Wala talagang update hanggang next week kasi finals namin pero dinalaw ako ni Zeus sa panaginip. I had to get him off my mind so here's an update! xx
------
Twenty-six: You tell me
- Zeus Achilles -
"I can feel the tension..."
Zeus tensed at what Athena absentmindedly said dahil sa nakakabinging katahimik sa table nila sa simula ng linggong iyon. They're once again complete, finally complete because of Aria but everyone can sense something was wrong. It was awfully quiet.
He bit his lower lip to avoid their eyes. Truth is he's really avoiding the girl with green ones who sitting across from him, quietly eating breakfast like everyone else.
Aiane was the first one to break the ice.
"Bakit walang nagsasalita sa inyo? It's Aria's first day guys dapat maingay tayo para siya kabahan!" Asher followed.
As much as Zeus wanted to assure Aria that everything's gonna be alright, hindi naman niya magawa. He had his own problems. Para kasing naninibago siya sa presensya ni Flame. He asked himself if he's getting used to her not being around dahil sa naramdaman niyang iyon. Inisip niya rin na baka good sign iyon.
"I think the time is a valid reason to be quiet," Enzo clipped, answering Asher's question.
"Don't fuck with me. I woke up at the wrong side of the bed today," Ezra snapped while massaging her temples.
"You always wake up at the wrong side"
"Ano?!"
"Just joking!" Asher made a peace sign before tapping Aria's shoulder. "She looks nervous, we better fix this before class starts"
Sigurado siya na hindi dahil sa klase ang dahilan kung bakit ganon ang itsura ni Aria. Asher was the one to blame. The noob was sitting too close. Kitang kita niya ang mabigat na pag hugot ni Aria ng hangin tuwing gagalaw si Asher to scoot closer.
Ezra snapped out of her bitch mode and stared softly at Aria. "Tandaan mo lang yung mga sinabi namin sa'yo kagabi and you'll get by"
"Ihahatid ka namin sa unang klase mo" Dagdag pa ni Asher.
"Wag kang lalapit sa mga kaibigan ni Ezra" Paalala naman ni Enzo which made his twin roll her eyes.
Ngumiwi naman si Gianna. "Ate Aria wag kang magpapa apekto sa kanila ha? Hindi naman ganon kalupit ang mga students dito sa transferees"
"Kung teacher mo naman si Sir Collins then mag handa ka lang sa Q and A. Nag review ka naman diba?"
Tumango si Aria sa tanong ni Asher. Mukhang marami nang binigay na mga guidelines ang mga ito on how to survive in Sinclaire Academy. Nakikinig lang si Zeus dahil wala naman siyang maidadagdag pa sa usapan. MIA siya sa escapade nila kagabi. He stayed with Seige at Aiane's room the rest of the night. Pinagtuonan nalang niya ng pansin ang task na ibinigay sa kanya ng Papa niya.
"Auntie Adri requested na exempted ka muna sa exams next week since you're new. We'll help you catch up."
"Exam na next week?" He finally heard Flame's voice mula nung dumating ito. She was gaping at Asher with wide eyes. "Bakit hindi mo sinabi sa'kin?"
"I thought you knew!" Ash shot back.
"You didn't check our schedule while you were away?" Kunot noo namang tanong ni Enzo.
"Review palang naman---"
Bago pa natapos ni Ezra ang sasabihin ay nag walk out na si Flame. All eyes followed her. Zeus knew her temper rised with the way her eyes turned to a different shade of green. Hindi parin talaga matatanggal ang pagiging observant niya dito. Lumabas bigla ang grade conscious girl.
"She's going to study non stop," Ezra sighed, already knowing what her best friend is going to do.
"Fuck..." Asher cursed. Mukhang nataranta ito bigla dahil sa pag alis ni Flame. "I have to fix this"
"You really should" Patango namang sambit ni Ezra sabay inom ng tubig.
"Aria, stand up" Bigla namang utos ni Asher at tumayo rin. He jumps on the table kaya lahat ng nasa Dining Hall ay naka tingin sa kanya.
Sila naman ay nakatingila dito. Waiting for what he's about to say.
