JayJay POV
Backpack… Backpack… Backpack… Backpack…
I really feel like Dora, even though I'm in a taxi and not walking. I'm following the jeepney that Drew took. This is probably the dumbest idea that popped into my head. I just close my eyes as I watch the taxi meter climb higher and higher. The fare keeps increasing, thanks to the slow-moving traffic.
I hope the money I brought is enough; otherwise, I'll have to call Aries and ask for fare money. But he doesn't even know I went out. Though I did text him, saying he should go ahead because I had somewhere to go.
I just didn't check his reply.
I hope he doesn't snitch on me to Kuya Angelo. If he does, I'm doomed—he didn't even want to let me know about their plan.
I looked ahead when the jeepney stopped, and I saw Drew getting off. I watched him for a moment before instructing the driver to drop me off not too far away. Luckily, my fare didn't go up much more. As soon as I got off, I looked for my target.
He walked down a street, and I carefully followed him so he wouldn't notice me, hiding behind whatever I could whenever he looked around. I kept doing this until he entered a large, old gate. It led into a subdivision.
The houses were old, large, and had tall fences. Some didn't even have visible doors, as if they didn't want anyone to peek inside. The people living here must either be filthy rich or hiding something. Maybe Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy should live here too.
There was no guard at the gate. I tried walking in, but no one stopped me. However, when I followed the path Drew took, I couldn't see him anymore. He just vanished. I didn't even notice if he went through a gate or down an alley.
Oh no, what now? There's no one I can ask.
Looks like I'll have to check each house one by one and look for any clues about where Drew might live. I thought about calling Blaster since Ci said he had been to Drew's house before. But if I ask him, he might snitch on me to Keifer or the rest of his Ulupong friends, and then I'd be in deep trouble. Never mind, I don't want to risk ruining my plan.
I tried to remember where I last saw him. I stood in the same spot and looked around. I glanced left and right.
I decided to check out the smallest house in sight—even though they were all pretty big. I peeked through the narrow gaps in the gates, even jumped a little, hoping to see over them. But all I got was a rattled brain from bouncing too much.
What am I, a ball?
There was only one house left to check. Its small gate was slightly open, but I couldn't just walk in—what if the owner got mad? I could see a big house inside, but the door was shut, and the windows were blocked. I wanted to get closer and peek inside, but I changed my mind when I saw a girl walking around inside, carrying a chessboard.
I sighed and went back to where I was sitting earlier. No clues. No sign of Drew's house.
Should I just go home?
Feeling defeated, I sat down on the sidewalk by the gutter. Luckily, there weren't any people around to see me sulking. I was about to take out my phone to check my messages when I sensed someone beside me.
"Jay, fix how you're sitting. You're exposed," said the person next to me. I looked up at him.
The first thing I noticed was his red hair.
"I'm wearing cycling shorts," I answered before standing up and dusting off my skirt. "How did you know I was here?"
I couldn't help but be suspicious. I don't have a tracking app on my phone like before, so how did he know where I was? I also didn't tell anyone. I was sure no one had followed me earlier.
"Drew texted me. He knew you were following him," he said, showing me his phone. "Keifer wasn't answering, so I was the next person he messaged."
Oh, so Drew texted him. He actually caught me, huh? That's why he disappeared so suddenly.
I pouted. Now I feel guilty for suspecting him right away.
"Let's go home before your brother finds out you went after Drew," he said, reaching for my hand, but I quickly stepped away.
"I want to make sure Drew is okay first."
He tried to grab my hand again, but I moved further away. He looked irritated.
Are you getting stressed?
He sighed and massaged his temple. I was already giving him a headache. But I've always been like this, so what's new? He stared at me for a few seconds before speaking.
"Okay, but promise me we'll leave as soon as you see him," he said, and I nodded quickly.
He scanned the area before walking ahead. I followed him right away.
He turned down a street I had already passed earlier. He stopped in front of the gate where I saw the girl carrying the chessboard. Slowly, he stepped through the slightly open gate, looking left and right before gesturing for me to follow.
I did, and I finally got a closer look at the massive house I had seen earlier.
So, this is where Drew lives. He really was rich before. His house was like a mansion, just like the ones I see in soap operas, with stairs leading up to a huge front door. The windows were boarded up with plywood from the inside.
