"Ah," Lucius hisses when he hit his wounded side lip with his knuckle when he was about to rest his cheek on it as he rests his elbow on the door of his car. He sighed as he fixated his gaze back on his phone.
Still no reply from Emmanuela.
Kasalukuyang naka-park si Lucius ng ilang metrong layo galing sa bahay ni Emmanuela. She didn't replied to his message for five hours now ever since kaninang 3 pm. He's not worried, it's just that he needs to do something now.
Sumandal si Lucius sa upuan ng sasakyan at napatitig sa kawalan. Alam niyang mali pero kahit isang beses man lang, gusto niyang maging tama sa mga mata ng papa niya, kahit ikakasira pa niya ito. He doubts that he'll regret it but if it's someone's opinion, he will surely regret it.
He sits up properly on the car seat when a taxi pulled over in front of Emmanuela's house and the woman he's been waiting, Emmanuela, steps out from the taxi and walks to her house. Lucius immediately took the seatbelt off from him as he hops out from the car. The moment he did, Emmanuela entered her house, but that didn't stopped him from approaching her, it's the presence he felt behind him.
"What a coincidence."
That familiar voice gave Lucius an annoying tingling feeling in his ears. He clenched his jaw before he looks back at him, then he raises his eyebrow.
"You being in the same place with me is never a coincidence, Delijino." Lucius said in a stern tone. He is not amused by seeing his so-called student in the village where Emmanuela lives.
Bahagyang napatawa si Tristan nang makita ang hindi natutuwang mukha sa guro niya kuno. "Relax, Sir Marco. Kung makaasta ka parang 'di mo ako estyudante ah?" he mocked, ending it with a playful smirk.
"What exactly are you doing here?" Lucius asked. Bakas sa boses niya ang pagkainis, 'di kasali sa plano niya ang humarap ng isa pang problema.
"Akala ko ba kilala mo ako, Marco?" Tristan crossed his arms as he tilts his head on the side, wearing a sly smile as he stares at his professor.
"I know you very well." Lucius said, almost mumbling as anger and annoyance is ruling him at the moment.
"Good, because I know you too." Natatawang saad ni Tristan. "Ano na naman bang plano niya, Lucius? Hm?" Tristan stepped closer to Lucius while he stands still.
"Dinamay ka pa talaga ha? At pumayag ka pa. Talaga bang mas pipiliin mo ang makuha ang pabor ng papa mo kaysa sa propesyon mo?" Tristan asked, straightforwardly, his words hits Lucius right on the chest, where it's sensitive.
"That is none of your business." Lucius lowly said, glaring at Tristan who's expression doesn't seem to care that Lucius' stare is something that everyone's scared of.
"Oh? Bakit? Dahil family problem? Ano ka ba, Lucius? Bata?" sunod sunod na tanong ni Tristan.
"I don't have time for you." Giit ni Lucius at saka tinalikuran si Tristan pero 'di pa ito nakalakad palayo ay nagsalita ulit si Tristan.
"Dahil ba kulang ng ebidensya kaya hanggang ngayon 'di ka pa din naniniwala?" tanong ulit ni Tristan. Napatigil si Lucius.
"O alam mo talaga ang ginawa niya pero nananahimik ka lang kasi ayaw mo ulit madismaya ang papa mo say—"
'Di natapos ni Tristan ang sasabihin niya nang isang mapusok na suntok ang natanggap niya galing kay Lucius. Bahagyang napaatras si Tristan ng konti habang isinandal ang balanse niya sa kotse ni Lucius. He wiped the corner of his lips before he lifts his gaze up to him. Then a smirk formed again.
He scoffed. "Sabi na nga ba, Papa's boy ka pala eh,"
"Shut up."
"Pa'no kung ayoko? Susuntukin mo na naman ako? O baka bubugbugin ako ng isang dosenang tagasunod ng Papa mo?" Tristan taunted once again when he regained back his balance.
Lucius forces himself to remain calm as he balled his knuckle into a fist, clenching his jaw while doing so and not looking at Tristan.
"Ayos lang ba utak mo, ha? Lucius?" tanong ulit ni Tristan pero kahit na sulyap ay 'di ito binigyan ni Lucius. Annoyance starts to get him. He pushes Lucius' shoulder to taunt him even more.
"Alam mo ba kung ano talaga ang papa mo, hmm? Lucius, hindi ka bobo. Alam kong hindi ka gan'on." Tristan clenches his own jaw as he held both of Lucius' shoulder then subtly shakes him.
"You're helping an offender!" pagtataas niya ng boses.
"He is not an offender!" pagtatanggol ni Lucius.
"He was arrested for being a s—"
"HE IS NOT LIKE THAT!" Lucius yelled at him as he swats his hands off from him then pushes Tristan away.
"He is! Bulag ka ba, ha?! Ginagamit ka niya para kunin si Emmanuela at mapapasakanya—"
Lucius let out a sarcastic laugh. "That is where you're wrong, Mr. Delijino. My father wants Emmanuela to be in our business but this relationship I have with her is not affliated with my father's desire to have her in our business!" he reasoned out, raising his voice as if the two are couples that are fighting on the street.
"So inaamin mo nga na guilty ang papa mo?"
"Don't put words in my mouth, Delijino."
"Why exactly are you doing this, Mr. Marco?!"
"I am not doing anything!"
"Oh really? You're about to meet your student in this late at night and you're not doing something?! And this!" Tristan roughly slid his hand in the pocket inside his jacket then takes out small envelope. Then he tosses it on the hood of Lucius' car. The moment he did it, the envelope cracked open and the photos slides out from it.
