LORELEI
"Loki, I know you said before that your brother doesn't have the capability to do what Moriarty is doing. But you have to believe me, I saw and heard him. Remember, Cedric Castillejos? Yung kumidnap saatin at nagpahirap sa'yo? Luthor was the one he was talking to, calling him Moriarty! Believe me, Loki." I can't believe I decided to tell Loki the truth.
Sumama ang tingin niya sandali pero bumalik din sa walang emosyon niyang mukha, "No! My brother cannot be Moriarty, Lorelei! Stop talking nonsense!" Malakas pero walang emosyon niyang tugon.
"But Loki--" I didn't finish my sentence nang bigla niya akong sinugod na parang galit na galit.
He's choking me using just one hand, "I told you to stop!" I couldn't move because I was pinned on the wall by his arm. I could barely breathe. "L-Loki.."
"Stop it Lorelei!"
"Lorelei!" Loki's voice brought my mind back to reality.
Napahawak ako sa leeg ko, ano ba 'tong iniisip ko. Loki wouldn't do that.
Napatingin ako kay Loki na napatigil sa pagbuo ng puzzle niya at nakatingin na din pala sakin. He's not talking but the look on his face is asking me what's wrong. Tumingin na ulit siya sa puzzle. "W..wala. I'll just get some water. Do you want something from the kitchen?"
"Your face tells me something's wrong.. But if you don't want to tell me, whatever. Get me a cup of tea, please." He said whithout looking at me. Rather he continued doing his blank puzzle. It is bigger now. "Okay, Loki."
~~~
"Ouch!" I shrieked in shock. Umaapaw na pala yung mainit na tubig sa tasa. I was bothered of my thought earlier, what if Loki wouldn't want to believe me when I tell him that his beloved brother is the criminal mastermind who is supposed to be at the center of his web?
"Lorelei, what happened?!" Loki worriedly asked while standing beside the kitchen door. Well, his expression is blank, but I know he's worried. Napalakas siguro ang sigaw ko.
"Ah--" I was cut off when he held my hand and blow on the burnt part. Hinila niya ako sa living room at pinaupo sa sofa, kumuha siya ng first aid kit at ginamot yung paso. "You should always be careful, my dear Lorelei. And don't blush too much." He said with his emotionless face and tone, he didn't even look at me. "Tsk, careless lady."
"Wow, Loki. You said more than I expected you to say. You really care for me, don't you?" I teased him, "Look who's blushing." I continued.
"Whatever. Get dressed and pack for a two nights and three days trip." Loki said and went straight to his room. Hindi na ako naaksaya ng panahon para magtanong. Nag bihis nalang ako ng black pants at white v neck shirt na pinatungan ko ng black na semi leather na jacket, at white na chucks.
Pag labas ko nandon na si Loki, wearing a white v neck shirt, black pants and white sneakers. Kung titignan mo kami, mukha kaming couple. "You're thinking that we look like a couple." He said, he's reading my mind again. "We do look like one. Wear this." He gave me a silver wrist watch which matches his, but mine's smaller. "These are gadgets I ordered from Herschel. They're walkie talkies and many other things. Here's the instructions. Let's go."
Wow, ang daming pwedeng gawin ng watch na to. Sinundan ko lang si Loki pababa ng appartment hanggang sa makarating siya sa isang kulay white na mustang. "Is this yours?" I asked.
"Obviously." Iba talaga ang yaman ng mga Mendez. Letting a highschool kid own a car that's worth millions, na hindi naman ginagamit, ngayon ko lang makikitang mag drive si Loki.
"Seatbelt." He said when he got in. "If you want to sleep, whatever. Just don't snore." walang emosyon niyang sabi. "I don't snore!" I defended.
~~~
I woke up because of an annoying sound that I realized that came from the watch, I turned it off and looked out the window. I saw Loki talking to a man that looks like a valet. He opened the door for me. "Your things are in your room. Let's go."
Magkatabi kang yung room namin ni Loki, "Asan tayo? What are we doing here, Loki?" I asked nung nasa harap na kami ng doors ang rooms namin.
"This is the country club owned by the Mendez's. This is the day my dear evil brother was born. My dad's throwing him a great party. I'm giving them what they're asking, pretend to be my girl mate tomorrow night, since Jamie can't." Wow, sub lang pala ako ni Jamie.
"Wait? Luthor's birthday?!"
"Yes, it's your crush's day of birth. Don't make your feelings too obvious, I'm your what do you call that? Your boyfriend for the next three days." He smirk. Uminit yung pisngi ko. "Hey I said I don't like him!"
"Whatever." Pumasok na siya sa room niya.
Namangha ako pag pasok ko ng room ko. May rack ng dresses, puro blue. Mga heels na silver and blue. Ang ganda lahat. Baka mali itong room na 'to ah. Humiga muna ako sa kama at huminga. Sumakit kasi ano pwet ko sa haba yata ng byahe.
~~~
Nagising ako kasi may kumakatok sa pinto, nag-ayos muna ako ng konti at nagpalit ng cullotes at medyo formal na top bago lumabas, sa oras ngayon, malamang si Loki ang kumakatok at magyayaya mag dinner, I should at least look presentable. Nagpalit rin ako ng sandals.
"Let's eat dinner." I was right. He's now wearing a dark blue sweater vest over the wight long sleeves that he folded three fourths. He grabbed my hand and go. Napatingin nalang ako sa kamay namin na magkahawak parin habang naglalakad sa hall papunta sa elevators. He drove a golf cart to a restaurant.
"What are the dresses in my unit for?" Tinanong ko sakanya habang naglalakad kami na magkahawak parin ang kamay.
