Paige's POV
I gently wore my navy blue feathered mask while in front of the mirror.
It was the same color as my off-shouldered gown with embroidered sleeves, and also decorated with diamond sequins along the edges of the large skirt.
Matagal-tagal akong napatitig sa repleksyon ko.
Silk gloves grazed my fingers as I slowly touched my hands in front of my skirt. I stood straight, and slightly turned around to look at my hair, that I braided into a loose crown.
Masquerade...
I wonder how Reign came up with this theme for tonight.
Nang masigurong presentable na ako, umikot at lumabas na ng aking kwarto. Nasa corridor ako ng mga kwarto namin nang marinig kong may bumukas na pinto.
"Paige?"
Nilingon ko si Amber na kalalabas lang mula sa kanyang kwarto.
Suminghap siya. "Ang ganda mo..."
She wore a rusty-colored gown made out of velvet fabric. It was off-shouldered too, but her neck line was way more lowered than mine and even tighter, exposing not a cleavage, but the top curves of her breasts.
She was obviously not contented with this exposure, of course, as shown by her hair that was tied into a high and curled ponytail, revealing her slender neck.
And Amber didn't wear gloves, but she did pair her gown with a bronze mask.
"I could say the same to you," tugon ko at nginitian siya.
Pagkatapos, napatanong na rin ako. "Is Bella finished dressing up?"
"Hanap nyo'ko?"
Napaharap ako kay Bella na lumitaw sa tuktok ng hagdan.
She gave us an excited smile, while covering her eyes with the black glittery mask that she held on a black stick.
Always dressed in her favorite color, which was black, Bella wore a sleeveless ball gown that she complemented with silk gloves. A black-laced necklace also hugged her neck, with a silver chain that draped around it in loose waves.
Naalala kong kaya napili niya ang damit na 'yan ay dahil may kaparehas daw ito na dress ng isa sa mga manika niya.
A strange way to dress one's self, but she still looked beautiful.
Napangiti ako.
Hauntingly beautiful.
"Reign's at the ceremonial hall finalizing the program," pagbibigay-alam ko sa kanila. "And I assume she's also already dressed."
A total miracle on her part. For being the earliest to dress and arrive at the venue.
"Eh, yung mga lalaki?" tanong ni Amber.
"Nauna na atang umalis si Henri, ih, para i-check kung nakabihis na rin daw ba si Raph," sagot ni Bella. "Tas yung iba di pa tapos sa pag-kain sa kusina. Naghahanda raw sila kasi magpaparamihan sila ng maisasayaw... ata? Yun dinig ko, eh!"
Napabuntong-hininga ako. "Men."
Inunahan ko silang bumaba ng hagdan, at sabay kaming tumungo sa kusina kung saan kumakain ang mga lalaki habang nag-uusap-usap.
"Sinasabi ko sa'yo, mga bro." Nagkakamay pa si Zack, at suot niya ang pulang suit, ngunit mas makulimlim ang kulay nito kung ikukumpara sa kanyang buhok. "Ako yung pinakamabilis kaya ako yung mas makakarami."
"Don't say it that way," sabi ni Vance na nakatalikod sa'min. "You make it sound weird."
"You're seriously not considering me?" tanong ni Grey na katabi niya at nakataliwas din sa'min. "Have you forgotten who my parents and deities are?"
My hands gripped the sides of my skirt as I gave them an empty look, except Ash, who was seated beside Zack and was the first to notice us.
Nasa kalagitnaan siya ng pagsubo nang mapatigil siya.
Ibinaba niya ang kanyang kutsara. Bumukas ang kanyang bibig hindi para kumain, kundi para magsalita sana kung hindi lang siya sinapawan ng boses ni Zack.
"Vance," sambit pa nito. "Marami kang body count, pero wala pa ring mas makakalamang ng kay Bella." Pinandilatan niya ang lalaking nakaupo sa tapat niya, saka umiling. "Tsaka wala, 'tol. Mas magaling kang sumayaw pero nasasampal ka rin ng mga kasayaw mo."
"You could have stopped at the point where you said I was the better dancer." My brother was obviously annoyed by his comment. "And whatever goal you're trying to reach tonight, Zack, I think I can do better."
