CHAPTER 4
Glacier and Mystery
I found myself staring at the mirror while cursing over and over again. I can't believe that I called for Primo's help in order for us to escape from that place, which is surrounded by many weirdos carrying white suitcases!
And for Pete's sake, I can't explain how terrified I am when we are being chased in the streets and it was raining so bad. We nearly got hit by a goddamn truck!
Luckily I dialed Primo's number and he answered it as fast as lightning. Nagkita kami sa isang madilim eskinita at dinala do'n 'yung mga lalaking may bitbit na white suitcases.
I wonder what they want from me... or us?
But guess what Primo did? Pinasabog niya lang naman ang mga lalaking humahabol sa'min at itinakbo kami papunta sa bahay nila... kung nasaan kami ngayon.
"Hoy, Temi! Ready ka na pumasok?" nang-aasar niyang tanong kaya itinaas ko ang gitna kong daliri at kasabay nito ang malakas na paghagalpak ng kanyang tawa.
I hope he chokes to death. I already told him I can't go back to that goddamn school, but he said he has a way.
"Alam mo naman na laging may kapalit ang paghingi ng tulong sa'kin," aniya at iwinagayway ang hawak niyang necktie sa harap ng mukha ko.
Napamura ako nang muli itong tumawa at kinuhanan pa ako nito ng litrato habang nakasimangot.
Nagpipigil nalang akong balian ng buto ang lalaking 'to ngayon.
"I fucking swear, Montario. Once I regain my abilities, you will not be able to move forever," banta ko sa kanya at sinamaan ng tingin.
He chuckled and said, "Kung babalik pa, hahaha!"
Napabuga ako ng hangin at muling inayos ang suot uniporme ko sa salamin. Yes, uniporme dahil papasok na naman ako sa pesteng school na 'yon!
"Every request has a consequence, at ang iyong consequence ay papasok ka ulit sa school." Parang nag-echo sa tenga ko ang sinabi ni Primo kagabi kaya sumigaw ako sa inis.
Wala akong nagawa kundi tanggapin iyon at ngayon pa lang ay nagdurusa na 'ko.
"Ang saya mo pala pagtripan, Temi," aniya at inis ko siyang sinuntok ng malakas sa tiyan. Dumaing ito at nag-thumbs up pa sa'kin habang nakangisi
"Come on, bumaba na tayo. Dadaanan ko pa ang prinsesa," sabi nito, tinutukoy si Elena.
Padabog kong kinuha ang bag na ninakaw niya sa bahay ko noon. Hindi na ako nagbalak pang bumalik sa bahay ko dati dahil mag-isa lang naman ako. 'Yung totoong bahay, hindi 'yung sa apartment.
"You'll pay for this, asshole," seryoso kong sabi kaya muli itong humalakhak.
Bumaba na kami hanggang sa makarating kami sa garahe ng kanilang bahay. Malaki ang bahay nila Primo at wala ang mga magulang niya ngayon dahil pareho itong nasa abroad. Their business is no joke.
"Tara na, huy! Gusto mo bang pagbuksan pa kita?" sabi niya, mukhang naiinip na. I glared at him at pulled the door. Hinagis ko ang bag ko sa likod at sumalampak ng upo sa shotgun seat.
"Still wearing your favorite shoes?" tanong niya pero hindi ako sumagot. Isn't it obvious?
"Palagi mo talagang suot 'yan, 'no?" dagdag pa niya kaya pumikit ako ng mariin. I inhaled a large amount of air while calming myself not to throw a fit.
"I am not asking for your fucking opinion," sabi ko at sumandal sa bintana.
I didn't bother to wake Melody inside the house, probably she's still shocked and needs a lot of rest.
Pinaandar na niya ang makina ng sasakyan at saka mabilis na pinaharurot palabas ng kanilang mansyon. Hindi na ako nanibago pa dahil ganito talaga siya magpatakbo ng sasakyan, akala mo papuntang impyerno.
