Chapter 32: Fairytale Night
The past three days of the school festival have been a strenuous one dahil mahigpit ang laban when it comes to the sports and literary events. We're down to the last two days of the school festival. Mamayang gabi ay ang cultural night at club presentations samantalang bukas ng gabi naman ang Masquerade party at grand fireworks display. Nasa auditorium kami at naghahanda para mamaya.
"You're so beautiful Amber! You don't need much make up!", maarte nitong wika at hinarap ako sa salamin.
"Thanks Lex, by the way, nasaan ang iba?", tanong ko. Napansin ko kasi na kami lamang dalawa ang naroon. The other lead characters and their makeup artist are nowhere to find.
"They're on the other rooms. Pagandahan kasi kami ng model", wika nito. Uh, seriously?
"Marion was there too. I don't like her HMUA, and I don't like her too", wika nito habang sinusuklayan ako. He doesn't like Marion ?
"Mabait naman si Marion ah."
"I don't know. I just feel she have something on her sleeves", Lexie said.
"My gown is tube cut so I guess I have no sleeves Lexie."
Sabay kaming napalingon kay Marion na bagong dati. Nakaayos na ito. Her short red hair has extensions, making it long. She's wearing a yellow tube dress na bumagay sa maputing kutis nito. It displays her sexy hips dahil hapit iyon sa katawan. May malaking slit iyon sa gilid which shows her long legs. Magandang-maganda ito dahil sa kanyang ayos. Gosh, nakakahiyang tumabi dito!
"Marion, you're so beautiful!", wika ko sa kanya. She smiled at me.
"Thanks, Amber! How about you? Bakit hindi ka pa nagbibihis?", tanong nito.
"Kakatapos ko lang kasing ayusan eh", wika ko.
She raised one brow at me. "Talaga? Naayosan ka na?", she said and threw a look at Lexie. Looks like narinig nga nito ang sinabi ng bakla kanina. Umirap naman si Lexie. They mutually don't like each other.
"Oh, by the way, I brought a dress for you. I guess this fits you well", wika niya. She handed me the paper bag that she was holding.
Nang tingnan ko ang laman niyon ay isang pink na long gown. It was a pale pink gown with lace shoulders and an open back! Lace din sa may dibdib niyon but only enough to display one's cleavage.
"Aurora would look good in that dress", she said and winked.
Pasusuotin niya ako niyon?! My God, halos makita na nga ang kaluluwa ko sa damit na iyon. Muli ko iyong ibinalik sa paper bag at ibinigay sa kanya. "I'm not wearing that Marion. At isa pa, may damit nang inihanda si Mia sa akin." There's no way I'll be wearing that gown!
Inilabas niya ulit ang damit at hinila ako sa tabi. "Mia already approved this gown kaya ito ang susuotin mo." She untied my robe. What is she doing?! Bibihisan niya ako.
"Hoy! Ano ba?", I grabbed my robe at lumayo.
"Kaya nga magbihis ka na kung ayaw mong ako ang magbihis sayo", wika niya and I sighed.
"Fine! Give me that dress and you wait outside", wika ko sa kanya. I guess I have no other choice.
Sinuot ko ang gown. Uh, this is so awkward to wear. Napaka-revealing ng damit. I'll admit it was nice at bumagay iyon sa akin, but for goodness' sake! Its back is so low cut! Nang lumabas ako ay halos mapanganga si Marion. She's speechless for a few minutes bago ako niyakap.
"Amber! Sabi ko na nga ba na babagay sayo eh!", she said at pinaikot ako. She examined every detail of the gown on my body. "Gosh, you really are beautiful!"
I rolled my eyes at her. "You're exaggerating."
"Really Amber, ang ganda mo", she said at lumabas na kami ng office. Nagpunta kami sa backstage ng function hall kung saan gaganapin ang cultural night. All the play's lead heroines are dashing in their long gowns. Maging ang gumanap na prince ay nakapag-ayos na din.
Nagsimula na ang cultural night at nauna ang mga musical events. Marami ring tao sa loob ng function hall dahil open pa rin ang event ngayong gabi maliban sa Masquerade ball bukas. I was on one side of the backstage, playing with my cold white fingers. Bakit ba ako kinakabahan? It's not my first time to act in school plays anyway.
I felt an arm snaked around my waist. Someone pulled me towards him and whispered into my ears. "I know Aurora sleep for few years because of a spinning wheel, why don't we make it to something new. Aurora sleeps forever because of a gun."
I pushed away that someone at base sa tinig nito, I figured out it was that devil, Ryu.
"You're not funny", wika ko sa kanya. Damn him! He just showed up and threatened me with those words. Gusto ba niya talaga akong patayin? I'm trying my best to forget that their mafia exists!
