Chapter 19 | Illegal

Three days passed at walang natanggap na pansin mula sa akin si Lukan.

My father's men were too tight and strict to even let me see Lukan from afar... and I hated it. I felt like I was being caged by my father. If I were any younger, I would not complain about it... but I wasn't a kid anymore to dictate everything I needed to do.

Lukan wasn't even a threat, he was so good to me... at kung masama nga siya sa una pa lamang, alam ko na sa aking sarili ang iiwasan.

Lukan didn't deserve to be judged.

I tried to take a chance to talk to Lukan yet my father's men won't really let me slip away. My father really wanted me to Eros.

Hindi naman sa ayaw ko kay Eros. We were both fine... but I hated that my father decided this for me. I could talk to Eros whenever I wanted, dad didn't need to force me. Iba ang pakiramdam kapag pilit mong ginawa ang isang bagay. You'd start to hate it and the people involved in it too.

I didn't have the chance to explain what happened to Lukan. There was a time when I saw him with his friends yet they were far from me. He was looking cluelessly at me. I couldn't help but to feel sad about it.

"You look like shit," sabi sa akin ni Trojan habang kumukopya kami ng notes.

I didn't comment.

"Nag-iba ka ng gym, right?" he asked.

I just gave him a nod.

"Hmm... let me guess, pinagbawalan ka ni tito makipag-usap kay Lukan, ano?"

"Hula ba yan, Trojan?" I said sarcastically.

He chuckled.

"That's why you look affected. Na-fall ka na kay Fortelleza, ano?"he teased.

I gave him one sharp look. His teases wouldn't make me feel better.

"Are you serious? I am just sad and irrated for not talking to him these days. I also feel shy dahil sa opinyon sa kanya ni papa," I said in a lazy tone.

"Why are you sad and irritated?" Trojan asked.

"Sad because I can't communicate with him and make my father's opinion change. Alam mo bang gustong gusto kong sumagot but my conscience won't let me?" I shared.

"I'm irritated because of my father's sudden change of opinion. He even decided for me like I was some kind of brainless piece of..." I didn't continue.

"Shit," si Trojan ang nagtuloy.

"Yes, he based everything on Lukan's life and used it against me... as if I'd change my mind because of it," I ranted.

Trojan nodded slowly.

"I see... I think tito Niko only did this to protect you," Trojan said.

"Naiintindihan ko naman kung pinoprotekhan ako ni papa but really, against Lukan? He was harmless and good to me," I pointed out.

"Sa 'yo lang kasi 'yon mabait. Balita ko nga, binubugbog niya 'yong mga students na inaasar ka kaya lagi siyang Guidance VIP mula noon," Trojan said.

What?

"Are you serious?" I asked.

Buong atensyon ko na ang nakatuon sa pinsan.

"E 'di pumunta ka sa guidance at ikaw na mismo ang magtanong kung ano ang kaso ni Lukan do'n," he suggested.

"Whatever. I want to talk to him, Trojan," I whispered.

"You know you can't. May mga nakabantay sa 'yo. Tito is over protective. Siguro, ayaw niya lamang na magaya ka kay Serin na maraming ex at araw-araw may boyfriend," he said.

"No, hindi 'yon gano'n. I think, na-turn off si papa kay Lukan dahil sa mga nalaman niyang negative tungkol sa kanya," I said.

"Maaari... pinipilit ka ni tito kay Eros, 'di ba?" Trojan asked.

I nodded.

"Oh? 'Di ba't dapat masaya ka dahil finally napapansin ka na ni Eros?" he drawled.

"I'm..."

I couldn't continue my sentence.

"Oh?" he waited.

"I'm not into Eros anymore, matagal na... we're fine but I don't like him like before." I said slowly.

"Oh? Sigurado ka bang hindi ka pa nahulog kay Lukan niyan?" he teased.

"I just want to talk to him, Trojan," I said instead.

"Nakab-bwisit naman 'yang nangyayari sa 'yo. Masyadong madrama... oh siya, sige! Tutulungan kitang maka-usap ang ugok na 'yon," he said using a frustrated tone.

My eyes widened in shock and delight.

"Really? You'll help me?" I asked with excitement.

"Hell, yes, para matapos na 'yang drama mo," he said while writing.

"Thank you, Trojan!" I gave him a big warm hug.

When break time came, Trojan and I planned. I didn't see Eros waiting outside of our room. He was probably busy with the preparation for the district competition.

We were alone inside the room as we discussed ways on how to prevent getting caught. I never experienced doing secretive things so, I was nervous. Trojan confronted me to not overthink about it because at least we weren't doing a crime.

The plan we conducted was I'd talk to the head guard of my father's men. Sinabi ko rito na kasama ko si Trojan mamayang uwian upang maglibang sa mall. The head believed me and I immediately told Trojan about it.

I'd be inside of Trojan's tinted car, then he'd come with Lukan afterwards. May plano na si Trojan kung paano hindi mahuhuli si Lukan.

"Nakausap mo si Lukan?" tanong ko kay Trojan na na-late sa aming klase ng sampung minuto dahil galing siya sa building nina Lukan.

"Oo. Gago talaga 'yon. Ayaw pang maniwala noong una. Ang yabang, e. Pupuntahan ko ba siya kung hindi dahil sa 'yo? Ano siya? Crush ko? Tangina niya," gigil na bulong ni Trojan.

