#WIAE Chapter 14

I wanted to know what they were talking about, but they spoke nothing about that after. Like it was an unspoken rule. And I didn't have the guts to ask him about it. Everything about AdM was still a big puzzle to me. I was trying to survive everyday but still, it didn't feel like home. I was forced to watch for my back every single time, because if I didn't, I might just drop dead one day.

"Why are you here? I told you I'll come get you," Avo said upon seeing me outside the admin building.

Smiling to hide my guilt for listening to their conversation, I said, "Ah... maaga akong natapos. Okay na ba 'yung pinag-usapan niyo?"

He nodded.

"Yeah. I just notified them about what happened outside."

"Kailangan 'yun?"

"Yes. Because depending on the gravity of the situation, the security in this school needs to adjust."

Tss. Para namang hindi safe sa school na 'to. Ilang beses ng may nangyari sa akin, pero wala pa ring nahuhuli. May cctv sa bawat sulok, pero kahit side profile nung nagkulong sa akin, hindi nakita. How do I entrust my safety in this school if I had seen death a couple of times already?

"Hindi ba safe dito?" I asked.

"It is... Why? Did something happen?"

Agad akong umiling. It was paramount that Avo knows nothing about what happened lately. He needed to be out of it.

"Wala. I'm just asking. If the security in this place is already impeccable, why do they need to tighten? Dapat 24/7, safe ang mga tao dito," I stated. If something happened, especially to the Dieux, hell would break loose... Though inside, people were already killing one another. Naalala ko na naman bigla iyong ginawa ni Night 'dun sa mga babae.

Avo nodded.

"I understand. But there's no harm in doubling the safety. After all, we're paying shitload of money, so it's expected that they won't mess anything up."

Ah, yes. I was still adjusting to the fact that in a day, I spend around twenty thousand just to survive. Dinaig pa nito ang first world country sa sobrang taas ng cost of living.

"Do you have enemies?"

He looked at me like he wasn't expecting that kind of question from me. As far as he was concerned, I was a Deuxième. Hindi naman siguro kasing dami ng kaaway nun ang mga kaaway ng mga Dieux na kagaya niya. And I wouldn't know because I wasn't really hands on with the family business. My parents put me as far as they possibly could to get me out of the reach of those who wanted to harm me.

"Yes, I have. Tons, actually."

"But you're still... young. I mean, how can you possibly have so many enemies?"

"You'll be surprised," he replied. "Come on, let's eat. I'm famished."

And that was the cue that I should stop asking. Pumunta kami ni Avo sa resto na pinaka-kaunti iyong tao. I was tired of all the stares. Kasalanan ko rin naman, in a way. I was already getting tons of attention because of Avo, tapos ngayon dinagdagan ko pa dahil sa ginawa ko kay Ella. They must be thinking that I had a death wish of some sort dahil nagawa ko iyon kay Ella.

While eating, Avo was looking at me weirdly.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing. Why are you staring?"

Umiling siya.

"Avo..." I said. Tumingin siya sa akin. "Can I ask for a favor?"

"Yes," he answered, kahit hindi niya pa alam kung ano iyong hihilingin ko. Sometimes, I still couldn't believe that people were scared of him... Kasi sa akin, hindi naman siya nakaka-takot. If anything, he's gentle. It's like he's trying to always impress me. Which was weird because I was a rank lower than him sa pagkakaalam niya... So if he wanted me, he could definitely have me.

"How... how do you communicate with people outside?" I asked. Kasi hindi ko alam kung paano. Hindi ko rin alam kung paano lalabas dito. It was like I was trapped.

I immediately caught his interest.

"Why?"

I looked at him, debating if I should be honest with him. Pakiramdam ko naman kasi ay mapagkakatiwalaan ko siya... But still, sometimes, I remember people saying that I shouldn't trust anyone. And it's honestly making it harder for me to live in this school. How could I survive not trusting anyone? Hindi ba mababaliw ako dahil doon?

But on the other side, I still couldn't tell him. Malalaman niya ang name ng parents ko, iyong tungkol sa pamilya ko. Kapag nalaman niya ang plano ko, sigurado ako na mabubuko niya na ang pagkatao ko. And I shouldn't be hiding that from him, but I still didn't want to tell him yet. Saka na.

"Nothing," I said, instead. "I'm just interested."

I knew he didn't believe my excuse, but still, he told me that there's a secret passage in this school. It's only known by the members of the Dieux because in case of emergency, may choice sila na panic room o kaya naman ay tumakas palabas.

"It's a bit unfair. Paano kami? Iyong iba? We'll be left behind to die?"

"You won't die. Of course, I'll take you with me."

"Tss. You're saying that to appease me again."

He grinned.

"Wife, in the game of chess, the pawns always have to die first."

