Facing Crossroads

IX - Background Check

                                                                   Shane

The moment I saw a black sedan parked in front of our house, my feet automatically trailed, paranoia creeping up my neck. Before I could reach my bike, a guy from the driver’s seat got out and headed toward me.

“Ms. Javier,” he greeted, a polite smile on his lips. “Señor Detalla wants to see you. We’ll take you to school.” He gestured his hand to the heavy tinted sedan.

I looked back on our house, wondering if my mom could see us, contemplating what to do. But knowing them, they wouldn’t take no for an answer. With great hesitation, I followed him inside the car.

Freddie Detalla was my father’s bestfriend, a chubby tall man with mustache. We called him ‘Uncle Freddie’, even though there weren’t any blood relation. I guessed that was his nickname. He usually wore a gold necklace, a cross-shaped pendant hung from it. When people describe a gangster or o mob boss, they thought they all looked a dashing gentleman with six-pack-abs and intense stare. In reality though, they have bulky bottom, scarred face and unpleasant.

“Shane, jiha!” he blurted out, voice cheerful. He kissed both my cheeks as he waved his hand for the man to drive. “Why don’t we catch up?”

Like I have a choice.

“Yeah, sure,” was all I could say.

He let out a fat laugh, though I had no idea what was funny.

“So, tell me, how are you?” he asked the moment the car door locked us in. The air suddenly felt thin, as if I was being transported up in the sky.

“I can say I’m fine but we both know that is just me lying,” I answered, looking through the window.

I could feel him nodding. “See, that’s what I like about you. You never lie about your feelings. Smart girl.”

“What is this about?” I asked.

Freddie eyed me curiously. I wished I could say that I wasn’t nervous, but being in the same car as him made me shiver. Biting my tongue, I pretended that I wasn’t scared. That was all I could do anyway.

“Have you been hanging out with your old friends?”

“No.” I made my voice sound stronger. “Not anymore.”

He clapped his hand once, liking my answer. “Good. Because they are bad for you. Drugs are never good and you know that.”

I just nodded, the memory of what happened to Rocky and some of my friends rushed through my head, guilt twisting in my stomach.

“Now,” he continued, “Be careful in choosing your friends again, alright? You don’t need stupid jocky boyfriends or famous bitches.”

That grated on my nerve. Rocky and Sandra maybe not a good influence in my life but insulting them was different. “I get it, Uncle Freddie,” I snapped. “I already told you, we’re over. I’m not hanging out with them anymore.”

He motioned his hand for me to calm down, a smile playing on his lips. “Okay, okay,” he replied. “Your father wants me to take care of you. You’re like a daughter to me, anyway.”

“My dad knows I can take care of myself, Uncle Freddie. He raised me to be like that. If we’re talking about having adults around me, then I have my mother to fill the role. I appreciate your concern, though.”

The car arrived in Laroyo University and I hovered my hand to unlock the door.

“All I’m saying is,” Freddie continued, his eyes piercing mine. “Be careful of strangers. Your father trusted me to protect you. Be a good girl and don’t make it harder for me. Understood?”

Swallowing, I nodded my head and said nothing.

The moment I went out of the car, Theo’s face came to my mind, bugging me. I could tell Freddie meant something with his words, about carefully choosing my friends, and I figured he was referring to Theo.

Or was he?

****

Jellaine waved at me the moment she saw me in the hallway. I immediately unplugged my earphones and smiled at her. It was the first time I was glad to do such things again. Her radiance just knew how to break the wall I caged myself in.

“Hey, Shane,” she said, eyes pleading. “Can you make it later after school?”

“You’re in luck, I don’t have a class from 1pm onwards.”

She grinned and looked up, as if saying thanks to God. “We really need a hand.”

“Sure,” I answered right away.

Jellaine threw herself at me, giving me a brief hug. “You’re God-sent. See you later!” Then she waved her hand and half-run across the hall, clutching books on her thin arms.

