Chapter 1 – Night and Day

I revved up my black Ducati and raced past the red sports car. Ang tagal na mula nang maranasan ko muli ang ganoon—speeding up along a traffic-free province road, with the fresh morning air fanning away my denim jacket along with the dark part of my soul. Ni hindi ako nag-aalala kung mahuli akong nag-o-overspeeding as long as I was feeling good.

I heard the frantic beeping of the car’s driver, but I only smirked and let him know I didn’t care. Then I felt my phone vibrate inside my jean’s pocket. I sighed and slowed down a bit. I reached for a button on my helmet and pressed it. The internal speaker and microphone of my helmet activated and I heard a mad voice of a madman.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

I clenched my teeth. What the hell?! May balak pa yata siyang bingihin ako.

“Don’t shout at me! I’m not deaf and for your information, I’m driving!” I shouted back.

“You’re driving beyond the limit! Gusto mo bang makulong for overspeeding?”

I sighed angrily and didn’t answer back. Akala mo kung sinong makapagtanong. Eh, kung tutuusin senior ako ng unggoy na ‘yun. Matanda lang siya ng isang taon sa edad.

“Pull over!” The monkey ordered and ended the call.

I obeyed without arguing. I killed my motorcycle’s engine and get off. Sinipa ko pababa ang stand ng motor at pinatayo iyon. Sumandal ako sa motor at inalis ang suot kong helmet. The air felt sweet on my face, but it could do nothing to ease my irritation. Minsan ko na nga lang magawang mag-drive ng motor ko, may asungot pang pipigil sa akin.

Seconds after, the red sports car halted in front of me and a god came out—a handsome god with a pestering attitude. Handsome, but a pest nonetheless.

“Are you mad?!” tanong niya agad habang palapit sa akin.

I gave him a deadly glare and said, “Itanong mo ‘yan sa sarili mo.”

Isinuklay niya ang mga daliri sa buhok at tiim-bagang akong tinignan. It was one of the rare times I saw him that angry ever since I met him two years ago and unfortunately became my partner in the job.

I told my supervisors that I didn’t need one, but they insisted on appointing the guy as my partner. I had no idea of what they were afraid of—screwing a job I did alone for three years or doing stupid stunts like driving beyond the limit. But whatever, I knew I didn’t need a damn scolding partner.

Apollo Torralba—that’s the monkey’s name—sighed. His good-looking face eased some of his anger and worry. Yeah, I knew he was worried about me getting caught because it would also become his fault. That was one reason I didn’t want a partner. I never wanted for someone to be caught up because of my stupidity and I also never wanted to fend for someone’s.

“Ayoko lang na may mangyari sa ‘yong masama kaya para sa ikapapanatag ng kalooban ko, baka pwedeng bagalan mo lang ang pagpapatakbo mo ng motor.” My stupid heart skipped a beat because of what he said. Dammit! Since the last case we solved, I had been feeling a little giddy around him. “The agency allowed us to work like our normal selves in this mission, but that doesn’t mean na hindi tayo mag-iingat,” he added.

To work like our normal selves. That would never happen. Walang normal sa trabaho namin. Ang magpanggap ang unang kailangan naming gawin para sa trabahong ito at kahit kelan, hindi ‘yun normal.

I sighed, frustrated about myself feeling that way toward that guy and being scolded. I cherished my job so I wouldn’t say anything bad about it although it was difficult.

Hindi na ako nagsalita pa at muling sumakay na lang sa motor ko. I prayed for my silly heart to stop beating fast. I kicked up the motorcycle stand and started the engine.

“I’ll go ahead of you and don’t dare pull such stunt again,” sabi ni Apollo bago sumakay ng kotse niya.

I loved my Ducati better than any car kaya madalang lang ako sumasakay ng kotse liban na siguro nung simula akong magtrabaho ng may kapareha. Pero bago nun, ang motor na ang kasama ko sa mga misyon ko. May kotse rin naman ako, pero ginagamit ko lang ‘yun sa mga araw na hindi ako si Agent 13 at isa lang akong hamak na career woman.

Pinaandar na ni Apollo ang sasakyan nya at nauna na ngang umalis. Sinuot ko na rin ang helmet ko at sumunod. Hindi pa ako nakakalayo nang nag-vibrate uli ang phone ko. I pressed the button on my helmet again.

“What now?” Iritable pa rin na tanong ko.

“We’ll head to the headquarters first.” As expected it was Apollo.

“Okay,” tipid kong sagot.

“Be careful,” he said and ended the call.

Apollo’s feelings for me was not a secret. Every people in the agency knew that, but I barely cared until lately. Pero wala akong oras para sa mga walang kwentang bagay dahil noon pa man isa lang ang goal ko sa buhay. Buti na lang at kontento na ang kumag sa mga pangangantyaw ng mga katrabaho namin at sa mga pang-aasar nya sa akin na ikinabu-bwisit ko lang.

Isa pa, we were the opposite. He was Day and I was Night.