c h a p t e r t h i r t y s e v e n
RAIN'S POV
"I received an information that gangs were forming an alliance against you," aniya. "Their objective is to overthrow you." Those little dipsh*ts. All they want is power ang money. They want to run it for other illegal purposes. "Is this why Dad forced me to come here?" Now I get it. It wasn't because of my mission. These people were trying to kill me.
"One of our drives were stolen during last week. I came here because someone said he might knew who took it," saad niya. "And who is it?"
"Jared." Agad kong binato ng punyal ang kinaroroonan nito ngunit nakailag siya. May kaunting daplis ito sa gilid ng braso niya at bumaon ang punyal sa sirang cabinet. I know he was standing there since then. My glasses scanned a while ago and there were three people in this area which means excluding us both, there is another one. The guy who talked to me a while ago at the soccer field, it was him.
"Bonjour, milady." Hindi ko siya binati pabalik sapagkat hindi ko siya mapagkatiwalaan. "Jared Dubois, an Ares of BA8," pakilala niya sa sarili niya. If he is an Ares, it means he's in the top ten ranks. "I'm a rank two, milady," dagdag nito. "Since when did you knew?"
Rhys sighed. "He knew ever since the day I became a Supreme." Ngumiti lang naman ito na tila ba wala lang. Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Rhys. "You blew your cover just like that." This Jared guy should have been cold as dead the moment he knew but here he is. "He tried to kill me, Kutuzov, I mean..."
"It was during the winter end season. He was tied, naked, and out in the freezing night. They were digging my grave and I was begging him. That part was so dramatic. And he and I made a contract. Oh wait, no. I suggested that I'll do anything so he will let me live."
"And you fell for it," malamig na litanya ko kay Rhys. Not only did he broke the rule, Scott's rules, but also let my cover blew up. "That's why I was working for him."
Tinalikuran ko sila ngunit natigil ako sa sumunod niyang sinabi. "Is it Ace...the guy from Thanatos. Ah! Your boyfriend!"
"What the f*ck?!" Rhys cussed out loud. "You are going out with that sh*t?! Are you out of your mind?" Hindi maipinta ang mukha ko sa mga oras na ito. It was emotionless. "You have a terrible job at picking information. Tss." Tinignan ko ng isa pang beses ang lalaking iyon at sinabing "He and I weren't together. I don't care about him so go ahead and do your job," bago ko linisan ng tuluyan ang lugar.
Now that a bomb just exploded, the higher the risk of my every move and I don't want to stir any raging emotions of my enemies before I could even get my hands to all the pieces. Pin, Harry, and Cliff rushed towards me when they saw me. They were guarding the staircase so that no one will follow. "What happened?"
"Let's talk about it at the headquarters. For now, keep your eyes on all the members of Thanatos. Anything from the database? We need to find the last piece before the Tyranny." Hindi maganda ang kutob ko sa nabalitaan ko. I should know who were behind the alliance and what is their main goal after they overthrow me. "Cliff, I will send you a profile later. Dig him up." He nodded. Hindi pa rin ako maniniwala sa Jared na iyon. How come I never heard of him before?
Biglang tumigil si Pin. "I'll catch up later," sabi niya kila Cliff at Harry. Bagaman naguguluhan ang dalawa, umalis na sila. "What?" tanong ko. I shot a look at him and he was just silent and his face, dim.
"I can't afford to lose you," with that words said, he took a long stride, cupped my face and he sealed the space between us.
THIRD PERSON'S POV
Natulala si Rain sa nangyari. Hindi iyon ang unang pagkakataon na hinalikan siya ni Pin. Susuntukin na sana siya ni Rain ngunit nasalo niya ito at hinalikan ulit. "You drive me crazy, don't you know that?" pag-aamin niya sa gitna ng kaniyang matatamis na halik nang hindi nagkakalayo ang kanilang mga labi.