Yuri closed the gate behind us. He walked toward the side of the house, and I followed closely. We passed through what used to be a garden, now overgrown with vines and filled with dead and dried-up plants. Even a large tree wrapped in vines looked like it was about to die. The grass had grown tall, but Yuri pushed it aside to clear a path.
Beyond the garden, there was a pool—empty. A net covered it, filled with dried leaves and moss. Wooden planks and metal sheets were stacked around it like a makeshift fence.
I glanced at a small house in the corner. Clothes were hanging outside, including an HVIS school uniform.
"Does Drew live there?" I asked Yuri, and he nodded.
We both froze when we suddenly heard loud yelling from inside the house. I felt nervous, and it seemed Yuri did too.
We ran toward the house. The door was open, so we immediately saw what was happening.
"Ma! Please eat!" Drew shouted, trying to block the hits and scratches from a woman.
She must be his mother. He did call her "Ma." But then again, "Ma" could stand for Ma-nang, Ma-buhay, Ma-kakain, or Ma-der Pader. But no, it's more likely he meant his Mama.
Unless he didn't, and I'm just making things up. His mother kept screaming while repeatedly hitting him. Drew held the chessboard tightly, refusing to let go.
"Play! Give it back to me!" his mother cried, starting to sob.
Drew faced her and shouted right in her face, "Eat first! I won't give this back to you!"
His mother's crying grew louder. I could see the pain and struggle on Drew's face, but he seemed helpless. He froze when he noticed Yuri and me standing at their door. He looked embarrassed and quickly turned away.
So, this is his life. And this is the reality of his mother's condition.
He stood up and entered the open door of the room. His mother immediately followed him inside. A few seconds later, he came back out, closing the door behind him. He was no longer holding the chessboard. He looked at us before straightening himself up. He dusted off his clothes and combed his hair using his fingers.
"D-Do you need something?"
I couldn't answer. I was still stunned by what I had just witnessed. I had an idea about the condition of the woman he was with earlier, but I didn't want to ask or bring it up. Yuri tapped me to get my attention, but I had no response for her.
"A-Ano…"
Yuri glanced back and forth between me and Drew. "Jay-Jay wants to check on you," he said.
It was true. I also wanted to check on Drew—that's why I followed him. I also wanted to talk to him properly. I knew I was being nosy again, but he was my friend, and I was one of the people he had wronged. I had every right to talk to him.
I also needed to collect what he owed… and his debt.
"So that's why you followed me?" Drew asked, and I nodded.
He looked at Yuri. "I texted you to pick her up and take her home, not to bring her here." He shook his head.
"You know her. She's more stubborn than a rock," Yuri replied, and I glared at him.
"You've seen me now. I'm fine. You can go home."
I was about to protest when the door Drew had closed earlier suddenly opened. A girl, who looked younger than us, stepped out and looked at us. She seemed like she had just woken up and was very pale.
I'd bet five cents she was sick.
"Kuya, did you feed Mama?" the girl asked.
I'd bet another peso—she was his sister.
She noticed us and paused before smiling and pointing at us. "You're Jay-Jay, and you're Yuri."
I nodded and gave her a small smile. She looked a bit shy but also excited.
"I've heard about you from Kuya, and I've seen you on Facebook," she explained.
Drew immediately approached her and pushed her back into the room.
"Go rest! You're still sick!"
"Marianne? That's your name, right?" Yuri asked as Drew's sister tried to push her way out again.
She didn't look sick at all with how hard she was pushing against her brother. Despite being younger and smaller than Drew, she was surprisingly strong. With one big shove, she made him lose his grip on her.
Drew almost fell but quickly steadied himself. She was strong enough to throw him.
Smiling, she fixed her hair as she stepped closer. "That's me! Do you know me?"
"We heard your name from Drew, but we've never seen a picture of you," Yuri replied.
Marianne's expression darkened as she glared at her brother. "You never introduced me to them? Not even in a picture?"
"Why would I? You're ugly as hell!" Drew retorted angrily.
A strong kick sent him crashing to the ground. I knew it—she really could throw him. Yuri and I both jumped back in shock. I wasn't sure if I should help him or stay put in case I became the next target.
I figured Drew could handle this. Some battles, he needed to fight on his own.
"Ow! My back!" he groaned as he slowly sat up.
