The Fifth Born

CHAPTER FIVE

PAGDATING na pagdating nila sa classroom ay agad natulog si Zyon sa upuan niya dahil katulad kahapon, maaga niya itong ginising. He managed to pick his lock and enter his room kaya labis ang inis nito sa kanya ngayon. 

"What's this?" She found a note on her desk and three roses. Walang nakasulat kung kanino ito galing. She looked at the letter curiously. Who would send her these? 

"What's that?" Napalingon siya ka kay Zyon na nakatingin sa hawak niya.

She shrugged and opened the note.

"Ah. Well that's what I'm trying to find out. It says here he has a huge crush on me the first time he saw me and that he hopes I will notice him." Zyon's brows quirk up as if he couldn't believe somebody actually had a crush on her. 

"No names written on it?"

"No names. And he even attached pictures of me. Nung naglalaro ako sa field, and even here inside the classroom."

"You just got yourself a secret admirer, princess. Congratulations." Bored na saad ni Zyon habang humihikab pa.

"Is that bad?"

"In your case, yes. He took pictures of you wherever you go. That guy's an obsessive type. Ignore him."

"Oh. Then why won't he show himself?"

"Secret nga di ba?"

"Labas muna ako Zy."

"And where do you think you're going?" Napatayo siya mula sa kinauupuan but too late, nakalabas na ang babae sa classroom.

"The f**k?" 

----

Natapos na ang first period at magsisimula na ang second period. Mahigit isang oras na ngunit hindi pa rin nakakabalik ang babae. Zyon looked at the wall clock. Where the hell is she?

His seatmate kept glancing in his direction. Maybe because it's the first time since the start of school that he's seen Zyon awake. 

This made Zyon more annoyed. 

 If she really did meet with the admirer --- oh, of f**k's sake.

Agad siyang tumayo mula sa kinauupuan niya. All his classmates fixed their eyes on him.

"Yes, Mr. Strauss you got any questions --"

"None. I need to go out." Hindi na niya hinintay pang sumagot ang professor and he immediately ran in the hallway. Dalawang bakanteng upuan ang nasa classroom. One for Sam and one for his other classmate, Karl.

"Don't tell me Karl's her secret admirer? That crazy bastard." Mas binilisan pa niya ang takbo ngunit napahinto rin kaagad. Bumalik siya sa cafeteria and there he saw Sam eating alone. Masaya itong nakikipagkwentuhan sa janitor na naglilinis doon. Zyon had no idea but relief flowed into his system.

Pumasok siya sa cafeteria and Sam saw him. Agad naman itong kumaway sa kanya.

"Why the f**k are you here?"

"Pwede ka namang magsalita nang walang mura. Anyway may kasalanan kasi ako dito kanina and I stayed to fix it." Napataas ang kilay ni Zyon.

"Naku hijo. Sinabihan ko na siya na ayos lang at ako na ang bahala pero hindi naman siya nakinig."

"Wait. Ano bang ginawa mo?"

"I spilled the drink tapos katatapos lang mag mop ni Mang Fel sa sahig. Kaya I volunteered to wipe my mess. Sinali ko na rin ang bintana." Zyon almost face palmed. He was worried for nothing. And 

"Sabi ko naman sa'yo hija na okay lang. Nagalit tuloy boyfriend mo," 

"I'm not her boyfriend."

"I'm not his girlfriend." Sabay nilang sagot sa matandang janitor.

"Ay pasensya na. Sige mga anak at maglilinis pa ako."

"Sige po. Ingat po." Masiglang paalam ni Sam sa matanda. The girl then turned to face him.

Akmang sesermonan na niya ang babae nang may masilaw na bagay na tumutok sa mata niya. He searched kung saan galing iyon at sa di kalayuan, he saw a figure of a guy na may bitbit na camera. And when he recognized who it was, hindi na siya nagulat. Tama nga ang hinala niya. Si Karl ang nagpadala ng mga bagay na yun kay Sam.

Hinila niya agad si Samantha at tiningnan ulit ang lalake sa di kalayuan. Nakatingin lang ito sa kanila habang nakangisi. Do anything stupid and I'll make sure hindi ka na makakangiti.

"What are you staring at?" tanong ng babae sa kanya. Nang lumingon si Sam ay agad tumakbo si Karl palayo.

"Admirer mo."

"What?" Kumawala si Sam sa hawak niya at akmang hahabulin ang lalake nang mahawakan niya pulsohan nito.

"Don't tell me you're going to chase after him."

"Bakit hindi?"

"Sam--Lisa are you crazy? Just ignore that idiot."

"But I need to know him."

Sa inis ni Zyon ay binitawan niya ang babae at halos madapa na ito.

"Tss. Go ahead." He rolled his eyes at nagsimulang maglakad palayo. Maya maya pa'y naramdaman niyang nasa tabi na niya ito.

"Nakalayo na. Di ko na kayang habulin." Saad ng babae.

"Whatever."

----

"Zy. Mauna kanang umuwi. May tatapusin lang kami sa club." 

Tiningnan lang siya ni Zyon na para bang wala itong pakialam kahit ano ang gawin niya.

