More Than Just A Kick

Chapter 33

Witness

Rouge and he finished their breakfast, then we head to the bullet-proof car. Rouge is in the driver's seat and he is in the back, protecting me—but I don't need it—while I'm here in the front seat. Pretty convenient, huh? Pabor sa akin dahil iniiwasan ko siya. Hindi ko kakayanin kapag katabi ko siya, it will not make me happy anymore. I'm still sad about the fact that he has a girlfriend.

Kailangan mo pa bang paulit-ulitin? Kailan mo ba matatanggap? Sigaw ng konsensya ko. I frown, she's right—I mean, yeah, part of me is right. You need to be happy for them! She added. How? I ask myself.

"Iyah, huwag mong balakin na tumabi sa bastard na Stephen na yon, ha? D'you understand?" Sigaw ng pinsan ko, iyon pa rin pala ang iniisip niya.

"Malaki na ako. I have my freedom to choose kung saan ako uupo. D'you understand?"

"You don't have a choice, Iyah. If you go against us, we will beat the sh*t out of that bast*rd." Says him with a grudge and I secretly roll my eyes on him.

"Don't talk to him, too. You'll be grounded that means no cellphone, no laptop, no books and you can't go out of the house for one week."

Hell, I can deal with that. Sanay naman akong hindi nalabas ng bahay. "If I need to talk to him?" I counterattack my cousin, hindi ako magpapatalo sa kanya. "It isn't as if I'm going to kiss him again!" I hiss at them but realize it was embarrassing. Pinamulahan agad ako ng mukha.

"Iyah!" Rouge shouts and steps on the break all of a sudden. I can see Marsan in the side mirror glaring at me.

"I hate you!" I shout back at my cousin but deep inside I am intending it to the man behind me.

"I'm gonna tell your Dad about this!" Rouge says calmly but I know he's damn serious.

"Okay! Okay..." Pagsuko ko. "Don't tell it to Dad but please let Stephen be my instructor in our special training." Pakiusap ko while pouting my lips like a child.

"Yes but we will be in your every session." Rouge concedes. He pats my head. Ganyan lang kaming magpinsan, kapag nag-aaway kami ay nagkakataasan ng boses pero nagpapakumbaba din kami sa isa't isa agad. We're like brother and sister na rin kasi. "But outside of it, be it in class or research or project, he will never— jamais—be near you nor talk to you. Do you understand?"

"Oh, yes." Buti na lang. Nakakasalalay sa training namin ni Stephen ang investigation, dun lang kami makakapagcommunicate. I need to know kung ano ba ang tinatago sa akin nila Rouge and Dad.

We're in the laboratory class at napapagitnaan ako ng dalawa. Nasa harap kami at nasa malayong likod naman si Stephen. I turn around and look at him. He mouths 'investigation' and 'training' to me. I nod at him but Marsan is looking at me with fire in his eyes. His hand touch my head to turn my gaze away from Stephen and his soft palms sends shiver down my spine. He still has an affect on me.

"Don't look at him, Iyah." He whisphers in my ear angrily. The air he produce in mine tickles me.

I glare back at him. "I can, I should and I will!"

"Don't you dare, Iyah." Lumapit ulit siya sa akin at bumulong. "I'm still mad at you. You broke my rule." You broke my heart, Marsan. It still hurts.

I focus my attention on our experimentation and dared not to look nor talk to him.

It's lunch break and we are here in our cafeteria.

"Let's just go to Italian restaurant," says by him when we saw Stephen seating comfortably on the only available table. Hinila na ako ni Rouge at sapilitanang pinalabas.