Lumipas ang ilang minuto ay nasa harap na kami ng bahay nila Elena. She's standing outside the gate of their house while waving charmingly. Mukhang nakita niya naman ang nakasimangot kong mukha dahil hindi naman tinted ang sasakyan.
Sumakay siya sa likuran dahil ako ang katabi ni Primo. Nag-usap-usap sila at pumikit nalang ako para hindi sila pansinin. I won't let these lovebirds sit together after ruining my week, hell no!
"Andito na tayo," anunsyo ni Primo kaya kinuha ko ang bag ko na inabot ni Elena sa akin. Padabog ko itong kinuha ang binuksan ang pintuan ng kotse.
"Hey, easy. I just painted my nails so don't ruin it," maarte niyang sabi at sinuri ang kanyang kuko na pininturahan ng kung ano.
Lumabas na ako ng kotse at tinitigan ang paligid ng school. Walang pagbabago, o baka dahil ilang buwan lang naman ako nawala kaya gano'n. Even though I used to be a delinquent, I regularly attend my classes and somewhat have an average grade since this is a prestigious school.
We don't have to pay for anything, in exchange, we need to act as a very 'good student' with outstanding abilities. The thought of it made my eyes roll. Good, huh?
Pagkababa ko pa lang ay lahat ng tingin nila ay napako sa'kin. Nagsimula na ang usapan ng lahat nang maglakad kaming tatlo papasok sa hallway.
I want to punch their faces until they stop opening their mouths from saying nonsense.
Kinuha ko ang phone ko mula sa bulsa at pinako ang atensyon doon kahit wala naman talaga akong dapat tignan.
Nang makatapak na kami sa loob ay may grupo ng mga babae na mukhang siga ang humarang sakin. Nag-angat ako ng tingin dahil abala ako sa aking phone at saka tinaasan ng kilay 'yung humarang sa'kin.
"What?" tanong ko at ngumiti naman ito ng nakakaloko. Does the bullying segment starts here? Good, because I need my fucking popcorn already!
"Acting tough yet she's just a Nadir!" aniya at tumawa nang tumawa na parang tunog ng nililinis na bintana. Gano'n din ang mga kasama niya, kaya lumapit si Elena at hinawakan ang braso ng babaeng nasa harapan ko.
"Hey, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you a Nadir too?" tanong ni Elena at matamis na ngumiti, kaya napunta ang atensyon ng babae sa kanya.
She harshly shoved Elena's hand away from her shoulder, but Elena held her neck, as if she was ready to choke the girl. I can already feel Primo wanting to stop the girls from fighting, but I stopped him.
"What? I am not a Nadir! That girl is!" aniya at tinuro ako. I remained blank until Elena's eye glowed, oh.
Everytime a Spectre uses their ability, their eyes turn gray and glow.
"Let's see then," sabi ni Elena at ngumisi. Nabitawan siya nung babae at napaluhod sa sahig. I can't believe we already made a scene in the morning.
"Don't come at me anymore," I exclaimed with no expression on my face.
Hindi niya ako pinansin at muli niyang inatake si Elena, pero bago niya pa man iyon magawa ay biglang napalibutan ng makapal na usok at mga pagsabog na hindi naman sobrang lala.
Sakto lang para masira ang mga locker na nakapalibot sa amin.
"Ahh!" sigaw ng mga estudyante sa hallway dahil sa ginawa ni Primo. No one dares to touch his girl, unless you wanted to die so bad.
"You witch! Bakit nawala ang ability ko?!" natatarantang sambit ng babaeng hinawakan ni Elena at pilit na pinapagana ang kanyang ability.
Her eyes just flickered, a sign of not being able to use an ability since it's restricted.
"Don't worry, sweetie. You'll be a Nadir... for a while," sabi ni Elena at tumalikod sa kanya. Primo quickly rushed to Elena's side and asked if she was okay.
