M I L L E R

I was just going to think that the campus prince is crazy and a pervert who kisses anyone out of nowhere regardless of gender. But when I saw his glowing red eyes, I already knew that to think simply that way is idiocy.

He has red eyes. They are glowing. And there is also a blood stain on his lips. Nakita ko rin ang unti-unting pagbabalik ng kulay ng balat niya. The then pale white skin started to get warm with red pinkish hue, at nasaksihan ko rin ang dahan-dahan na pag-angat ng kanyang mahabang buhok at ang tila pop rice nitong biglaang pag-kulot.

It is as if he is transforming in front of me.

With all these scary, magical, skeptical, and crazy things that are happening to me right now, with Axel's red eyes and bloodthirst. I can tell what he is. It doesn't take a genius to know about the creature he is. Sadyang ang hirap nga lang paniwalaan na nag-eexist sila.

"Good thing your blood suits my taste," sabi niya habang dinidilaan ang dugo na napahid sa kamay niya mula sa kanyang labi.

Hindi ako makapagsalita. Nadagdagan pa ata ang mga katanungan ko para sa kanya.

"Are you a vampire?" That sure comes first in the line. Kaso bago pa man ako makapagsalita ay nauna na si Axel na ibuka ang bibig niya.

"Thank you for letting me drink your blood. Don't worry your tongue will be healed in no time..." he paused then stared at me for a second before he smiled then added, "I might ask you the details how I ended up in your place, but I am currently full with my duties so I will have to leave." Ipinatong ni Axel ang kamay niya sa balikat ko.

Isa lamang iyong mahinang tapik. I was sure it was just it. But then as soon as he took his hand off my shoulder, he disappeared in front of me, then... my vision started to get blurry and my head was so heavy enough to make me faint on my bed.

* * *

I woke up at the usual time for school. I know something beyond weird happened earlier in midnight but I don't have time to clear my thoughts and stop functioning. I can't just stay in my house and think about it constantly without earning money.

Naalala ko na may kumagat sa akin. Sa dila ko. But when I went to take a bath and check it in the mirror, wala naman akong napansin na sugat, at wala rin ako nararamdaman na hapdi mula rito.

"Guess it was all a dream." I thought so.

Pagkatapos ng nangyaring ha—ha... halikan namin ni Axel Wesley ay wala na akong maalala. Nagising na lang ako sa kama ko na mahimbing ang tulog. Although I remember why I have a basin of water beside my bed, I can't quite remember how I spent the entire midnight with Axel. Alam kong may importante akong detalye na nakalimutan. Just like why he has to bite my tongue? Or how he left without giving me his gratitude? He could have at least left a bill on my bedside table. At baka hindi lang talaga siya marunong humalik kaya nakagat niya ang dila ko.

"Good morning. Sorry for my late attendance, the faculty held a sudden meeting for the upcoming colleague event namin," tumatawang pahayag ni Sir sa amin. "Okay, where were we last meeting?"

The topic is about gender and society. Everyone is actively engaging with the class. Sa dami pa naman ng mga miyembro ng minority sa klase namin, marami rin talagang maririnig na opinyon sa klase.

"That's why we have to be aware of other people. We are made of different hues and it is everyone's right to express themselves as gender rights is also human rights..."

"Agree. Agree ako diyan, sir," pagsang-ayon ng katabi kong lalaki sa professor namin. Lumingon ako sa kanya only to see him playing games on his phone. Tinatakpan ng nakatayo niyang libro ang kamay at cellphone niya kaya hindi ito gaanong pansin. And we are in the middle of the row, the perfect place to be not too close to get caught, and not too far to be suspicious.

Lumingon din siya sa akin nang mapansin niya ako. He did not feel threatened when I did not look away at nagsalubong ang mga mata namin. Nagpatuloy lang siya sa nilalaro niya at ngumisi ng kaunti bago bumalik sa ginagawa niya.

"...that's all for today. Thank you so much for the interactive discussion. Thank you for participating, as expected, this class never disappoints. See you all next meeting," paalam ng professor namin. After saying those words, he just went out straight to the door and left.

Nagsilabasan na rin naman ang mga kaklase ko. I also did the same, and is ready to run for my part time job when a very familiar face caught my attention – it's Axel Wesley.

Nakatayo lang siya sa harap ng classroom namin at napapalibutan ng iba pang estudyante.

"Kuya Axel! Saan ang punta mo?"

"Dito ba ang sunod mong lecture, Axel?"

"Are you free for later?"

"Let's have lunch together, Axel!"

Iilan lamang ito sa mga naririnig ko na ingay sa paligid niya.

Paglabas ko ng pinto ay hindi ako huminto. I just walked past everyone. Despite the thick crowd caused by him, I managed to come out of the doorway.

