"I already received the instructions from Mr David. I also sent the info to your email. " Clayd said while we're in the middle of discussing about our assignment.
"Good, let's get this job done." Sagot ko naman habang nag aayos ng gamit na gagamitin at dadalhin namin sa trabaho.
"The treasure and the head? iw~ isn't it disgusting?" Zel said out of nowhere. Mukang naalala niya ang sinabi ni Paps nong nakaraan.
"What's up with that? You wanna play with the head? I'll give you five million." Natatawang sabi naman ni Blake sa kaniya.
"No way, kainin mo nalang yang five million mo." Zel answered and then pouted.
"What Paps means isn't needed to bring or take out the head, he means to eliminate the target as usual." Clayd calmly said.
"I know, I'm just missing with Zel." Natatawang sabi naman ni Blake.
"Kahit na. Anyone who heard the word 'the treasure and the head' will be disgusted. Ang creepy kaya." Zel said again.
"Tss... Wag na kayong mag kwentohan, let's finish these things, para makapag pahinga na tayo." I suddenly said while still so busy doing what I'm doing.
"Oh yeah, you were tired last night, so you need more rest." Blake suddenly stated.
"Yeah, you went home early but just sleep whole day today." Zel added.
"You haven't told us what really happened." Clayd also said.
I just glanced at them for a short second and went back to what I'm doing.
"Haven't I told you I had a sudden encounter with a kidnapper? And then a classmate and a friend was brought to the hospital?" Naiinip ko namang sabi sa kanila.
"Tsk... Yeah yeah." I head Zel muttered.
"But if feels like, something different happened to you, far from what you said." Clayd said again kaya napatingin ako sa kaniya.
Just what are they thinking? Muka bang may iba pang nangyari bukod don sa nangyari kay Joellen?
"What?" I asked a bit confused.
"Well, you seems a bit different since last week and today." He said then shrugged pagkatapos ay bumalik na sa harapan ng laptop niya.
Napatingin naman ako kay Blake at Zel na nagkibit balikat nalang din pagkatapos ay bumalik na sa kanilang ginagawa.
What the heck are they thinking? Wala naman akong ginagawa ah... Just what ideas popping on their damn heads?
Since nagsitahik at nag focus na sila sa mga ginagawa nila ay nag focus na rin ako sa ginagawa ko. Not minding the things we just talked.
After that ay pumunta na ko sa kwarto ko para tingnan ang email na senend ni Clayd, and of course para makapag pahinga na after.
'Gwalior Sharma, 40 years old, a widow with no child, a half Chinese and Filipino. Running a small furniture business in the Philippines.'
He looks like a normal businessman. Why did the treasure is in his hand?
'Currently seen in Northwest part of Cebu.'
"What the! Cebu? Isn't it too far from here?" I exclaimed.
Agad kong pinulot ang phone ko at dinial ang number ni Clayd.
"Oh? Why'd you call? Is there any problem?" Agad na sabi niya nga sagutin niya ang tawag ko.
I know nasa kabilang kwarto lang siya pero I don't want to go outside na.
"I saw the email. Why does the target's in Cebu?" Kunot noo kung tanong.
"I don't know, I am just tracing his location—"
"Send his location right now." Pag putol ko sa sasabihin niya then binaba ko agad ang phone ko.
In just a short second, nag send agad ng message si Clayd.
I don't get, I thought nasa manila or just in Luzon lang si Sharma. It looks like, mapapatravel pa kami ng malayo.
I immediately open the attached hacked cctv of the hotel where Gwalior Sharma is currently staying.
Just an hour ago, he entered a room in the seventh floor of the hotel. There is also a footage of the living room. So he really is currently staying in Cebu.
"Huh, what a headache." Napamasahe nalang ako sa noo ko at napasandal sa upuan ko.
Then I remembered I haven't opened Mr David's email yet. So, binuksan ko ito at binasa ang laman.
'Wednesday, 11:00 pm is your deadline. At xxxx port.
It was reported that Gwalior Sharma will be going to depart by Wednesday midnight. xxxx port in Northwest Cebu.
Good luck on your mission!'
After I read the message from Mr David ay inoff ko na ang laptop ko at natulog na. I don't want to think about the mission nor the things happened last night and today. I just wanna have some rest.
