Chapter 94 - Isn’t that the same thing?
1476 Words
Chapter 94 - Isn’t that the same thing?
“Are you ready to leave, professor?” I asked as Eric locked the door to his workstation.
“Okay... ba’t ka nga ba nagpa-install ng lock sa kuwarto ko? Malilimutin pa naman ako, baka kung saan ko maiwan `tong susi!”
”I’ll hold on to it then.”
I took the key from him and placed it on my keyring, together with the rest of the keys from home.
“Mas mabuti pa nga, nasa `yo na naman lahat, `di nga `ko makakapasok sa bahay kung wala ka, eh,” he chuckled.
We made our way to the basement parking and got into the car where he reached out to me and gave me a kiss.
“Kanina pa ko nanggigigil sayo, mahal! Lagot ka sa `kin mamaya pag-uwi natin!”
”The feeling is mutual,” I smiled at him, ”where would you like to go afterwards?”
“Gusto ko mag-balut!”
I think he heard me groan, because he suddenly laughed and placed an arm on my shoulder.
“`Wag ka’ng mag-alala, `di kita pakakainin, bili lang tayo sa kanto kung saan, tapos, punta tayo sa paborito ko’ng bulaluhan sa Boni!”
“Okay, professor, I’m in the mood to eat some overload lomi as well,” I said as I started the car. “So, where will we be meeting Josh?”
Eric turned to face me, his brows raised.
“Ha? `Di ba, ikaw ang kausap n’ya?”
”Yes, but I do not know what school he attends to.”
“Teka...” he thought for a while, “Sabi ni Louie, galing s’yang St. David’s accadamy na nagbebenta ng mga omega sa mayayamang alphas...”
“Huh?” I looked at the professor, wide-eyed.
“Isang paaralan `yun para sa mga omega. Pinapalaki nila ang mga mga bata para maging perfect omega bride candidates,” explained the professor. ”Pinapasok sila doon ng mga magulang na nangangarap makabingwit ng mayayaman na alpha. Marami kasing alpha ang naghahanap ng paanakan na magiging sunud-sunuran lang sa kanila.”
“I cannot believe there is such a school!” I exclaimed, “Why would your government even allow such a place to operate? It sounds like a factory for mail order omega brides!”
“Well, nagtatago sila sa likod ng biblia, kumakapit sa pangaral na ang mga babae ay dapat nasa bahay lang at nagpapa-submit sa mga asawa nila,” Eric continued. “Palitan mo lang `yung babae ng omega, ang lalaki ng alpha, at ang `submit’ ng `samantala’!” he actually laughed. “Hindi rin naman nila mapigilan ang mga magulang na karamihan ay mga may kaya rin na ginagamit ang mga anak nilang omega as bargaining tools.”
“Is that so, professor?!” I couldn’t help but react, “Even the people in our country have learned to appreciate our women, especially omegas, particularly after `Darwin's Cleansing' decimated humanity’s population due to the corona virus. Yet your contry is using the great purge as an excuse to exploit omegas?!”
“Mahal, easy lang...” said Eric who gently touched my arm, “Maayos naman ang turo sa school na `yun, alam mo naman ako, exaggerated masyado mag-kwento!” he laughed nervously, “They just focus on the teaching that being a mother and serving your husband is the greatest achievement in life,” he explained, “hindi sila nang-be-brainwash, o nagbebenta ng mga omega, although hindi rin sila nagtuturo ng gender equality...”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” I asked, “But I understand what you mean. Is that the reason why Josh seems to be so naive?”
“Ayun na nga. At `wag ka nang mahiya, ignorante talaga s’ya.”
“So, we’re going to St. David’s academy?”
“Oo, pero tawagan mo na muna s’ya para siguraduhin kung saan tayo magkikita.”
“I’m driving, why don’t you call him instead?”
“Wala naman ako’ng number noon, eh.”
“Huh?” I slowed down and looked at the professor once more. “Didn’t he give you his contact information?”
“Hindi. `Di ba’t kayo ang nag-usap?”
The car is now at a complete stop at the side of the road.
“I thought he gave his number to you?”