Why am I even being cautious of him if it was him who burdened me last night? Sino ba ang nawalan ng gig kagabi dahil sa taong bigla-bigla na lang nahuhulog sa kung saan?

I was just thinking of the inconvenience he brought upon me when I heard someone calling my name.

"De Leon!" Napahinto ako sa paglalakad at saka luminga-linga sa paligid. "Over here, De Leon," sambit ulit ng boses. I looked behind me and found Axel Wesley standing in the middle of the crowd looking at me. Nahawi ang mga tao sa paligid niya para makadaan siya.

Woah, man. He is like Noah, maliban na lang na kumpulan ng tao ang nahahati niya at hindi dagat.

Itinuro ko ang sarili ko nang makita na nasa akin ang atensyon ng lahat.

"What?"

"I did tell you that I w—"

"Ah! Teka," bulalas ko nang tumunog ang alarm ng relo ko, "I don't have much time left," ito ang walang pagdadalawang-isip kong sagot. "If you need some helping hand you can ask anyone from your fan's club," I suggested then quickly stride away from everyone.

The alarm is to remind me that I only have 10 minutes left before my duty in the convenience store starts. Kailangan ko pa naman na pagbutihin ang performance ko today dahil may pabor na naman akong hihingin sa manager namin.

"Woah! On time ka na naman, pre!" bati sa akin ng kasama ko sa trabaho.

We did a high five before changing our clothes and doing our job. Nag-aayos na ako ng pagkain sa frozen food area namin nang maalala ko ulit si Axel and how much attention I got only by him calling my name.

Now that I am thinking about that guy, why do I have the feeling that his hair does not suit him at all? There must be something wrong with my eyes. I think I saw him wearing a longer hair style. Kung kailan man 'yun ay hindi ko na matandaan.

"Magandang araw, sir!"
The chimes above the door jingled as my co-worker greeted the person who just entered the store.

"Ikaw pa lang ba ang nandito?" tanong ng pumasok. Boses pa lang ay alam ko na agad kung sino ito.

"Ah, andyan na po si Mil—"

"Good day, Sir Randolf!" mabilis kong pagtayo para batiin siya.

"Oh, Miller. Of course, lagi ka naman talagang maaga," sabi niya at saka pumasok na sa loob ng staff room.

Si Sir Randolf ang manager namin. He is in his late 30's. He is not just the manager of this franchised convenience store, siya rin ang may-ari. Sa pagkakaalam ko ay may lima na siyang branch nito sa buong siyudad and this is the only one he is managing by himself since malapit lang din ito sa bahay niya. And soon, he will hand this place to our regular employee. Hindi rin naman kasi pwede na dito lang siya lagi sa store niya.

Unlike the other convenience store manager, si Sir Randolf na ata ang pinakamabait na nakilala ko. Siya lang ang kilala kong manager na hahayaan kang kumuha ng advance payment in two consecutive times. And speaking of advance payment, mukhang hindi na ako makakahingi pa ng isa ngayon.

"Pre," sambit ko sa kasama kong nagbabantay ng cashier ngayon, "pwede bang makisuyo?"

"Ayos lang, pre. Basta kaya ko."

I may not be close to the people in my university but I at least have friends in my workplace.

"May extra ka ba diyan? Hihiram lang sana ako."

Ang kaninang nakataas na mga kilay ng katrabaho ko ay biglaang nagsibaba, ganun din ang labi niya na kumurba pababa. I already know the answer.

"Naku, pasensya na pre. Kakabayad ko lang sa tuition ko noong isang araw." Nagkamot siya ng kanyang ulo, "hindi ba't kakakuha mo lang sa advance payment mo noong nakaraang linggo?"

"Oo, eh. Kaso nawalan ako ng gig kagabi something came up kaya ngayon gipit na naman ako sa budget."

Napayuko ang katrabaho ko sabay himas sa likod ko. Like me he is also a working student, except that he has his parents to lean on. Mas pinili nga lang niya talaga na magtrabaho para gumaan naman ang pasanin nila.

Hindi man ako sinuwerte kaninang umaga, I still tried to look for my luck in the night. Wala akong natanggap na text sa mga regulars ko and it's in the middle of the year. Looks like many of my regulars are busy. Hindi na nakapagtataka dahil hindi naman sila basta-bastang mga babae. Most of them are professionals.

"Miller, may request sa'yo sa table seven," sabi sa akin ni Dan pagkatapos kong magbihis.

Buti na nga lang at malakas pa rin ako sa mga kustomer ng club.

Tutuloy na sana ako sa table area nang may naalala akong itanong kay Dan.

"Ah, oo nga pala. Tumawag ba dito si Diane?"

"Hm? 'Yung Diane na regular mo? 'Yung kasama mo kahapon." Tumango ako. "Hindi naman. Bakit?"

