Splendiferous (Legazpi #1)

Nine

Humarap ako sa salamin at ganoon na lamang ang gulat ko nang makitang may pulang marka sa aking leeg. Xerxes' mark.

Ramdam na ramdam ko ang pamumula ng aking buong mukha at nais ko pa sanang maghilamos na muna sa banyo para mabawasan ang pag-iinit na nararamdaman ko ngunit baka mainis si Xerxes sa paghihintay sa baba. He wanted me to take him to Arlszent, now.

Lumabas na ako ng kwarto at naratingan ko naman siya sa may bandang pinto habang hawak ang isa sa kanyang mga med books at binabasa iyon.

He still gets to study at ease after what just happened?!

"Hey," I called in a low voice.

Nag-angat naman ito ng tingin sa akin at ibinato ng mahina sa sofa ang hawak na libro. He opened the door and gestured me to go out.

When we both got out, he locked the door and kept the house key under the doormat.

"We'll use your car," he stated. "You drive."

"Okay," I nodded and went to Arlszent's red Bugatti. I opened the engine while Xerxes opened the gate and waited for me to drive out the car so that he could close it. Afterwards, he went inside the car.

The drive was smooth because it's past midnight, wala na masyadong mga sasakyan sa daan. As much as I wanted to keep my eyes on the road, I couldn't help but glance at my side and see Xerxes holding a gun.

Bahagya akong nanginig nang marinig ko ang pagkasa noon. Mariin akong napapikit bago nagmulat ng mata at bumuntong hininga.

"Relax, doll. Today's not your end," Xerxes jested.

Napahinga ako ng malalim at kinagat ko ang aking mga labi. Itinuon ko nalang ang paningin sa daan kahit na nadidistract ako sa hawak niyang baril.

Relax, Leigne. Pinupunasan niya lang 'yong baril. I thought when I saw him wiping the gun with his handkerchief.

Eventually, I turned calm especially when he already kept the gun in his side. None of us bothered to talk throughout the drive. We're both quiet.

We're already halfway to Parañaque when I suddenly yawned because of the feeling of being sleepy.

"Turn right," utos ni Xerxes na ikinagulat ko dahil biglaan itong nagsalita.

"What?" I asked.

"Got bad hearing, doll?"

Iniling ko lang ang aking ulo at iniliko ko na ang sasakyan. We're in a coffee shop. I stopped the car at the vacant parking space and Xerxes removed his seatbelt.

"Stay," he ordered before going out of the car.

I was waiting inside the car when I remembered that I should call Arlszent to tell him that Xerxes already knows that I'm pretending and we're going there.

I dialled his number and bad luck, my phone ran out of e-load.

Wala pa man sa Asteria ay naiisip ko na ang magiging reaksyon ng aking kapatid. And for sure, sesermonan na naman ako noon kapag kaming dalawa na lang ang magkausap.

Nasapo ko ang aking noo at isinandal ang ulo habang nakapikit. My brother's gonna be fuming mad at me for this!

I got jolted when Xerxes suddenly opened the door of rhe driver's seat.

"Get out."

"W-why?" nagtataka kong tanong.

"Get out," he repeated so I immediately went out of the car.

"Transfer to the other seat. I'll drive," he did not wait for my answer and he just slid inside the car.

Since I can't do anything about it, I just followed what he said and went to the shotgun seat.