Under the Mafia Boss's Protection

C7

"Nope, I don't find you rude at all. It's just that everyone pisses you off, and I know you're good to people whom you treasure the most. You are not rude Katriel, your attitude depends on the people you meet. And I understand that a lot." Did he just call me by my second name?

"Katriel?" Pag-uulit ko sa tinawag niya saakin. I looked at him, and I saw how startled he is.

"Uhm, sorry, I didn't mean to call you by your second name. You can just erase that to your mindㅡ"

"Nah, it's okay." Sabi ko at agad nag-iwas ng tingin. Katriel...he is the first one to call me that. And I think hindi naman masama pakinggan.

"Really?" Hindi makapaniwala niyang tanong.

I nodded.

"Yup, we're friends after all."

I spend the whole night talking to Jizan, and I admit it. Masaya siya kausap, and I regret being rude to him nung una namin usap. I already apologize to him, at sabi niya ayos lang daw dahil parang bad mood rin daw ako nung araw na yun.

Nung pauwi na kami ay si Jizan na ang nagmaneho dahil pagod daw si Riguel sa kaka-swimming. Lahat sila ay tulog na sa backseat habang ako ay gising na gising at nakatitig lang sa labas ng sasakyan. Ang sabi ko kay Jizan ay sa mansion na ako ihatid dahil panigurado tapos na, ang event.

It's already 2am at alam kong papapagalitan ako ni Mommy. But it's okay, atleast hindi ako na-bored the whole night. Nagsisisi tuloy ako kung bakit hindi ko sinama si Avie, she might have fun as well.

"Hey, Evie. You can sleep if you want to, medyo malayo pa tayo." Back at Evie huh? Akala ko ay tatawagin niya parin akong Katriel.

"No, it's fine. I can manage, hindi naman ako inaantok eh." I said, I looked at him for a while at nakita kong pagod sa mukha niya.

I feel sorry, I'm still underage at hindi pa ako marunong mag drive. Dad is strict at sabi niya after debut pa daw ako pwede magkaroon ng sariling sasakyan. Which is really disappointing dahil bago lang dumaan ang birthday ko, at matagal pa akong magd-debut.

"You sure? You look tired." Sabi niya, hindi ako makapaniwala sa sinabi niya.

"Seriously, Jizan? Eh ikaw pa nga ang mas mukhang pagod satin, you should be the one resting." Sabi ko at binalik ang tingin sa labas ng sasakyan.

"Why? Would you let me rest?" biglaang tanong niya, I chuckled a bit.

"Of course, why not?"

Napansin ko ang pagbagal ng takbo ng sasakyan kaya muli akong napatingin sakanya. He glanced at his wrist watch and then at me.

"Ayos lang ba sayo mga 3am makauwi?" Nagtaka ako sa tanong niya.

3am? Tutal papagalitan rin naman ako pag-uwi lulubusin ko nalang to.

"Yeah, why not? Even 5 am, it's okay." I said.

Jizan smiled at me at nagulat ako ng bigla niyang inihinto ang sasakyan sa tabi ng daan. Napatingin ako sakanya at tinaasan siya ng kilay.

"What the f**k are you doing?" I asked.

"I am going to rest." Sabi niya. Oh, okay.

He rested his head at the side of the car at ipinikit ang mga mata niya. Maybe I should sleep too? This would be so boring if ako lang ang gising at lahat sila ay tulog. Plus, mukhang matatagalan pa ang gising nila dahil pagod talaga sila sa pags-swimming kanina.

Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa side ng sasakyan. Ipipikit ko na sana ang mga mata ko nang nagsalita ulit si Jizan.

"Let's transfer to the back, baka sumakit ang leeg mo sa posisyon na ganyan." He pointed out.

Yeah right, medyo nakakangalay nga if ganitong posisyon matulog. Lumabas siya mula sa sasakyan at ganun rin ako, agad namang sumalubong saakin ang napakalamig na simoy ng hangin kaya agad akong napayakap sa sarili ko.

Riguel's car is an USV, kaya may malaking space ito sa likod for storage. Nagpunta kami ni Jizan roon at nakita kong inilatag niya ang makapal na comforter at ang mga throw pillows na ginamit kanina sa gazebo.

We climb up at the back of the car at agad napahiga. Napangiti ako sa sarap ng pakiramdam ko, I stared at the sky at kitang-kita ko ang mga bituin. Woah.

Jizan hand me another comforter to cover my body at agad ko naman iyong tinanggap at pinulupot sa katawan ko dahil sa lamig.

Jizan lay beside me and hugged his throw pillow. He tugged himself under the comforter and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, Evie."

"Hmm." I hummed and closed my eyes.

* * *

Nagising nalang ako dahil sa sinag ng araw na tumama sa mukha ko. I immediately looked beside me at napagtanto kong wala na si Jizan sa tabi ko, the car is also moving too. Sumilip ako sa window na naka-konekta sa loob and I saw Jizan driving, while the others are still asleep.

Humiga ako pabalik and I received a continuous notifications on my phone, agad akong kinabahan at napatingin sa screen ng cellphone ko.

34 Missed Calls from Dad. and 2 Missed Calls from Mom. 63 Missed Calls from Avie, and several messages.

From: Dad

Evie, where are you?

From: Dad

Your mom is already mad, go home already.

From: Avie

Where are u????? Dad is in panic mode, he's already planning to raid this city.

From: Mom

You have a lot of explaining to do, Eveanna.

I glanced at the clock at nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng makitang alas syete na ng umaga. Napatagal ata yung tulog ko!

Oh f**k, I'm screwed.