DANCING WITH THE VILLAIN

VIII | The Sinners

Adriene Constance

Sinclaire Grande

She felt stupid for going straight to the enemy's lair without going to her apartment first to sort her things out. ngunit hindi naman niya akalaing nauna niyang makita ang Sinclaire Grande kaysa sa titirhan niya. May ibinigay na address si Ariela sa kanya at sinabing malapit lang sa Sinclaire Grande ang apartment. And perhaps seeing Rhysand Marfori earlier made her reckless and nervous. Hindi niyia rin inakalang makikita niya agad ang dalawang mga miyembro ng Ivory Skulls. 

Nakatingin sa kanya si Eliza. Naghihintay ito sa kanyang sagot. Adriene swallowed hard. She did not prepare for this. Kaya naman napagdesisyunan niyang sabihin ang totoo. 

"I am from a town called Springvale." 

"Springvale?" tanong naman ng babae bago nilagok ang isang bote ng alak. "Bakit ka narito?" 

Adriene shrugged and said, "Looking for a job." Saka niya ininom ang juice. It was half-true. Nandito naman talaga siya dahil sa trabaho. And she figured telling the truth is easier. They were harmless questions, anyway. 

Ngumiti naman si Eliza sa kanya at saka tinapik ang kanyang braso. Tumayo ito mula sa pagkakaupo. The way she stood shouts staggering elegance kahit pa mukhang lasing na ito. 

"Mag-iingat ka sa lugar na ito," Eliza said and tipped her chin. "A beautiful face like yours is an easy target." Eliza grinned nang makita ang ekspresyon sa kanyang mukha. 

"You can work in this place but then you will have to talk about the owner. Maybe you can come back tomorrow," saad nito bago naglakad papalayo at sumayaw kasabay ang iba pang mga tao na naroon. 

Sa tingin niya'y mainit na sa labas. Nagsisimula na rin siyang pagpawisan dahil sa init at dahil na rin sa coat na suot niya. Nginitian niya ang lalaking nasa likuran ng counter bago binayaran ang ininom na juice. She made her way out of the bar ngunit dahil sa dami ng tao ay halos hindi na siya makadaan. Kahit ilang beses na siyang magexcuse me ay hindi naman ito naririnig ng iba dahil sa lakas ng tugtog sa loob. Hanggang sa may maramdaman siyang humipo sa kanyang likod. Hinarap niya kug sino iyon ngunit wala siyang makita. Adriene started to panic dahil nappaligiran na siya ng mga tao at hindi na siya makalabas. 

And then she felt someone touch her boobs. Hinarap niya ito at bumungad sa kanya ang isang lalaking nakangisi. He was missing a tooth and before she knew it, the man was already on the ground, groaning, as she slammed her bag straight to his face. Nahirapan itong tumayo. The music stopped and everyone's attention is now on her and the man on the ground, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. 

"You b***h!" shouted the man. She swallowed hard as everything dawned on her. She couldn't help but feel scared as soon as she realized that the man she just hit might be a member of the Ivory Skulls and that she is practically a stranger in this place and nobody would be here for her to save her. And most importantly, she remembered how Ariela told her to stay low and to try not to get too much attention so she could move around easily. 

It was only her first day and she already did a lot of things she shouldn't have done. Now, the man she just hit is back on his feet and he was seething with anger. She stepped back ngunit naramadaman niya ang mga tao sa likuran na ayaw siyang padaanin. 

The man grinned in her direction and said, "If I catch you b***h, I am going to chain you in my bed and turn you ragged." 

Mangiyak-ngiyak siya habang nakatingin sa lalaki. Naglalakad ito papalapit sa kanya and she could feel her hands trembling with fear. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go back. At that very moment, she doesn't know what to do, and the only that's on her mind is that if she doesn't do something, she's going to end up as the ugly man's s*x slave. 

Then she could hear the others chanting. And she couldn't believe how there wasn't anyone who was stopping the guy. Ngunit naalala niyang hindi ito katulad ng lugar nila.This isn't in Springvale anymore. She's in Sinclaire, the city of sin.  

And when the man dashed towards her with his fist up, she closed her eyes and covered her head. She waited for the pain to come but it didn't. The chants died and she heard a collective gasp from the people around. The next thing she heard was the sound of someone falling down followed by a grunt. 

Nang buksan niya ang mata niya ay tanging likod ng isang lalaki ang nakikita niya. Everybody's eyes were on the man in front of her. At nang tingnan niya ang lalaking nagtangka sa kanya kanina ay nakaluhod na ito. 

"Rhysand was very clear that you all leave trouble once you enter this place," the man in front of her said. Hindi niya pa rin makilala kung sino ito. And when she turned to see the man standing just a  few meters in front of them, she swallowed hard as she recognized him from the pictures. Marcus Marfori was holding a glass of wine as he watched everything unfold. Hindi niya man makita ang mukha ng lalaking nagligtas sa kanya ay kilala na niya kung sino. 

