"Hey!" I approach Hunter at the balcony. He was holding a cup of coffee in his hands but his eyes were lock at the dark sky above him.
"Hi." Tipid nitong sagut at binigyan ako ng simpleng ngiti. Naupo naman ako sa katabi niya at ginaya siya sa pagtitig sa madilim na kalangitan. Wala naman akong makitang maganda duon kaya't inilipat ko ang paningin sa mukha niya. Napakagat ako sa labi dahil sa lala ng mga pasa nito.
"What?" nakangiting tanong nito ng mapansin ang titig ko. I smiled slightly.
"Hmm, you know I'm not- good at saying things, but I just wanted to tell you that-" nangapa ng salita ang dila ko ngunit naubos nanaman ang pinaghandaan kong mga linya kanina. Tumaas ang dalawang kilay niya at may mapagbirong ngiti.
"Tell me what?" tumikom ang nakanganga kong bibig dahil wala na talagang masabi, sa huli natawa nalang din ako.
"You really sucks at telling something but you are good at punching really hard, I thought I'm gonna loose my jaw recently." He smiled.
"That- that is what I wanted to ahm- apologize?" natawa siyang lalo.
"Yeah you definitely should. You just punch the MVP basketball Captain and the President of sport team."
"Yeah I know, I'm screwed" Nailing na sabi ko nalang at hindi na napigilang mapangiti narin. I heard him sigh and when I look at him our eyes met.
"You really had the gorgeous smile Liv." he said which made me look away.
"You should do that often." He added.
"Noah made me do it." the pain pinch my chest ng muli nanamang bumalik sa alaala ko ang itsura ni Noah kanina.
"But I just made you smile right now." He grin, I smirk.
"Yeah, that's a rare. You just made the wild cub smiles."
"Well I guess, we're even now."
"Yeah, maybe we are." His grin turn into the softest smile at pagkatapus ay umisog ito palapit sa akin at iniabot ang kamay.
"Let me do this for a third time, but I hope it didn't ended the same way." Lalo pa niyang inilapit sa akin ang kaniyang kamay kaya't tinitigan ko iyun.
"Don't tell me your going to ignore this for a third time." Hunter said. His still smiling, waiting for my hands to reach his, so even though the feeling is not gonna gave me comfort, I accepted his hands. It stays like for only 3 or 5 seconds but I feel like, I'm gonna blow.
I can handle physical touch but not the intensional one like the handshake, holding hands or even a simple high five, ano pa kaya kong hug and kisses na, that's why I was so not into the idea of relationship. However Noah is such a surprise, he never made me feel uncomfortable as if he know what things I can handle and not. Knowing his jolly and crazy personality he tend to be touchy but i know he always considers my feelings. Julius on the other hand is the first ever person who hugged me, maybe because I saw him as a figured dad with no bad intension or any malice against me. Still, it'll be very hard for me when it's Noah, Hunter or Waxton. I'm not saying that they have a bad intension towards me, it's just my head who could not stop thinking of everything. But in my vulnerable state hug is what makes me comfort. I remember when Noah hugged me nung gabing tinamaan ng palaso ko si Neska. It was so warm and comfortable that it makes me less worries of anything. Noah is such a medicine to me but instead of giving him exactly the same, hindi ko alam kung bakit laging pagdurusa at sakit ang naidudulot ko.
"You really made yourself here Hunter." I broke the silence.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Inulan kaba nila ng tanong at sermon?" he laugh.
"Yeah pero mas nakakatakut parin yung sermon mo." I laugh too.
"I just don't want anyone to get hurt."
"I understand, but you can't stop people to protect you, like what Noah did. It's his choice Liv and if I was the one in his shoes, I will do exactly the same." Our eyes met but this time I never tried to look away. I want to find some lies and regrets in his eyes for what he just said but no matter how I looked, there's none.
"But I can protect myself." I said heavily.
"I know and for sure Noah knew that too, but it's not about you Liv or me or Noah, it's about the care. Protecting you doesn't mean you are weak Liv, it means we cares for you." his voice are deep and clear and I see mixture of calmness and sincerity through his eyes. Pero sa maiksing panahon na nakakasama ko siya I noticed that his very prank with his feelings. What you see is what you get, maybe that's why he was labeled 'mayabang' sa school ay dahil sa ugali niyang prangka. Sasabihin niya ang gusto niyang sabihin not minding if it may bring awkwardness to anyone. Unlike Noah, he prefers keeping everything to himself, hiding all the truth through his smiles and laughters. He doesn't care if he looks dumb and still do silly things just to make everyone happy. His like an unfinished sculpture. Molded and designed perfectly with flaws in the makers mind yet no one can see, unless the molding proceeds and decided to let the world see its beauty. But you can't predict when it can be done.