"I don't plan on waiting for you anyway." Saad nito at isinukbit sa isang balikat ang isang strap ng kanyang bag at naglakad na palayo.

"Yes!" Napangisi siya nang makita si Zyon na palayo nang palayo. She lied. Sort of. What she told him was half of the truth. Isang rason kung bakit magpapaiwan siya ay dahil may nakatanggap siya ng note sa loob ng locker niya. She's sure galing iyon sa admirer niya kuno. Hindi niya maintindihan si Zyon kung bakit ayaw siyang palapitin sa admirer niya. Hindi naman siguro masamang magpakilala. Sinadya niyang huwag sabihin ay Zyon ang tungkol sa note na natanggap niya dahil sigurado siyang hindi siya papayagan nito. And also because the note said so. Samantha thought na baka takot lang ang admirer niya kay Zyon kaya hindi ito nakapagpakilala sa kanya. But then again, she doesn't have a good feeling about this guy na nagpapakilalang admirer niya. 

Agad siyang nagpunta sa third floor kung saan ang club nila. And as usual, tahimik pa rin. Well, second day palang naman. Pumasok siya sa opisina at nadatnan si Rose na naglilinis. May mga notebook at libro sa mesa. Nag aaral siguro ito at napagpasyahang magbreak muna at maglinis.

"Hey, Rose." 

"Hi Lisa. Di ka pa uuwi?"

"Pauwi na ako. I just came here to get my bag." Ngiti niya kay Rose. Si Rose ang nagrecruit sa kanya sa club nito. And she agreed kahit na silang dalawa lang ang members. Grumaduate na kasi lahat ng members ng club and Rose's the youngest one kaya siya ang natira. Nagkataon din na nag calendar shift ang school kaya hindi sila nakapangrecruit ng freshmen.

"Oh,sige. Bye."

Nagpaalam na siya kay Rose. Alas 4 pa lang ng hapon. And the note said magkikita sila 4:30 sa Eastwood block. She had no idea where it is pero nang itanong niya ito kay Rose ay malapit lang pala sa school. Walking distance lang. Rose even drew her a map.

Sinunod niya ang mapang binigay sa kanya. Turns out, eastwood block has this not so friendly atmosphere. Madilim dito dahil na rin sa malapit nang mag alas singko. Walang katao tao at ang nasa paligid ay puro lumang bodega o abandonadong bahay.

"Weird." she was about to walk away nang may magsalita sa likuran niya.

"You came. Hello, Lisa." She whirled to see a  guy. He looked familiar at naalala niyang isa ito sa mga classmates niya. She faced him. 

"And you must the one sending me notes and pictures. I'd say you're quite creepy."

Naglakad ang lalake papalapit sa kanya. She did not budge. Kung mag-isa lang ito, then she can handle him just fine. Her gut feeling is right. Something's not right here.

"Karl. Karl Valdez." the guy smirked and extended a hand. Hindi niya tinanggap iyon. 

"Why do you want to meet me here?" 

"Don't you get it from the notes I sent? I like you. That's why I asked to meet you here. Did you like the flowers?" 

Napabuntong-hininga siya. 

"Nice meeting you. I should get going," 

She turned to walk but Karl chuckled. "Not so fast, Lisa." 

She stopped in her tracks when two men came out from nowhere. She faced Karl. 

"So you're planning to beat the hell out of me? Is that it?" she laughed. "Why? You can't beat me yourself so you need assistance?" She walked closer to him but stopped when Karl pointed a knife at her. 

"Nope. We're not. We're here to let Zyon taste pain."

"Ah. I see now. So you lure me here since I'm weak, so Zyon will come here to rescue me and then beat your asses up?" 

"Well, even if we can't beat him, we'd just take turns with you. We'll be finished before he arrives." Kumindat ito sa kanya. The hair on her arms rose. 

"I'm giving you a chance to run. I'll forget this happened and I'll spare your lives." She can't believe she's being sexually harassed. 

Mas lalong lumakas ang tawanan nang marinig ang sinabi niya.

"You speak like a princess you bitch." She smirked upon hearing the word. Now that pulled her strings.

"Guess we can't help it. I'm counting to three. Kapag hindi pa kayo tumakbo--" She didn't finish her sentence when Karl dialed someone on his phone. 

"Zyon." Napangisi si Karl habang nakatingin sa kanya. 

"The f**k do you want?"

"Oh, no." She muttered as he heard Zyon's voice on the phone. She lied about staying in the club. If Zyon finds out she went to meet Karl, he'll surely, without fail, strangle her to death.

"I have some news for you. Wanna hear it?"

The line went silent. And Zyon's voice was dark as he said, "Where the f**k are you?" 

Napapikit siya nang mariin. Too late. Zyon already realized what's going on. 

"Eastwood block. Come alone." Karl answered and gave her a smirk. 

"He's coming. And kung suswertihin siya, baka abutan ka pa niya ng buo." Karl smirk na mas lalong ikinainis niya.

 But more importantly, Zyon is coming.

I am so dead.

* * *