"Alright students listen up!" Asher clapped his hands twice to get everyone's attention. "You see this girl right here?" he points at Aria na ngayon ay pulang pula na ang pisngi sa hiya sa kalokohan ni Asher. "She's a new student and her name is Ariabella Laine Buenavino. She's under our wing. You already know the consequence if you mess with us so that goes for her too. Kung hindi naman kayo natatakot then I'd love to inform you that her Mom is Adrianna Sinclaire's best friend. Yun lang. Good day everyone!"
After that he winked at Aria and ran off to chase Flame. Napasapo naman ng noo si Zeus sa ginawa ni Asher.
"He just made everyone hate you..." Aiane blinked before turning her attention to Aria.
"What a stupid boy..." Ezra shook her head.
Napa iling nalang si Aria. Still flustered after what happened. "So much for keeping a low profile," she mumbled.
"He did that kasi hindi ka na niya mahahatid sa room mo coz his oh so loving Flame needs him," Ezra stood up at sakto naman ang pag tunog ng bell, officially starting their day.
Asher and Flame came in late sa first class nila. Flame's ranging green eyes told Zeus her temper hasn't subsided.
Ash slumped on the seat next time while Flame sat next to Ezra. Lumapit naman ng kaonti si Ash sa kanya para bumulong.
"Where's Seige?"
Now the Ash have mentioned it, wala nga si Seige. Ngayon lang niya napansin. Flame clouded his mind again.
"Hindi ko alam"
Ash leaned back. "Huh. I thought you knew"
"I don't know her every move," he grumbled back and crossed his arms.
He couldn't help but stare at the girl with red hair who was sitting a row down from them. Paano niya gagawin ang gusto niyang mangyari kung ganito? He wanted to assure her that everything's okay. She shouldn't stress about mindless stuff. Sa mga ganitong situation ay isa siya sa mga nakakaintindi kay Flame.
Mataman lang itong nakinig sa buong first class nila. Sa pangalawa naman ay nagkaroon ng pop quiz. He watched as her shoulders tensed dahil ang topic ay tungkol sa lesson nila na absent naman ito.
"You should know this kung sinagutan mo yung mga activity na sinend ko sa'yo..." Asher said, enough for Flame to hear bago pa magsimula ang quiz nila.
Nag sunod-sunod na ang mga quizes and activities nila sa mga sumunod na klase since it's review week before the exams. Mag re-recall lang sila ng mga topic na tinapos last week.
Asher yawned nang pababa na sila, they were all worn out sa buong morning class nila. For sure ganon rin ang mangyayari sa afternoon.
"Miss Raveclaw, may I speak to you for a minute?"
Bahagyang natigilan si Zeus sa pag tawag ng instructor nila kay Flame. Pati si Asher ay tumigil din.
Flame weakly nods. Kumunot naman ang noo niya, kung hindi lang siya hinila ni Ash palabas ay makikinig pa siya sa usapan.
"Tungkol saan iyon?" He asked Asher.
"Hindi ko alam," Asher shrugged. "I'll stay behind to wait for her. Mauna na kayo"
"I'll go check on Athena..." kunot noo parin niyang wika. Gusto niyang malaman kung ano ang sasabihin ng instructor nila kay Flame.
Was she in trouble?
That can't happen. Flame and trouble doesn't fit in a sentence. Given their secret relationship, Flame still goes by the rules. She knows every consequence if she ever breaks one kaya hangga't sa maaari ay hindi ito bumabali ng rules.
Now he asked himself what made him so special? What made him so different for Cassandra Flame? What did she saw in him for her to break one important rule that can cost her family name?
The doors were shut closed kaya hindi na niya nasilip pa si Flame sa loob. The twins already went to the dining hall. Pwede naman niyang wag na sunduin si Aiane ngunit gusto niya muna makita ang lagay nito bago sila pumuntang dining hall. She could've traveled in the middle of class for all he knew.
He saw her standing by her locker with an unreadable expression.
"What's with the face?" He raised a brow at his little sister.
Aiane turned to him with a questioning look. "Kuya, do you know a girl named Ysobelle?"
"Maybe she's one of Ash's flings"
"I'm serious!" Hinampas naman nito ang braso niya.