Sa unang pagkakaton, nakaramdam si Rain ng pagkagulo sa kaniyang isipan. "Louise, please. . . I can't hold that back any longer. He's into you and I cannot lose you. I don't want to. I never will," sentimento ng binata. She couldn't say a word. They were at a place with no people around.
"Let's talk after this," saad ni Rain. Dumampi ng huling bese and labi ni Pin sa labi ni Rain at nanatili ito nang ilang minuto bago hinalikan ang noo ng dalaga saka humiwalay ng tuluyan. Naiwan si Rain doon at ramdam niya ang kabog ng kaniyang dibdib.
RAIN'S POV
I was dumfounded. It's too much to handle. For now, I'll cast that aside. There were other things that needs my attention.
"Where have you been? Hell, I've been looking for you. Are you okay? Did you got hurt? Did they followed you? Did you trip? Did you fall? Did you have broken bones? Bruises? Lacerations? Will you please speak." Biglang sumulpot sa kawalan si Ace. How did he find me? "I'm fine," I answered, pretty much knowing how it has ended. Nilagpasan ko na siya pero nahawakan niya ang braso ko at ihinarap niya ako sa kaniya.
Shoot! I forgot that his friends saw what happened at the parking lot. What? I will tell him? Am I crazy for saying that? What would he think if ] told him that, huh? Rain, you stupid. Afterall that had happened considering his suspicions too, I could hardly get away from it. There was a an incident but here they are. Tuloy pa rin ang laro na parang walang nangyari. Sabagay, kami lang naman ang nasa parking lot kanina. They didn't notice anything strange just happened. It was how the university worked and these people. They were so caught up with their social life that they wouldn't realize, there's been unknown people roaming around and chasing people. The look on his face says that he wants to ask someth]ng but his lips are sealed. "What?" I asked him. He hesitated but then he eventually asked, "Is there anything you want to tell me?"
I don't have any reasons to tell him. He's having suspicions about me and I can't feed him tiny information which can later be used against me. "I don't think so," sambit ko at nilagpasan na siya. Pabalik na ako sa archery field. Saktong pagkarating ko roon, nakasalang na iyong babae kaninang kasama nila Stacey. That girl named Lovelle. She pulled the string without hesitation ang it went at ten. She is good. But why do I feel that there's something about her that's so strange. I wonder what. Bago pa ako dalhin ng kaisipan ko sa kung saan man, narinig kong tinawag ang pangalan ko.
Ako na ng susunod na maglalaro. I took a bow and a guiver of arrows, put on my other equipments and I'm good to go. Huminga ako ng malalim. Before I draw my arrow, I saw Pin from the crowd and he was looking at me intently from afar. It nearly distracted me but good thing I retained my focus and shot the arrow nonetheless. It went straight to ten.
I moved to another target but with different distance. Everything went easy and smooth. All of my shots were ten. They couldn't believe their eyes. "What are you the Green Archer?" the girl, who I forgotten her name, said with amusement. She couldn't get a hold of what just happened. "Not bad for a nerd," she commented. I won't take it as a compliment and neither an insult. Tsk. Like I give a damn thing about it. Archery has been a part of my life. It was part of my trainings and fights. Pin, on the other hand, was also pro in this but I wondered why he didn't participated. Geez! Pin! What he did awhile ago rushed to my head and damn it, it's giving me a whiplash.
Naupo ako sa bakanteng upuan at iyon lamang ay ang upuang binuhat ni Ace at nilapit sa upuan niya. Kaya naman ang tingin ng mga tao ay may kung anong namamagitan sa amin base lamang sa mga mata nilang knina pa nakatingin.
Sa huling pagkakataon, napunta ang tingin ko sa kinaroroonan ni Pin at nahuli ko siyang nakatingin sa akin. I'm so confused with everything and for the first time I couldn't organize my thoughts. I'm not suppose to feel this way but why did he do that? I warned him before and still, he does whatever he wants.