Grey snickered. "I can do best, ces imbéciles."
"Uh-" Ash attempted to speak again but Zack continued.
"Ang goal ko, mga 'tsong," he said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Ay-" Panandalian niya kaming sinulyapan. "Ay-" Napatigil siya, at nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata sa mga kasama niya. "Ayayay..."
Napahinto rin sina Grey at Vance, at ilang sandali pa'y dahan-dahang napalingon sa'min.
"Sorry if we disturbed you," paalam ko sa kanila. "We just want to let you know that we're heading to the hall first-"
Chairs were roughly pushed the moment the three of them stood abruptly to face us, while Ash just laughed as he gently stood.
Now that they've faced me, I could clearly see my brother wearing a dark green suit with a white buttoned-down shirt underneath and a tan-colored tie.
On the other hand...
I looked boredly at Grey who wore a purple three-piece suit on top of a black shirt and tie. A gold chain also hung from his lapel to his chest pocket.
"Good evening, ladies," bati ni Ash sa'min, nang ayusin ang black-and-white suit niya. "You all look beautiful."
"Thank you, Ash," tugon ko. "Would you like to accompany us on our way?"
Nagtangkang magsalita sina Vance at Grey nang padalhan ko sila ng nagbabantang tingin.
Nginitian kami ni Ash. "The three of you?"
"Mmm!"
"Yes."
"Tara?"
• • •
"Call me if you need anything," Ash said as we entered the crowded and music-filled hall. "I'll be by the drinks."
"Ako rin!" Sumunod si Amber sa kanya. "Sama ako!"
Aalis na rin sana si Bella nang pigilan ko siya.
"Bella," sambit ko.
Nilingon niya ako sabay kisap-kisap ng mga mata. "Hmm?"
Inilahad ko ang aking kamay sa kanya.
Napatingin siya rito.
Sinenyasan ko siyang ibigay sa'kin ito.
Napapadyak siya. "Isang patak lang naman yung gagamitin ko, ih!"
Umiling ako.
"Ayoko na sa'yo," nagtatampo niyang sabi at sa wakas ay ipinatong ang maliit na vial na may lamang itim na likido sa palad ko. "Huhuhu..."
I noticed her hiding it in her hand and the thickness of her skirt on our way here. I also remembered that she caused the food poisoning during our last year's lunar celebration because she sprinkled a bit of wolfsbane dust on the sweets.
"Paige naman, ih!" reklamo niya at iikot na sana nang ilahad ko rin ang kabilang kamay ko.
Nagsimulang mamasa ang kanyang mga mata habang nakatingn dito.
"Give it to me," utos ko. "Weapons are not allowed inside the hall."
She pouted, and gave me her signature dark puppy eyes.
Fortunately, I am not Reign, so I continued to give her back a warning look.
Suminghot siya at inilabas ang nakatagong dagger mula sa ilalim ng isang silk glove niya. Ipinatong niya ito sa kabila kong palad at matagal itong binitawan.
"O-Okay na?" naiiyak niyang tanong. "Saya ka na?"
I gave her outfit one last glance to see if she's still hiding something, before answering, "You're good."
Huminga siya nang malalim, bago mabilisang umikot at nagtatampong tumakbo.
"Reeeign!" sigaw pa niya.
Lumabas ako ng hall at pumunta sa pinakamalapit na basurahan para itapon ang lason at kutsilyo.
Nilingon ko si Reign na kalalabas lang din ng hall.
"Paige?" Lumapit siya sa'kin. "Bella said you confiscated her knife."
"And poison," dugtong ko.
No wonder Bella found her in the crowd right away. A lot of students were dressed vibrantly, but no more vibrant than the girl wearing a golden gown in front of me.
Reign...
She wore a top that was corset-like, made of gold satin layered with sheer fabric. It was off-shouldered and behind her, the sheer fabric from the top of her gown spread to form a thin cape, gold and see-through.
Her long skirt was the same. Layered, and sparkling with light for every twist and turn she did. And even with the slightest movement, she radiated, as if she carried all the stars with her.
She finished her look with an elegant golden mask. Made of rhinestones, and embroidered.