"Ahm- Julius need you two inside." Waxton suddenly called us. Sabay pa kaming napalingon ni Hunter at tumango sa kaniya.
"Okay, sumunod na lang kayo." He added bago pumasok na muli sa loob. I look at Hunter and he gave me his assuring smile.
"Ready to see the news?"
"Probably." I smirk.
"You should." Saka nauna ng tumayo at pumasok sa loob. Sumunod narin naman agad ito kaya magkasunod lang kaming pumasok sa loob. I sat besides Waxton dito sa malaking sofa. Si Anton ay busangot paring nakaupo sa handrest ng single sofa na inuopuan ni Julius. He glared at me at kunwaring ibabato sa akin ang hawak na yelo para sa kaniyang putok na labi kaya inirapan ko lang siya. Hindi naman na ako galit sa kaniya kagaya ng kagabi pero galit parin ako dahil hindi niya sa akin ipinaalam ang totoong plano. Ang kapapasok lang din na si Hunter ay piniling maupo nalang sa single sofa na katapat ni Julius.
Waxton open the television at ilang TV commercial muna ang nagdaan bago lumabas ang news flash. Umayus ako ng upo at inihanda ang sarili sa posibleng malaman.
"Napatunayan nga ng mga oturidad ang kasangkutan ni Olivia Dark sa nangyaring kremen sa pribadong paaralan ng Young Ville High. Ito ay matapus mahuli ang isa sa kabilang sa grupo ng 'The Cub Squad' na si Noah Sanchez ang sinasabing kasintahan ni Olivia Dark o kilala sa pangalan ngayung Liv Miller. Inamin nito ang kreming ginawa ng kanilang grupo."
"Lies." Bulong ko habang tiim bagang na tinitigan ang larawan ni Noah sa TV.
"Kahapun lamang ay nagpakita ang grupo sa loob ng paaralan ng Young Ville High sa kasagsagan ng celebrasiyon para sa sport festival ng paaralan. Sa kasamaang palad natangay ng mga ito ang Sport Team President ng paaralan na si Hunter Glen." Nalipat ang paningin namin kay Hunter na tiim bagang at mariing nakatitig sa TV.
"Nagpapatuloy parin ang paghahanap sa mga salarin sa pamumuno ni Detective Liro Manuel." Julius turn off the television and look at us intently.
"First of all the news didn't help. Hindi nila ipinakita o kinlaro ang kalagayan ni Noah. Another thing is, they think or possible they assumed that we abducted Hunter. Lastly, the celebration still on."
"What?" kunot nuo kong tanong.
"Yup I just opened our installed camera at the campus and the celebration still on. In fact they are planning to have an awarding party tomorrow night. Formal party to be exact and dispite all what happened it's a mascurade party. Hindi ko alam kong anong pumapasok sa kokote nila but everyone is excited and preparing." Anton said.
"It's obviously a trap." Agad na sabi ko. Julius nodded.
"It is, but we need to be trapped in order to proceed." Naguluhan ako.
"What do you mean?"
"I have a plan but my plan includes you." sabay turo nito kay Hunter.
"I bet to disagree." Agad kong tutol.
"No it's fine. This is the reason why I'm here, I want to help." Hunter insisted, I sigh heavily.
"Very well then." Julius finality voice roam around next with Anton's clapping hands.
"Welcome to the team Hunter." Inis na inirapan ko ito samantalang nakipag kamay pa sa kaniya si Hunter. Si Waxton ay nailing na tumatawa lang sa kalokohan ng kaniyang kapatid.
The rest of the night hanggang sa kinabukasan ay ginugol namin ang oras sa panunuod ng footage. Nothing odd actually na cancelled din ang balak nilang sa auditorium ganapin ang laro maybe to bring back the lives of the students. They look pretty startled sa nangyari kahapun at ang iba pa nga ay gusto nang umuwi at mag backout, but when Dean announced the normal form of the game it really helps them to forget. Bumalik na muli sa sigla ang mga estudyante, kaniya-kaniya ng cheer sa mga manlalaro, mga kaibigan at kaklaseng sumasabak sa laro. In terms of archery nanalo ang West Ville since wala namang representative ang Young Ville High. All in all the game are pretty intense at shempre hindi mawawala ang pikunan at alitan sa pagitan ng mga estudyante. Young Ville basketball team losses, ikaw ba naman ang mawalan ng captain. They got a fight especially Renzo na nakipag sapakan pa sa West Ville National dahil sa technical poul na paulit-ulit. Nakikita ko nga ang pagpikit ng mga mata ni Hunter habang pinapanuod ang mga kaibigan.