Let's make a proper plan tomorrow and the next days for this mission.
Kinabukasan, I woke up early but didn't go outside my room. I did made some research and plan for our mission to be agreed later by my team, I know it.
I feel so refreshed, since maayos ang tulog ko at maganda naging panaginip ko, although I can really remember what I dreamt.
"Have you received Mr David's email?" I asked, while holding a phone and a pen.
We're all in the office room, we are now having our meeting for this upcoming hunting.
"Yeah, but I just wondered. It says, Northwest Cebu?" Blake confusedly said.
"Yes, it's in Northwest port in Cebu." Clayd said to him.
"So does it mean, we're going to Cebu?" Zel asked with a voice of excitement.
Tsk, here we go again, the one that always excited to travel.
"Yeah, isn't it obvious?" Mataray kong sagot sa kaniya.
"Oh my god! We're really going to Cebu!? It's before Wednesday right?" She asked with those sparkling eyes.
Natawa naman sa kaniya si Blake at Clayd.
"Yeah, yeah. We're going to catch a fish." Blake said while chuckling.
"Clayd, book a flight for Teusday or tomorrow Monday but make a different flight for all of us, we can't go there all together, and for the hotel rooms, also rent a car." I ordered.
"Yes, copy that." Clayd answered.
"We're not going there all together?" Zel suddenly asked.
"Yeah, we can't get caught." I simply answered.
"Let's go there by pair." Blake suddenly suggested.
"Yeah that's better." Zel agreed.
"I'll go with Zel, we'll have tomorrow's flight." Sabi naman ni Blake.
"Yeah! Let's go there tomorrow... Omg, I'll explore first the Northwest before the day of our mission." Masayang sabi ni Zel.
Napailing nalang ako maging si Clayd. Blake and Zel surely have the same thought.
"Fine, do as you wish." Tanging sabi ko at sumandal sa couch at tumingin sa cellphone ko.
At the end, Zel and Blake will depart tomorrow afternoon while Clayd and I will be on Tuesday, first flight in the morning.
Clayd book four hotel rooms for all of us. We decide not to share rooms since hindi naman kami sabay-sabay pupunta doon.
Also, it is a hotel where Gwalior Sharma is currently staying.
And for the things we will use for our mission, it's not a problem how we should take them with us. That's what connections do.
Everything's already planned... We all need to do is go there and do our job perfectly.
"Hey Shein? You okay?" Napalingon naman ako kay Joellen when she suddenly interrupted my thoughts.
"Yeah." I simply answered.
I forgot, nasa classroom pala ako ngayon. Mamaya na ang flight ni Blake at Zel, kaya wala akong kasabay mag lunch later.
"Anong ini-isip mo?" She asked again.
"Ah wala, just tried and sleepy." Tanging sagot ko sa kaniya.
"Why are you tired and sleepy, haven't you sleep last night?" Alexus suddenly asked.
"I did, but it's not enough." Sagot ko ulit at kunwareng humikab pa.
Sorry, but I really feel sleepy today, at Hindi ko feel ang araw na to. My thoughts are on our upcoming mission.
When lunch time came, sumabay ako kay Joellen palabas nang classroom at building namin. I'm still thinking kun pupunta ba ako sa Cafeteria or hindi nalang.
"AC's having a lunch date with I don't know who, so I don't have someone to dine in..." Joellen suddenly said feeling so down.
"... I'll just a snack and go back to our classroom." Dugtong niya at tumingin sakin habang nakangiti.
"Zel's also not here today, so I'll have my lunch alone." I don't know why did I said that.
"Really? Then, let's have lunch together!" Masaya niyang sabi.
I just nodded as an answer.
I didn't know, but simula naging magkagroup ami ni Joellen at may nangyari sa kaniya noong Friday. I feel like more open to her. Si Zel lang kasi ang tanging babaeng nakakasundo ko.
"Why is Zelyanna's not around? Umabsent ba siya?" Joellen asked while we're in the middle of our lunch.
"Yeah, she's out of town with her brothers." Then again I lied. And she nodded. Napakagat labi nalang ako at uminom ng tubig.
"May mga brothers pala yung kaibigan mo?" Joellen asked again at tumango nalang ako.