And she also didn't bother to hide it's strap around her head. Because then, it looked like that the top half of her hair was tied, even though there was no tie. There was only the band of her mask that's tightened around her head.
"I need to fix myself, don't I?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Reign pagkatapos akong mapansin na nakatingin sa suot at buhok niya. "Kanina pa kasi ako dito."
"You always do that," puna ko.
"Do what?" aniya.
"During our Olympics, you turned your sheer fabric into a veil instead of wearing it on your chiton, like most of us," sabi ko sa kanya. "And now, you are wearing your mask as if you just put it on once and got over it. You didn't bother to hide the strap."
"Hindi ba bagay?" She sounded sorry, and a bit confused.
"Reign." I said, and assured her. "It's a compliment."
"Ah- haha-" She laughed awkwardly. "Thank you, I guess."
Tila bigla siyang may naalala. "Pwede mo rin bang sabihin sa'kin kung ano yung suot nung iba? Para makilala ko sila?" aniya. "Muntik na kasi akong mapahiya kanina kasi di ko nakilala yung ibang Alphas, lalo na si Vine, eh."
"I haven't seen the boys in their masks," sabi ko. "But I know the exact suits and dresses all of them are wearing."
Grey's POV
I elbowed Vance beside me when I saw my sister walking across the hall, and Paige just trailing behind her.
"Am I right, Grey?" asked the student that I forgot I was talking to.
Hinarap ko siya at nginitian. "Right."
Even though I wore a silver mask, I was still easily identifiable because of the color of my hair and eyes. And that led to me and Vance being crowded the second we stepped inside the hall.
"The dance is already starting." One of them noticed, as a soft melody filled the room, from the keys of a piano being played by a member of the band that's located near the side of the hall.
A space was created in the middle of the hall where a couple of students gathered to dance, but my eyes weren't set on them.
I was more fixated on the girl that stood below the floating lights. Her dark gown resembling the sky and the stars that formed the ceiling of the hall.
Binigyan ko ng isang nag-aalanganing ngiti ang babaeng kausap ko.
"Excuse me," paalam ko at akmang aalis nang tawagin ako ni Vance.
"Where are you going?" tanong niya.
"To dance with the night sky, Vance," nakangiti kong sagot sa kanya bago iniwan siya sa kumpulan ng mga estudyante. "I might not get the opportunity again."
Hindi ko pa rin tinanggal ang aking tingin sa babaeng kausap ang kapatid ko nang maingat akong dumaan sa mga taong nakapaligid sa dance floor.
I was near one of the Olympian's statue when I caught her ashened eyes look at me beneath her already dark mask.
Napatigil ako.
Binigyan niya ako ng nagbabantang tingin, dahilan na mapangiti ako.
This is fun.
Nagpatuloy ako sa paglakad at nilabanan ang nakasunod niyang tingin sa'kin.
Dumaan ang isang lalaki sa harap ko at sa sandaling nakita ko ulit ang kinatatayuan niya, napahinto ako dahil bigla siyang naglaho, at naiwan ang kapatid kong umalis din agad para tumungo sa champagne table.
Luminga-linga ako sa kinatatayuan ko.
"Where are you..." I whispered, to encourage myself to find her.
My vision was overwhelmed with students dressed in gowns and suits, and to top it all off, they were all wearing masks.
Nagsimula ako sa pamamagitan ng paghanap ng mga babaeng kasingkulay ang damit niya.
Naglakad na naman ako, habang sinusuri-suri ang kapaligiran ko.
I spent a few minutes guessing among the sea of women dressed in blue gowns, before sighing and ended up standing on the spot where I saw her last.
Did she actually run away from me?
Napamasid ako sa mga estudyanteng sumasayaw sa gitna ng hall, at nagsimulang mag-isip ng mga dahilan kung bakit niya ako iniwasan.
I grabbed a champagne glass from the aurai that passed in front of me and lightly sipped from it with furrowed brows.
Remembering all the times she scowled at me and threatened with a glare, another question slowly formed in my mind...
Does she despise me that much?
Napabuga ako ng hangin at napagdesisyunang panoorin nalang ang ibang estudyante na abala sa pagsasayaw habang nakangiti sa isa't isa.