"Are you really sick? Or are you just making excuses to skip school?"
"If I wasn't sick, your ribs would already be broken!"
And his ribs weren't broken yet? He had been thrown like a rag doll just now. Good thing he hit the wall first before landing on the floor. If he had crashed into their wooden sofa, he might have actually broken something.
Marianne turned to us with a smile. "Sorry for the mess. Come in."
Yuri and I exchanged glances, unsure whether to enter or just leave. Drew said he was fine, which was all I really wanted to know. Now that I had confirmed it, maybe it was time to go. Or not.
Yuri stepped inside first, and I followed. Their house was small but neat and tidy. The kitchen, living room, and bathroom were all close to each other. There were two bedrooms, but I could only see one being used.
Yuri and I sat on their wooden sofa. Some of their furniture looked old, but it was still functional.
"Have you eaten?" Marianne asked, catching my attention.
I wanted to say no since I had rushed here to follow her brother. But it felt awkward. I only came to check on him and talk—I had no intention of eating.
Before we could answer, she turned to Drew. "Kuya, cook for them."
Drew scowled, and we quickly stopped them.
"You don't have to. We're not hungry," Yuri said.
"Same here. We're just here to talk to your brother," I added.
She didn't want to let it go at first, but I showed her I was serious. Marianne eventually nodded and turned to her brother.
"I'll feed Mama. You entertain them first."
She didn't wait for Drew's response. She walked to their table, lifted the food cover, took a plate with food, and poured some water before heading into the room and closing the door.
We all looked at each other before awkwardly avoiding eye contact. No one was talking. Every now and then, Yuri would nudge me to say something, but I had nothing to say, so we just sat there in silence.
We were going to spend the whole time just staring at each other.
I knew I should be the one to start the conversation since coming here was my idea. But after everything I witnessed, I suddenly felt hesitant. His mother was sick, Marianne had been in danger because of a shark loan, and now, in his attempt to make it up to us, he had gone back to the same loan sharks and agreed to Keifer, Kuya Angelo, and the others' plan.
I wanted to talk about that, but Yuri was here, and she didn't know that I knew about their plan. Maybe I should ask her to leave first.
"Are we just going to stare at each other?" Drew asked.
Before I could respond, the bedroom door opened again.
A woman stepped out, hugging a chessboard. She walked with a limp, looking at us curiously before flashing a sweet smile.
"Let's play chess," she said, pointing at the board she was holding.
"Ma! You haven't finished eating!" Marianne called out.
Drew tried to pull her back, but she quickly broke free and ran to my side. I stood up in shock. I wouldn't deny that I was a little scared—I wasn't sure about her condition.
"I just want to play," she whispered, hiding behind me.
I looked at Drew and Yuri for help, but even they didn't know what to do. Marianne was about to approach, but their mother clung to my arm, stopping her. My heart pounded even harder. I didn't want to push her away as if she had some contagious disease.
Would I be a terrible person for being scared of her?
"Ma, he's a friend of Drew's," Marianne said, almost as a warning.
I turned to their mother and held her hand on my arm. I was about to remove it, but when I felt how cold it was, I looked directly at her face. Her eyes were filled with sadness. She looked like she was silently pleading, asking for help.
I couldn't help but see myself in her—alone, needing someone's help.
She wasn't someone to be feared.
She needed help… just like me.
"Do you want to play?" I asked, and his face lit up.
"But you have to eat first, because I haven't eaten yet."
"Are we going to play?" he asked me with a smile.
I smiled back. "Yes, but let's eat first."
I was still holding his hand, which was gripping my arm, as I led him toward Marianne. She tried to guide him away from me, but he didn't let go.
"Play, play, play," he whispered repeatedly.
Maybe I made a mistake inviting him to play. Now he didn't want to let go of me.
I just pointed Marianne toward the table. I took their mother there, and she went back to the room to get the food she had brought earlier. I sat down, and their mother followed me, still holding onto my arm.
"Ma, let go of Jay-Jay," Drew ordered, but his mother didn't listen.
She hugged the chessboard with one arm while her other hand remained clutched to my arm. Marianne sat beside her and slowly fed her. At first, she refused, but I reminded her that she had to eat before playing.
What I was doing was working.
