Chapter 14: Reality Hits
| Azami |
"A card?" nakakunot noo kong tanong kay Miles. We find ourselves in his basement once again, it seems like this will be our designated hideout from now on.
"What's with this card?" tanong din ni Karlynn and everyone started to get addled by it.
Pinakita niya sa'min ang isang kakaibang card. It's awfully thick that had weird arrows designed at the center. The red and black color designs had infused an air of mystery. It made me immediately think that it has some sort of black magic.
"You could get out with this." seryosong sabi niya.
"Oh my gosh," saad ni Blytha at kinuha ito sa hawak ni Miles. "So you all had one of these..." mahinang sabi pa nito habang sa mariing tinitingnan ang card.
"Alam ko ang pakiramdam, tila ba ay ang haplos ng kalayaan, yet reality hits. Maari ka pa ring magkaproblema kung hindi ka pa pinapayagan lumabas. Hindi tayo pwedeng lumabas nang walang kanyang pahintulot."
There was silence for a moment, at ni isa sa'min ay mukhang may malalim na iniisip. It was so peaceful until Miles broke it.
"Luckily... I got permitted." they blurted out of surprise.
"What?!" Jaslynn's eyes widened. Miles just chuckled a little bago umayos ng tayo.
"Yes guys, the barrier is widely open for me, I also found out that whenever you are holding it with me. Makakalabas din kayo." we all got silent again because of the disbelief and the thought that we could really be able to get out with that.
"Spectacular!" sabi bigla ni Leona at yinakap si Miles and the others did the same thing except for me and Karlynn.
"We'll do it by pair." pagtatapos niya pa and it made us smile.
"You never smile huh." sabi bigla ni Karlynn sa'kin. I pursed my lips at tinatanaw ang kasamahan na nagsisiyahan.
"So when are we going to make the actual plan?" Blytha asked and I faced them.
"Today."
NAGLALAKAD kami ngayon papunta sa Colosseum for the dance practices. Pagkapasok pa lamang ay naramdaman kong may humila sa'kin. Ngumiti si Sky at dinala ako sa gitna.
"Teka," hindi na ako nakapagreklamo dahil linagay niya na ang kamay ko sa kanyang balikat at hinawakan ang baywang ko. Bagama't tumugtog din kaagad ang musika.
"Sorry Amy, ayaw ko lang na mapagalitan. You're bit late." sabi niya pa kaya kumunot 'yung noo ko habang sa sumasayaw kami.
"Di naman kailangan na ako talaga 'yung partner mo."
"I only wanted to dance with you," his dimples narrowed when he cheekily smiled.
"Bakit ba ako?" I stated at napahalakhak siya.
"Because, just because." he could only give me a wink. Dang, can't this guy consider how I might feel? We've only known each other for a short time, and he's literally a stranger.
Inikot na niya ako at napasa naman ako sa hindi ko kilalang lalaki, he shrugged like a child dahil naiba 'yung partner niya. I rolled my eyes at him, choosing to ignore his presence. I danced with another guy without exchanging a word.
Napapasa ako sa mga iba't-ibang binata hanggang sa bumalik ako kay Sky. "Bienvenido de nuevo, mi señora." (Welcome back, my lady) sabi niya sa'kin.
I didn't pay attention to him as I struggled. This dance was a bit faster than the first one we had practiced! As we changed partners earlier, I had the chance to dance with several guys before eventually returning to the first one. Not everyone gets to dance with all the guys here, and that's not a problem.
Napapahinga ako nang malalim sa mga hakbang na ginagawa namin. Ang waltz ay sobrang romantiko, it made me feel so akward!
"Eye to eye, contact hm?" paalala muli ni Sir Clock. I just sighed again and did the same. Sky wiggled his eyebrows pero hindi ako tumawa, my face remained blank.
"So serious." he told me as the dance ended. Di ko na siya kinausap pa at pumunta na agad kina Leona. Napatingin ako sa kalayuan at kaagad na umiwas nang makita ko si Silver.
"During the event, not everyone is expected to dance to every single music played. However, you must ensure that there are at least 12 couples dancing on the dance floor until the end of the celebration. Do you understand?" nakahinga ako ng maluwag sa mga sinabi ni sir Clock.
"Don't be so happy about it." nabigla ako sa boses na narinig sa gilid. It was Lucia... My friends didn't notice us because they're too busy listening to what Mister Clock was saying.
"He's expecting you." sabi niya sa'kin na ikinakunot ng noo ko.
"Who?" tanong ko. She just shrugged at inayos 'yung buhok niya.
"You wait and see,"
"Everyone leave." tanging narinig ko kay sir Clock and everybody started to leave the place. Umalis na rin si Lucia and I was left in confusion!
Who the heck would expect me?
"Hey Zami, natutulala ka na diyan," Leona grabbed me at hinala ako kasama sa kanila. I was filled in complete disarray.
A week had passed, and we continued with our usual training and dance practices. I had memorized all of the dances, and there's only one night left before the celebration!
The team had been certain about the plan and we're all very much eager to do this while the celebration was still on going. Hopefully, it will become successful.
