Kabanata 2

Tulala lamang ako buong klase, mabuti na lang at nagawa ko nang maayos ang report ko at na i-report ko ito ng naaayon din sa gusto ko.

Katelyn tried to approach me, but I tried my best to ignore her as usual. Matapos ang klase ay mas pinili kong paunahin lahat bago ako lumabas. I put my hood on as I put my books and other things inside my bag pack.

Pagkalabas ay hinayaan kong maging mabagal ang paglakad ko at tumawid sa kabilang way, hanggang sa makarating ako sa kabilang building. Sa ibang department ito, hindi ko rin kasi gustong dumaan sa kasunod na department.

Ayoko pa ulit siyang makita. I am trying my best to avoid that man.

"Oh girls, you don't know how hard I've tried to seduce him! He's so hard to get, argh!"

"You know him and what kind of man he is, ewan ko naman ba kasi sa 'yo kung bakit baliw na baliw ka sa lalaking 'yon, he's scary! Para siyang pinaglihi sa yelo at sama ng loob."

"Err! Isn't that the exciting part, huh?! Everyone is scared of him while I am always trying to get his attention, and later on, he'll fall for me hard! " cliché.

"At para roon ibibigay mo ang katawan mo sa kaniya? I don't think he's interested, Cris?"

"We are talking about Sage Frost! Everyone knows how bad that man is! He is the king of trouble. Palagi siyang pinapatawag ng dean. Mainitin ang ulo at 'di mo makakausap ng matino, napakasuplado pa! Dream on, Cris. He will never fall for you!" Sage has always been like that. That's him: very complicated, snobbish, and douchebag.

Agad akong nahinto sa paglalakad at nanatiling nakatitig sa mga taong makakasalubong ko. I have my hands in my pocket. Ang hood na kanina'y tumatakip sa kabuuan ng mukha ko ay bumagsak na sa likod ng ulo ko dahil sa hangin. Hindi sila aware na nandito ako ngunit nahinto na lamang sila ng mapansin na may nakaharang sa daraanan nila.

The girl in the middle tried to shout at me, but it seems like she swallowed her own tongue right after she found out who I was.

Her eyes got bigger in fear and shock.

Her expression was asking.

Like 'how?'

"Cris? Are you okay? " asked by her friend.

Ang isa naman ay nakataas ang kilay sa akin at mukhang bubuga ng apoy, I just count inside my mind and I know she will release the fire inside her mouth.

"What are you doing, b*tch? Hindi mo ba kami kilala? Umalis ka na d'yan at dadaan kami, or do you want me to drag you out of our way? You choose. " See? Hmm, looks like she's got a little devil friend beside her. Quite amusing.

"Should I put your names here then?" I said with my usual serious and blank expression and in a monotone, sarcastic voice. Mukhang bubuga na naman ang isa niyang kaibigan when she already speak up.

"R-Reign..." agad na nalipat ang attention ko sa kaniya.

Puno pa rin ng pagtataka ang mukha niya at hindi makapaniwalang nandirito ako ngayon sa harapan niya.

Well, bakit hindi? After she killed me, and after I woke up, never pang nagtagpo ang landas namin kahit nasa iisang school kami, I've expected it, mag c-cross at mag c-cross ang landas namin sa school na ito, iyon din naman ang dahilan kung bakit dito ko pinili pumasok, 2 years pa lamang ako rito habang siya ay 3 years na, lumipat siya dito pagkapatay niya sa akin, Of course she will do that she has the audacity to do that because she has the money, my money.

"Crisanta Lois Muffin, long time no see...did you miss me?" Mas lalong nabahala ang mga mata niya at hindi na nakapagsalita pa.

Right! Are you afraid of me now? Well, you should be, Crisan.

You should be.

Lalo na at kamamatay lang ng pinsan mo. Sino na nga ulit ang prime suspect? Her boyfriend? stupid.

"Babe," nanigas ang katawan ko. What the hell? Ngayon pa talaga? Alam na alam talaga ng isang 'to kung kailan ako walang kawala sa kaniya.

Pilit akong tumingin sa kaniya at bumakas ang nakakalokong ngiti sa labi niya, ngunit hindi nakaligtas sa akin ang pagdaan ng inis sa kaniyang mga mata.

"Lets go?" Argh! What is this game that you're playing, Sage Frost?

Pero nang makita kong nakatitig at gulat na gulat ang tatlo, ay agad kong pinulupot ang kamay ko sa bewang niya, agad naman niya akong inakbayan na kinabwisit ko.

"Tara, Gusto ko na matulog," I snorted with a tired voice.

"Poor girl, let me sleep with you then."

"You'll sleep on the floor, of course!"

"Ouch! Is that I love you, babe? I love you too."

"Quit it Sage, there are people around."

"Is this true? May girlfriend na siya?"

"I didn't know he had one!"

"Cris! Did you know about it? Don't tell me alam mo tapos nilalandi mo pa? Oh my God!"

"N-no! I-I... d-don't. " Agad akong ngumisi dahil sa pagkataranta ng boses niya, I am just starting, Crisan.

Nang makalayo ay agad akong bumitaw at lumayo kay Sage na kinakunot ng noo niya. Enjoy naman ang isang 'to.

"That's how you say thanks? Well welcome, babe."

"Stop calling me babe, ang sagwa." Inis na sabi ko sa kaniya at tumalikod na.

Bwisit na lalaking 'yon pasalamat siya at kinailangan ko siya kanina. I can smell his scent all over my body. Damn it!