Kahit na puro mura ang kanyang sinabi ay natuwa ako. Mukha pa siyang napikon ay Lukan gayong konting minuto pa lamang niya naka-usap. Well, he was Mikael Trojan A. Zorron, the most impatient among us.

We didn't talk again after that because our teacher was strict.

"Hala, mamaya pala ako pupunta sa MAPEH department," I told Trojan when I remembered.

"Oh? Announcement ng napiling chess players?" he asked.

"Oo. Mabilis lang naman siguro 'yon. Hintayin n'yo na lang ako," sagot ko.

"Okay. Bilisan mo, ha. Ayaw kong kasama ang ugok na 'yon sa sasakyan ko ng matagal," he hissed.

"Oo na."

When dismissal came, I hurried myself toward the said department. I was alone and silent as I walked.

"Ma'am..." I bowed a bit.

"Wala pa iyong iba, Thera... but since you are already here, sasabihin ko na sa iyo. Mukhang nagmamadali ka?" she noticed.

"Opo. Pupunta po kasi kami ni Trojan sa mall, hinahabol po namin ang mall hours," I said.

"Okay, ito na," kinuha niya ang isang yellow paper.

"I chose you and Iris Samonte. Magkakaroon kayo ng battle at kung sino ang mananalo ay siya ang representative ng school sa district at kung nagkataon pati sa division," she announced.

I was shocked. Hindi ko talaga inakalang mapipili ako. I mean, ang tagal ko nang hindi naglaro ng chess and I may not remember playing it after all these years.

"O-Okay po, ma'am! Salamat po! Kailan po kami maglalaban?" I asked.

"This Friday na lang, Thera. Kaya ba?" she asked me.

"Yes po!" I agreed.

"Then we're good. Pwede ka ng umalis. Mag-ingat kayo ni Trojan," she said.

I immediately went out and half ran the distance from the department to the gate. I saw Trojan's car so, I walked toward it. Indeed, it was well tinted.

I knocked. Maya-maya pa ay binuksan na ang pintuan ng middle seat. There, I saw Lukan. Mabilis akong sumakay at nagsara ng pinto.

"Buti naman at hindi ka nagpatagal," Trojan stated.

"Oo na, okay na nga," sabi ko at umirap sa hangin.

"Naka-earphones ako habang nagd-drive para sa privacy ninyo," he hissed.

"You're allowed to drive?" I asked.

"I make my decisions, Mia..." he answered.

"Okay, just don't get us killed," I said.

Inandar na niya ang kotse.

Saka ko lamang napansin si Lukan na naka-upo sa dulong bahagi ng upuan. He was silent. I bravely sat near him. He shifted his position when he noticed my sudden movement.

"Care to explain?" he asked.

I breathed.

"I will. Ganito kasi 'yon..." I stated.

"Na-turn off sa 'yo si papa kasi may nalaman siyang tungkol sa 'yo—"

"Ano?" he cut.

Nakapokus siya sa akin at mukhang nagtitimpi na siya sa kung ano.

"Na hindi raw sa 'yo 'yong gym. Naninirahan ka raw kasama ng mga kaibigan mo. Mayabang ka raw dahil hindi ka tumatanaw ng utang na loob sa iyong ama dahil sa mansyon ninyong ibinalik," I enumerated.

"T-Tapos, masama raw ugali mo—"

"Iyon lang ba?" he asked.

I nodded. Hindi ko na yata kayang magsalita pa. He looked dark and he wasn't even smiling. I didn't get why he was acting this way but maybe... he knew that Eros was the one behind this.

"Inutusan ka ng papa mong layuan ako dahil do'n?" he asked, sarcasm was evident.

I, again, nodded.

"And he picked Eros, the one who backstabbed me, over me because of those reasons," he concluded.

"I'm so—"

"Hindi mo kasalanan iyon, Mia," iritado niyang wika, "and if you want to obey your father, then I'd understand."

I didn't speak.

"Do you want to distance yourself from me?" he asked.

"No! Because honestly, you didn't do anything wrong..." I answered.

"But your father is really strict. I tried talking to you many times but your men would only block and threaten me. Hindi sa natakot ako ngunit ayaw ko ng palakihin ang gulo," he explained.

"Thank my friends for keeping me calm," he added.

Honestly speaking, I wanted to disobey my father for the first time. I wanted to defy against his decision because it didn't feel right. He wasn't the one affected, ako naman. If he wouldn't let me do the things I wanted, then I'd do them behind his back.

This was my plan and Lukan didn't force me to do it.

"I-I want to still communicate with you..." I said after minutes of silence.

"So, you're saying you'll disobey your father?" he asked, confused.

"Y-Yes," I answered.

"Why?" he asked again as if he couldn't process what I said.

"I just... don't want to let you go," I whispered.

He sighed.

"Ayaw ko rin naman pero... Mia, lalabag ka, tayo... hindi ako natatakot at handa akong panindigan ito ngunit ayaw kong magbago ka dahil lamang dito. I don't want you to risk this much just because of me," he said.

"Madadaan pa natin sa tamang usapan si tito Niko... you don't have to do this," he added.

"Pero kailan? Kailan pa natin siya kauusapin?" I asked impatiently.

We both didn't speak after my statement and silence ruled the atmosphere.

"Mia, I don't just like you and this... is too early for the both us. Please don't forget who you are because of me," he whispered.

Was my plan really bad?

"So, ayaw mo?" I asked him.

"Kaya mo ba?" he asked back.

We stared at each other.

Why was liking you illegal, Lukan?