sumugod papunta kay Quinn, susuntukin na sana ito nang bigla siyang hinila pabalik ni Sera.

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!" Sera yelled fiercely as Quinn continued taunting Jarrell.

"Sasapakin mo 'ko? O sige sapakin mo 'ko! Jarrell sa'ting dalawa ako ang lumaki sa kanto. Sanay ako sa suntukan!" Quinn shot back.

"Quinston, tumigil ka na." Queenie said rather harshly, grabbing her brother's shoulder. 

"You're only upset because you need me!" Quinn spat out once more shaking his sister's hand on his shoulder.

"Quinn sabing tama na!" Queenie cried once more, trying to pull away her brother who was now inching forward, ready to punch either Rein or Jarrell.

"We don't need you." Maccio interjected, pointing a finger at Quinn. "If you want to be out of this, then you should've said so from the very start. Leave for all we care!"

"Maccio, stop it." Ann intervened, grabbing Rein's arm tightly, preventing him from doing anything stupid. Sera too was still trying to block Jarrell from the two other boys.

Despite this, the boys did not at all stop, still shouting and trying to overpower one another's voices as they tried to outrun from the girls' grasps, like lions fiercely battling their way out of their cages.