CHAPTER 9: QUESTION X SECRETS

SOLEMN

I WAS currently thingking of what's happening nang biglang may nagsalita sa likuran ko. It's her, yung babae. Mataman itong nakatingin saakin na parang may nagawa akung kasalanan.

"Anong sabi?" Nakapamewang ani nung babae.

I was shocked. Totally.

Who would not be kung may bigla-bigla nalang sumusulpot sa likuran mo, without any warning. No sounds or anything, wala talaga. She's like a trained assassin.

Well, just kidding talagang para lang talaga siyang multo na bigla bigla nalang sumusulpot ng walang babala.

"Huh? Uh? Umm?" I blurted, still recovering from what happened.

"Ha? Ha? Ha? Hakkdog?" Pamimilosopo niya.

Kinunutan ko ito ng noo. Making her also do that to me.

Then I answered.

"No, Someone called-," I was stopped.

"Oo alam kung may tumawag, ang tinatanong ko kung 'anong sabi?, hindi kung may tumatawag ba. Ayusin mo nga ko Ejie. Myyghad nang-gogoodtime kaba? Ha? Ha?" Her, philosophizing me again.

"Okay, can you just please listen first."

She nooded, habang nakapamewang.

"So the thing is, someone called-," I was stopped again.

She rolled her eyes.

"Alam kona nga kasi! Paulit-ulit ha? Ayusin mo nga. Ang tinatanong ko kasi kung 'anong sinabi?' My ghadd, sumasakit ulo ko sayo!" Giit pa niya.

She rolled her eyes again, sabay ayos nang kanyang buhok.

Geez, this girl is really getting in my nerves. Does she really have to be like this? She's annoying, really. Ganito ba talaga siya? Does she really need to Philosophize me, everytime I talk?

I take back what I said last time.

I, I don't really like her attitude. It's so annoying. Geez.

She's the only one I know na boyish pero babae parin makaasta. OA to be precise.

Not being a racist though. I'm not saying all the girls are like that.

Siguro ganon lang talaga siya manamit, medyo pang lalaki.

But her attitude is still the same, like those other girls that I know. You can't really judge someone without getting to know them first.

Diko alam kung may tao bang nakakatagal sa kanya. I wonder kaano-ano kaya siya ng taong totong nagmamay-ari ng katawan kung nasan ako ngayon? I want to ask him, if she could last with this girl? If she could endure this girl's attitude?

I heaved a sigh. Hinarap ko siya.

"Hey, can you just please let me finish first? You're asking me something that's why i'm trying to answer you. But I can't answer you if you keep stopping me from talking. Can you just... just please listen?" Nakakunot noo kung pahayag.

She nodded, showing that she gives up. Hope she listen now.

"Also can you please stop philosophizing me? And talk to me seriously?" I continued.

She just shrugged. But good thing she listened.

"Fine!" usal niya.

"Good. Okay then, what happened is, the one calling me is 'Dexter' telling me that, someone's angry at me."

I need to act. Kailangan kung umarte na ako yung taong ito at kilala ko siya.... sila. Kahit hindi.

Her eyes widened after hearing what I said. She's funny alright? Even though sometimes nakakainis siya.

"Huh!? Sino?"

"The Doctor?" Sagot ko while putting the phone back at my pocket.

"Huh! Talaga?" Gulat na gulat niyang saad.

"Yes." I plainly said.

"Patay ka, Elijah Cohen III!"

Nagtataka ko itong tinignan.

"Why?" I asked her, confused of why she's acting like that.

"Why? Why ka dyan? Bakit kalmado kalang? Ha? Jusko Ejie, ano bang ginawa mo kasi? Patay ka talaga!" She frustratingly said, habang kinakamot ang buhok niya na para bang malaking problema ito.

Naguguluhan nako. What's really happening?

"What's happening? Can you please just go straight to the point!?"

"Ano kaba! Parang dimo kilala yung tatay mo kung magalit. Bro, naman mapapatay ka talaga non!"

Huh, that doctor who she is referring is my father? I mean the father of the person who owns this body.

That's really a surprising confession.

"Hala! Dalian mo dyan, puntahan na natin yon! Bahala kana talaga sa buhay mo!" She said habang nagpapanic na hinawakan yung hulsa niya.

Lumiwanag yung mukha niya ng mahanap ito. A car key, I guess.

"Dali na!" She said sabay hatak sakin.

Hindi nako umalma. I just let her pull me and take me wherever she was about to go.

Binitawan niya ako ng makalabas kami ng bahay at ni lock ito, nanginginig pa yung kamay niya kaya hindi niya mapasok pasok yung kandado sa pasukan nito.

"Let me do it."

Kinuha ko yung kandado sa kanya at ako na ang naglagay nito sa pasukan. After that sinarado ko narin yung pintuan na kailangan ng passcode.

Dalawa yung pintuan ng bahay na ito, kandado at code. I think para mas safe guro.

Hinatak niya ako ulit at pinasakay sa passenger seat sa sasakyan na kulay pula.

"Let me drive." I offered since kita ko parin na hindi ito kalamado at nanginginig ang kamay. Bala madisgrasya kami.

She agreed.

"Buti panga, baka hindi tayo umabot doon."

Bumaba siya at pagkababa niya ay pumunta nako sa pwesto niya kanina.

Not until I realized that hindi ko alam yung pupuntahan namin. Geez.

I only think of one sulution. I need a phone map.

"Saan nga tayo pupunta?" I asked her.

"Anong saan? Ang weird mo talaga nagyon. Pinagtratrabahuhan mo tas hindi mo alam. Ejie naman? Wala tayong oras para sa ganyan."

"Just answer me!"

"Ok fine, gusto mo talagang sabayan kita? Ha? Sa Montello Hospital. Oh? Happy?" Nakairap mata niyang sagot.

I fished the phone in my pocket and opened the app Waywaze. I searched for the location and found out na malapit lang ito. I placed it on the phone holder na nakalagay sa may aircon ng sasakyan. Then I started the engine. I drove while listening to waywaze as my guide.

Nakita kung gulong-gulong nakatingin saakin ngayon yung babae.

"Alam mo, ang weird mo talaga ngayon. May sakit kaba? Ha? Kaninang umaga kapa? Nagtataka na talaga ako sa mga kinikilos mo?" Mahihimigan ang pagtataka sa kanyang boses. I dont know what she's thingking right now, but I know nagdududa siya.

I didn't bother to answer her. If only she knows.

Napabuntong hininga lang ito atsyaka pinabayaan nalang ako.

"By the way, bakit ba napaka kalamado mo lang, ha? Eh? Alam ko na alam mo kung pano magalit yung tatay mo? He's creepy, sobra!" Hysterical na ani nito.

'I don't know.' The thing I want to answer to her.

I just didn't mind her. I don't want to answer any of her questions baka mabuking pako. As of now I can't really just trust anyone, that easily. Because of what happened today kailangan kung mag-ingat knowing that i'm not in my own body at nasa ibang dimension ako.

"Duh bahala ka na nga sa buhay mo. Dipa bako nasanay sayo? Ang tinguriang Mr. Cold nynyenye."

Sumasakit na ulo ko sa kakadada niya.

"Tumahimik kanalang." I plainly said.

"Shshsshhsh, Babaero na cold!" She spoke while rolling her eyes.

Medyo childish rin pala tong babaeng to.

I didn't bother to answer her. Nakita ko nalang siyang napabuntong hininga at tumagilid. She's currently looking at the window.

If only I could just tell her that i'm not Ejie. The Ejie that she knows.

***

Another update! Sakit ng ulo ko, aysysysysujsjficjejfjff.

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