"I'm not trying to make you laugh", he said at humakbang palapit sa akin. I stepped backward ngunit mas lalo lamang siya lumapit at napaatras ulit ako hangang sa napasandal ako sa pader.
He put his arms on my sides, trapping me in! "Now I know why Zeus is crazy over you", he said. "Smart and somewhat beautiful."
Napalunok ako dahil sa sinabi niya. Pinaalala pa niya sa akin si Zeus!? Who really the hell is that Zeus? Whoever the man behind the mask I know that I know him!
"Jerk! Why are you so close!", singhal ko sa kanya and tried to push him away ngunit hindi ito natinag. He didn't even move a little. Para itong isang matibay na pader.
"You look so weak and fragile. By just looking at you, I would think that you're breakable but that's contrary on what I am seeing in you. Sa halip ay iniisip ko na napakalakas mo", he said while looking at my eyes. He was not smirking this time but a mocking smile flashed from his lips.
"I'm not weak moron!", wika ko sa kanya and tried to pushed him again but no avail. Hindi pa rin ito natinag. Napakalakas ba nito o sadyang mahina lang ang pagkakatulak ko sa kanya?
"I wondered why he's crazy over you to the point that he let you survive despite messing with us", he said. "Now I know why." He's still flashing his mocking smile.
"You know what? I hate people like you. Killers and criminals! I hate you. I hate Zeus. I hate your mafia! I hate your existence", wika ko sa kanya at tiningnan siya ng deretso.
"Amber?"
I pushed him away ng marinig ko ang pagtawag ni Mia sa akin. "Get out of my way devil", wika ko sa kanya. "And I don't care about your cousin Zeus, wala akong pakialam sa inyo. So please, leave my life alone."
He smirked at me. "Maybe now, you don't care about him but just a word from me. You'd be surprised to know whoever he is. Better brace yourself", wika niya at umalis.
Surprise? Masosorpresa ako kapag malaman ko kung sino siya? Why?
Sumalang na kami sa entablado. The play received a loud applause from the audience nang matapos iyon. Nakangiti kaming lahat nang bumaba kami sa stage.
"Hi", Gray said at me. Hindi ko namalayan na nakalapit na pala ito nang bumaba kami. I haven't seen him mula pa kaninang umaga dahil abala kami sa huling practice at dressed rehearsals kanina. He was also playing for the championship match ng soccer kanina, and they won.
"Hi", bati ko rin sa kanya. He smiled at me as his gazed went all over me. Na-conscious tuloy ako sa suot ko. Gosh, ano ba ang iniisip nito habang tinitingnan ako? I hope it's positive.
"You're excellent on the play, not to mention that you look so beautiful", wika niya sa akin. Oh, bakit ba ganito si Gray? Diba nagbabangayaan kami dati? Now he's complementing me.
I snapped my fingers on his nose. Naninibago ako sa kanya. "Thought you'd say I don't look good in this dress because I'm flat chested", wika ko sa kanya at bahagyang tumawa.
He smiled a little. "That too, but you're really beautiful." Wika niya and I frowned. So he really thinks that I'm flat chested?! Walang hiya!
"Ang sama mo."
Tumawa ito ng bahagya. "Hey, I haven't eaten dinner yet", wika niya and pouted. He shakes his fingers, and looked away. Mukhang may sasabihin ito ngunit nahihiya lang. "Let's eat, please?"
I stared at him for a while. Si Gray ba talaga ito? He's like a kid. Yung parang bata na nahihiya sa harap ng crush niya. Oh, not that I thought that he have a crush on me. Napakaconceited ko naman kapag inisip ko iyon. Pumayag ako ngunit nagbihis muna ako at tinanggal ang make up sa mukha ko bago ako sumama sa kanya.
Matapos naming kumain ay niyaya niya akong maglakad-lakad sa school grounds. He said he's not interested in the cultural night. The night was still young at konti na lamang ingay na naririnig naming mula sa function hall. The night sky was wonderful. Napakaraming bituin at maganda ang buwan.
"Tomorrow is full moon", wika niya habang nakatingin sa buwan. I looked at at tiningnan na rin ang langit. "You're inviting someone for the masquerade ball tomorrow?", tanong niya.
Yeah, tomorrow will be the ball and I'm not planning on bringing someone. Umiling ako bago sumagot. "No, wala akong inimbita."
Naupo kami sa gitna ng field, malapit sa soccer goal's crossbar. "You're not inviting Khael?", tanong niya at umiling ako.
"He called me and checked how I was doing so I told him about the festival but he said he's up for their examinations kaya hindi siya makakapunta dito. I didn't invite him, he just said it himself." Nang tumawag kasi ito ay nasa kalagitnaan ako ng practice so I've got no choice but inform him about the school festival.