"What's that?" I ask Anton. He was inside his room ngunit bukas naman ang kaniyang kwarto kaya't pumasok na ako. Gusto ko sanang humingi ng patawad sa pananakit ko sa kaniya kagabi but ofcourse hindi ko alam kung paano. Ang totoo, galit pa ako and I don't think mawawala ito hanggang hindi ko pa nasisigurong ligtas at maayus ang lagay ni Noah. But I feel sorry for punching him. I know it's not even necessary and I also understand their point sadyang hindi ko lang matangap na mas kailangan pa akong iligtas kay sa kay Noah. But Julius is right, i should trust Noah. Hindi siya mahina alam kong kakayanin niya ito, dahil hindi ko kakayanin kung hindi.
"You really don't know how to knock." I raise my eyebrow.
"The door is open."
"Kahit na, we have an opposite sex you can't just barge in a man's room." I cross my arms at inirapan siya.
"Dami mong sinasabi."
"Ang dami mo kasing hindi alam sa mundo." Balik niya sa akin. Hindi ko na iyun pinansin pa at naupo ako ng maayus sa kaniyang kama. Pinanuod ko ang ginagawa niya sa maliit na cheap at inisip kung para saan iyun.
"Tracker?" he shook his head.
"Nuh, it's a bomb." Kumunot ang nuo ko.
"Are you serious?"
"Yup, mukha ba akong nagbibiro."
"Tss, it look so small to be explosive baka kahit ipis hindi pa mapatay niyan." Hinintay ko ang pikon niyang mukha ngunit abala talaga ito sa ginagawa. Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang mapakagat sa labi dahil sa pasa niya sa mukha at sugat sa labi.
"Small yet really helpful. I personally design and invented it for a minor explosive needed. To destroy somethings like for example, a door. 10% range of a regular bomb." Tumango-tango ako at hindi maiwasang mapangiti. He's such a genius.
When I first saw him 13 years ago, subrang bata pa nito na parang si Waxton lang dahil sabi nga ni Julius bagohang public defendant palamang ito nuon. Nakakamangha ang talino niya dahil nagawa niyang ipanalo ang kaso ko nuon kahit pa kalaban niya hindi lang ang gobyerno kundi pati ang mga tao. After saving me he left his job and start hidding, matapus nuon ay si Waxton naman ang nag-aral at nagsumikap para maging isang pulis at maisakatuparan nila ni Julius ang sinimulan ni Chief Sanchez. But I assume he never stop seeking the justice for their deseas father. Iba talaga ang nagagawa ng sakit at lungkot sa tao.
Pain bring weakness and yet produces strength. Panghihinaan ka dahil sa sakit, mapapagod at susuko pero ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit tayo lumalakas, nagagalit at bumabangon muli. Kumbaga it balances the emotion para mas maging mentally and physically stable ka. So you can have the courage you need to survive and live in this awful yet amazing world.
Anton and Waxton dedicated their life to bring down the Thana. Kinalimutan ang pangarap, trabaho, normal na buhay just to seek revenge and justice. Julius risk his life ng ipagpatuloy muli niya ang sinimulan ng kapatid niya. His nearly in his 50's but no family, lover o kahit kaibigan wala, bukod kay Waxton na lagi niyang kasama dahil sa trabaho at mission. Noah was a fragile man sa unang tingin but his determination to help and support his family's needs amazed me. At yung age he manage to do double jobs, take care of Tita, and study. Hindi ko nga alam kong paano niya napag sasabay-sabay iyun eh. He feared almost everything but he is a doer. He face his fear at hinding hindi niya ito tatalikuran. Now I understand when he says "Hindi ako duwag." Ako lang yata ang tuluyang bumagsak sa kanila. Dahil pagkatapus ng lahat ng nangyari sa akin I didn't pursue justice kahit pa para sa sarili ko. I choose to hide, to be alone, and to kill myself. Unlike them pain gives me only weakness, and I know it's sound cheesy but the only reason why I am standing here today is because of Noah. He's my hope, a hope that gives me strength. I feel like, he brings me home. He brought me a family and it's them- Julius, Anton, Waxton and him.
"You like it?" Anton snap back my senses when he finally showed me his finished work. It plaster a smile on my face which I think makes him smile too.
"I do, your amazing." He tap my head then my check saka kinuha ang kamay ko at inilagay duon ang isang pirasong cheap.
"Thank you." halus pabulong kong sabi at marahan lang siyang ngumiti muli at tumango.