Chapter fourteen: Let's drink

"We were worried sick," pagsisigaw ni Riley saamin.

"Paano kung may nangyari masama sa inyo?" Sabat ni Hendrix.

"Can you guy's just please shut up!" Sigaw ko. Kanina pa kasi sila sigaw ng digaw at sermon ng sermon saamin.

Ang lamig lamig kasi, lahat kami nasa buhanginan pa din malapit sa bahay.

At nandon ang maraming helicopter, kotse, at jet ski.

Buti kung naghanap talaga kayo edi sana hindi kami mawawala ng halos limang araw.

"Kita niyo naman na hindi namin inakalang mahuhuli kami diba?" Naiinis na sabi ni Hailey.

"Gago yung kotse ko." Sabi ni Calyx.

"Yeah, my bike is there too." Singhal ni Maeve.

"Nasa inyo ba ang susi?" Tanong ni Riley.

"Malamang, we just need to go back to that stupid alley and get my car and her big bike." Tinuro ni Calyx si Maeve.

"Magpahinga na kayo," sabi ni Hendrix at bahagyang lumapit saamin at inamoy kami. "And you six need to take a shower."

"Sa susunod na pagkikita namin ni Austin, papatayin na daw kami."

Tumingin saakin si Hendrix, "Pano ba kayo nakaalis doon sa isla?"

"We were down, akala nga namin kamatayan na ang bubungad saamin pero.."

"May tumulong saamin, naka sakay sila sa Helicopter at nagpausok sila doon para maging bulag yung mga tao ni Austin." Pagtutuloy ni Hailey sa sasabihin ko.

"Do you know that person?" Tanong ni Riley.

"Hindi namin na mukaan." Sabi ni Calyx.

"Pero we know na kakampi siya, kasi tumulong saamin." Sabi ni Ryota.

"And how sure are you?" Sabat ni Hendrix.

Nanahimik kami, hindi kasi kami sigurado.

"See?" Hendrix chuckled sarcastically. "You guys aren't sure." Umiling siya.

"What if, this is a set up?" Biglang sabi ni Riley.

We looked at her, urged her to keep talking.

"What if kakampi din siya ni Austin at pinamukha sa inyong anim na kakampi yun. Pero in reality, papaikutin lang ang mga utak niyo." She snapped ger fingers.

"We were locked up in a cell when the six of us woke up. And the six of us overheard Austins conversation with a girl. Probably his partner or something." Cassian.

"Get to the point." Mataray na sabi ni Riley.

"Sabi nung babae na tawagan na yung babaeng makakatulong saamin." Cassian looked at Riley.

"Si Ravenna daw, tinawagan ni Austin si Ravenna. Kala niya siguro dadating siya pero bigo, she never came. Pero hindi naman kami umasa na dadating siya, she's too busy with her own life."

"The persons that helped you in that Island, they didn't smoked the area just so that Austin's people will not see anything. They did that to keep their identities." Napahawak si Riley sa ulo niya.

"And what? That there's a possibility that Ravenna was the person that killed everyone? She doesn't have enough money to make that kind of act." Cassian scoffed.

"He has a point." Sabat ni Ryota at Calyx.

"Bakit ang tahimik mo?" Tanong ko kay Hailey.

"W-wala. Nakikinig kasi ako." She answered and smiled. I can tell that it was fake.

I just nodded at her but not buying her excuse.

"Maghanda nalang kayo sa susunod na pagkikita niyo ni Austin. Amin na ang susi," inilahad ni Riley ang kamay niya kay Maeve at Calyx. "Ako na ang kukuha ng sasakyan at motor niyo."

Naglakad na paalis ang mga tauhan ni Hendrix. At sumunod nalang kami paakyat ng bahay.

Inamoy ko ang sarili ko at damn.

"I do need a shower." Bulong ko sa sarili ko.

I changed into basic sweat pants and a black shirt.

"Kaede! Bumaba ka na!" Sigaw ng boses ni Calyx.

Inaayos ko pa buhok ko nang may kumatok sa pinto.

Pumasok sa loob si Ryota.

"Susunod nalang ako." Sabi ko at ngumiti.

Bigla siyang lumapit saakin at niyakap ako sa likod.

"You're so beautiful, I'm glad your parents didn't use protection." He teased while circling my waist with his fingers.

I suddenly had this weird feeling creeping inside my body.

Am I wet? No! Kakaligo ko lang, and I will not be tempted as I promised.

Bigla nalang akong hinalikan ni Ryota sa leeg.

"I will not have proper consent when you're wasted later. Should we do it tonight love?" He said in a seductive tone.

I hit him in the chest. "No, we will celebrate Maeve's achievement with her badge remember?"

He sighed and kissed me again on the neck before leaving the room.

Sumunod na ako, we are planning to drink tonight.

"Shot! Shot! Shot!" Sigaw nilang lahat.

I was dared to do body shot with Ryota.

I took the shot and lick the salt from Ryota's chest to his neck.

"So, kapag how was yoyr first fight?" Tanong ni Hailey kay Maeve.

Maeve took a shot before answering.

"Honestly ang hirap, nagpanic nga ako nung may sumapak kay Kaede eh. But I managed to survive that."

"Saan ka ba natuto lumaban? Maliban sa training na ginawa mo kasama si sungit Cassian." Tanong ni Ryota.

"I trained myself, diba my father used to hit me. Sa umaga may duty ako sa coffee shop. Mga 6 am to 2 pm. Tapos sa gabi I work at a bar." We looked at her with judging eyes, bar?

"As a waitress." She corrected. "4pm to 10pm shift ko doon. Tapos paguwi ko sa bahay ibibigay ko lahat ng pera na kinita ko kay papa. Tapos pag di sapat susuntukin ako o di kaya sasampalin. Wala akong magagawa doon, pero pag tulog na silang dalawa I would sneak out with my.." natigilan siya sa sasabihin niya nang may maalala.

"With your?" Tanong ni Hailey, lahat pala kami nakatutok sa kanya.

Maeve took 3 consecutive shots. Ng walang chaser or pulutan.

Malalas talaga to sa inuman, hirap sabayan.

"With my ex." Ah kaya. "He trained me how to fight, how to defend myself, how to use a gun properly."

I took a shot.

"Hindi ka nagaaral?" Tanong ko.

"Hanggang second year highschool lang ako. Sa first and second year ko sa bar coffee shop lang ako nagtratrabaho sa hapon. Pero sobrang kulang kami sa pera kaya tumigil ako sa pagaaral. Kaya pagtungtong ko ng 16 years old, I took two jobs. Pero di ko din kinaya kasi wala akong sapat na tulog, and I will just collapse from time to time."

"By that time Ravenna was trending on instagram. 'Most edgy girl' I think. So I did some digging, and found out that you guys are a team and a part of Hendrix corporation. Plano ko na sanang umalis para hanapin kayo, pero naawa ako sa parents ko."

"Kaya nagtyaga ako ng a year and a half of doing two jobs. Not until I found out Ravenna left you guys. Since chismosa ako I packed my bags at iniwan ko lahat ng pera ko kay papa at umalis na. Kinuha ko din yung baril na binigay saakin ng ex ko."

"Nagpanggap lang ako na sinusundan noong nakita niyo ko sa doorstep niyo. Kasi gusto ko kayo makita and join you guys."

We stayed silent after her long explanation.

"At least you're not that suffering here." Sabi ko.

"I promise you, kapag na close na natin ang mission natin kay Austin. You will earn a lot of money, enough for you and your family."