My Suspicious Boss

Chapter 05

"We're gang leaders."

Those three simple words had shattered my perception of reality, leaving me grappling with a whirlwind of disbelief and confusion. I couldn’t quite process it; the revelation was like a bolt of lightning splitting through the clouds of my understanding.

It all seemed to make a twisted sort of sense now, in hindsight. Kung si Aiden lang, gets ko talaga. Agad agad. He's a pure demon masked as a dumb freshman... But, Kuya Kian too?! The mental image of him—so meticulously organized, so meticulously detached from anything remotely nefarious—suddenly clashed violently with the reality of his position. Hindi ko kayang lunukin 'yon nang mabilis.

Our family has known him for so long, being my older brother's best friend. Both our families are in the law and politics field, I would have never guessed this.

Pero, gaya nga ng sabi niya. Hindi dahil iyon ang nakikita mong image ng isang tao, ay iyon na ang tunay na siya. It reflected well on my situation as well. Being Aiden's right hand man, just how long has he known about my alternate personality?

Mukha namang hindi alam ng kuya ko, so that's a worry off my mind.

Pero, ano ba 'tong pinasok ko?!

They aren't just college bullies or bad boy dorks! This is real danger! Now that I had agreed to work with them as Aiden's minion, the reality of my decision was beginning to sink in with a weight that was hard to ignore.

"Calm your thoughts, Athena," Kuya Kian breaks the silence. "Hindi ka madadamay sa kahit na anong delikado. I promise you," dagdag niya pa.

My brows merge together. How can they be so sure? And how can I be assured?! They're basically like mafias, at this point!

"Your brother will kill me anyway, if something happens on my watch," aniya na ikinahinga ko nang malalim. Okay, that makes sense. My kuya has this extremely frightening aura, and I guess, even being a best friend of him can make you feel intimidated.

"You should go first. He usually takes a long time dealing with his woman," tumayo siya at lumapit sa pinto. Napapikit ako nang ilang beses. "Sure ka, okay lang? Won't he like... kill me?" I inquired followed by his soft chuckle.

"No, he won't," pagtawa niya saka ako pinagbuksan ng pinto.

Lumabas ako nang patago at nagmamadaling tumakbo paakyat ng katabing hagdan patungo sa classroom ko. Iniwasan ko talaga ang gulo sa labas dahil paniguradong ninanamnam pa ni Aiden ang spotlight niya.

Ang aga aga pa lang, pero napakadami ko na agad nalaman na hindi ganoon kaganda. Una, pinagbibintangan akong panira sa relasyon ni Aiden at ni Lhianna! Ngayon naman, ang delikadong kursong ipinasok nina Aiden at Kian... at kasama na rin ako duon.

A lot of things were bothering my mind all at once. And here goes the ultimate one.

Gabrielle from the other part of the hallway walks towards me with a cunning gaze. "Grand entrance with the school's heartthrob? Seryoso, anong meron sa inyo?!" bungad niya sakin nang nakapamewang.

"Ako best friend mo! Why won't you tell me anything?" irita pang dagdag niya. All I could do was sigh. No matter how I badly want to tell Gab everything, I don't want her to find out the bad things they know about me. Gab has been my only genuine best friend throughout my existence, yet I can never bring out the courage to tell her anything. Nakakaguilty, pero takot naman akong iwan niya ako sa kung anong malalaman niya.

"I told you, Gab, we're just friends! Friends sila ni kuya Kian... you know! Kuya ni Kayzee, tropa ng kuya ko!" pagsisinungaling ko na puno ng utal. Yumakap siya sa kaliwang braso ko saka kami sabay na naglakad papunta sa classroom. "Tch. I know there's something you're hiding. Pero, bahala ka." Iyon ang huling sabi niya bago nanahimik.

Parang patagal nang patagal ay palalim nang palalim ang pagsisinungaling at mga kasalanan ko sa nag-iisang totoong kaibigan ko. Hindi ko 'to gusto, but I really do not have a choice!

We reached our room in where we separated ways as our seats were far from each other. Kahit na major subject ang lectures ko ngayon ay hindi ko magawang magfocus dahil sa dami ng iniisip. It's like I spent the entire day wishing everything I committed to was just a dream!

Sana hindi malaman ni Gab. Sana hindi malaman ni kuya.

The bell had rung earlier than usual, signaling the end of my classes for the day. I seized the opportunity to slip out of the classroom and head straight to my locker, eager to escape the buzzing curiosity of my classmates. Their relentless questions about Aiden and Kian were starting to wear on my nerves, each inquiry a reminder of how much had changed in my life and how little I could actually share.

When I finally reached my locker, my hand immediately fumbled when I saw a note taped on the cover. Nakakainis! Why can't they be more cautious?! Paano kung may nakakitang professor dito?!

It was a yellow pad paper with a note that said: "u can go home by yourself tonight. see u tmrw. - boss"

Napairap ako habang pinupunit iyon sa maliliit na piraso. Sana tinext niya na lang sa akin di ba?! Baliw talaga, hindi nag-iisip.

Pabagsak kong sinara ang locker door matapos magligpit ng mga papel at libro. I glanced around, half-expecting someone to confront me, but the hallways seemed to be clearing out as students headed to their next classes or gatherings.

I hope the word hasn't gone out yet. Sobrang mayayari ako kay Mommy pag may nalaman siyang nakikisama ako sa mga lalaki. She will not just cut my budget less, she'll stop giving me money!

My parents owned one of the most renowned law firms in the city, their reputation and success etched into the fabric of the legal and political landscape, closely partnered with Gabrielle’s family’s prestigious firm. Getting involved in scandals wouldn't just jeopardize their careers; it would sever my relationship with my family as well.

I made my way home, leaving Gabrielle behind for the second time. Kailangan kong magpakabuti sa mga mata ni Mommy bago pa magkagulo gulo ang lahat! As I walked home, the crisp air was a welcome distraction from the swirling thoughts in my head. It was a peaceful 15-minute journey, and for once, I was determined to make it without the crutch of cigarettes or any substances. I needed a clear mind, a clean slate, as I prepared to face my family. With each step, I hoped they hadn’t heard anything from the school about my involvement with Aiden and Kian. The last thing I wanted was for them to be already preoccupied with rumors or concerns. I was keenly aware of the delicate balance I had to maintain, and I needed to present myself as composed and innocent as possible, despite the turmoil beneath the surface.

Arriving home, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever awaited inside.

"Kuya? Mommy? Manang?" kunot-noo akong sumigaw pagpasok ng bahay na nakapatay lahat ang ilaw at para bang nilooban pa sa gulo ng ayos ng mga kagamitan.