DANCING WITH THE VILLAIN

X | The Voice In the Halls

Adriene Constance

Sinclaire Grande

Maaga siyang nagising kinaumagahan. Perhaps it was because of the different environment and the weather or perhaps it was because she's nervous about what she's going to do today. Agad siyang naghanda and wore something that would make her look more presentable. Since she has to make an impression, she has to start with the way she dresses. 

A satisfied smile crossed her face as she beheld herself in the mirror. Iyon ang isa sa unang pagkakataon na nagsuot siya nang ganoon kagarang damit. She heaved a deep breath and encouraged herself in front of the mirror. Pupunta siya ngayon sa Sinclaire Grande. She has to get in there somehow dahil alam niya na doon niya palaging makikita ang grupo. Even though her experience there yesterday was kind of traumatizing, kailangan niyang bumalik doon. For the sake of her mission. 

"Kaya mo 'to, Ady," she mumbled to herself and took one last look in the mirror she finally took off. Bago siya bumaba ng hagdan ay tiningnan niya muna ang kwartong katabi ng sa kanya. Naisip niya kagabi na maaaring hindi iyon nobya ng lalaki. Because why would the woman be living in an apartment rather then with Rhysand? Kaya naman naisip niya na isa lang ito sa nagpapainit ng kama ng lalaki. No wonder Ariela suggested she seduce Rhysand. Kung ganoon naman pala ang gustong mangyari ng babae ay sana naghire nalang ito ng ibang babae. Iyong kayang-kaya gawin ang bagay na iyon. She has never intentionally seduced someone at kung magagawa man niya iyon ay hindi niya alam kung tatalab ba iyon kay Rhysand. Sinungitan nga lang siya nito noon una silang nagkita. 

She shook her head at napagpasyahang umalis na. The Sinclaire Grande was not too far. In fact, it only took her five minutes to get there. And she made a good decision to come early because when he got there, there was no one else except for the one man she saw yesterday who gave her an orange juice. 

Abala ito sa paglilinis ng sahig and she roamed her eyes around. Doon lang niya napansin kung gaano kaganda ang loob ng bar. Elegante ito tingnan at kung hindi niya lang alam na bar iyon ay napagkalaman na niya itong museum. 

"You can come back tomorrow. Close ngayong araw," saad ng lalaki habang abala pa rin ito sa paglilinis at hindi lang tumingin sa kanya. Her footsteps echoed inside as she walked closer o the man. Narinig naman niya itong napabuntong-hininga at humarap sa kanya. 

Recognition crossed his face when he looked at her and then he said, "Ikaw iyong babaeng ngsimula ng gulo dito kahapon." 

She blinked, slightly offended because clearly, she was not the one who started it. 

"He harassed me and what I did to him was something he deserved," she said when she shouldn't have been explaining it in the first place. 

"You should have let it go, lady." 

She scoffed. "Let it go? Tell me, sir. Do you have a daughter?" 

Natigilan naman ang lalaki at napatingin sa kanya. "Why do you ask?" 

"Do you have a daughter?" tanong niya ulit. 

The man furrowed his brows as he looked at her. "No, I don't have one." 

"Then you clearly don't have the right to tell me to let it go because you were never a woman and you don't know someone important to you who got harassed." 

"Excuse me--" 

"And I am here to apply for a job," she said and eyed the man. Hindi siya makapaniwalang nakikipagsagutan siya sa lalaking miyembro ng Skulls when he could kill her right there and then. But then if she really wants this mission to succeed, she figured she has to have guts. She shouldn't let them see she's scared. 

Tumawa naman ang lalaki at inilagay ang mop sa gilid bago siya hinarap. Pinasadahan siya nito ng tingin bago ito tumingin sa mukha niya. "You're too pretty. Iyong nangyari sa iyo kagabi, it will happen again if you keep coming back here." 

"It won't happen again," she said, her voice stern. 

Tumawa naman ang lalaki. "Bakit? Dahil sasapakin mo silang lahat? It will not be all the time that someone is going to protect you like what happened yesterday. Leave this place." 

"Please," she said, stepping forward. Napatingin ulit ang lalaki sa kanya na para bang may hindi ito maintindihan

"You look like you come from a well-off family. Why are you here and why do you want to work here of all places?" 

She swallowed hard. She was kind of expecting that she was going to be asked that kind of question and she has practiced her response several times in front of the mirror. Ang akala niya'y makakaya niyang sabihin iyon nang harap-harapan but then she realized she can't lie. She can't tell a lie. Kaya naman napagdesisyunan niyang sabihin ang totoo. 

