"I still can't believe you're alive. We used to cast spells in your mausoleum thinking we could get some extra strength. You know, ancestral power and all," ani Max habang nakaupo sa gray na couch habang nasa harapan naman ang tatlong founding fathers ng Hellville.
Ciro was grinning. Draven was frowning. Gregory was looking outside the window.
Minsan naiisip ni Cole na may problema itong si Gregory. Hindi ito masyadong nagsasalita pero hindi naman nakakatakot like his dad, Titus. Gregory was just there, existing, pero ang isip ay hindi nila kasama.
"It's not like we were on vacation," seryosong sabi ni Draven. Namamangha pa rin talaga si Cole every time magsalita itong si Draven. Wala talagang namana ang Tito Matteo n'ya at si Malik. Mas kaugali nito ang Daddy n'ya.
"Of course not!" agad na sagot ni Max na itinaas ang dalawang palad na parang sumurender.
Lumapit kay Cole si Thaïs sa kusina kung saan kita nila ang living room.
"You want some?" he offered a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Nasa counter pa ang tinapay at jars.
"Nah," sagot ng pinsan n'ya saka nito binuksan ang fridge sabay kuha ng isang blood bag. She inserted a straw and sipped like it was apple juice.
"Kailangan nating i-rewrite ang history books natin sa Hellville. May balak ba kayong bumalik doon?" tanong naman ni Rianah na nakatayo malapit sa bintana.
Hindi sumama sina Faizah at Lorenzo this time. Nanatili ang mga ito sa city ng Obis dahil kailangang may magma-manage ng Hellville Academy. Kailangang protektahan ang mga estudyante. Isa pa, Kray was putting the whole city under lockdown.
"Kanina pa nakatitig sa'yo ang girlfriend mo oh," mahinang bulong ni Thaïs at pasimpleng sinulyapan ni Cole si Kimber na nakaupo sa tabi ni Max sa couch.
"Stop," aniya sa pinsan.
Cole greeted Kimber a while ago and she rolled her eyes at him. Mukhang galit pa rin ito sa kanya since their encounter in the hotel n'ong pagkarating n'ya rito.
"Nag-update ba sina Tita Faizah?" he asked Thaïs intead, and his devil of a cousin grinned mischievously.
"Walang pwedeng lumabas ng mga bahay nila. Kray's private army will shoot them without question if they go out," buti na lang sumagot ito nang maayos.
"We will go back to Hellville, for sure. To visit," ani Ciro. "Kailangan naming hanapin ang pamilya at mga kaibigan namin from three hundred years ago. Kahit na mga descendants namin ang nakatira roon, we don't know you. No offense meant."
"No, no. None taken," ani Max.
Tumalikod si Cole, at kumagat ng kanyang sandwich. Iniligpit naman ni Thaïs ang mga ginamit niya sa sandwich.
Cole took his phone out and browsed for latest updates on Obis.
"Of course ang parents nanaman ni Kam ang nasisi sa mga nangyayari. According to these news updates, order ng mga Caedis ang lockdown. Reason unknown," aniya.
Thaïs finished her blood bag before using a spell to disintegrate the empty bag. "So, what's your plan to help your girlfriend."
Kumunot ang noo ni Cole. "She's not my girlfriend."
"Really?"
"Really," aniya saka sinamaan ng tingin ang pinsan na humagikhik.
"Seriously, Kuya Cole, ano'ng plano mo?"
"Still working on it. We just can't attack. We are outnumbered."
"Outnumbered but powerful," kumindat pa si Thaïs kaya natawa si Cole sa pinsan.
Ang hangin eh.
"Totoo naman ah. So, ganito, makinig ka, Kuya Cole. The witches will be the second line of defense... or offense, whatever. We standby. So, you and Gregory will use your power to decapitate the enemies. 'Yung mga natira, bibigyan ni Ciro ng overwhelming emotions. They feel so broken they start killing themselves or they get so angry at people around them, they start killing each other. Si Draven naman, he will mind control them to kill themselves. Oh, 'di ba? Ang talino ko?"
Walang nakasagot kay Thaïs. Lahat nakatingin lang sa dalaga kaya agad itong naasiwa.
"What?"
"That's actually a pretty good plan, sweetheart," nakangiting sabi ni Max sa nag-iisang anak.
"Ang brutal naman," sabi naman ni Kimber.
Thaïs made a mocking face kaya napailing si Cole.
"Nag-aalala ako kina Kuya Lorenzo," sabi ni Raye patungkol sa mga pinsan na naiwan sa Obis. "Kapag nalaman ni Kray Hayes na may kapamilya tayong naiwan d'on, baka saktan pa sila." She joined them in the kitchen.
"That's why we need to do something as soon as possible. 'Di ba, Dad, agree ka sa plano ko?" ani Thaïs.
"What you have is a synopsis of a plan," sagot ni Cole na pinitik nang mahina ang ilong ng pinsan. "We need detailed plans. As in plans with s. We need Plan A to Z. We have loved ones in the city and there are millions of innocent people as well. We can't mess up."
"I, Helaena Fabrianah Simmons Gerhardt, swear to make perfect plans for killing Kray Hayes," biglang sigaw ni Rianah at sakto namang bumukas ang pinto ng guest room at iniluwa roon si Kam na mukhang gulat na gulat sa narinig.
"Rianah!" saway ni Max sa nakababatang kapatid.
"Oops! Sorry, Kam," ani Rianah na mukha naman talagang sincere.
Pilit na ngumiti si Kam. She was trying to be okay pero halatang nasasaktan pa rin ito.
