Asher's POV
"I conviced Lolo not to tell our parents about any of this." Ishmael uttered as he entered the private room that we occupied for Heather.
"Past 8 na, guys. Wala ba tayong balak umuwi?" Chiro asked but still chilling with his caramel milktea.
"It always makes me scared whenever I go out to open places." Royalty sighed. "Knowing that there's someone after me scares me a lot."
"Let's do the pairing." Ishmael started discussing about our plan and safety measures. "Ichiro and Siamer, Gunner and Avianna, Haines and Royalty, Heather and Asher, Caidence and me—"
"Aysus! Inangkin si Inaya." Pagpaparinig ni Siam dahilan para matawa silang lahat maliban sa akin at kay Heather na nakangisi lang.
"Ang sama ng ugali mo, Siam. Nagseselos si Asher, oh!" Ininguso pa ni Avia ang direksyon ko.
"Ano ba 'yan, Siam, Avia, tigilan niyo nga 'yan." Napapahiyang saway sa kanila ni Caidence.
Umiwas na lang ako ng tingin atsaka humigop ng kape.
"The pairing suits our sixth senses. Siamer can protect Chiro because her sixth sense is more capable to oppose the killer. Gunner has improved sight and a sharp shooter so he can protect Avianna away from the culprit. Haines has intense strength, I am sure he can also protect Royalty. Heather's sixth sense is repulsion, she can use it to take the killer down—her brother rather, and also, Asher is a taekwondo black belter. Same as Caidence but since she's suffering from a trauma, I can... protect her." Mahabang litanya ni Ishmael.
Nakita ko kung paanong magkatinginan sina Avia, Siam, Chiro, Haines, Eagan, and Royalty. Makalipas ang ilang segundo ay sabay-sabay silang nagtawanan.
"Takteng 'yan, bakit hindi na lang kayo magkambak? Tutal mukhang hulog pa rin kayo sa isa't isa." Haines teased.
"He has a point." Heather interposed. "Your reason is sensible enough so why not tell her?"
"Shut up, Ashanti." Ishmael warned.
Heather laughed as she shook her head. Siguradong alam niya na ang sikreto ni Ishmael, alam niya na kung bakit nakipag-break ito kay Caidence three years ago bago kami ma-kidnap. That's one of her sixth sense. Secret reading.
"What do you think about your brother?" Caidence suddenly asked out of nowhere. She's looking directly at Heather's eyes with her usual innocent face. Saglit na nagkulay lila ang mga mata ni Heather bago siya tuluyang ngumiti nang matamlay.
"Best is not enough to describe him."
"You must be in so much pain because of what happened to him..." Mahina niyang sambit.
"I am. That's why I'm going to convince him. I want to bring back the old him, the brother I have when I was still a kid." She smiled bitterly.
"What's his name? If you don't mind... We all know that he already killed five civilians... but I also want to look at the brighter side. Maybe he's just suffering from something that made him become a psychopath." Naging maingat sa pagpili ng salita si Caidence.
"I don't actually mind. I can even shout his name around the world. Despite everything that has happened to our family, I am extremely proud of him." Bakas ang sinseridad sa tono niya.
"What's his name, then?"
"Allerio Haikeer Pyronel."
***
Nang mag-alas-nwebe na ng gabi ay napagdesisyunan na naming umuwi, base pa rin sa pairing na in-assign ni Ishmael.
"Ingatan mo pinsan ko, Fier." Seryosong sabi ni Eagan kay Ishmael.
"Tss." Singhal nito.
"Baka bukas niyan, kayo na ulit." Pang-aasar pa ni Siam.
"Siamer!" Saway sa kaniya ni Caidence na mukhang kanina pa nilalamon ng kahihiyan.
"What? I'm just concluding." She shrugged. Sabay pa silang tumawa ni Avia.
"You conclude shits." Asik ni Ishmael dahilan para mas matawa sila.
Nakita ko namang mag-iwas ng tingin si Caidence, halatang naapektuhan sa sinabi ng ex niya.
I'm aware. She's still into Ishmael. I know.
Nang makarating kami sa parking lot ay kani-kaniya na kaming sakay sa kotse. Magkasabay sina Eagan at Avia, pati na rin sina Caidence at Ishmael. Magkahiwalay naman ng sasakyan sina Haines at Royalty, pati sina Chiro at Siam. Since wala rito ang sasakyan ni Heather, isinabay ko na rin siya sa akin.
"Sorry again, it was all my fault. I informed them to attack you." Aniko nang magsimula akong magmaneho paalis.
"I know how eager you are to catch the killer. Lahat kayo, actually. So I understand. Though, nagkandapasa-pasa ang katawan ko dahil doon." She chuckled.
"Wait, if your sixth sense is repulsion... bakit hindi iyon gumana kila Eagan kanina? Negative energy ang meron sila sa 'yo, so why?" Bigla kong tanong. Kanina ko pa talaga iyon naisip pero ngayon ko lang naisipang itanong.