While I stood there looking around, brushing off the smoke that had settled in the hallways. This is really a bad thing, I shouldn't have agreed to this deal, argh!
* * *
"Change your clothes and meet me at the gymnasium within ten minutes," sabi ng aming Professor at lumabas ng classroom.
No Professor asked about me being missing for several months and even being called as a Nadir, or maybe they just didn't care at all. Nagsimula ng maglabasan ang mga kaklase ko para magpalit ng damit. It was afternoon and the sky is already turning orange.
When all the students left the room, I stood up but a guy suddenly stopped me from passing the door from the outside, causing me to raise a brow.
"Hey, Artemis. Long time no see."
He has a smirk plastered on his face and he kinda looks familiar. We are near the same height, but he is just a little taller than me. He has a tattoo on his neck and a piercing in his ear. Another delinquent, huh?
"What? You want to fight me because you have an ability?" nang-aasar kong tanong at hinawi ang kamay niyang nakaharang sa pinto.
Humakbang siya palapit sa akin kaya napaatras ako, shoot. Kaming dalawa lang ang nandito sa classroom.
"I just wanted to see if you've totally become a Nadir," aniya at ngumisi. I knew it, and I already saw it coming beforehand.
My enemies from the past will haunt me, just like what's happening right now.
"What the hell is wrong with you-" Hindi na niya ako pinatapos pang magsalita nang biglang umilaw ang kanyang mata.
I quickly covered my face using my arms when he suddenly attacked me with a dagger-like ice coming from his hands! Was that cryokinesis? I heard that it's an ability to manipulate and create ice.
It's pretty rare to encounter an ability user like him.
Nang tingnan ko ang braso ko ay nagkaroon ako ng maliliit na sugat dahil sa mga yelong tumama sa akin. The ice easily melted on my skin, but there's blood oozing out of it. Hindi naman ako O.A para mag-hysterical.
"The Queen of Ace is totally a Nadir! Crownless Queen alias suits you more, bitch!" he yelled out loud that echoed on the four corners of the room.
I felt like a very strange sound came right into my ears and a sharp pulsating pain in my head. I grunted in pain and kneeled on the floor feeling extreme pain that I've never felt before!
"That's what you get for messing with my gang." Ito ang mga huli niyang sinabi sa akin, at nakaramdam ako ng panghihina ng katawan nang lalong lumakas ang ugong sa aking tenga.
Damn! What's this sound?! It was like a static sound that pierced through my ears. I can barely withstand the pain, and my heart is beating so fast! I can't hear what the guy is saying, but I can see him mumbling something.
"H-Help..." I felt stupid for asking help because my head feels like being hammered several times! My eyes became wide-open when the sound miraculously disappeared. Hindi na rin sumasakit ang ulo ko matapos ang ilang minutong iyon.
But what the hell is that?
When I lifted my gaze, I saw him about to plunge the ice formed like a blade to me that made me shut my eyes.
I was expecting a sharp ice buried in my skull, but I was wrong. Hindi gumagalaw ang lalaki sa harapan ko. His eyes and mouth were wide open, as if he turned into a rock while the thing he was holding melted away.
It's strange. What is happening?!
The door suddenly slammed and the guy in front of me fell like a toy because of the door! That was quite a show...
Tinignan ko ang pinto at niluwal nito ang mga kaklase kong nagpalit na ng damit. Oh shoot, nakalimutan ko!
"What happened?" A girl who entered the room asked. I remained clueless and shook my head, because neither I knew what the hell happened.
"I don't know," sabi ko at nilagpasan siya. Nagbubulungan na ang mga kaklase ko kaya binilisan ko ang paglalakad palabas ng room.
Parang pamilyar ang nangyari sa lalaki kanina, o baka hindi? I was in the middle of the hallway when I saw something strange! I suddenly saw a flying cap that's obviously flying away!
What the hell?!