"I'm not from a well-off family," she said. "My grandma is sick and I needed money. I left my old job because it wasn't enough. I heard Sinclaire wages are three times higher kaya naman narito ako. And I am applying for a job. Any kind would do. I could even clean the floors so you wouldn't have to do it." 

The man looked at her from head to foot at saka sinabing, "We're not hiring." 

Her shoulders slumped as she saw the man's expression na tila buo na ang desisyon nito. But she couldn't just give up. 

"A singer," she said dahilan para mapatingin ang lalaki sa kanya. 

"What?" 

"I can sing," saad niya. "Surely, this place isn't just about partying and drinking. A good song could perhaps calm the mood and avoid harassments," she pressed and the man sighed. 

"I told you--" 

And she started singing. It has been a long time since she sang. She doesn't know if she's as good at it as she was before. But she opened her mouth and sang. Napatingin naman ang lalaki sa kanya, nakataas ang kilay--as if he hadn't decided if he's confused or amazed. Nagpatuloy siya sa pagkanta at kinuha ang mop na itinabi ng lalaki at saka siya naglinis. Hindi niya alam kung tama ba ang ginagawa niya ngunit wala na siyang ibang maisip na paraan para makuha ang pansin nito. If she's going to do it, she might as well do her best. 

Her voice echoed inside the halls and and when she was done, she faced the man. Nakataas pa rinig ang kilay nito ngunit alam niyang namangha ito sa ginawa niya. She cleared her throat and stood straight. Saka naman tumalab ang hiya sa katawan niya nang matapos siya. 

Lumapit ang lalaki sa kanya at kinuha ang mop na hawak niya. Ngumiti ang lalaki at napangiti rin siya, hope swelling inside her chest. Ngunit nawala ang ngiti ng lalaki at binawi ang mop sa mga kamay niya bago sinabing, "You're good. But if I hire you, you'll just attract more trouble--" 

"Hire her." 

Napalingon naman silang dalawa sa nagsalita. Sid Marfori stood at the open door. He looked like he was originally wearing a suit but then he ditched the blazer and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt. He looked like he just ran away from a meeting. Parang wala itong muntik nang pinatay kahapon.  And it dawned on her that everyone in this place is so used to violence like how they are used to changing their clothes. 

Napagdesisyunan niyang hindi na siya magmumukhang takot na sisiw sa harap ng mga taong ito kaya naman humarap siya kay Sid at ngumiti. The best smile she could afford and she was surprised when the man smiled back. 

Nang makalapit ito nang husto sa kanya ay hindi nakatakas sa paningin niya ang mga mata nito. He was checking her out, like how males do when they notice someone that attracts their attention. Ang akala niya'y madali lang iyon but to be the receiving end of a Marfori's attention is as terrifying as beaten. But she stood her ground and she did not remove her gaze from him. Nang makabalik ang mga mata nito sa mukha niya ay nginitian niya ulit ito. 

"Where have you come from?" tanong ng lalaki sa kanya. 

"I am from Springvale and I need this job," diretsahang sagot niya. 

Sid Marfori let out a low scoff before his eyes studied her again. "You can sing here three times a week, Miss...?" he trailed and she knew it's her cue. 

"Adriene," she said. "I'm Adriene or you can call me Ady." 

Sid Marfori nodded, a lopsided grin on his face. Then he said, "I'm Sid. Nice to meet you, Ady." he extended his hand at agad naman niya itong tinanggap.

"Does that mean she's going to work here, Mr. Marfori?" tanong ng lalaki na katabi niya. 

Sid reluctantly let go of her hand saka tiningnan ang lalaki. "She can serve the drinks too if she wants," Sid said and looked at her then he continued, "Ikaw na ang bahala sa kanya, Fred." 

Then he focused his gaze on her once again. "I shall go. See you around, Ady," saad nito at agad naglakad papalayo. She knows his kind. Ady doesn't have too many interactions with men. Sa buong buhay niya, isa lang ang naging nobyo niya. Ngunit alam niya ang mga ganoong klase ng lalaki. Sid Marfori likes to make women feel special and think they have something going on. Only to ditch her in the end. 

Iyon ang nasa isip niya habang iniisa-isa ang mga bagay na plano niyang gawin ngayon at natanggap siya na siya sa Sinclaire Grande. 

Nakatanggap siya ng mensahe mula sa isang unknown number kanina. Alam na niya agad kung kanino nanggaling iyon. Ariela said she will call at the end of every week to ask for updates. She has to gather information while in Sinclaire Grande. 