"Ah. Ganun ba?" I disappointedly responded.

"Bakit? May problema ba sa off-site duty mo kahapon?"

Umiling-iling ako at sumagot ng, "Wala naman. I'm just wondering how she's doing after yesterday."

"Hm? Bakit hindi mo na lang siya itext?" Dan suggested.

The truth is, as long as possible I do not want to text her. But I guess I do not have the choice. Besides, pwede ko na rin ipalabas na concern ako sa kanya. It's better to risk than to lose an opportunity to earn another income for this week's quota.

"Diane?" sabi ko sa unang thread ng text na sinend ko sa kanya.

"How are you? Are you not going to visit me and continue what was interrupted last time?" ... and sent. I finally asked her out. This is my chance to survive the whole week without getting beaten by the loan sharks.

10 minutes later, nang nasa lamesa na ako ng kustomer ay nag-reply na sa akin si Diane.

"I'm sorry Miller but I am busy today and the following weeks. I won't be able to visit you. Besides, I am still shocked by what happened last night." Ito ang laman ng una niyang text na sinundan naman ng, "Maybe it was a sign for me to take a break from the red light district. I'll be back soon though. See you then." And that concludes my budget for the week. Well, at least I didn't lose a regular.

The whole night wala ng iba na nasa isip ko kung hindi ang kumita ng extra para kahit papaano ay may pang-dagdag ako sa pambayad ko. This might also mean that I have to cut the budget for my meals.
Pero may ilang araw pa naman.

"Thanks for today, guys," bati sa amin ni Sir Franco, ang manager ng club namin.

Tapos na ang duty namin ngayong gabi. Gustuhin ko man na mag-overtime pero sobra-sobra na ang oras na nasa log ko. Hindi lang naman ako ang trabahante sa club na ito.

"Haa~ ang lamig," Dan uttered as he hugged himself.

Right. Kalahating-gabi na at malamig na ang simoy ng hangin sa labas.

"Minsan na lang tayo kung umuwi ng sabay, Miller ano?"

"Ah. Oo. Ngayon ka lang ata nagka-shift ulit na ganitong oras ang uwi."

"May exams na kasi next month. Kailangan kong mag-aral kaya nakiusap ako kay boss na hanggang alas dose na muna ako." Dan's work usually ends by 3 am. Hindi ko alam kung anong oras ang pasok niya, but for him to request an early out, his class must be by 7 am or later.

"Good luck," I told him.

Malapit na rin pala ang exam season ng university namin. Kailangan ko na rin maghanda.

"Wow! Ang mamahalin ng mga sasakyan nila!" Dan exclaimed out of nowhere.

Kaagad ko naman tiningnan ang sasakyan na tinutukoy niya. "Anong lugar 'to, Miller? Bakit parang mayayaman lahat ang mga nandito?"

Oh. This place. This is the pub Diane and I went to yesterday.

"Pub house. Mamahalin ang mga drinks diyan kaya mayayaman din ang mga suki."

"Ang cool! Tingnan mo 'yung sasakyan kanina oh. Ferrari!" namamangha na sabi ni Dan. "Nakapasok ka na ba diyan?"

I took a deep breath then said, "Oo. Mga ilang beses na rin. Malapit lang kasi sa club natin."

"Ang cool! Magkano kaya ang kinikita nila, no? Ang mamahal pa naman ng mga alak ngayon..."

Nagpatuloy lang sa pagsasalita si Dan habang nasa daan kami. Tahimik lang akong nakikinig sa kanya nang masagi ng paningin ko ang eskinita na pinuntahan namin ni Diane kahapon.

Ugh. Ang sinumpang sulok ng red light district.

With my eyes, I scanned the pitched black alley. Baka kasi may naglalampungan doon ngayon. Gusto ko lang sana silang payuhan na huwag na itong ituloy at baka magaya lang sila sa akin.

While scanning the place from a far, I noticed the gap between the two buildings that made up the narrow alley. Malaki pala ang pagitan ng dalawa sa itaas, at parehong hanggang 10th floor ang mga building. Hindi ako madalas nakatingala kung dumadaan dito kaya nakakalimutan ko ang tayog nito. At ang mas kakaiba pa ay walang mga bintana o balkonahe ang dalawang building. Ang mayroon lang ay ang nagsisi-taasan na firewall.

Don't tell me Axel Wesley came from the peak of the building and fell straight on the ground?

"... hindi ba. Huh? Miller?"

Natapos ang pagmamasid ko nang tawagin ako ni Dan. Doon ko pa lang napansin na tumigil pala ako sa paglalakad at naiwan na niya sa daan.

"Anong tinitingnan mo?" aniya.

"Ah, w-wala," tanggi ko, "tara na."
Paano kaya nakaligtas si Axel Wesley?