“What?”
“You don’t deserve this.” I looked him directly in the eyes.
For a moment, he didn’t respond. I thought he didn’t hear me. A second later, he suddenly
inched near me. My heart jumped to my throat. He was so close! What was he doing?
“I volunteered, right?” his face was so close to mine that our noses were an inch apart. “And
besides, it’s not your fault that I want to help you. It’s not your fault that I… I like you.”
I thought I saw him come even closer, but…
The door swung open, giving both of us a start. We stared at the open doorway and saw Zed
and his movie star looks.
“Don’t get all smoochy here lovebirds,” he crossed the room to get to us. “Carley told me to
keep an eye on you, and so here I am. Glad you’re awake, Drei. Keep him company.”
I glared at Zed to the best of my ability. But I think what came out was just a stare.
“Al this time…” Anthony started.
“Oh yes. Al this time, we weren’t the persons you thought we were.”
“But---“
“Why?” Zed continued for him nonchalantly. “Wel ,” he perched on the bed, “I don’t know. One
morning, we just woke up and there we were. In the middle of all the excitement the group has
to offer.”
I could not believe what I was hearing. How could he be so casual about this whole thing? The
syndicate wasn’t just something to be described as ‘exciting!’
My head turned to Anthony and I wasn’t at all surprised to see him clenching his jaw. “I don’t
think Dad would find this exciting at all.”
“Oh is that a threat, Anthony?”
I suddenly felt hopeless. So Anthony didn’t have the slightest clue about his indirect
membership in the syndicate. He wasn’t even aware that his uncle was a member. That he was
killed because he saw my Dad being slaughtered by the good-for-nothing people. I suddenly felt
sick.
“Depends on how you take it,” he was glaring hard now and I could tell he was getting furious.
“Anthony,” I whispered. “Calm down.”
“She’s right, Anthony. Calm down.”
Anthony rolled his eyes at him.
“So what do you want now, Zed?” I chal enged him, taking the task from Anthony since I know
all the threats he would make would be empty.
He shrugged noncommittally.
It was my time to roll my eyes at him. The longer he stayed in this room, the more I realize that
he’s just another pretty face. That Carley was doing all the thinking.
Then, as if on cue, Carley entered the room.
“Why, welcome back Drei!” she chirped happily, as if we were stil in their mansion.
I raised an eyebrow at her.
“I guess that’s a thank you,” she smiled, “Now. We’re a complete attendance today; so I would
like to make an announcement.”
I heard Anthony sigh. An irritated one.
“Someone wants to meet you tonight. So look your best and put your best manners on. That
would be all. Come on Zed. We don’t want to take much of their time. Our guests must be cozy.”
She reached for her husband’s arm and led him toward the door. Within seconds, they were
behind it and we could hear the locks they were securing.
“We should get out of here before that happens,” Anthony whispered.
I nodded. I glanced at the walls and saw that there wasn’t a sign of a window at all.
I looked at Anthony and from his expression, I could tell we were having the same thoughts.
Chewing on my lower lip as I was wracking my brain for a way for us to get out of here, I
suddenly remembered what he said a while ago. Did I hear him right? Did he really say he likes
me? Or maybe I just heard wrong. I can’t ask him either, since that would be way awkward.
We were both silent as we thought how to get out of there when suddenly there was a bang on
the door and it swung open.
“Hi guys! Didn’t expect to see you here!” Carl was beaming annoyingly.
If it was possible to roll one’s eyes in a more insulting manner, I’ve definitely done that to this guy.
“The temper, Drei. Keep it down,” he crossed over to where we were seated.
“What do you want?” Anthony demanded.
Just then I saw something slung on Carl’s belt that seemed to glitter in my eyes. A cutter. If only I could get him closer then I could make the cutter come off with a little brush. Only a hook was
keeping it in place.
“Nothing. Just wanted to check if Zed wasn’t lying when he said that you two were getting all
smoochy,” he narrowed his eyes at us.
I cleared my throat to ready myself with my unsettling plan. “Us? Smoochy? Why would we?”
In the corner of my eye, I saw Anthony’s head snap toward me. Don’t ask me now Anthony, just
stay put.
Carl blinked twice. “Did I hear you right, Drei?”
Swallowing the response that I first thought of, I smiled sweetly. “I said, we would never get
smoochy. We don’t have a reason to do so.”
And just like what I wanted him to do, he neared me and kneeled on one foot in front of me.
With a glint in his eyes, he looked directly into mine. “Real y.”
Keeping the sweet smile, I nodded.
“Wel , that’s pleasing to hear then,” he stirred, as if to get even nearer. I took the chance to
stretch my right leg and fold it vertically. All this time, my eyes never left his, just to keep with the façade. If only he’d get closer…
And he did. Yes!
“Hey!” Anthony protested on my side and I was praying he won’t shove Carl away. I darted him
a warning look and his eyes shot downward. From my field of vision, his eyes must’ve landed on
the cutter since they flashed understanding.
Carl’s head snapped toward Anthony and I took the chance to place a peck on his cheek and
use my knee to knock the cutter off his belt. It neatly landed on my other foot which was just by
Carl’s knee. It made a muffled sound but Carl was so distracted by what I