Tumango din naman siya then nag simula ulit kumain. I was just staring at her when I remembered something.
"Elle can I asked?" I started.
Tumingin naman siya sakin at ngumiti and said. "What is it?"
"How did Alexus and Ice- I mean Aizer know your parents?" Agad na tanong ko, napatingin naman siya sa mga kalapit naming table, kaya napalingon din ako.
"Well, dad's their new business partner. You know, their business is huge, and my parents just respecting them." Tanging sagot niya.
She looks like she have something to tell but pinipigilan niya ang sarili.
"I know that, what I mean is, your parents treated Alexus a bit different." I'll be straight to the point.
That is what I actually noticed when I saw her parents and Alexus talked to each other.
Napatingin naman ako sa muka niya, dahil mukang natigilan at namula ang cheeks niya.
"I-its... I don't know." Tanging sabi niya at agad na uminom ng tubig.
Napailing nalang ako. Fine, Kung ayaw niyang sabihin okay lang, desesyon niya yan.
Napalingon naman ako sa table nina Alexus and Ice, they were also looking to our direction. Napairap nalang ako at umiwas ng tingin.
What is their problem? Everytime I saw them in the Cafeteria, they were always glancing into our direction.
As we finished our lunch ay agad kaming tumayo at naglakad palabas.
We're at the middle of the hallway when someone suddenly bumped at us, well not actually us, but Joellen.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry." Aniya at agad na pinulot ang nahulog na pouch.
"Sorry, are you okay?" Joellen said while helping her out.
"Yeah, yeah... Sorry again." Sabi uli ng babae.
"It's okay, you seems to be in a rush." Sabi naman ni Joellen.
Nasa left side niya lang ako at nakikinig lang sa kanila.
"Yeah, I'm looking for my —"
"Allyza?" Naputol ang sasabihin dapat ng babaeng nakabangga ni Joellen when someone call out her name from behind.
"Aiz!" The girl named Allyza said with a smile on her face.
"What are you doing here?" Sabi nong tao sa likuran namin..
Napalingon naman kami ni Joellen and saw both Aizer and Alexus who were behind us, and looking at the girl they called Allyza.
"I'm looking for you." Allyza replied.
Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa kaniya then kay Aizer, who were just looking at Allyza.
"Joellen." I mentioned Joellen's name dahilan para mapatingin sila sakin.
"Oh, sorry again for what happened earlier. It's my fault. You see, I was looking for him. And also thank you for helping me picked up my things." Allyza said while still smiling.
"No, no, it's okay. I think we'll take our leave." Sabi naman ni Joellen sa kaniya.
Buti naman...
"I accidentally bumped at them." I heard Allyza said habang lumalapit kay Aizer.
Hindi ako tumingin habang nakatingin naman so Joellen sa kanila.
"Let's go." Sabi ko sa kaniya at naunang mag lakad na palayo.
Sumunod naman agad si Joellen sa akin hanggang makarating kami sa classroom namin.
After ilang minutes lang ay dumating si Alexus, hindi niya kasama si Ice. Ilang minutes nalang at dadating na ang prof namin pero wala pang Ice na dumadating, at tahimik lang naman si Alexus habang busy sa harap ng phone niya.
Pag dating ng prof ay siya namang pag dating ni Ice. Nagulat ako kasi biglang bumukas ang pinto sa likuran which is nasa malapit lang namin, kaya napatingin ako doon.
And I saw Ice, to my surprise, he was looking at my direction too.
Agad akong umiwas ng tingin, since may teacher na naman sa harapan.
I didn't pay much attention to my surroundings, even to those eyes na alam kong nakatingin sakin the whole period.
I just gave my full attention to my classes, until dismissal.
"Good bye everyone, see you tomorrow." Huling sinabi ng prof namin bago ito lumabas.
Agad kong inayos ang mga gamit ko, at habang nag aayos ay nag vibrate ang phone ko.
I was about to open the message when someone suddenly bumped at my chair kaya napalingon ako.
"What?" I coldly and wearily said.
Pero parang wala lang sa kaniya.
"Can I talk to you?" He just asked.
"About what?" I also asked.
Ano namang gusto niyang pag usapan? We don't have any activity or project? So?