They moved slower in my eyes, especially when I imagined her dancing in the middle, and what her dress could've looked like when it spins, because it resembled the night sky.
Napatigil ako.
The night sky...
Dahan-dahan akong napatingala sa kisame ng ceremonial hall na nabalot sa makapal na usok na kasingkulay ng damit niya, at may maliliit na bituing lumulutang, kaya nagmistula rin itong langit sa gabi kung saan may nakasabit na malaking chandelier sa gitna, tila isang gintong buwan.
The blue fog was thick enough to cover the entire ceiling, but thanks to the light from the chandelier, I was able to see the demigod standing on the small balcony a few meters above the door.
It was the balcony set for the musicians when we have events, but the organizers did not use it tonight because then they wouldn't be seen behind the fog and stars.
I slightly tilted my head to the side and smiled at her.
She stood straight and held her head high, as always, while looking down at me, her chest heaving up and down from a sigh of defeat she made.
Lumapad ang aking ngiti nang maalala ko ang umagang nagising ako sa mahihinang tibok ng kanyang dibdib.
Good days...
Another song was played. It was quicker than the one before, and she still has not moved.
I squinted my eyes at her and mouthed, "Come down."
She gave me a quick head-to-toe, before shaking her head.
Kumunot ang aking noo.
At saka ko naalalang hindi nga pala siya sumasayaw, hindi katulad ng kapatid niya.
"Oh..." I found myself chuckling at the realization. "Right..."
She took a step back but before she could disappear from my sight again, I immediately summoned a portal beside me and stepped out on the balcony where she stopped in front of me.
I finished my champagne and turned to the railing to carefully lower my glass on top of it.
She didn't move an inch when I faced her again, due to shock maybe, so I gladly lowered my head to meet her eyes that were a bit wide of surprise.
Unti-unti akong napangiti pagkatapos makita ang bibig niyang nakaawang mula sa singhap na narinig ko sa sandaling lumabas ako ng portal.
Napansin niya ata akong nakatingin dito, kaya mabilis niyang itinikom ang kanyang bibig.
From her lips, I glanced back at her eyes again that fluttered after being startled.
Hinayaan ko lang siyang magising mula sa pagkagulat, at hindi na rin naiwasang mapangisi dahil dito.
After her eyes stopped fluttering, I expected that she will break the silence between us but no, she didn't.
Kumunot ang aking noo nang mapagtantong nakatitig pa rin siya sa'kin nang hindi nagsasalita.
I realized a portion of my face was covered in a silver mask.
Meaning she wasn't staring at me. She was staring at my eyes.
She's studying them.
"Paige," sambit ko.
She slightly leaned to the side with a curious look, that soon turned into bewilderment.
"Paige," tawag ko ulit sa kanya.
Napatigil siya at mabilis na napayuko, tila hindi alam kung anong pinanggagawa.
"I-" Umiling-iling siya sa pagtataka. "I have to go-"
I caught her arm before she could walk away.
Napatingin siya rito, bago iangat ang kanyang tingin sa'kin. Ngunit sa sandaling nagtama ang aming mga mata, napansin ko ang pag-iwas niya rito.
"I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" nag-aalala kong tanong.
Umiling siya. "N-No-" She quickly paused after realizing she stuttered.
She stuttered?
Pinaningkitan ko siya. "Paige?"
"Let go of me," utos niya, dahilan na mapatingin din ako sa kamay kong nakahawak sa braso niya.
And for a few seconds, I waited.
I waited for her to pull her arm, or use her power, or threaten me, or even push me off the balcony.
Mula rito, dahan-dahan kong inangat ang aking tingin sa kanya, nanghihinala.
I tightened my grasp and she only looked at my hand defeatedly.
"On one condition," tugon ko.
Tinignan niya ako.
"Dance with me."
She pursed her lips before shaking her head nervously.
"Not on the dance floor, Paige, just here," sabi ko sa kanya. "Where no one can see us."
"I don't know how," aniya.
My hand slowly crawled away from her arm until I held her hand, as I gently pulled her and she took light small steps towards me.
"It should be easy to teach you." My arm automatically held the back of her waist when she stopped in front of me.