Sid Marfori faced her and although he was younger than her by a few years, she couldn't help but get intimidated by how he holds himself. His eyes were piercing as his brother she met outside. 

"What did he do?" he asked. 

Adriene found it hard to say something as he was overwhelmed with how fast everything was happening. 

"Did he harass you?" he pressed. She bit her lip and nodded. Adriene never imagined their first meeting to be like that. She was planning to keep it low and now, everybody's eyes are on her and she doesn't know if these people will ever forget her face. 

Sid Marfori faced the man kneeling in front of him and before she knew it, Sid was beating the s**t out of the man. 

She stood frozen as she watched the whole thing unfold. Binubugbog niya ito na para bang galit na galit siya sa mundo. 

"Since when did we harass women?" tanong nito sa lalaking halos wala nang malay. He landed another punch. "Answer me!" And rained several other punches. 

"Since when did we start harassing women?" tanong ulit nito sa lalaki. Adriene swallowed hard witnessing that kind of violence. She couldn't imagine what if she was at the receiving end of it. 

The guy was barely conscious to even respond and if Marcus Marfori haven't intervened, there's no doubt that Sid Marfori would kill the man right there and then. 

Marcus Marfori looked at her and before she could even say something, someone from the crowd pulled her and took her out of the bar. 

Nang makalabas ay para siyang nasa ibang mundo dahil tahimik sa labas at payapa. Huminga siya nang malalim para kumalma. Nararamdaman pa niya ang panginginig ng kanyang kamay dahil sa nangyari at nakita niya kanina. Animals. They are animals. Shhe coudln't imagine what they could do if they were truly mad. It was barbaric--seeing people getting beaten almost to their death. She would never wish to see that again. 

"That's what you get for drinking orange juice." 

Napalingon naman siya sa babaeng nagsalita sa gilid niya. It was Eliza Marfori, lighting her ciigarette. Lumingon ito sa kanya at tila nakita ang pagkalito sa kanyang mukha. She puffed a cloud of smoke before facing her. 

"If you drank some alcohol, you should have been holding a bottle that time that man harassed you. You would have knocked him unconsicous with just a blow," saad nito at napatingin sa bag na para bang alam nito na iyon ang ginamit niyang panghampas sa lalaking nambastos sa kanya kanina. Bigla namang nag-iba ang ekspresyon nito at saka tumingin sa kanya.

"Like I said, be careful around here. And you cant be walking around without something to defend yourself. The world is dangerous, little girl."

Hindi na siya nito hinintay na makasagot at agad itong naglakad papalayo. She saw several men who parted just to make way for Eliza Marfori to pass through.

Nang makita niya ang larawan ng babae sa file na binigay ni Ariela, ibang-iba ito sa nakikita niya ngayon. Though they have the same face, hindi niya mapigilang isipin na ibang-iba ito sa inaasahan niya. What is she supposed to think that she had met all the main members of the Ivory Skulls ans yet two of them had saved her? She couldn't help but feel bad for branding them as bad people in her mind when two of them saved her.

Then she reminded herself of what Ariela told her. That the Ivory Skulls are enemies of the Crown and will not hesitate to kill even the innocents just to get what they want. And they're the reason why she's here in the first place. 

Bearing that on her mind, Adriene started walking towards where the apartment is. Wala naman siyang problema king malaki ba o maliit ang magiging tieahan niya. Basta ang importante ay may higaan ito at may banyo, ayos na siya doon.

Ngunit nang makarating siya sa apartment at namangha siya. The size of the room was just enough to accommodate a small kitchen, a small living room, a bedroom, and a small bathroom. The landlady was kind and briefed her on the rules of the apartment.

"Men are not allowed to come, dear. I once had a tenant who let her boyfriend sleep for a day and I received a lot of complaints from the other tenants because the lovebirds were too loud."

Agad namam siyang pinamulahan ng mukha nng tingnan siya ng babae.

"May nobyo ka ba?" tanong nito sa kanya. Agad naman siyang napailing at napangiti naman ang matanda.

"Bakit naman? Masyado ka sigurong abala sa buhay," saad naman nito saka siya tinapik sa kanyang balikat. "Keep working hard." At saka ito umalis at iniwan siyang mag-isa sa kanyang kwarto.

Napangiti nalang siya dahil sa kabaitan ng matandang babae sa kanya. Inilubot niya ang kanyang paningin sa loob mg kanyang magiging kwarto at napabuntong-hininga. Bigla namang tumunog ang kanyang telepono dahilan para muntikan na siyang mapatalon sa gulat. Nang tingnan niya ito'y agad niya itong sinagot. The number was unregistered ngunit alam na niya agad kung kanino iyon galing.

