Cold City Series #3: A Gust Of Constellations
"She's my gust of constellations, my sublime serenity." - Kasper Gustave D. Reanzares
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On a brief night of lunacy, Constelaine decided to break free from her parent's pressures and follow no rules but...
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Prove ***
He bent down and picked the calachuchi flower lying on my feet. Muntik pa akong mapaatras dahil halos sumayad ang buhok niya sa laylayan ng dress ko.
"I think it fell from you."
The dainty flower looks so fragile in his hands. His fingers twirl the short stem in a slow manner as if he's enticing me with it.
Had he gone taller? Or is it just the ground? His shoulders became broader and his facial features almost didn't change. Even his voice was the same.
He's still my Gustave.
"Gus, you came late." Bumalik muli ang ingay ng paligid nang magsalita si Evry. There was a slight wince on his face as he spoke. Then I noticed na masyado na palang mahigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa braso niya. "Pumunta ka lang ba para makikain?"
His manly chuckle resonated in my ear. Bumilis ang takbo ng puso ko.
I missed that sound so much.
"I had an emergency meeting to attend, we already had our dinner there, don't worry."
Nang-aasar na humalakhak si Evry. "Nahiya ka naman bigla. Okay lang, bro kahit lumamon lang ambag mo dito."
Gusto ko siyang sikuhin but I stopped myself on the last second dahil sa 'kin na nakatitig si Gustave.
Kung normal lang talaga ang lahat, I would've challenged him to a staring contest. I would've thrown myself at him in so much longing and emptied my tears on his chest.
But nothing in this situation is normal...
"By the way, you haven't met my date yet." Naramdaman ko ang pagbigat ng aking balikat nang ipatong doon ni Evry ang braso. "This is Elaine."
It stopped being normal when he got shot and lost his memories when he woke up after a year long coma.
Something flashed in his eyes and I tightened my grip on Evry. Kinabahan at nag-aalala sa kanyang magiging reaksyon.
Nanatili siyang nakatitig sa akin nang ilang segundo, tila pinipinta ang aking mukha sa kanyang isipan.
Then his lips finally curled for a soft smile.
"It was lovely meeting you... Elaine." The way he trailed my name brought shivers down my spine. It wasn't helping that my dress doesn't cover much and the sea breeze decided to blow into our side.
"I— uhm..." Oh my goodness, his sudden appearance is sending my brain into haywire. "It was nice meeting you, Gustave." Sinundan ko iyon ng madaliang ngiti, baka kasi mauwi iyon sa ngiwi kapag pinatagal ko pa.
He handed me the flower. I took it but I just held it in my hands.