At hindi lang iyon, maski si Ace. Anong binabalak niya? Does he know who I am? Did he already knew who i was? Fudge this confusion.
"Would you watch my game tomorrow?" he asked out of nowhere. Para bang wala lang sa kaniya iyong issue kaninang umaga nang sampalin ko siya. Damn it. Nagflashback sa akin iyong time na nagconfess sa kaniya iyong babae. It turns out the way I didn't expect it to be. I'm planning to leave soon and I don't want any attachments. Not with this guy, not with anything.
"I'm not coming to school tomorrow, I have plans." Excuses I made for myself, works all the time. However, he's such a person who clearly does not know what plans mean. "Even for just half an hour?" he insisted. No, I have to look for the person who manage to slip away the drive. It contains the data of those who will fight in rhe Tyranny. I have to get back to New York. "No means no." Hindi ko talaga balak ang pumasok bukas dahil marami akong kailangang asikasuhin. Masyado nang matagal ang paghahanap at mas lalong hindi ako matatahimik hanggang hindi ko nahahanap ang mga ito.
Matapos lahat ng laro, nanalo ang koponan namin. They went to the cafeteria to eat while Ace got a call from his sister. He left and so was the others. Hindi na rin ako nagtagal doon at nagtungo sa parking lot kung saan naroon si Pin at nakasandal sa kaniyang sasakyan. Sumakay ako dito at ganoon din siya saka niya pinatakbo patungo sa bahay.
THIRD PERSON'S POV
Pagkatapos na pagkatapos isarado ni Pin ang pinto, pinilit niyang huwag hagkan ang dalaga. "Would you mind explaining what you did back there?" saad ng dalaga. Kalmado pa rin ito kahit na dumadagungdong ang kaniyang dibdib sa hindi maipaliwanag na kadahilanan. Tahimik lang si Pin ngunit mas lalo siyang kinabahan kaysa tuwing nakikipaglaban sila sa kamatayan.
"Louise, I swear, I had chained myself from your warning and I've been doing just fine but I don't think I could hold on much longer," litanya ni Pin. Tila ba umamin na ito sa tunay na nararamdaman niya. Tahimik lamang si Pin sa mga nangyayari ngunit hindi niya hahayaang mapunta sa iba si Rain habang hinihintay niya ito. Masasabi niyo nang makasarili at mapag-angkin ngunit matagal nang may gusto si Pin kay Rain.
"How many times have I told you? I don't do shit like that?" walang emosyong sambit ng dalaga. Mayroon kasing rule ang dalaga. Bawal ang magkagusto sa kaniya. "I've been meaning to tell you this after we finish the mission but I couldn't wait any longer. I just couldn't."
He took three steps and held her. Hahalik ulit sana ito, nakita niyang pumikit ang dalaga, isang ngiti ang sumilay sa kaniyang labi saka humalik ito sa ulo ng dalaga. "I'd wait for you. I'll always do. This shit called jealousy, I'm aware of, starts kicking in everytime you're near that guy," ani Pin.
Tumunog ang telepono sa sala. Panay harina ang kasuotan ni Sophia at maging ang buhok nito. Gumagawa kasi siya ng cookies para sa booth nila. "Hello," sagot niya.
"Mija..." Sumilay naman ang ngiti sa labi ng dalaga. "Papa!" Tila batang excited na mauwian ng regalo ang istura ngayon ng dalaga. "How are you, mija?"
"I'm doing great, Papa."
"Great. Tell your brother that we'll be having dinner tonight."
"Really? Okay, I will. See you then, Papa." Panay ang bungisngis ng dalaga at mabilis na tumakbo sa hagdan para ipaalam sa kapatid niya ang magandang balita.
Bumukas ang pinto at dumungaw ang ulo ni Sophia. "Guess what?"
"I'm not in the mood."
"Dad called. We're having dinner together," sambit ng dalaga. Nanigas ang binata sa narinig.
***
The Night Queen
by jrhabellie