Sinulyapan ko ang kamay niyang kusa ring humawak sa aking balikat. "See?" Napangiti ako rito at muling humarap sa kanya. "I know you know, you just haven't done it before."
Umiwas siya ng tingin. "Can we just get over it so I can lea-"
Hindi niya natapos ang sasabihin niya nang mahina ko siyang tinulak papalapit pa sa'kin.
"What are you doing?" tanong niya.
"Lift your arm a bit higher," sabi ko. "The one that's holding unto my shoulder."
And when she did, I also lifted my arm and my hand that held her back, until I could almost touch the back of her shoulder.
While my other hand...
Together with her's I lifted it up on my other side, until our arms were stretched but not too much, only enough that they arched.
I curled my fingers as she transferred a bit of the weight of her arm to my hand that it hung on.
Panandalian kong sinulyapan ang magkasalikop naming mga palad.
"Isn't this balcony too small to dance on?" she finally realized.
I didn't answer and continued to listen to the music.
Napangiti ako nang malamang malapit na.
"There's that smug grin again," naiinis niyang puna.
The music was an average speed for a ballroom dance with an instrumental beat, but I know it was only starting.
I looked at her. "Ready?"
"I said this balcony is too small," aniya.
"I know."
"What-"
I summoned a portal behind me and swiftly took a step back, pulling her with me, and turning her from the balcony, to above the moon-like chandelier in the middle of the ceiling where I didn't stop my feet and continued to dance her on top of the blue and black clouds.
Natawa ako nang mahina nang maramdaman ang paghigpit ng kapit niya sa aking balikat.
"Grey-" She said, while looking down to the smoke surrounding the ends of her skirt. "Grey-" She knew that below her, were the students minding their business. "Grey- Grey!"
"You'll know when someone looks at us," sabi ko sa kanya at mahina siyang inangat at inikot pasabay sa tugtog. "You can sense it."
I, can sense it.
And we're too far above the students, on top of the layer of the ceiling's visual of the night sky.
I can't even see them at this point.
Around us was nothing but the shadow of the lights from below, and behind her, the faint light of the golden chandelier casted a soft glow to our shining clothes.
I pulled her to the rotation of the dance, and found her automatically following every direction of my feet, step by step, until we were able to fully revolve around the glow of the chandelier, like a planet spinning while encircling a star.
She was the first to let go when she spun herself around, facing her back against me, and I caught her by holding her other hand and grabbing the side of her waist.
We took a step forward, and then a step back to the side, where she touched my hand on her waist, a signal, to spin her around, and so I did, and she genly twirled under our hands that were holding on together.
She stopped, still with her back against me, and I smiled as I guided our hands to slowly fall over her shoulder the same pace as the music that slowed.
And while we waited for our hands to fall on her shoulder, our other hands were on the other side, not holding, just reaching out to meet at the side of her waist.
I spun her around again once... twice... until she faced me.
And I guided her left hand with my right, pulling her arm to drape over my shoulder.
Her lips opened to let out a silent sigh as she let go but still hung on my shoulder, and I held her by the waist to hold her weight as she slowly arched her back to the clouds and leaned her head away, the tip of her hand gently falling, disappearing under the blue fog.
She's...
Dahan-dahan din akong napayuko at pinasan ang bigat niya habang nakakapit sa'kin. Kumunot ang aking noo nang iangat ko siya patayo at muli siyang napaharap sa'kin.
Nakakapit pa rin siya sa aking balikat nang magtama ang aming tingin, at habang nakahawak pa rin ako sa kanyang likod, mabagal kaming humakbang paikot sa aming kinatatayuan nang hindi tinatanggal ang mga mata mula sa isa't isa.
Paige...
My eyes drifted to the corner of her lips that gradually curled, to form a relieved smile.
She's beautiful.
'Paige, why do you always conceal your presence? You know how powerful you are. Why hide it?'
'I don't like attention...'
The music slowed, but it never faded, and I found myself still stuck in her gravitational pull, wanting to hold her even more, and look at her as long as I want, to give her the attention she didn't ask, but deserves.
And as we spun around each other, eyes locked, I found myself gently pulling her, until my arm embraced the entire back of her waist.
She still didn't remove her arm around my neck when she continued to stare at me.