"Hindi ko alam! Bakit mo naman natanong iyan?" Napagtanto niya rin agad. "Did you travel?"
"That was the first time I traveled to a place where I don't know anyone and what time I was in," Aiane had a wondering expression. Like she's solving a puzzle in her mind. Tiningala muli siya nito.
"A girl named Ysobelle was standing by the edge of a cliff, staring at the water below. She doesn't look familiar so the whole time I was wondering why I was there. Hindi ko naman kasi siya kilala. Nalaman ko lang ang pangalan niya when someone called her and that's when I snapped back."
"How long have you been there?"
"For about two minutes..."
"How long have you been gone here?"
"I've been out for two hours..." Her forehead creased again. "Does that mean ang isang minuto doon ay katumbas ng isang oras dito?"
He took a note of that to tell their Father. Looks like Aiane is solving her ability on her own.
"Nawala ka in the middle of class?"
"No. Lumabas ako 'cause I forgot my book. Hindi na ako nakabalik. Everything just faded when I got to my locker"
Inakbayan niya ito para maglakad na. He really had to monitor Aiane, iniiwasan talaga nila na maglaho nalang ito sa gitna ng klase.
"You should ask Papa about that Ysobelle girl. Maybe he knows her"
"Maybe..." bumuntong hininga naman si Aiane. "I just want to know how I'm connected to her"
"Goodluck with that," tinapik niya ang balikat nito. She can solve this on her own. May tiwala siya kay Aiane.
"Si Seige pala?" Pag-iiba nito ng topic.
"I don't know"
He was hoping na makita si Seige sa afternoon classes nila but there was no sign of her. Flame and Asher too weren't in the dining hall for lunch. Nagtataka naman siya kung asan ang dalawa.
Ezra chatted away with Aria, asking about what happened to her on her morning classes.
Hindi naman siya maka pokus sa usapan ng mga ito the two vacant seat bothered him more than it should.
"You know I was wondering..." Ezra trailed, catching his attention.
"What did Flame do back at London? If she misses her family then a few days are enough. Two should do it but a whole week?"
"Baka nami-miss niya lang talaga sila Tita V. Kung kapatid ko si Siel at Riel ayoko rin mawalay sa kanila" Ngumuso naman si Gianna.
"Maybe the little cuties needed their Ate. Alam mo namang mahina ang puso ni Ate Flame pag dating sa dalawang bulinggit na iyon" Dagdag pa ni Athena.
"Still, she shouldn't have missed school that long. Tignan mo ngayon"
"Just let her be, Ez" Sabat naman ni Enzo. "Let her make her own choices and suffer with consequences of the decisions she made"
That reminded him of how Flame's decisions were absolute.
"Remember our silent rule?" Zeus speaks up kaya napatingin ang mga ito sa kanya.
"Don't mess with Enzo's life?" Ezra guessed.
"That goes for Flame too"
He wanted to know the answers to Ezra's questions himself. Curious rin naman siya sa kung ano ang ginawa ni Flame doon sa London. Did she lock herself in the spell room all day?
If she's really hell bent on praciticing spells then she shouldn't enrolled in the Academy at all. Hindi mapapantayan ng SA ang gusto niya. Flame had to adjust to SA's curriculum.
Tinitignan niya ang pinto. Hinihintay ang pag pasok ni Flame at Ash.
He was expecting the both of them to walk in together pero mag ri-ring na ang warning bell wala parin ang dalawa.
After the warning bell rang, Asher came rushing to the door. Sinaluduhan pa nito ang instructor nila na isasara na sana ang pinto bago umupo sa tabi niya.
"Ash, si Flame?" Tiningala sila ni Ezra. Si Enzo ay naka tingin din.
"At the library. She wants to study so I let her be."
"Paano yung klase ngayon? She's going to skip?" Si Zeus na ang nag tanong dahil hindi na niya mapigilan pa ang sarili.
"Ayaw magpapigil eh" Napa kamot nalang ng ulo si Ash.
Zeus was tapping his fingers hanggang sa matapos ang klase nila sa araw na iyon. Iba na ito katulad ng dati. He can't just ignore her now pero hindi rin naman niya ibibigay ang buong atensyon dito tulad ng dati. Paano ba niya gagawin ang lahat ng ito? His main goal was to get her out of his system. Slowly.