“Hay, Habibi, `di ba’t sabi ko nga sa `yo, ayoko’ng makielam d’yan sa study mo? Ano naman ang dahilan para kunin ko ang number ni Josh? Wala naman ako’ng balak makipag textmate sa kan’ya?”
I gave a deep sigh and took my cellphone out.
”Let’s just ask Louie for his number.” I told him.
“Aba, at ba’t may number ka ng Louie na `yan?” Eric frowned at me.
“Of course, he’s your brother-in-law. He’s family.”
“Hmph. Basta tawagan mo lang si loko `pag may emergencies, ha?” he pouted at me.
I dialed Louie’s number. It rang, but there was no one picking it up, until a message informed us that it had been turned off.
“Loko’ng Louie `to, ayaw sagutin ang phone n’ya!” Eric grumbled.
“Perhaps he is still at work?”
“`Di bale na, matawagan na lang si Mercy.”
He took his phone out and called his niece instead.
“Hello? Mercy? May number ka ba ni Josh? Ime-meet dapat namin s’ya ngayon sa St. David’s, pero wala pala kaming contact number ni loko.”
‘Tito, matagal nang wala sa St. David’s si Josh!’ Mercy replied, `Lumipat na s’ya sa Erminguard International School sa Makati.’
“Ganoon ba? Sige, pahingi na lang ng number n’ya...”
”Naku, tito, wala pa po ako’ng bagong number n’ya, eh, kapapalit lang kase ni papa ng SIM ni Josh dahil may nang-haharas nanaman sa kan’ya, ibigay ko na lang sa `yo yung social media account n’ya para ma message n’yo sya.’
”O sige, sige, pa-send sa `kin ng details, at paki sabihan na rin na papunta na kaming school n’ya, text me as soon as he replies.”
‘Okay, tito, ingat po kayo.’
“So, we need to go to Makati?” I asked as soon as Eric put down the phone.
“Oo, sa Erminguard daw, kung saan man `yun?”
“I’m on it.”
I inputed the details on my phone and soon, we were on our way.
Erminguard International School is an exclusive private school located in the heart of Makati. It has a big campus that caters to students from well to do families and offers primary school education, up to senior high.
Security was quite tight inside the campus. We were told to leave our ID’s and were even asked to answer a short questionaire as to who and what we were doing in campus.
“Dadalawin ko lang ang pamangkin ko, si Joshua Safiro,” the Professor told the guard at the gates.
“Pamangkin? Kakilala kayo ni sir Joshua?” the guard asked, then leaned over connivingly. “Pinapunta ba kayo ni Ma’am Villa?”
“Uh... oo?” Eric answered back.
“Sige, tuloy na po kayo, nasa clubroom po s’ya sa mga oras na `to.”
“Sige, salamat.”
Eric grinned at the guard as we passed.
“Mukhang sikat dito si Blondie, ha? Kilalang-kilala s’ya ng guard.”
”Seems like it, but he diddn’t say where the clubrooms are.”
“Madali na `yun hanapin, magtanong na lang tayo sa paligid.”
We did find the clubrooms, with a little help from some students we passed, and my sensitive nose that was able to pin point Joshua’s exact location. I followed his scent to a row of small buildings and went straight to the third door. There we found Josh inside, together with several other students in what seems to be a sewing club.
“Joshua!” Eric called out to him as we stood by the doorway.
The students inside all turned to look our way. They seemed surprised.
”Tito Eric?!” Josh hurried towards us.
”Sorry we’re late, I encountered some difficulty searchig for your scent,” I told him.
“Loko ka, hindi mo man lang binigay sa `min ang contact number mo!” said Eric.
“Ha? Ay! Oo nga pala, ano?!” Josh laughed embarassedly. “Buti po nahanap n’yo ko?”
“Ano, nasaan na ang mga kaibigan mo?” Eric asked him.
Josh looked nervously outside and started talking in a loud voice.
”Aveera, Rome, ito sina kuya Eric at kuya Abdel, mga kaibigan kong models, para sa event natin next week, sa... um...”
”Ah, para ba sa fashion show natin next week!” said one of the students, “Halika, tuloy po kayo.”
- Writer