"Because I was using my other sixth sense that time." She answered. "My brother was just ten meters away from me. He was looking at me with a wide smile and it creeps me out. I started reading his secrets when that guy, Eagan hit me. Nice timing, right?" Sarkastikong kwento niya.
"What's his secret?" Patungkol ko sa kapatid niya. Baka sakaling makatulong iyon para mahuli namin siya.
"He killed Kylho, Maeve, Rosalie, and Jessica. Hanggang doon lang dahil bumagsak na ako sa sahig." She shrugged. "Also, once I realized what was going on, the repulsion didn't kick in when you kept hitting me because I don't have the same energy you do. It is important to remember that in order for repulsion to work, two charges must have the same energy. To put it another way, I simply accepted all of those hits. I just realized that I, too, deserve it because I share the same bloodline as the Pyronels."
"Does this mean that if a person has a positive energy and you have a positive energy towards him, the repulsion will still be activated?"
"Nope. I choose when to activate it, and I only use it when someone is intending to harm me."
"I see. The concept is quiet confusing but I understand now."
"You know how the sixth sense is still dependent on the person who wields it? That is not something a scientist could control. Except, of course, if you were mentally ill. Someone could easily manipulate you... Just like my brother's situation."
"You really have no any idea where your parents are?"
"Unfortunately yes. Kung meron man... mahihirapan lang akong magdesisyon kung isusuplong ko ba sila sa mga pulis o hindi. I still love them, despite what they did to our family."
"You left them."
"I did that because I was tired. I want a normal life. Good thing, they let me live on my own."
"How old are you?" I suddenly asked.
"Why? You wanna court me? I'm single, just so you know." She smirked. Napairap na lang ako atsaka lumiko sa village namin. "I'm 18, seriously why?" Sumeryoso rin naman siya agad.
"I'm 21. Royalty's 19. You're the youngest among the ten of us."
"I thought Royalty was just 16!" She laughed.
"Baby face."
"I look 15 though."
"You're not."
"What then?"
"13." I shrugged.
"Don't poor-mouth me. I own a bar."
"Bar?"
"Yes, a bar with almost ten branches in local."
"You're so young for that."
"I'm on my legal age, okay? I left my family when I was 15 and I have my money with me. You have no idea how rich I am." She proudly uttered.
"I don't care. We own this village." Irap ko.
"No one asked." She rolled her eyes too.
Narating na namin ang nag-iisang condominium dito sa HeliXa Village. Tama nga ang hinala ko kagabi, taga-rito lang din siya.
"Can you walk?" I asked as I parked the car at the parking lot.
"Obviously no." She hissed.
"Fine, ihahatid kita hanggang sa unit mo." I have no choice. Magmumukha akong walang awa kung hindi ko siya tutulungan.
"Great idea! Let's go!"
Bumaba na ako mula sa driver's seat at umikot para pagbuksan siya ng pinto.
"Tinanggap mo na lang sana iyong saklay kanina." Aniko atsaka kinuha ang kanan niyang kamay. Iniakbay ko 'yon sa balikat ko saka kami naglakad papasok sa elevator.
"No way, panira ng fashion." Ngiwi niya.
"Your fashion taste is—"
"Shut up and just push the number 6." She cut me off.
Muli akong napairap. Nang marating na namin ang ika-anim na palapag ay inalalayan ko siya ulit hanggang sa tapat ng unit niya.
"You're alone here?" I asked.
"Hindi na kung titira ka kasama ko." Sagot niya habang busy sa pagpindot ng passcode sa pinto.
"Nice joke." I hissed.
"I'm serious, stupid." Bigla niya akong hinarap kaya bahagya akong napaatras.
Nagkulay violet na naman ang mga mata niya kaya agad akong umiwas ng tingin.
"Unrequited love sucks. Poor you." Aniya atsaka tinulak ang pinto para bumukas. "Goodnight, Killian Asher." She smirked before closing the door.
Napailing na lang ako atsaka bumalik sa parking lot. Nang makauwi ay binuksan ko agad ang phone ko.
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Alera Siamer: WTF!
Alera Siamer: SHE'S FRICKIN' RICH!!!
Alera Siamer: Sent a photo.
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Binuksan ko ang picture na sinend ni Siam. Screenshot iyon ng isang IG account. Account ni Heather...
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Alera Siamer: LAHAT NG DAMIT BRANDED!
Avianna: lowkey rich kid.
Royalty: her hoodie n pants was also branded. i noticed earlier.
Avianna: she owns the bar near our school.
Royalty: BAR?!
Alera Siamer: HOW OLD IS SHE?!
You: 18
Alera Siamer: WHAT?!
Royalty: I'M OLDER THAN HER?!
Avianna: UNBELIEVABLE.
//.