He really can't just ignore her. He still cared for her despited all the pain she caused.
Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga habang naglalakad patungo sa direksyon ng kanyang locker.
Hindi naman niya inaasahan na maabutan niyang nakatayo roon si Seige na para bang kanina pa siya hinihintay.
"Where have you been?" Bungad na tanong niya agad dito. Tipid na ngiti ang sinagot ni Seige.
"The diner needed extra help so..."
"You should've told me" Umusog ito to give him way kaya nabuksan na niya ang kanyang locker at inayos ang kanyang mga libro.
"I told Ezra kung nasaan ako"
He just chuckled. Ezra being the selfish girl she is won't tell him where Seige was all day. He wasn't even surprised.
"How was it?" Sumandal si Seige sa katabing locker at tinignan siya. Alam na agad niya kung ano ang tinutukoy nito.
"We were civil..." or that's what he thought. "The normal way we treat each other when the others are around"
"You'll know the real thing kapag kayo nalang dalawa"
She right. Sa ngayon ay malayo pang mangyari iyon. Flame was too focused on her studies and the upcoming exams that means she had no time for complications. He was a complication.
"Focus on other stuff like Athena for example. Your sister needs you" tinapik nito ang balikat niya. "This is all on you, Zeus. I can guide you but in the end sa'yo parin ang desisyon sa lahat"
"Why did you agree to this?" He asked her out of curiosity. "Baka naman napipilitan ka lang sa'kin"
He really had no choice with this dahil si Seige lang ang may alam sa sitwasyon nila ni Flame. He'll take Seige than anyone.
"I try my best to help whenever someone needs it kahit na gaaano pa ka-komplikado"
He watched as she pursed her red lips before returning his gaze to her violet eyes. "And I think you're better off without her"
Muli nitong tinapik ang balikat niya at ngumiti "I'll see you later. Goodluck"
It took him a few seconds to register what she said. Bakit kailangan niya ng Goodluck?
When he turns around saktong nagkasalubong si Seige at Flame.
Flame's green eyes were staring directly at him.
Kaya ba nag goodluck si Seige dahil nakita nitong parating si Flame?
He sighed before closing the locker's door. Flame was already standing at arms length.
"Hi"
"Hey" He gave her a closed mouth smile, showing his dimple.
Bahagya namang nilingon ni Flame ang direksyon where Seige disappeared to. "Close daw kayo sabi ni Ash..."
"We're friends," tipid niyang sagot. "And besides she's cool"
"That's why Ezra likes her so much huh? Kasi iba siya sa lahat"
He was observing her expression, trying to decode what's going on her mind with the way she spoke. There was no hint of jealousy.
"Why are we talking about Seige?" Kunot noo niyang tanong dito.
"It's just unsual for you to talk to others," umiwas ito ng tingin.
"Because my attention is always on you guys right?" He laughs without humor. He really wanted to say just you pero hindi na niya tinuloy. "Hindi naman 'others' si Seige. She's Ezra's friend kaya naging kaibigan na rin namin siya"
"Namin?"
"Asher. He's practically begging for Seige's attention" Which was true.
Flame forehead creased. "Why does it feel like a lot has happened the whole week I was gone?"
Now she finally realized it.
"You weren't gone for a day. A lot can really happen in a week."
Hindi ito sumagot. Hindi rin naman niya alam kung ano pa ang dapat sabihin. He needs to act civil for the sake of the friendship dahil iyon nalang natitira sa kanila. Iyon nalang ang ililigtas niya sa kanilang dalawa.
"Zeus..."
He just raised his brow.
"Zeus are we okay?"
Lahat ng nangyari nang wala ito ay agad na lumipad sa isip niya. She had the nerve to ask that after dropping him like a hot potato.
He wanted to ask kung ano talaga ang priorities nito. Was he even part of it?
Alam niyang darating talaga ang puntong mapapagod siya at ito na nga iyon.
He wanted her to realized what her decisions did to him.
He scoffed in disbelief. "You tell me, Cassandra Flame"
He shook his head and stared at her hard before walking away.