"The cups are over here," saad ni Fred sa kanya at seryoso naman siyang nakikinig. "The wines are over there." Itinuro nito ang shelf sa likuran at saka may pinindot sa gilid. Nakita niyang gumalaw ang shelf na para bang isa itong secret door. Sa likod nito ay nakita niya ang iba pang mga inumin na nakatago. Hindi niya mapigilang mamangha. The place could pass off as a museum kung wala itong tao. The elegant architecture was enough to make her jaw drop. Hindi niya maatim kung gaano kayaman ang mga Marfori. 

"Now listen," Fred said. "The Marforis like whiskey. Mr. Rhysand likes this brand, specifically. He comes in here and you don't ask him what to drink. You give him this, right away. You got it?" 

Ady nodded and looked at the bottle Fred was holding. It was pretty easy to remember and all she needed to do was stay away from trouble, sing, and serve. It should be fine. 

"You can sing every Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The rest of the day, you serve drinks." 

"Duly noted," she said and listed her schedule on her phone. Then she looked at Fred and asked, "Do I need to wear a uniform or do I wear whatever I like?" 

"You wear whatever you like." 

"What time do you usually close this bar?" 

"We don't close this bar. But you can go home by nine in the evening or party--whichever you like. And make sure you can come at eight o'clock in the morning." 

For someone like her who always wakes up early, it was easy enough. At masyado pang iba para sa kanya ang paligid at nag-aadjust pa siya sa klima. But she knows she will adjust just fine. 

Maya-maya pa ay iniwan siya ni Fred nang mag-isa sa counter. May pupuntahan daw ito sa Garson. She mentally made a note of the place in her mind. Ang sinabi lang ni Fred sa kanya ay kukuha ito ng mga supply kaya sigurado siyang konektado rin ang lugar na iyon sa grupo. 

She was wiping the table when she heard the door opened and she almost tripped on her feet when she saw who it was. 

Rhysand Marfori doesn't look like he's pissed now. He was walking down the hall like how an owner would. And his eyes were on her. Hindi niya ito nakitaan ng emosyon and even as he was standing in front of her, hindi niya ito mabasa kung nakilala ba siya nito o nakalimutan na. Then she thought he might not remember her. She is not exactly someone who is easy to remember and gives a good first impression. 

Rhysand sat on one of the stools and agad nagsindi ng sigarilyo. Agad naman niyang naalala ang sinabi ni Fred sa kanya sa kung ano ang iniinom ng lalaki. Kaya naman kumuha siya ng baso at nilagyan iyon ng alak. The specific whiskey Fred told her about. She handed it to him without saying a word. For some reason, she couldn't say anything. She isn't exactly someone who could easily find something to talk about so she decided to stay silent. And besides, Rhysand strikes her as someone who doesn't like conversations very much. 

Ngunit nagulat nalang siya nang magsalita ang lalaki. 

"So you were asking me where the Sinclare Grande just to cause trouble inside," saad ng lalaki. Gulat siyang napatingin sa lalaki. He was leaning on the table while smoking at nakatingin sa kanya. "Heard you slammed your bag to one of my men." 

She swallowed hard. He was calm. And yet his voice sounded like he was promising eternal suffering. He's the leader of the Ivory Skulls for a reason. 

But she couldn't just stay quiet when she knows exactly she wasn't wrong when she slammed that bag to one of his men. So she said, "He harassed me first, Mr. Marfori. I'm sure you also heard of that." 

It was stupid. Getting on the bad side of Rhysand Marfori is the last thing she would do. Not only because it was her mission but because it would be a very bad idea. 

Rhysand stared at her for a moment and then she heard him sigh before he drank from his glass. "Sid almost killed the man." 

"Because your brother probably is the only one in the room that night who makes sense." She gave him a saccharine smile as he looked at her over the rim of his glass. 

"You think I don't make sense?" 

She shrugged. "You sounded like you were blaming me and defending the man who was harassing a woman. That doesn't make sense for me, Mr. Marfori." 

Hindi ito sumagot at nagsukatan lang sila ng tingin bago ito nagsalita. "Wala akong kinakampihan. I was just stating what happened that night. I was not saying what you did was wrong." 

She furrowed her brows and looked at him. "So you think he deserved it?" 

"Very much so," he said. And then he stood and left a bill on the counter bago tumingin sa kanya. "I have a sister myself, Miss. And if he did that to my sister, I would have killed him myself." It was a cold and brutal statement and she knew he wasn't kidding. 

At agad itong naglakad papalayo na hindi na niya nagawa pang sumagot dito. But most importantly, she discovered something new. It wasn't mentioned on the files given to her by Ariela. 

May isa pang Marfori na hindi alam ng karamihan. 

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