"It's about something important." He just simply answered. Still looking at me straight in the eye.
Umiwas agad ako nang tingin kaya napatingin ako kay Alexus and Joellen who were also talking to each other, mabuti nalang at kunti nalang ang classmates namin na andito pa sa classroom.
"Make it fast." I just said then pinulot ko ang bag ko at naunang lumabas nang classroom.
Nauna akong mag lakad papunta sa may rooftop habang nakasunod naman siya sakin.
There are students outside since dismissal time na ng iba, and I don't like someone talking behind my back just for trivial matters.
Nang makarating ako sa rooftop ay ilang segundo lang ay nakasunod din naman siya.
"Look Ice, I still have important matters to attend, anong gusto mong sabihin?" I immediately asked while just looking at the sky.
Mataas parin yung araw kahit five na ng hapon.
"Can I ask you out?"
Napalingon naman at napatingin ako sa kaniya dahil sa tinanong niya. He look serious as usual.
Ano daw? Hindi ma process nang utak ko yung sinabi niya.
"Huh?" Tangin lumabas lang sa bibig ko.
"Can I asked—"
"Wait!" Pinigilan ko agad siya sa sasabihin niya. Gosh, I heard him, okay! I can't just fully process and understand what he just said.
"I heard you, okay?. Just... Just what does it mean?"
Nangunot naman ang noo niya pero seryosong nakatingin parin sakin.
"I'm asking you out... On —"
Natigil naman ang sasabihin niya when my phone suddenly rung. Kinuha ko agad ito at tiningnan siyang seryoso at kunot-noong nakatingin sa phone ko. Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa phone ko and saw the callers ID.
"Wait, I'll just answer this... Excuse me." Sabi ko sa kaniya bago sinagot ang tawag.
Gosh, this call is a life saver! I feel really so embarrassed. I'm not the one talking and asking, but I didn't expect this to be like this!
"Shein? Are you there?"
Nawala ang iniisip ko nang marinig ko ang sinabi sa kabilang linya.
"Oh, sorry Blake. What is it?" Tanong ko naman at napalingon kay Ice na nasa right side ko lang at nakatingin din sa akin. Napaiwas agad ako ng tingin.
Just what the heck is his deal. I don't know what to do to this matter.
"We've just arrived at the hotel." Dining kong sabi ni Blake sa kabilang linya.
"Great, so what's the sit.?" I asked. Sit. is a short term for situation. I have to be careful sa mga sasabihin ko since may kasama ako dito.
"There's a huge problem, Shein... There's an upcoming event in this hotel this Wednesday night. No one's allowed to go out or in during the event to avoid unexpected incidents."
What? How come there's a sudden upcoming event? They even forbid guest to leave at that time... This is not right...
"Call Clayd later." Sabi ko kay Blake at tumingin kay Ice. "I still have something to do."
"Okay." Huling narinig ko mula kay Blake bago namatay ang tawag.
Shit... Now I will face again my embarrassment.
"Ahm, sorry... What is it again you wanted to ask?" I naturally asked, na pinipigilan ko ang sariling hiya.
Napaiwas naman siya ng tingin, which is new.
"You really seems busy." Tanging sambit niya. Then tumingin uli sa akin.
"Are you free tomorrow?" He asked.
Umiling lang ako. "Sorry." I mumbled.
"How about Wednesday?" He asked again.
At umiling lang naman ako ulit. Napabuntong hininga naman siya at umiwas uli ng tingin.
"Sorry, I already have plans that day." I said.
Totoo naman eh, aalis nga kami bukas then for sure hindi pa kami makakauwi agad after ng trabaho.
"No it's okay." Tanging sagot niya nang hindi nakatingin sakin.
"Why'd you asked?" I immediately asked bago siya tumalikod.
"I just want to have a proper talk and time with you." He answered.
"Why?" I confusedly asked.
"Because I'm interested?" He said those words as if even he is also confused.
Tumingin ulit siya sakin and gave me a simple smile. Nagulat ako of course, this is new!
"I'll asked you again next time, I hope I can get a right answer." He said then finally take his leave.
What? Ano daw? Sandali lang naman! Hindi ko pa na pro-process ng maayos ang sinabi niya. Out? Me? He? Interested? Wait lang!