"Can you be my date tomorrow then?", Gray asked at nanlaki ang mga mata ko. He's asking me to be his date tomorrow on the ball? Tama ba ang narinig ko?
"Kung ayaw mo, edi wag", he said in an irritated voice. Uh, he's being impatient eh? Matagal akong nakasagot dahil nagulat ako sa pagyaya niya.
"That's fine with me", wika ko. His face becomes serious habang tinitingnan ako. Saka ko lang napagtantong napakaromantic pala ng paligid. The night and the stars above were really enchanting. Halos puno ang langit ng bituin, a perfect night for wishes.
"Amber, how do you see me?", he asked while looking at the sky.
My mouth gaped open. Ano ba ang ibig sabihin nito? "I don't get you."
Humarap siya sa akin. "I mean ano ba ang tingin sa akin? Assessment kumbaga."
Bahagya naman akong nag-isip. Ano nga ba si Gray? He's sometimes good, and sometimes jerk. He's moody and cold. Sometimes he's kind and sometimes he's not. He's sometimes sarcastic ngunit mapag-alala din kung minsan. Minsan naman ay may topak ito, minsan din ay masayahin. He's difficult to read and very unpredictable.
Hindi ko sinabi lahat iyon. "You're smart.", wika ko and he frowned. Why is he frowning? Matalino naman talaga ito.
"That's not it", he said. "Ang ibig kong sabihin ay 'yong ako. Me as Gray Ivan, a person. And not Gray as your classmate", paliwanag niya.
He's seriously asking my opinion about him as a person? Well I could give him a hundreds of my observations about him. Iyon ang nakikita ko sa kanya, and I don't even know if it's the true him. Like I've said, he's difficult to read.
"You're a big question mark", sagot ko sa kanya. Yes, that's the truth. I don't know him well enough. Pakiramdam ko kasi ay may itinatago ito sa akin. I must admit that I am also thinking that he's Zeus. Yes, I have never disregarded that idea. Not to mention that my suspicion have basis. Sa tuwing nakikita ko kasi si Zeus ay nawawala si Gray. The first time I met Zeus ay wala si Gray, he's nowhere to be found. He just said he helped in solving a case but he didn't even bother to explain much about the case.
Nang dalhin din ako ni Zeus sa silid nito ay napansin ko rin na marami itong collection na mga bola but the most ball there were soccer balls. Wala rin akong nakitang volleyball and I remembered that during our PE, Gray said that he hates volleyball and basketball. He even kicked the ball during our PE tournament. That's another suspicious point. The second time na nakita ko si Zeus was in Olympus. That was also the time that Gray disappeared after looking for me in the forest, right? It's much of a coincidence.
"I know you have something in mind sa paraan ng pagtingin mo sa akin", he said. "Spill it."
Nababasa niya ang iniisip ko? No, I'm not really sure kung siya nga ba si Zeus, I have to be sure first. "Nothing. Saka ko na sasabihin kapag nasigurado ko na", wika ko sa kanya. Mas lalo tuloy sumeryoso ang mukha nito.
"You really have something in mind. I was just guessing though but mukhang totoo nga. Is it bad?", tanong niya and I shrugged my shoulders.
Yes, it's very bad. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaksyon ko kapag siya nga talaga si Zeus. He's doing detective works but he's making illegal business. So ironic.
"I don't know. Maybe. Siguro mag-iiba ang tingin ko sa'yo", wika ko at yumuko. I just hope that he's not Zeus. "How about me? How do you see me?", tanong ko sa kanya.
"You're awesome", he said at napatingin ako sa kany. Really? He finds me as an awesome person?
"That's it?"
"Truth is I also have something in mind but I'm not saying it now", he said. Tss! Gaya-gaya!
Ginaya rin ko ang tanong niya. "Is it bad?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe it's bad for me."
Bad for him? Why? What was something about me that is bad for him? Ano ang ibig niyang sabihin? I hope he's not saying that I am a bad influence.
"It's not about me being a bad influence to you right? Or me, causing you mistake?" Tumawa siya ng bahagya ngunit hindi ako sinagot.
Tumayo siya at pinagpag ang damit. "It's getting late at malamig na. Let's go inside", wika niya at nagsimulang maglakad.
What was that laughter means? Ibig sabihin ay ganoon nga ako sa kanya? No way! Tumayo na rin ako at humabol sa kanya.
"Hoy, Gray! Ano ba kasi iyon!", pangungulit ko sa kanya. He stopped at nilingon ako, and I don't know that he would stop kaya bigla na lamang akong nabangga sa dibdib niya.
He gazed straight into my eyes. "It's worst. It's more than a mischief for me because I'm falling."