She was like a child who needed to be reminded or tricked into following instructions. I guessed she was around the same age as or even older than Tita Gema. Her clothes and appearance were neat, showing that her children were taking good care of her. But I couldn't understand—how did someone like her, a chess champion according to Ci's story, end up like this?
She finished her meal and drank some water. Then she stood up and led me away. Drew and Marianne became worried because neither of them knew what she was about to do, but she simply pulled me out of the house. She let go of me and seemed to be searching for something. Yuri and Drew followed me, also wondering what she was up to.
We stopped thinking when she suddenly pulled out two wooden benches. I quickly helped her. Drew took another bench and a small table. Their mother set up the chessboard on top of the table after placing it right outside their door.
Her chessboard was cheap-looking, foldable in half, and resembled a suitcase. Inside, the chess pieces were neatly stored, which she arranged one by one. But I noticed something—it seemed thicker compared to the ones sold in markets, even though it had the same look and texture.
Maybe it was custom-made. That's probably why she always hugged it.
"Play, play," she said, motioning for me to come closer.
It looked like she wanted to play chess with me. I grimaced.
I didn't know how to play that game. They say it's only for smart people. And I'm dumb, aren't I?
I was forced to sit on the opposite bench when she started frowning and changed her tone while repeating the word "play."
"Do you know how to play that?" Yuri asked, and I quickly shook my head.
"That's for smart people, just help him out," Drew said, making me glare at him.
Yuri tried to guide me as Drew's mom made her first move. The moment she moved a piece called a pawn, I was already confused. Oh no, what's next? Is it checkmate already?
"Do the same, move a pawn," Yuri instructed, and I followed.
My opponent moved again. I noticed that she was smiling but had a focused look in her eyes. She didn't seem disabled at all.
We continued playing, with Yuri telling me what to do, but after just a few moves, she had already taken many of my pieces. I panicked—I wasn't sure if the goal was to capture all the opponent's pieces or if I had to reach their side and defeat the king. Nobody informed me that this game had a medieval warfare vibe!
Before I knew it, I had only a few pieces left. She smiled again and moved her bishop.
"Checkmate," Drew's mom said and clapped.
My jaw dropped. That was fast! I hadn't even warmed my seat, and it was already checkmate.
Just accept it—you have no hope in a game for smart people.
"She even went easy on you. You should've been checkmated much earlier, but she was giving you a chance to recover," Yuri said, shaking his head.
He helped me up. Then, to my surprise, he sat in my place. He helped Drew's mom reset the chess pieces.
"You're going to play?"
He nodded. "I want to try."
I looked at Drew, and he just shrugged. He glanced at the laundry hanging outside their house, grabbed the basket, and walked toward it. I followed him to help.
"Where's Marianne?" I asked, even though I knew she was inside, resting.
I had seen her go into their room earlier. I also noticed her wiping her face, but I couldn't tell if she had been crying.
"She's in the room. She's not feeling well."
I nodded in understanding. I grabbed one of the clothes, folded it, and placed it in the basket. We worked in silence for a moment, but I kept glancing at him, which he eventually noticed.
He rolled his eyes at me, so I playfully threw the cloth I was holding at him. He was startled and momentarily looked at Yuri and Drew's mom, who were focused on their game.
"Jay, I already know that look you're giving me," he said, continuing his task. "I'm not your type, and I don't want to get beaten up by Keifer either."
What? This guy's something else. These idiots really think they're so handsome.
"You're so full of yourself! I just wanted to ask about your family," I sighed. "But I don't want to pry, so I was just going to talk to you about what you did."
He paused for a moment. A strong gust of wind blew, making the hanging clothes sway. He looked at the big house.
"I didn't want to do it, believe me," he said, slowly turning to face me. "I have a 15-million-peso debt to pay. Who else could I turn to?"
I blinked. Fifteen million? Not fifteen thousand or fifteen pesos—fifteen million?
I almost yelled at him but managed to hold myself back. I glanced at Yuri and Drew's mom, who were still deeply focused on their game. She no longer had that smile on her face.
I moved closer to Drew and calmly asked, "Why is it that much? What happened? Where did all that money go? Did you gamble it away?" I fired off my questions.
He yanked a piece of clothing from the line, making the clothespins fly off. He seemed to be holding back his anger. He took a deep breath before facing me and replying in a controlled voice.
"My father is the one responsible for that. He's burying us in debt."
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