"I picked those. Pili ka ng susuotin mo for tomorrow." He repplied.
Pumasok kami sa isang napaka laking dining hall tas ang daming waiters. Ang dami rin taong naka formal. "These are my relatives, Lorelei." Loki said.
"My dear brother, Louis is here!" His cold voice sent shiver down to my spine. "And he brought a beautiful friend." Ngumiti nalang ako sa kanila.
"Hello brother, aunts, uncles, she isn't just a friend. She's my girlfriend, Lorelei Rios." Walang emosyon niya paring sabi. Hawak parin ni Loki yung kamay ko. Nagcheer at natuwa yung mga relatives ni Loki. "Wow, Luthor. Loki got a girl friend before you do."
"No worries. I'll get a friend to pretend she's my girlfriend tomorrow, dad." Luthor said smirking at Loki and me. Nagtawanan lang yung mga tito nila. Ayun pala ang daddy nila.
~~~
After dinner, ginamit ulit namin ni Loki yung golf cart pabalik sa condo.
I just let myself rest. Because I feel something bad will happen tomorrow. Maybe because it's Luthor aka Moriarty's birthday tomorrow, or maybe because I'm stepping on his territory.
~~~
The next day came so fast. The next thing I knew, everyone is preparing for Luthor's party. I laid out the dress that I'd wear. It's just a blue long simple dress with silver design and I decided to pair it with a silver glittered stilettos.
A knock on my door, signaled me that the party will begin, shortly. "You look like a human, my dear Lorelei." I'm a human Loki. I just rolled my eyes at him and took the arms he offered.
I can't deny, Loki looks extra handsome tonight. He's wearing blue polo inside a white tuxedo and pants. Pero ganun parin kagulo ang buhok niya at naka poker face parin.
When we got there, nagkakagulo yung mga staff. May aksidenteng bumangga saakin na waiter, sumagi sa braso ko yung malamig niyang polo, Loki asked him what's happening, "M-may bangkay daw po sa freezer."
"Whose corpse?" Tanong ulit ni Loki.
"Hindi ko po alam, hindi po ako ang pumasok doon."
Nag-iba yung expression ni Loki, from bored to excited. Sinusundan nga naman kami ng krimen. Or si Luthor ang sinusundan. Hindi na nagsalita si Loki, nahatak na
ang niya ako dahil nakakapit naman ako sa braso niya.
Luthor and their father was there when Loki and I arrived at the freezer. The police are already investigating. "Loki, lend me your coat." sabi ko dahil malamig. "Whatever." at binigay naman ni Loki. Inabutan niya din ako ng gloves. Tinignan ko siya, "What? I sensed this earlier." He said.
I romed around at may nakita akong ballpen ng country club na may konting dugo. I picked it up and gave it to Loki. When I looked at the corpse, he have the same ballpen in his side pocket. He put the ballpen inside a plastic bag and asked the police to look for fingerprints. Hindi makaangal sa pag iinvestigate namin ang mga police dahil isang Mendez si Loki.
The corpse is lying in a big block of ice, surrounded by his own frozen blood.
The police said na nadulas lang ang biktima na nag-ngangalang Jonathan Montez, but Loki isn't convinced.
Inutusan ni Loki ang isang waiter na nakikiusyoso na tawagin ang isa pang waiter named Jay Garcia. May tinawagan din siya sa phone niya. Saktong dumating yung Jay Garcia pag kababa ng tawag ni Loki. Siya yung waiter na nakabangga saamin ni Loki kanina. Kaya may naalala ako. Alam ko na kung sino ang killer.
"Sir, ano pong kailangan niyo?" He said.
"You're my suspect." Nagulat yung waiter.
"Sir, ano pong sinasabi niyo? Hindi ko po magagawa yun."
"Nasan ka nang 7:30 hanggang 8:00?" Tanong ko.
"Nasa kitchen ako. Tumutulong sa preparasyon." Sagot niya.
Dumating na din ang result ng fingerprint sa ballpen, hindi pa tinitignan ni Loki ang result nang mag salita siya, "This is yours right?" Pinakita niya yung ballpen. "Oonga, sakin yan. Pero posibleng nahulog ko lang yan dito kahapon." Pangangatwiran niya.
"Hindi ba't nung nakaraang linggo nagalit ka kay Jonathan dahil nakakuha siya ng promotion na gusto mo?" Kalamado parin si Loki habang kinakabahan na si Jay.
"Oo, pero hindi yun sapat para patayin ko siya." Sigaw ni Jay.
Pinapakinggan lang kami ng mga police habang pilit naming pinapaamin ang pumatay.
"Nung nasagi mo ako kanina, sabi mo hindi ka pa pumupunta sa freezer. But your cold skin tells us otherwise." I said. "You lied about not going in here." I continued. Iba kasi ang lamig ng polo niya kanina. Sobrang lamig. Iba sa nalamigan lang ng aircon sa venue.
"And I saw this Name tag held by the victim. Aren't you Jay Garcia?" Bumagsak ang salarin sa sahig nang ipakita sakanya ni Loki ang name tag na nasa plastic bag.
"You probably didn't notice that he obtained this from you when you straggled him." He said.
"Oo na, ako na ang pumatay. Pinsan ko siya at simula bata kami inagaw na niya ang lahat saakin." Umiiyak nitong saad habang pinoposasan siya ng mga police.
Nagpasalamat saamin yung police. Pati yung dad nila Loki. "You're a skilled young lady." He said to me.
The party continued smoothly. And when the clock strike midnight, Loki shocked me. He was offering his hand in front of me, asking me to dance with him.
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