Pagkarating sa bahay ay agad akong nag-shower at nagbihis, inis akong nilabhan ang damit kong kinapitan ng amoy nang hudyo na 'yun. Pagkatapos ay agad akong bumaba sa kusina at uminom ng tubig, my phone's screen suddenly light up, agad kong tiningnan iyon at bumulaga sa 'kin ang isang notif sa messenger, and base from the picture of the sender it was from Selene. Kunot noong kinuha ko ito at nilapag ang basong kapit ko sa sink saka sumandal at binuksan ang message.

It's a link. She sent me a link. Mas lalo akong na-curious so I tapped it and it brought me to a website.

A news flashed on my screen in seconds.

A lifeless body of a 23-year-old woman was found in her own room, bloody and wounded. No one can point out who did this to her. She has a lot of wounds in her neck, small dots that look like something pricked it.

A college girl in Console was found dead in a lane with blood straying on her white dress. She has the same wounds on her neck as the other victims have. Some police officers and doctors have their own assumptions regarding what happened to those girls who died with the same wounds on their bodies. But they can't tell it clearly because of things that can't be explained.

Hndi ko na tinapos ang pagbabasa, I felt uncomfortable reading those when I exactly know what is happening.

Sage.

That's the name that flashed on my mind.

Is this what you're telling me? Para lang mapabalik ako sa 'yo? I tried to ignore what I'd read and replied to Selene.

'Tell him, it's not that convincing.'

Matapos ay agad akong umakyat sa kwarto para magbihis, I have to visit my Cafe. I put my jacket on and my black boots on as I got my phone from my pocket and my key.

Pagkalabas ay ni-lock ko lamang ang pinto saka sumakay sa aking ducati at pinaharurot na ito palayo.

Madilim na ng marating ko ang cafe, ngunit marami pa rin ang customers na pumapasok rito. Pagkapasok ay sumalubong sakin ang nakakaakit na aroma ng kape.

How I love caffeine. My staff greeted me and I just nodded to them as a sign that I noticed their presence. Dumeretso ako sa office at nagtimpla ng isang cup of coffee, lattè saka pumunta sa pinakapaburito kong spot dito sa cafe, sa balkonahe. It was located in the rare view of the cafe, which is a slightly secluded area. With my laptop and a notebook with a pen, I sat on a single chair made from mahogany.

The night wind touches my skin. Sinalubong ako ng madilim na paligid at tanging ang lampost, lamang sa paligid at ang cute na chandelier, sa tapat ko ang nagbibigay liwanag kasama na ang mga lights na nakapulupot sa apat na post ng balkonahe.

It's really nice here. The atmosphere is as light as cotton. Nakakagaan sa pakiramdam at mas nakakapagfocus ako sa pagiisip at sa mga ginagawa ko.

'Di pa man ako tumatagal sa ginagawa ko ay rinig ko na ang mga yapak ng sapatos mula sa loob.

Agad akong humigop ng kape at sumandal saka humalukipkip habang hinihintay na pumasok ang taong inaasahan ko nang sasadyain ako rito.

"My instinct is right, you're here."

"Hindi naman nagawang magkamali ng mga hinala mo, Selene."

I look at her and I wish I didn't.

I rolled my eyes in my mind as I saw how she was dressed up.

She never changed. Ganito rin siya manamit noon pa mang magising ako. She has the weirdest outfit I've ever seen. Well, it's just based on my opinion, that according to her, it's her fashion.

A lacey pink dress and a flower crown with a pair of pink doll shoes with a ribbon on top. Yeah, her fashion is kind of weird. Does she really think she's in a fairytale movie? Konti na lang pag-a-apply-in ko na ito ng trabaho sa Walt disney. She's 22 years old, by the way.

"It looks like my outfit annoyed you again, I appreciated it, dear. Very much appreciated, bagay nga kayo ng kapatid ko."

"Ano na namang ipinunta mo rito?"

"Please, balikan mo na si Van," Tila nawalan ako ng gana nang marinig ko ang pangalan ni Sage. Humalukipkip ako at pinakatitigan siya.

"Ilang beses ba nating dapat pag-usapan 'to? Halos isang taon nang sa tuwing mag-uusap tayo iyan lagi ang sinasabi mo."

"Reign, I am not doing this because I want you for my brother, but for you. Alam kong alam mo kung ano ang kinakabahala ko, my brother always told you about it."

"Ayoko, ayokong makasama ang lalaking katulad niya sa iisang bahay. Please, Selene, kung wala ka ng ibang sasabihin umalis ka na lang." Instead of leaving, she chose to sit in front of me. Nawala ang kaninang masaya at inosenteng mukha niya, her eyes flicked into red then into blue and back to being black again.

"Huwag mo nang hintayin pa na dumating ang oras na hindi ka na tanggapin pa ng kapatid ko, because I know you know what kind of a vampire he is. Tuso ang tinatakbuhan at pinagmamatigasan mo, sa aming lahat isa si Van ang pinakadapat mong katakutan. So I am begging you, Reign. I am begging you, don't be so hard and accept that this is your life now. We are part of your life now. You're not a human anymore. At habang pinapatagal mong tanggapin iyon, the venom will turn into poison that will start to make your body suffer."

"We have our own tradition, Reign pero kaya iyon talikuran ni Van. But you, I don't think you will survive the shit that will happen to you. It may be hard for Van, but it will be more difficult and painful for you."

Pagkasabi niya noon ay agad na siyang tumayo at tiningnan ako.

"Please, think about it. Go back to him and accept the contract."

And then she left me, dumbfounded. I can't find the words to say. Damn it, do I really have to do that. No... I w-won't.