The Sacred Rule of Love - (PUBLISHED 2019)

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

            The first time Alex told me about fallen angels was when he explained to me what oculi meant. Fallen angels and souls daw ang tawag doon sa mga entity na nag-turn ng maling direksiyon. I feel worried about him. Dahil ba sa akin kaya siya meron niyan? What happens when you become a fallen angel?

            Binuka ko yung bibig ko and for a moment, walang lumabas na sound. Nakatunganga lang ako sa kanya sa sobrang shock ko. When I finally got something out, medyo nanginginig pa yung boses ko. Hinawakan ko yung likod niya, “P-paano k-ko sila a-alisin sa likod mo? A-anong dapat gawin?”

            I was panicking. I don’t want anything bad to happen to him ng dahil sa akin. I wouldn’t be able to live my life with that knowledge in my head.

            Nung humarap si Alex sa akin, kinuha niya yung dalawang kamay ko at  hinawakan niya ako sa wrists ko at parang sinusubukan niya akong pigilan, “Zoe, it’s okay….” He looked straight at my eyes, “Kaya ko ‘to. I’ll find out about it and I’ll fix it. Just… don’t worry about me. I don’t want anyone worrying about me, especially you.”

            “P-pero.. paano kung maging katulad ka nila? T-the bad ones?”

            “I won’t be. Kakausapin ko si Michael. I’ll find out about it.” He cupped both my cheeks, “Don’t think about it. This is why I don’t want to tell you.”

            Kahit na anong pagpapakalma niya sa akin, hindi ko maalis sa isip ko kung ano yung sinabi niya. If he becomes a fallen angel, hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko.

            Nag-switch uli si Alex into his human form. Nawala na yung dark lines niya sa likod niya at nag-iba na rin yung kulay ng mata niya from blue to brown. Kinuha niya yung button-up shirt niya at hinawakan niya yung  kamay ko. Hindi pa niya fully nahihila pababa yung shirt niya nung binuksan niya yung pinto at may mga babae pa doon sa labas na naghihintay.

            Parang gulat na gulat pa sila nung makita nila si Alex na lumabas sa restroom kasama ko. Hinila lang ni Alex yung shirt niya pababa. Nagkatinginan kaming lahat at medyo nakakailang.

            Siguro dahil naramdaman na rin siguro ni Alex, he quickly said, “Don’t get the wrong idea—we were just talking.”

            After that, we walked out.

***

            “No, no, no…” sinabi ni Professor V nung sinabi na namin sa kanya yung plano doon sa office niya. Mukhang hindi siya masaya doon sa desisyon namin, “Hindi ako magsisinungaling sa Daddy mo about Davao City. It’s not happening!” tumingin siya bigla kay Alex, “And you’re okay that she’s telling me to lie?”

            Alex looked horrified doon sa pagkakasabi ni Professor V. He was about to say something pero inunahan ko na, “Professor V, this is my idea. Not Alex’s.” Pinagdikit ko yung dalawang kamay ko at sinubukan ko talagang mag-beg sa kanya, “Please. Two days lang naman kami doon. We’re flying in Saturday morning, spend the night there, tapos Sunday hahanapin na namin yung Armando…” nilabas ko pa yung papel, “We even got him to send us his address. Uuwi rin kami ng Sunday. Please… pumayag ka na!”

            “Wow, Davao City…” narinig ko naman doon sa pintuan kaya sabay-sabay kaming lumingon. Nakatayo si Jax doon habang naka-lean siya doon sa pintuan. Naka-cross pa yung ankles niya, “I am here to wish you both… good luck..” he said almost sarcastically, “I’m being nice only because I already know half of what he’s going to tell you. The other half… well.. I’m interested in knowing.”