"How was your trip?" tanong ni Ariela sa kanya sa kabilang linya. Alam niyang hindi naman talaga ito interesado kung kumusta ang biyahe niya. Kaya namam agad niyang sinabi amg pakay nito.

"I met the Skulls," saad niya. Bigla namang natahimik ang linya.

Maya-maya pa ay nagsalita ang babae, "What happened? How did you meet them so soon?"

Napapikit nalang siya nang mariin. Napagdesiyunan niyang huwag sabihin sa babae ang nangyaring gulo and just told her half the truth. Hindi na nagtanong pa si Ariela at agad namatay ang tawag. Napahiga siya sa kama at napapikit.

It's only her first day and she already got too many attention than she intended to. Ngunit napaisip din siya. Hindi naman siguro siya pagtutuonan ng pansin ng mga taga roon. Kaya naman ipinangako niya sa kanyang sarili na hindi na siya magiging sentro ng atensyon.

Hindi niya namalayang nakatulog na pala siya at nagising nalang siya dahil sa gutom. Agad naman siyang napabalikwas ng bangon at napatingin sa orasan. She sighed in relief as it was still three in the afternoon. May oras pa siya para mamili ng mga gamit na magagamit niya sa kanyang apartment. mabuti nalang at binigyan siya ng Crown ng pera para doon. Agad siyang nagbihis ng mas pormal na damit. She chose a plated skirt which is fitted on her hips and gradually widens towards the hem. She paired it with a longsleeve turtleneck shirt and a pair of boots. Iyon ang nasa laman ng kanyang maleta and she couldn't helop but admire her reflection as she beheld herself in front of the mirror. Now she looked more like she belong in the city compare to what she wore earlier when she arrived. Inayos niya rin ang kanyang buhok and bothered to put on some lipstick. 

Tiningnan niya ang sarili sa salamin and was amazed at how she could manage to look good if she really tries to. With a smile on her face, she went out of the apartment and decided to go buy the things she needed. 

Napagdesisyunan na rin niyang kumain nalang sa labas. The city wasn't half bad. She just needed to be with the right people. And clearly, she should stay away from the Skulls but then unfortunately, it's her job to be near them. Kung sa ibang sitwasyon, pipiliin niya siigurong tumira sa syudad na ito. 

Hindi niya namalayang mag-aalas otso na pala ng gabi. Agad naman siyang umuwi. Marami siyang pinamili and thankfully, the taxi driver was kind enough to help her bring her things in front of her apartment. napag-isipan ni Adriene na babalik siya sa Sinclaire Grande para mag-apply ng trabaho. Surely, they have some vacant positions for her. After all, Eliza Marfori herself said she could apply for a job at the place and she just need to ask the owner, Rhysand Marfori. Ang problema lang niya ngayon ay kung paano at saan mahahanap ang lalaking iyon at kung papansinin ba siya nito. 

Agad naman niyang ipinasok sa loob ang kanyang mga pinamili at nilinis din ang kanyang apartment. Ang sabi ng landlady niya ay halos mag-iisang taon na rin simula nang umalis ang naunang nakatira doon. Kaya naman masyado iyong maalikabok. Adriene didn't mind since she's used to cleaning. Nang matapos siya ay marami siyang naipon na plastik ng na puno ng basura. Isa-isa naman niyang hinakot ito pababa. 

Hindi pa niya nakikilala ang ibang mga nangungupahan doon at hangga't maaari ay gusto na muna niyang iwasang makipaghalubilo sa iba maliban nalang kung tingkol ito sa misyon. Iyon ang bilin sa kanya ni Ariela. Magiging sagabal lang ito sa misyon niya and she agrees. She can't afford to fail this mission. Not when her life will be the cost.  

Kinuha niya ang huling supot ng basura at akmang bababa na siya ng hagdan nang may makita siyang pumasok sa gusali. She was instantly frozen on the spot as she realized who it was. 

With a woman clinging to his arms, Rhysand looked drunk as he walked towards the stairs. Rinig na rinig niya ang tawanan ng dalawa and the woman shushing Rhysand in order not to wake their landlady. 

Kumunot ang noo niya dahil ibang-iba ang lalaking nakikita niya ngayon kumpara sa nakita niya kanina sa harap ng bar. She realized she was standing in their way kaya naman agad siyang naglakad pababa, trying to avoid them and trying her best to look down so Rhysand won't recognize her. 

And she was successful as she passed through them and Rhysand didn't even look at her. Nakahinga naman siya nang maluwag. And a smile crept into her face as she made up her mind to make a friend. 

She has decided to befriend Rhysand Marfori's girlfriend. 

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