Natigilan ako nung narinig ko iyong sinabi niya. Why did they keep on comparing our lives to the game of chess? Ano ba ang nangyayari? And if we're playing... who's the enemy? Siya ba ang may gustong magpapatay sa akin?

"Because if the King dies, it's game over."

My heart was beginning to thump wildly.

"But... what if the Queen dies?"

Avo looked at me. Maybe that stare was the reason why people were so terrified of him. His stares were lethal.

"She can't. She's the center of the game."

And I wanted to ask who the Queen was... but I was scared of the answer. Because in the game of chess, one wrong move, and it's over. And I was scared to do anything wrong. It was the game of the gods. It wasn't nearly as hypothetical as I was hoping it would be. Actual lives were at stake. Whoever the Queen was, she's got huge responsibility on her shoulder.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ni Avo, hinatid niya na ako sa dorm. Nakita namin si Cathy, but she avoided us. Baka nahihiya pa rin siya. Hindi ko naman kasi alam kung bakit sobrang big deal sa kanila ng mga Dieux. They're humans, like us.

"Tomorrow, we'll practice shooting again."

I nodded.

"Moving targets?"

He nodded.

"Are you excited?"

I nodded, eagerly.

"And next time, we'll work on your self-defense."

"But I totally defended myself from Ella!" I argued.

"I know. But she was able to slap you. I don't want that to happen again."

I held my cheeks. Bigla kong naramdaman iyong sampal ni Ella.

"Ah... oo nga," I said. It felt like my cheek would bruise tomorrow. "But I'm fine. Wala kang gagawin kay Ella... okay?"

He stared at me, not saying anything, so I held his hand.

"I'm fine. This is nothing. I mean, it kinda hurts, but it'll get better... And I hate Ella so much, but I'm still trying to hold on to the fact that she's hurt. So let's still be lenient on her," I continued, holding his hand tighter.

Hindi sumagot si Avo. I didn't know if he listened to me, but I sincerely hope that he did... Because what would happen if he did something to Ella? She's also from a strong family. Baka magkagulo dito sa loob ng school kapag nangyari iyon.

Pagkatapos niyang umalis, I prepared to sleep, but I couldn't. I kept on tossing and turning. Gusto kong makipag-usap muna kay Cathy para makatulog ako pero wala naman siya... She's always out at night. So, I decided to go out for a walk. I grabbed my cardigan and brought my ID with me, in case na magutom ako.

I was walking outside, enjoying my cup of hot chocolate when I saw Lorenzo walking.

"Lore—"

Sinundan ko siya papasok sa isang gilid pero nagulat ako nung bigla siyang nawala.

"Lorenzo?" I kept on calling his name pero walang sumasagot. Imposible na bigla na lang siyang nawala kasi sigurado ako na nakita ko siya... Tatalikod na sana ako nung bigla kong naalala iyong sinabi ni Avo na secret passage.

"Holy shit," I murmured to myself.

I stayed there for minutes, trying to figure out how to open the passage. I tried knocking and pushing the wall, but nothing happened. I tried to rearrange the things I found, but still to no avail. Hindi ko alam kung paano bubuksan... and I was losing hope. Tatalikod na sana ako nung biglang may magsalita.

"Memento mori."

Napatingin ako sa likod at nakita si Night. May pinulot siyang parang stick sa baba at saka naglakad hanggang makarating sa pinaka-dulo.

"You have to write that phrase on this part of the wall," he said while writing. "And it will open."

And then there was the secret passage...

"I'm still not talking to you," I told him.

He shrugged. Tapos, tumalikod siya at iniwanan ako. He's freaking weird!

Pumasok ako sa loob. Hindi ako natakot dahil nandun naman si Lorenzo. I followed a path, the one on the center, because there were three. Naglakad lang ako nang naglakad tapos nagulat ako dahil may nakita akong cellphone. So, this must be how they call people! It's so unfair! Ang dami nilang perks!

I grabbed the phone. Walang lock. Walang laman na kahit na ano. But the phone seemed safe... so I dialed my My's secretary's number.

"Hello, Sandra?"

"Yes, who's this?"

"This is Belinda Estrella."

"Can I get the code?"

"949766," I said. It was the code for me. Hindi kasi sila basta-basta naniniwala sa mga tumatawag. The security inside my family was also ridiculously insane.

"Yes, Miss Belinda? Anything I can do for you?"

I closed my eyes and sighed.

"I need you..." I trailed off. And then I saw Laurie's face again. I saw her crying earlier. Gusto kong lumapit pero hindi ko magawa. I knew she didn't want people to pity her... So I wouldn't do that. "I need you to find Laurie Smith's Uncle. And when you find him, kill him. But make it look like an accident. And then make sure that all his properties will be under Laurie Smith."