"You're..." I said under my breath. "Beautiful."
For a moment, I thought she'd let go, but she was just as stuck as me, when she let in a weak gasp and calmly let it out.
Dahan-dahan niyang tinanggal ang kanyang braso mula sa likod ng leeg ko. Ibinaba niya ang kanyang kamay hanggang sa lumapat ito sa aking dibdib.
Kasunod na bumaba ang aking tingin sa kanyang labi.
I was about to ask something when she spoke first.
"Let's go back."
Napalunok ako at napatango-tango. "Yes."
We're definitely going back.
Hindi ko pa rin siya nagawang bitawan, dahilan na magtaka siya.
"Grey?"
She fit perfectly in my arms, and in my hand, I thought. And she's beautiful.
"Paige..."
"What is it?" she almost whispered, perhaps a bit worried.
"Do you really not like me?" tanong ko.
Umiling siya. "Why are you asking me?"
"Because I like you."
Nanliit ang kanyang mga mata, tila hindi sigurado sa narinig. "What?"
"I like you."
"You don't," she insisted.
"I do."
"No." She shook her head still. "You don't."
"I do, Paige."
She chuckled, unbelieving. "No."
"I..." I said, again. "Like you."
"No, Grey, you do no-"
I quickly lowered my head to successfully capture that last word by fitting my lips against hers'.
Her denial was finally seized, and was overcome by my announcement. And I chose to do it this way because I knew she would rather argue that I don't, instead of asking why.
So I kissed her, until she could finally accept what I just said.
Or so, I thought...
Her hand gently raised above my shoulder and rested on top of it.
My brows furrowed as I gently pulled her closer to deepen the kiss, and I felt the weight of her hand that crawled behind the back of my head, holding me in place when I was the one who caught her off guard.
"No-" Bigla siyang bumitaw para maghanap ng hangin. "I didn't-"
"Doubt that." I said and kissed her again, this time harder, and completely withdrew ourselves from the music and the entire hall.
She stepped back, without realizing she's stepping back towards the balcony because I summoned a portal behind her.
She took another step back, but stopped after feeling the railings that's preventing her from getting away from me. And I kissed her even more, and waited for her to surrender instead of taking back what she did of responding to my kiss.
After a few seconds, I brushed my mouth on the corner of her lips to let us take a breath.
Stunned, I stared at the empty space behind her while she was trapped in between my body and the railing.
I spent a couple of vacations with Vance at their island, and this isn't the first time I kissed a girl before, so what was that?
Dahan-dahan kong inatras ang aking ulo para tignan siya na katulad ko, ay nagtataka rin.
"Let's do that again," I said, with my heart beating unusually fast.
"I'm going to like you back, after this, won't I?" she asked.
We gave each other a look as an answer, before reaching back to each other again and kissed, this time open-mouthed, like our lives depended on it.
She gripped the back of my hair and I let out a groan instinctively, low in my throat, once I felt her other arm hold my neck and I took a step forward, gently pressing myself against the thickness of her skirt.
And while my hand held her waist, I used my other hand to stop her back from leaning too far.
I never knew I could close my eyes but still see colors. A fireworks of them, and my heart threatened to explode from my chest because of the warmth, and depth of her lips I never knew my heart desired that much that I-
My mouth breathed against hers. My head tilted and moved, in support of her jaw that was lifted to mine.
I let go of the kiss. "You're leaning back."
"You're too tall and heavy," she said.
She must have forgotten she had the power to carry any weight. But that didn't matter.
I wanted more, and I have never been this determined before.
She took another step back as the railing behind her disappeared and was replaced by a wall of glass that caught her back when I released it.
I loosened the buttons of my top collar as if it could help me breathe, before taking a step towards her and held her face to answer to my want.
Our lips touched for I don't know how many times already.
I lost count.
Around us, I felt the flowers bloom and my vision of my garden was replaced by a vision of a girl standing in the middle of a meadow, her hair braided loosely, her eyes smiling beautifully, as the wind slowly rained petals on her.
I kissed her weak but strong, and she taught me how wise she was, how she ruled me.
Her lips spoke the things she's going to change about me after we stop making out.
And I replied in French, of course.
Though not in words.