Lucius eyes gazed down on it. His gritted his teeth as he saw the photo of him and Emmanuela kissing inside his car. It was clear and it's obvious that it's them.
"You're lucky with the part that Emmanuela is not a minor," ani Tristan. Agad napatingin si Lucius sa kanya na nakakunot ang noo.
"What?"
"Depende na ni Emmanuela kung ipapademanda ka niya kung malalaman niya ang totoo." Dagdag pa ni Tristan. Mas lalong naguguluhan si Lucius.
"What the hell are you talking about?" tanong ni Lucius. Tristan wore that smirk once again then he leans on Lucius' car as he spreads the photos on his car's hood while Lucius stares at it.
From the moment they stepped out from the restaurant, the moment they hopped in the car, they fastened their seatbelt and kissed were all captured. Lucius' eyes widened. His whole world stopped rotating, his thoughts stopped circulating his head. His mind is empty as the image ruled it. Nothing else can be seen other than that.
"I am very faithful to my job, Mr. Lucius Marco." Ani Tristan. Lucius slowly lifts his gaze up to him.
"Let's negotiate," he smiled. "You tell us and admit about your father's wrongdoings and we'll keep your relationship with Emmanuela a secret or.." Tristan walks closer to Lucius, closing the inches of the distance they have away from each other. "You can rot in jail along with your dad once we'll find out the shit he's been doing."
"He is not doing anything wrong." Lucius replied, almost whispering due to how close they are right now. Staring right into each other's irisis as the tension between them starts to get hotter every second.
"Naririnig mo ba sarili mo?" Tristan paused to scoff. "It's either you don't know anything or you chose to be blind and cover your father's crimes."
"I know my father more than you do." Lucius gritted his teeth.
Tristan laughed from his remarks. "I hope so, because you might gonna curse yourself once I'll slap your face on how much of a dirty motherfucker your father is." He finishes off with a sly smirk on his face.
"Do not talk about him like that."
"You're really naïve for a teacher. Have you ever think how much of an embarassment that is?"
"Shut up." Lucius demanded, now balling his hands into a fist once again.
"I will once your father is behind bars." Tristan said as he gathered the photos then slides it back in the envelope. Lucius was about to grab it from him but he failed when Tristan slid it back in his pocket.
"Your reputation is at risk and it's your call if you're gonna play safe and cooperate or be a new criminal in our records." He paused as his eyes travels down to Lucius wounded side lip. Ironic, it's not only him who recieved a striking punch on the face.
Tristan grabbed a handkerchief then throwsnit at Lucius. "Fix yourself, you don't want your girlfriend to notice that." He said, pertaining to the wound as he flashes a smile. Lucius was about to reply to his remark but Tristan turns his back at Lucius then he walks away.
"See you tomorrow in class, Sir." He bid his goodbye.
Lucius remained on his spot, standing still, rethinking the decisions he made. More deeper than how he usually do it. As his eyes remained widen and his knuckles balled into a fist, he stares down on the ground as refused to remember everything.
———
Emmanuela steps out from the bathroom, rubbing her wet hair with a smile on her face. This day went good for her. She was accepted by an agency and she saw her mom but something stiol feels somehow missing in her. Akmang uupo na sana si Emmanuela sa sofa niya at hawakan si Buttercup pero napahinto ito nang may nag-doorbell. Napatigil siya, sino ba naman kasi ang pupunta sa bahay niya ng alas-otso ng gabi.
"You sleep na, Buttercup." Ani Emmanuela na may dalang ngiti sa aso niya. Sumunod naman ito at naglakad patungo sa higaan niya. She chuckled upon seeing how cute Buttercup walked.
Emmanuela walked to her door then opened it to see who rang the doorbell of her gate. She paused when she saw a familiar face behind the gates. The missing feeling she feels starts to be filled and complete upon seeing his face. She smiled widely as she approaches the gate then opened it for me.
"You're here—" napatigil si Emmanuela nang makita ang sugat sa gilid ng labi niya. "Anong nangyari d'yan?" tanong nito pero nakatitig lamang si Lucius sa kanya, walang kaemo-emosyon. Napatitig din si Emmanuela sa kanya at daka napakurap nang walang matanggap na sagot galing kay Lucius.
"T-Teka, hoy!"
Parang aatakihin sa nerbyos si Emmanuela nang bigla hinimlay ni Lucius ang pagod na katawan niya palapit kay Emmanuela na naging sanhi upang yakapin ito ng dalaga. Matangkad si Lucius kaya medyo mahirap para kay Emmanuela ang yakapin ang lalakeng isiniksik ang mukha sa leeg niya.
"I'm tired." Bulong nito. Emmanuela paused. Bakas nga sa boses ni Lucius na pagod siya. Nararamdaman din Emmanuela na para bang walang ganang kumilos ang katawan nito.
She subtly smiled as she breaks the hug then looks up to him. For a second, mesmirized with the look of him. Despite of the unnoticeable black circles under his eyes, his lousy expression and his tired eyes, he still looks dazzling, it makes Emmanuela's heart beats fast.
"Bakit ka pa pumunta dito?" malumanay na tanong ni Emmanuela.
Kapwang nagtitigan ang dalawa. Nilalasap ang bawat segundong nakapako ang kanilang tingin sa isa't isa. At sa bawat segundo na lumipas mas lalong bumibilis ang tibok ng puso ni Emmanuela. 'Di pa niya 'to nararamdaman noon dahil wala siyang interes sa mga ganito pero kung ganito pala ka sarap sa pakiramdam pagdating sa lalakeng ito ay 'di na ako aayaw.
"I wanted to see you,"
Napakurap si Emmanuela.
"And rest with you."
Her heart skipped a beat.