Legends of Olympus (On Hold)

The Strongest Bond

Ash's POV

I just got out of the kitchen after making hot chocolate when I heard the door open.

"Amber, I made-" Napatigil ako nang makita ang kapatid kong nagmamadaling umakyat ng hagdan nang mabibigat ang mga hakbang at nakayuko ang ulo.

For a few seconds, my lips parted, letting out a confused silence.

But the silence soon broke when someone pushed the door open and slowly closed it.

Binigyan ko ng nagtatakang tingin si Vance na kapapasok lang. "Did Amber get into a fight again?"

Dahan-dahan niyang ibinaba ang kanyang kamay mula sa pihitan ng pinto habang nakaawang ang bibig at nakatulala sa sahig.

"No..." he almost whispered.

Dahil sa kakaibang galaw at mahina niyang boses, napakunot ako ng noo habang nakatingin sa kanya.

What happened?

And as far as I know, my sister's not that easy to sway, how much hurt. She doesn't even shake after a physical fight or a heated argument, so to see her avoid me...

I took a moment to pause, before calmly setting my cup on the table beside me. 

Then I looked at Vance again, only this time, with a knowing glare.

"Why are you here, Vance?" I asked. "I thought you're going to the afterparty?"

He slowly shook his head. "I..." He pursed his lips for a moment. "I don't know."

Slowly, my sense of sympathy faded, and I remained calm.

Furiously calm.

Pinigilan kong tapunan siya ng nangangalit na tingin kaya napasulyap nalang ako sa tasa na nasa tabi ko. 

Magaang dumapo ang aking mga daliri sa hawakan nito, at mahina kong pinihit-pihit ang tasa sa mesa.

"What did you do?" I asked, without looking at him.

While patiently waiting for an answer, I glanced down on my cup again, tightening my jaw for every second of his silence. 

"Nothing, Ash," he sternly replied. "I didn't do anything."

I stopped moving the cup on the table. I still held unto it when I slowly lifted my gaze to the wall in front of me, before turning to Vance while wearing an empty smile.

Sa muling pagtama ng aming mga mata, mabilis na nagbago ang ihip ng hangin na nakapalibot sa'min.

"Are you sure?" Walang bakas ng emosyon ang boses ko, nang malaman niyang ang buong atensyon ko at lahat ng pakialam ko ay nasa kapatid ko lang, at wala sa kanya na siyang tinanungan ko.

"Yes." His voice turned as cold as mine. "I am."

Unti-unting nabura ang aking blankong ngiti.

"This is going to be the last time I see you alone with her," nagbabanta kong tugon. "I don't want to see you near her again." 

Kumunot ang kanyang noo.

"I don't want you to get closer to my sister again, Vance," I clarified, just in case he didn't get what I meant. "You've already done enough damage."

Halatang mas lalo niyang ipinagtaka ang sinabi ko. "Damage?"

I didn't bother addressing the confused look on his face. It's not my fault if he didn't understand.