A Happily Ever After

Chapter Fifteen

"No." He chuckles. "I like you taking care of me.. Like this."

At para na namang may samu't saring hayop ang sabay sabay na nagwala sa kaluluwa ko sa sinabi niya. I feel my cheeks heating up before shaking my head. "Nadali ba 'yang ulo sa bato? Sa puno?"

"No." He chuckles again. "I wouldn't mind being injured and hurt if you're the one who's gonna take care of me, Jessa."

"Stefan," I say with a funny tune. He laughs. "Para ka namang sira. Huwag mo naman ma-manifest 'yang hurt and injured." He only smiles while looking at me. My heart jumps in my ribs as I see the glint in his eyes. "I.. I cannot take it if you get injured. Or anyone in our group."

"Fine, fine. Just stay with me.. With us, I can endure everything in this magical universe."

"I'm not going anywhere, Stefan." I assure him. "I'll never leave you and the group."

Another comfortable silence shrouds the both of us. Pareho nalang kami nakatingin sa ibaba. Muli ko na naman naalala noong kami lang dalawa ni Stefan sa mundong ito, 'yung parehas lang kami walang nagawa kundi ang umupo, manahimik, at mapalayo sa mga naghahanap sa akin—kay Blaidrah.

I realized how alone I had felt during those times. But, it is all different now.

Narinig ko ang mahinahong 'ohhh!' of delight ni Jonah habang binuhos ni Castillo ang mga laman ng kanyang bag. Habang si Liam at Christopher ay mukhang nagtatalo sa malayo.

"Samahan mo ako manghuli ng isda, please." sabi ni Liam kay Christopher.

"Kung tuktukan kaya kita? Huli ng isda eh gabi na? Ewan ko nalang kung may makuha ka. Tsaka bakit kailangan ng isda?"

Napamewang si Liam. "Kailangan natin ng pagkain, hindi ka ba nagugutom? Tsaka, sa mundo na totoo ang mahika, impossible pa ba sayo na baka may isdang pwedeng mahuli sa gabi? Hindi 'nga yon posible sa mundo natin, dito pa kaya?"

Christopher rolls his eyes. "Nanahimik ako tas ako hahatakin mo dyan? Iba nalang kasi."

"Sabihin mo lang kung ayaw mo." Pinulot ni Liam ang bow niya mula sa lapag. "Sabihin mo lang na natatakot ka lang at hindi ka marunong manghuli ng isda. Naiintindihan ko naman 'yon."

"I did not say anything like that!" Tumayo na si Christopher. "Goddamn fine! I'll go with you! You better not be wasting my time and energy on your stupid fish!"

"That's the spirit I'm looking for!" Liam exclaims. "We'll search for food!"

"Ingat kayo!" I said.

"Kung napahamak kayo, sigaw lang kayo ng 'Darna!'" Castillo jokes.

"Fuck you!" Christopher says before disappearing in the distance.

I first tapped Stefan on his shoulder, mouthed a short 'thank you', before standing up to see what Castillo and Jonah's been up to. Umupo na rin ako sa tabi ni Jonah at naghanap sa kalat mula sa bag ni Castillo. There are spoons and forks, some clothes, there are dried up leaves and flowers too. And, an unhealthy amount of knives.

"Ano ba balak mo dito, Ate?" Tanong ni Jonah kay Castillo. "These are random items."

"Si Hoderlia talaga nagipon nito so clueless ako sa kung ano 'to." She scans the mess. "She probably did this before I invaded her body. I have a strong instinct to bring the bag so I took it with me."

"And the number of knives!" Kinuha ni Jonah ang isa at pinagmasdan ito.

"Hoderlia likes knives," I said.

"Probably for her protection." Sagot ni Castillo.

We continued sorting the items from Hoderlia's bag. There, we found what seemed to be a small torch that we could use if we needed a light source. There is also a box full of brown band-aids that are surprisingly similar to how it looks in the modern and normal world.