Book Of Unknown

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Bellia’s Point Of View

I stared at a table for a few minutes, I could see the people around me talking while I myself seemed to hear nothing, but to see their mouths saying something.

What’s on my mind right now? I can’t think properly, something’s distracting me all over. I can’t barely breathe because of the nervousness I’m feeling right now, nervousness is eating me, and I feel that I’m unable to stop it.

“We confirmed that your friend was the suspect. Your friend is an evildoer, young boy.” It keeps echoing in my ears. I can’t hold back.

Bumalik ako sa aking sarili when someone startled me, it spammed the table that I’m staring at for a minute. “Our Director is here, young lady. Let your mouth state the truth. I ain’t saying this because I’m with you, you got what I am pointing at? Okay. You better fix yourself now.”

She smirked at me as she laid her hands on the table. “You obviously didn’t get what I’m pointing at, young lady,” she said and took a step away from my seat.

A man came and then sat in the chair in front of me with the table in between, he sighed when he saw my face. He even looked at the FBIs around me and then adjusted his necktie. “So, let me introduce myself first, student. I’m the Director, Marionilo Ballesteros, everyone used to call me Rio.”

I just stared at his hands in front of me, asking for a hand shake. “Do you think I would accept your hands? Do you think? Do you think Mr. Director that I have the courage right now? You are all wrong! I am not the suspect!”

He looked at his hand that was laid out in front of me and then he removed it there, he looked at the FBIs and then nodded at one of them. I heard the door open and then they stepped out of the office.

Sumara ang pintuan at saka niya ibinaling ang tingin sa akin ng ilang segundo, ipinatong niya ang kanyang dalawa niyang kamay sa lamesa at saka ito ipinagdikit habang nakatingin sa isang papel na nakalagay sa lamesa, “So, you’re Bellia Laurent from A-3 section? Your parents have business on other country— California? You’re now living in your school’s dorm— fourth floor at 104th room. Mm-hmm, also you have a closest friend named Gabriel Escobar. Some written in here wasn’t detailed,” aniya at saka muling tumingin sa akin.

Wala akong ibang ginawa kundi ang titigan siya sa kanyang mga mata, kinukuha ang atensyon niya gamit ang dalawa kong mata. I bet he would give up, he needs to stare me on my both eyes.

He blinked and then he suddenly placed his two elbows on the table. “So, are you going to defend yourself on this, student? I’ll let you do that, though.”

I glared at him, “Who wouldn’t? I am not guilty. Bakit ang dali sa inyo na kumuha ng suspect? Bakit hindi ninyo muna obserbahan ang lahat? Did your tails already interviewed those people that I’m with last night, when the crime was happened? They didn’t, did they?” I adduced.

Sumindak siya ng hinga at saka muling umayos sa kanyang pagkakaupo. “Actually, I ordered ‘em to do that, perhaps. I would like to ask where were you when the crime happened?”

“What exact time did the crime happen, Mr. Director?”

“9:06 o’clock.”

The time is familiar. 9:06 o’clock was the time when that student left the gloves behind, what’s the thing on that exact time? And then, 'yong mga saksak ni Mang Sinlac, 9 and 6.

“My partner said to me that you accidentally collided with a student carrying laboratory materials yesterday morning, that’s why you have a bandage on your hand, is it? O baka naman it didn’t really happen yesterday morning, probably, the victim tried to defend himself from you, who attacked him. You go behind him and then you wrap your two legs around his waist, you also place your arm around his neck and then you stab his head six times.,” he murmured and gave me his bitter smile. “Honesty is the best method, student.”

Napakapit ako sa aking inuupuan dahil sa kanyang pagdidikta sa akin, “How many times do I have to tell you that I was with my friend in front of my dorm last night when the crime was happened, can’t you get it? You gotta order your tails to check our CCTV cameras as soon as possible.” I accused and then held the edge of his table.

Huminga ako ng malalim at saka nagsimula muling magsalita. “Has anyone ever told you about who left gloves on the oval earlier? Did they figure it out? They didn’t, right? Because I'm the suspect you dictated, why don't you observe everything first? Yes, my blood was there, but I have no idea why my blood was there on those gloves. What are you? Aren’t you their leader? You’re an FBI agent before, just like them. Seek for justice, do not be deceived by rumors.”

He bit his thumb as he looked into my eyes. “I thought of it, they didn’t figure out the CCTV cameras. I’ll order them right ahead, for you, student.”

Huminga akong muli ngunit maluwag sa aking kalooban. Posibleng hindi lumalabas sa kanyang isang tainga ang mga salitang lumabas sa aking bibig, that is more better than forcing me to lie in front of him, telling that I am the suspect, and I am an evildoer, but I am not.