"Here. Have some para mas madali kang maka-recover. I'm Thaïs," gamit ang vampire speed ay nakalapit kay Kam si Thaïs at inabutan ito ng blood bag. Isa-isa na rin nitong ipinakilala kay Kam ang mga naroon.
Cole remained quiet as he finished his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Nakatitig lang siya kay Kam, observing.
"And that's Kimber, Kuya Cole's girlfriend," pagtatapos ni Thaïs sa introduction.
Nabilaukan naman si Cole. Hindi na niya nakita ang gulat sa mukha ni Kam dahil inatake na siya ng pag-ubo.
Walang-hiya naman kasi talaga ang pinsan n'ya. Kung anu-ano ang pinagsasabi. Si Kam naman ang tinawag nitong girlfriend n'ya kanina. Bakit ngayon biglang naging si Kimber?
"Thank you, sa inyong lahat. For rescuing me. Tatanawin ko itong malaking utang na loob," malumanay ang boses na sabi ni Kam kaya sinulyapan ito ni Cole.
She really was lovely as she sipped blood from the bag.
"Kam, do you want us to kill Kray Hayes?" deretsong tanong ni Rianah pagkaraan ng ilang sandali. This time, walang sumaway sa babae.
Nakita ni Cole ang paglunok ni Kam nang ilang beses. Hindi nito alam kung ano ang isasagot. For Kam, Kray was her brother. Hindi iyun basta-basta na lang nawawala.
"Give her time to think about it," sa wakas ay nagsalita si Cole. He didn't want to pressure her. Kung anuman ang desisyon nito ay dapat na iyun talaga ang gusto nito.
"I... I need to get some air," ani Kam saka mabilis na lumabas ng bahay.
Ilang saglit na naiwan silang tahimik. Everyone understood Kam. Ang bigat ng atmosphere kaya medyo nasu-suffocate na rin si Cole. Lumabas na rin siya ng bahay pero hindi na niya nakita si Kam.
"Sentry Bloodworth."
Napalingon ang binata kay Kimber na seryosong nakatingin sa kanya. Para itong basang tuta n'ong dinala rito dahil sa sobrang takot. Buti na lang mukhang naka-recover na ito.
"Gusto ko lang humingi ng sorry. I think I'm a little confusing. Maybe I sent mixed signals. The thing is, I don't want to marry you anymore," seryosong sabi ni Kimber.
Shocked was an understatement. More like stunned si Cole. Ano ba itong pinagsasabi ni Kimber sa kanya?
"The last time we saw each other, sa hotel, I got angry 'coz you didn't want to marry me. Ngayon, kahit na lumuhod ka pa sa harapan ko, hindi na kita tatanggapin pa. So, please, correct your family. Sabihin mo sa kanila ang totoo na hindi mo naman talaga ako girlfriend."
"Ah," he didn't know how to respond. He probably looked stupid standing there looking so lost. "Uhm... good to know where I stand in your life?" hindi sigurado niyang sabi.
Tumangu-tango si Kimber. "Good. Sige, pasok na ano. I have to know Gregory better. He is so much more interesting than you. Don't grieve too much, Sentry Bloodworth. Makaka-move on ka rin sa akin balang-araw," ani Kimber saka iniwan na siyang nakatulala at muli itong pumasok ng bahay.
"What the hell?" confused pa rin na sambit ni Cole.
Hindi na lang niya binigyang-pansin ang napaka-confusing na conversation na 'yun.
Hinanap n'ya si Kam. Baka kasi kung saan pa 'yun mapadpad. Buti na lang natagpuan n'ya itong nakaupo sa beach habang nakaharap sa dagat at kulay orange na sunset.
The sky looked so beautiful and Kam just added to the beauty of the majestic view.
He didn't make any sound or move. He stood a few meters away from her and enjoyed watching her.
"You can sit down beside me or you can go back to your girlfriend," narinig niyang sabi nito at bahagyang natawa si Cole nang lumingon ang babae sa kanya na may mapaglarong ngiti ang mga labi.
Walang-pagmamadali na lumapit siya rito at umupo sa tabi nito. Hindi naman sila masyadong magkalapit sa isa't isa. Kasya pa ang dalawang tao sa pagitan nila. But he could feel her warmth.
"I didn't know na nakahanap ka pala agad ng girlfriend dito. Ilang araw ka pa lang dito ah," komento ni Kam gamit ang nanunuksong tono.
Cole chuckled. He picked up a few pebbles and absentmindedly threw them into the water.
"We tried to hook up, but it didn't turn out well. She said she loved me and wanted to marry and have kids with me."
Natawa si Kam. "When was this?"
"The day I arrived."
Kam gasped and looked at him like he grew seven heads. Hindi na rin napigilan ni Cole ang matawa dahil sa reaksyon nito.
"That's how lethal your charm is, huh?" she commented.
"Well, I can assure you, it expired real quick. She just rejected me awhile ago because she wants to know my ancestor better."
"Si Gregory?"
Tumango si Cole. "Si Gregory."
"That must have hurt."
Cole put his right hand on his chest. "Oh, believe me, it's devastating."
They both chuckled and was followed by a comfortable silence. Basta lang sila nakatitig sa papalubog na araw, sitting side by side.
Cole didn't think this could still be possible. After twelve years of being apart, he didn't expect he could still be comfortable around Kam again.
And the weird thing was, he had forgotten all those years of being angry and bitter with her. One look at her now and all he could think about was the good times they had.
Posible pala 'yun?
They might end up being good friends after all this mess.
***
@immrsbryant