Never Be Tamed

Chapter 57: Good Girl

"You mean you're really going?" Anabeth asked.

Tumango si Zanra na hindi parin naaalis ang ngiti sa kanyang labi. "Even my brother finally gave in and gave me his permission." The statement was followed by a roll of her expressive eyes. "Although he strongly believe I won't last a semester in that place."

Nag-alangan si Anabeth bago muling nagtanong. Tuluyang nawala ang ngiti at excitement sa aming mga mukha. "So next semester, you'll no longer be in Van Zanth?"

Pinagmasdan ni Zanra ang mukha namin. In our faces were a mixture of emotions we couldn't quite convey. Lalo na si Anabeth. She pulled her lips up, sulking.

Zanra giggled and adjusted herself on the bed. "You're acting like I won't be coming back. Uuwi parin namin ako. And my family  frequently visits Fabrice too."

I remembered the long train ride to Grassco. Fabrice was even further than that. To go home every week won't even be possible. I watched Zanra as her feet swayed lightly while touching the floor.

On the train ride, I've mentioned to Alexander about Zanra's plan to attend school far from Van Zanth. Mukhang alam niya din ang tungkol dito. When I asked him what he felt about it, all Alexander said was he's not in the place to have an opinion about Zanra's decisions.

"Enough about me," Zanra exclaimed, trying to change the subject before the heavy atmosphere drifted on us. Humarap siya sa'kin. "I've heard the good news. Eleanor, you've found your brother."

My lips pulled up at the corners to smile. "Yes."

"Alexander must have been so relieved," her voice mellowed down, her face soften. Her wide smile slowly faded into a soft one. "You're the person he used to tell me stories about." She lowered her gaze to her hands. "I'm glad his years of searching finally ended and he can rest."

"Nakausap mo na ba siya?" tanong ko.

Zanra raised her head to match my gaze. "About what?"

"About leaving Van Zanth."

Pilit siyang ngumiti bago umiling. "I have no reason to," she mumbled.

"Hindi ka man lang ba magpapaalam sa kanya bago ka umalis next semester?" muli kong tanong.

Zanra pursed her lips. The question lingered inside the room, unanswered. For a moment, I thought Zanra would finally give in and share what she really felt. But then she shook her head as if making a decision.

"It might be good to get away from here," she told us. "And it's not like I'm not coming back."

Iniangat niya ang magkabilang kamay sa ere na tila may inaabot, saka siya pabagsak na humiga sa kama. A bitter smile laced her face. "I consider him as my childhood crush, my first love. But people grow up from these childish feelings."

Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin. Because I also saw the same thing from Alexander. They were both holding back because what they both feel were the least of their priorities. I only hoped that there's a day they would see it with their own eyes. The feelings they were trying to keep from each other.

It took a moment before the heavy atmosphere faded from the room. We checked on Zanra's health while we shared stories about the apothecary and my visit to my hometown. While I was updating the logbook I brought with me, humarap sa'kin si Zanra na tila may  naalala.

"Do you have a dress for tonight?"

"A dress?" I asked, confused.

Zanra blinked, as though she was as surprise as me. "You're not going with my brother this evening?"