Tumayo siya at saka niya inayos ang kanyang necktie, sunod naman ang kanyang butones sa magkabilang pulso, “Ako na ang titingin at oobserba sa mga CCTV cameras. I just can’t leave you here alone, you’ll come with me, but you will just stay inside my car, don’t be a rock-headed, all right?” aniya at saka kinuha ang kanyang susi.

Sumunod naman ako sa kanya pababa at sa paglabas ng station. Ipinagbuksan niya ako ng pintuan ng kanyang sasakyan at saka naman ako pumasok, sumunod siya sa driver’s seat. Umandar ito, tahimik lang kami sa loob habang nagmamaneho siya.

Oh, god, why did this happen? I can stand on my own, but this one, I could deny that I am not nervous, but honestly, it’s freaking me out now!

“You are stating the truth, eh?”

Lumingon ako sa kanya habang pinaglalaruan ko ang mga daliri ko sa aking palda, “I must. Stating the truths is a must, Mr. Director.” I said to him as I turned my look on the window.

“Prove us wrong, Bellia.”

I couldn’t help but turn to her because of the four words that came out of his mouth. Four letters, which is why I got courage, lost the nerve that had been in my body from before.

Dumaretso ang kanyang sasakyan sa nakabukas na gate ng aming campus, tumigil ito malapit sa mga sasakyan ng mga FBI at saka niya inalis ang kanyang seatbelt, “You seem innocent by just looking in your eyes, Bellia, you gotta stop lying on me as I figured the all out, okay?” aniya at saka lumabas ng kotse.

Isang beses lang ako nagsinungaling, I swear that it won’t happen again, I won’t let Gabriel get disappoint on me again, never again.

Inilibot ko ang paningin ko sa loob ng sasakyan, maraming papel na nasa backseat, mayroong cup of coffee sa pagitan ng inuupuan ko at saka sa driver’s seat. Mayroon din litrato na nakasabit, tiningnan ko ‘yon at nakitang batang lalaki at isang babaeng maganda, his wife and son? What a beautiful family he has.

Nang inilibot kong muli ang paningin ko sa bintana sa aking tabi ay nakita ko si Gabriel doon na nakadikit ang dalawang edge ng kanyang dalawang kamay sa bintana na nakasara. Kanina pa yata ito kumakatok ngunit hindi ko naririnig.

Inilibot ko ang paningin ko upang hanapin ang pagbukas ng bintana rito ngunit wala akong makita. Kinapaan ko na rin ang gilid doon ngunit wala akong makapa maski ano.

Itinuro ko ang bintana at saka ipinakita ko sa kanya ang kamay ko. “Wala.”

Kumunot noo siya at saka kumuha ng papel, sumulat siya roon at idinikit sa bintana ang kanyang sinulat. “How are you? Did they hurt you?”

Napangiti ako ng patago sa nabasa at saka kumuha ng papel sa backseat at ballpen. Sumulat din ako roon at saka idinikit sa bintana. “Don’t worry about me, they didn’t hurt me anyway, there was some query that the Director asked me.”

Kumurap siya at saka muling sumulat sa papel, tatlong segundo lamang ay mabilis niyang idinikit ang papel sa bintana. “It wasn’t you, right?”

Tinitigan ko ang kanyang sinulat. Sumulyap ako sa kanya na nakatingin ngayon sa akin, umiling ako.

Ngumiti siya at saka muling sumulat sa papel. “Can you show me your smile? I am so worried about you, Belle.”

Lumakas ang kabog ng aking dibdib sa nabasa, “Why you’re always doing this kind of strange feeling to me?” bulalas ko sa loob ng sasakyan. Alam kong hindi niya ako maririnig ngunit ang mahalaga ay naitanong ko sa kanya ang ganoong tanong.

Kumunot noo siya at saka umarteng hindi niya ako naintindihan. “What?” Basa ko sa kanyang bibig.

I pouted as I gave him a smile of mine. I can feel my tears wanting to drop, and I couldn’t help it. It dropped, he saw it, he saw me crying, why did I let him see me crying?

The smile that he was wearing when he saw me smile changed into confusion, worried, and heartbreaking. Please, don’t get affected because I just let my tears drop, Gabriel.

Inilapat niya ang dalawa niyang palad sa bintana at saka inilapit ang kanyang mukha roon, halata siyang nag-aalala sa akin. Nagsulat siya sa papel at saka idinikit sa bintana. “I am with you, Belle. Stop crying, don’t be sad, I am here, Gabriel is always right here on your side, okay? Everything will be alright.”

I wiped my tears and nodded, “Thank you,” I uttered to him sincerely and he understood what I said so he nodded too.