➣ E R I E
Sometimes we live like normal people.
"Which one?" I raised a Louis Vuitton Boite Chapeauon on my right hand and a Prada Nylon mini bag on my other, smiling brightly at the two. I'm anticipating. They have a really good taste in fashion kaya silang dalawa lagi ang sinasama ko magshopping. Magkaiba nga lang sila ng taste kaya madalas magulo.
"The LV kasi looks classy, but this one looks good for casual lang-"
"Why are you contemplating if you can afford both?" Sky crossed his arms.
"Why bother wasting money if you can just steal it?" Ryde sighed, looking bored.
Sameth Ryde, I said normal people.
Inirapan ko tuloy siya.
"I'm also considering that Gucci shoulder bag that I pointed earlier. Maganda kaso it's too small, so for sure wala akong gaanong malalagay inside. Small bags aren't practical." Binaba ko muna ang dalawang bag na hawak ko. "See? I know practicality!" I boasted, as if it's a big deal.
"Spell muna." Pang-aasar ni Sky. Agad naman siyang tumalikod at kunwari pang nagtingin ng bags.
"Just steal every bag that you like." I felt Ryde's breath on my left ear when he whispered lowly. Narinig ko rin ang pagngisi niya.
"Shut up."
In the end, I ended up buying those three bags that I mentioned even though I don't need it. I feel like my walk-in closet is spacious pa naman kaya binili ko na lahat. I don't need the Gucci one, but it would be cute to display though.
Papalabas na kami ng mall at kusang bumukas ang glass door. Ang shades na nakataas sa ulo ko na parang headband ay ibinaba ko na dahil mataas pa pala ang sikat ng araw sa labas. I was wearing a beige long sleeve belted dress, a white handbag on my left arm and one paper bag from a designer brand on the other. The rest of the things that I brought ay pinahawak ko na kay Ryde. While Sky, he volunteered to carry some.
"Your mom would nag at you again, Erie." Sky chuckled when he saw all the luxury items. Naparami pala ako. Ang sabi ko kanina ay isang bag lang ang bibilhin ko. Gosh, but that's impossible! Kapag talaga may hawak ka ng pera, ang hirap hindi gastusin.
"I deserve to treat myself." Binuksan ko ang likuran ng dala naming kotse at nilagay roon ang paperbag.
"Just say you stole it."
Sinamaan na lang namin ng tingin si Ryde.
And yes, most of the time we don't live like normal people.
"Go!" I raised the checkered flag. The two sports car flashed like lightning, leaving me here at the start line covered with thin white smoke from their vehicles.
I'm currently monitoring the two. I told them to practice more for their upcoming competition tomorrow. Magagaling na underground racer kasi ang makakalaban. Syempre hindi naman ako papayag na magpatalo sa mga 'yon o sa kahit kanino pa man.
The 1 mile lap doesn't even take a minute. For ordinary people, they will surely think those two are like Flash or something, but for me who completely knows what they are capable of, I already felt something's off when I saw them exceeding 40 seconds. Napatagilid tuloy ang ulo ko habang nakatingin sa timer.
With connected eyebrows, I whipped a pen out of my pocket to write 42.1 seconds beside Ryde's name and 41.2 seconds beside the latter. "Ang laki ng binaba ng record mo, Ryde. Is something bothering you?" I asked since he never hit pass 40 seconds per mile.
"Ako?" Sinilip ni Sky ang palad kong may sulat.
"You improved." I patted his back. Last practice kasi nasa 41.8 lang ang record niya. I consider this as an improvement because in racing, every milliseconds matters.
"Ikaw, Ryde? Problem?" Pinamukha ko pa sa kaniya ang record niyang palpak.
"Wala. Panget lang siguro talaga ang simula ko." Umiwas siya ng tingin at inadjust ang suot na gloves. "And don't call me Ryde. I told you not to call me that." He hissed.
"Arte ha? Akala ko ba you prefer that name kahit wala tayo sa mission? I can't understand men." Pagtataray ko pabalik at napa-iling na lang.
Dati nahuli ko pa siyang pinagsasabihan ang mga tauhan rito na huwag na siyang tatawaging Sam or Sameth kaya mula noon sinimulan ko na rin siyang hindi tawagin ng gano'n dahil baka nga mas prefer na niya ang second name niya. I respect everyone's preferences kaya. Tapos ngayon aartehan niya ako?
"I'm men, but can't understand men too." Pagbibiro ni Sky habang sumasakay ulit sa kotse niya. Bago niya tuluyang isara ang pinto, tinawag niya si Ryde. "Ano? Kwentuhan na lang?" He asked, gripping on the wheel.
Ryde got the hint. The edge of his plump lips pushed up in a cocky smirk. When he made his way towards his car, I immediately transferred at the bleachers to see what's going on. Now that I know how fast they can go, it's time to see their techniques. I've mentioned a lot back then, I even corrected some of their mistakes, now let's see if they applied it and if there are some changes and improvements.
I held the whistle dangling on my neck, they are both waiting for my signal. When I finally blew the whistle, they both had a good start. So far so good. Sky's Lamborghini accelerates faster, but Ryde's Ferrari handled the curves better.
As they finish, I could see a bit of improvement on Ryde. Or siguro nabuhayan na talaga siya ngayon. Kagabi ko pa talaga napapansin na bothered siya. Ang pagkakaalam ko si Lider naman ang huli niyang nakausap bago siya magpahinga tapos simula kaninang umaga parang wala na siya sa mood. Nagtanong na ako kanina kaso hindi siya sumagot. I guess it's a private matter so hindi na ako mangungulit.