I was starting to feel comfortable with her and I began to ask myself why I just met her now. Maybe my life would be a lot different had I met her in my freshman years. Maybe I would have less scary secrets and more trusted friends.

True to my words, I was the first one out after my class in Electives, making my way to the auditorium. I plugged in my earphones again and hit the volume up, drowning the whispers. The first time the newspaper printed that my father was an alleged mob boss, my classmates threw me a look of disgust, as if getting near me would catch them disease.

That was when Rocky and Sandra approached me, making friends, being brave unlike the rest of them. We instantly hit it off, and though Sandra made me feel like I was an accessory to make the group looked superior because of who my father was, I turned a blind eye.

I needed them. I needed friends.

Or so I thought.

The backstage of the auditorium had scraps piling up at the corner, awaiting to be sorted and to be turned into something brilliant.

“Hey, J, can I ask you a question?” I asked, glancing at her.

I busied myself smothering a newspaper with glue, as she instructed.

“Yeah, of course.”

“What is Theo’s last name?”

Her brows furrowed briefly. “Uh… It’s Faustino.”

Faustino. I repeated it in my head but it didn’t ring a bell. I thought he was from the same type of family like me. I couldn’t get it out of my head, trying to put the pieces together. Rusco Real Estate would only allow a client if they were close to his family. To his organized crime group.

“How long have you known each other?” I made it sound like I wasn’t interested in his background. I just hope she would buy it.

Her eyes smiled again. “Since our first year. I met him here, in Drama Soc, and later found out that we’re both in engineering field.” Jellaine looked like she just pulled out that memory from a long time ago.

“But I thought you’re a COMMS major.”

“Yes, I am now. I transferred and shifted course the following school year, realizing early on that engineering isn’t the path for me to take.”

Engineering. “He must be brainy,” I remarked, hiding my smile.

She nodded her head, continuing to cover a piece of stick with the newspaper. “He actually is. Theo’s a consistent Dean’s Lister and a scholar. He’s really working hard to earn his ME degree. And we’re both happy to reach this far. Graduation’s just a couple of blocks away. Yay!” she said animatedly, waving the stick.

Maybe that was the reason why he looked so tired. “He looks not okay the past couple of days.”

She gasped, dropping her voice down. “You’ve noticed? He’s trying to save his relationship with Sandy. I believe you’ve met her already?”

I nodded. “I thought they’re doing okay.”

Jellaine scrunched up her nose, leaning closer to me. “They’ve been like that for months. I think her parents don’t like him. Plus, they’re attending different schools now. And girls here are never shy flirting with Theo.” She rolled her eyes, looking exasperated.

I remembered what Theo told me when we hid in his minivan. “I think Sandy’s not the jealous type.”

“Oh, she’s not. And that’s weird. I mean, a little jealousy is needed to spice things up, right? With Sandy, nothing warrants her jealousy. I remember one time, during his birthday last year, a girl approached him and gave him a signature watch and homemade cake.”

That made me smile in amusement. “Wow.”

“He didn’t accept the watch, of course,” Jellaine replied. “But to realize that someone can do such effort while your girl’s busy practicing cheer dancing? I’d pick the other one without second thoughts.”

“He stayed with Sandy, though.”

She nodded and then shrugged her shoulder. “Theo’s a loyal guy. Maybe that’s why girls are attracted to him.”

I wanted so much to ask if she was attracted to him.

“I’m one of those girls, if you’re wondering,” Jellaine said, a smile playing in her lips, answering my hidden thoughts. “But that’s when we were freshies. We clicked as friends. So, he’s like a brother to me now.”

Now I concluded, Theo wasn’t a flirt like most guys.

I don’t think it was his fault for girls to be attracted to him.

He was intelligent, after all.

My doubt about him vanished. Maybe Rusco started selling lots to common people, even to those who didn’t have connection to his gang. Maybe I was just being myself, overthinking things again.

I suddenly felt ashamed. Theo was genuine and transparent.

So were Jellaine and the others.

I don’t think I deserve their sunshine.