In the meantime, pumunta muna ako sa area kung saan ako kinulong kasama si Silver dahil alam kong may daanan ako papunta sa kung saan ko man gusto. Wala na naman akong ibang alam na daanan papunta doon. That place was quite secretive, and I believe only a few people have ever been there.
I was nearly at the room where I got imprisoned but I was stopped when I heard a familiar voice again.
"What are you doing?" tanong ni Lucia, nakakrus ang kamay. Napataas ang isa niyang kilay bago napatingin sa silid. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit ako dinala ng mga paa ko dito, at kung bakit ako nandito, seguro ay mas gusto ko lang na mapagisa sa matahimik na lugar kesa sa matahimik nga pero nakakainip kong kwarto.
"Paano mo nalaman na may lugar sa likod ng pader na yan?" I followed her as she opened the curtains Silver had covered.
"He brought you here?" mahinang sabi niya bago mapatingin sa'kin.
"Right, you two had been punished, I almost forgot. There's nothing to ask," she smiled more like a relief yet it suddenly faded to an extreme wonder. "But this is his secret place. Why would he dare to bring you here?" I began to wonder as well. But to prevent furthermore confusions I spoke without hesitation.
"We were about to be locked for three days, the place is huge and the both of us could also get lost, he probably doesn't want see me or be with me, kaya't pinalabas niya na din ako. At tutal, nalaman ko na, ano pa ang dapat niyang itago?"
"Even so, he could've told you to stay in the room," linagpasan niya ako bigla at lumabas na sa silid dala ang sarkastiko niyang ngiti. She turned to look at me once more.
"Better to keep your mouth shut about this. Not even Miss Ideth our master's favorite assistant nor Miss Cassidy knows about that place. Or else, expect your life to never be peaceful again." she sternly said before leaving me. Tila napasandal na lamang ako sa pader bago napahinga nang malalim.
Threats, when will this ever stop?
When I finally went the place, I tried the shortcut for the first time and was screaming my lungs out as I slid down! I ended up a bit wet due to the splashes from the falls.
Napatanong tuloy ako sa sarili. Paano naman hindi nabasa si Silver noon? I regretted trying out the shortcut. Not to tell you I'm now back on this uniform!
Tumayo ako bago umapak sa bermuda grass. Nilibot ko ang lugar at pumunta sa mga nakita kong magagandang bulaklak. Maraming paru-paro, nakakatuwa at nakakaaliw. Ngumiti ako nang dumapo sa kamay ko ang isang asul na paru-paro.
Napakunot naman ang noo ko nang mapansin ang presensiya sa side vision ko. Nakaramdam ako ng konting kaba.
I heard him sigh. "Why are you here?" Silver asked.
First Lucia, now him.
"Oh... Can't I? I kind of like this place," I said, heading off to find butterflies. Surprised as I am, I turned to see him following, my arms crossing in confusion.
"I'm afraid you'll pick up my flowers." napaawang nang konti ang labi ko nang mauna pa siyang magsalita. And like I mean, him? Nag-aalala sa mga bulaklak? I chuckled slightly as the word slips out of my mouth uncontrollably.
"Ridiculous." sabi ko at nakita ang kunot ng noo niya. Napahinto kaagad ako sa ginagawa ko dahil sa mga natanto.
"Say that again?" I found myself stepping back. Oh to learn to control my temper, I couldn't find myself arguing with him today.
"I didn't mean that." mabilis na dahilan ko na lamang, I should watch my words, he's a devil. And I'm in Darkness! I should remember that smiling or laughing isn't supposed to be done here. I felt uneasy about it so I tried to walk away, only to find him swiftly blocking my path.
His devilish smirk deepened, and he remarked, "You should start watching your words, Azami, careless remarks might lead you to interesting consequences." he leaned closer to me making my body froze. "I always tend to you find you quite daring, just why are you so daring?"
Hindi ko maalis ang tingin ko sa kanya dahil sa mga naisip. Is this why he's challenged? Is this why he targets me, or wanting to kill me? His brows furrowed once more without my response, I sighed and looked at the view infront of us.
"My father once told me the same statement... My only response..." I paused. "Experience," mapait akong napangiti.
"We're innocent when we're young, we're filled with curiosities. We learn from what we see and they taught us to be, isipin mo na lang ang ganitong pag-iisip na parang pagtingin sa salamin. We learn from happy times, sad moments, and everything in between. Tumutulong ito sa atin na mas maunawaan ang ating sarili. Parang pagbuo ng puzzle ng kung sino tayo. We learn from reflecting on our experiences, it molds us on to what we become," there was silence and I caught him seriously looking at me, he looked away and I went closer to him...
"I've had so much experiences, don't ever ask me again why I became like this." bigla siyang ngumisi.
"We do learn from reflecting on our experiences," he countered with a sinister grin, his gaze contemplative, almost calculating. "But sometimes, dwelling on the past experiences can be your ultimate downfall." he added. "Let's say, tumapang ka nga dahil dito, but if you keep on dwelling on that, it's like being trapped in a never-ending loop of 'what was' that blinds you to 'what can be.' " he laughed.
"The world keeps moving, but you're stuck in a fading memory." nanlamig ang buong katawan ko sa mga binitawan niyang salita. Dahil bakit lahat ng ito ay tama? Lahat ng sinabi niya... Ay totoo.