While I'm monitoring them, I couldn't be more proud. I know them since we were kids since our parents were business partners. Nagsisimula pa lang sila, nandoon na ako.
Silang dalawa ang unang nagkaroon ng interes na sumubok sa racing. Nagsimula sila sa go kart. They were just five years old. Habang nag-aaral silang magbasa, magbilang at magsulat, nagsasanay na rin silang magmaneho. They competed at National Kart Club Championships and took two trophies home.
That's how they got the recognition at such young age.
We practiced more, I mean them, but I'm their mentor so technically it's we. Inabutan na kami ng paglubog ng araw. Halos tatlong oras rin palang uminit ang ulo ko sa kanilang dalawa. It's fine since pinainit ko rin naman ang ulo nila kanina sa mall. Quits lang.
Umangat ang dalawang pinto ng Lamborghini ni Sky at sumakay na ako sa shotgun seat. Sabay silang umandar ni Ryde paalis rito sa raceway pabalik sa garage kung saan nakaparada ang lahat ng sports car ng Infinito. Automatic na bumukas iyon nang madetect ang paparating na kotse.
Ngayon na lang ulit ako nakasakay rito sa Lambo ni Sky. Bihira niya rin kasi gamitin 'to. Lamborghini isn't an everyday car, it's a car for special and important occasions. It's a low type kaya sa racing lang talaga 'to ginagamit ni Sky. Who even likes damages from road bumps on your 44 million peso luxury car?
"None of you uses a McLaren 'no? Iyon pa naman ang definition ko ng supercar. Their F1 used to be one of the best back then." I hopped out of the Lambo, stroking my hair.
McLaren is my dad's first supercar when he turned 21, and the Don Amore bought it for him. That's Don's way of recruiting people, giving unnecessary gifts and flowery words. It worked because my dad became interested with racing which surprised the people around him, they knew my dad never dreamed of becoming a racing car driver when he was growing up. He actually wanted to become a musician. But I guess people's preferences changed over time.
When I was born, dad was already a professional race car driver. I grew up here in the mansion, and my playground was the raceway. I remember carrying my Barbie doll dressed in pink that matches my little dress on the raceway. I'm always with our helpers, also with these two because my parents were too busy with our business. At such a young age, I already witnessed a lot of races, and the crashes that nearly traumatized me. My childhood consists of cars and races. I experienced a lot of things a child shouldn't experience.
But I never complain. My parents said I shouldn't. This is our way of living. Without those things, we wouldn't be here.
"Nothing's unique about McLaren though." Sam said that made me snap back to reality.
"We all have preferences." Sky argued.
"Well, fuck you, Ryde. That's the reason why our business exists." Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Napatigil naman siya at parang natauhan. I rolled my eyes at him.
Don Amore met my dad in prison. He was wrongfully accused with arson by the Sidicato—the rival of Amore clan and French mob. Don was there, watching all along. He tried to save my dad by giving bribes, but the cops doesn't accept dirty money before. Good old days, huh?
The cops said they need a witness to set him free, and a woman came, and she spoke the truth. And it was my mom. That's how they met.
"Si Kast yata bibili ng bago kasi luma na ang model ng kotse niya kaso from same brand pa rin. Bugatti." Napalingon ako kay Sky.
"Chiron? Yung pinakabago?" I asked and my eyes stopped at Kast's Bugatti Veyron. Maingat siya sa kotse kaya mukha pa ring bago. Not unlike this Sameth Ryde, nakakailang repair na at nakakailang bili na rin. Such a reckless driver.
"Oo! It hits 300 mph 'no! Sobrang bilis! Tataob siguro kahit si Lider." I scoffed at how Sky seems to be having goosebumps all over his body with the taught of Kast defeating Lider. Is he kidding?
"If a racer's car is the basis how good they are, then we can all be a leader then. Lider was there because he can drive anything. He can do everything."
Sky went silent. Ryde too. Kapag talaga ganito ang tono ng pagsasalita ko, alam nilang wala silang pagkakataong magsalita.
"And It's not about the engine, it's about the person behind the wheel." Ryde's head whipped over my direction and I winked. I learned that from him. He told me it doesn't matter how expensive your car is. If you can't drive well, there's no use.
I remember every wise words they say.
They learned a lot from me about driving, I taught them a lot because I want them to be the best. And I learned a lot from them about life sayings and such. They all helped me become a stronger, better person than who I was before.
"So sinasabi mong hindi magaling si Kast?" Biglang asar sa akin ni Sky kaya nanlaki ang mga mata ko.
"Hoy! Hindi!"
"Kaya nga. Hindi. Hindi magaling." He emphasized.
"And if I scratch your car then what?" Naglabas ako ng susi saka tinutok sa asul niyang kotse.
"Bro, someone has a death wish." Bumulong pa siya kay Ryde pero rinig ko rin naman. Right. Damaging Skylar's precious car is like having a death wish.
"Let's take a rest, for sure ready na kayo bukas." They felt the sudden change of my mood again kaya napaayos sila ng tayo. "Ryde, this isn't the right time to be bothered. Kung ano man ang iniisip mo, kalimutan mo muna." I said firmly.
"Yes, sorry." I lifted my chin as he bow his head a bit.
I am their friend, a good friend. But if we talk about competition, I could be the most strict mentor that they will ever have.
"Never let the Vosslens and the Les Voleurs down. You know how much I want us to win." Matalim ko silang tiningnan.
Just like what I've said, I want them to be the best. I better see them ace the competition tomorrow. I want to see their names on every news and magazines. I want a higher reputation.
I want them to win. I want every single win.
Every trophy is for the organization, my parents and my brother, Vair.
I demand the best and accept nothing less.
_