Chapter Forty-three: Between how it is and how it should be
- Athena Adrianne -
Athena was left with Gianna to take care of a sleeping Aria. After crowding the infirmary pinatulog na nila ito. Mataas parin ang lagnat nito hanggang ngayon, ang sabi nito kanina lang sumama ang pakiramdam niya. It was Aria's roommate who informed Gianna Sinclaire about the situation at si Gianna naman ang nagsabi kay Senri Sinclaire.
Tinawagan na ang magulang ni Aria and they're on their way to Hangrove. Bukas ay ililipat muna ito sa Sinclaire Manor instead na mag stay dito sa infirmary ng Academy.
Athena was lying down on the bed next to Aria's while Gianna was lounging on the couch. Parehas silang nagbabasa.
They were engulfed in a comfortable silence for a few minutes nang biglang sumara ang binabasang libro ni Athena. She immediately glares at Gianna, who is now giggling.
"No fair"
Gigi just smirked. "It's boring here" Tinaas nito ang kamay para pagalawin ang mga bagay na naroon. Parang switch na nagbabago si Gianna when the Next level starts, from not using her ability to using it non stop. It's 0 to 10 real quick.
"Don't break anything" Athena reminded Gigi who's now having fun re-arranging the stuff in the infirmary.
Gianna inherited the Telekinesis ability of her Mom. She loved it to bits.
Sa kanilang Half Bloods ito ang hindi na kailangan ng practice that's why it's okay for her to train with others instead na sumama sa private training na para talaga sa kanila.
"You're going to give the nurse a headache, Gianna" Umiling agad si Zeus pag pasok palang nito nang makita ang ginagawa ni Gigi. Kasunod naman nito si Seige.
"Have you seen Kuya Enzo? Sabi niya babalik siya dito pero ang tagal niya" Tanong naman ni Gianna kay Zeus at ibinaba na ang lahat ng gamit.
Even Athena wondered where Enzo was. She had to talk to him.
"Ewan ko kung asan 'yon"
"I'll go find him," tumayo na si Gigi at nagpaalam sa kanila.
"How is she?" Zeus asked, standing by Aria's bed.
Umayos naman si Athena ng upo nang tumabi si Seige sa kanya, akala niya wala lang ang pag tabi nito but Seige secretly hands her a piece of paper. Zeus was busy checking Aria kaya hindi nito nakita.
"Uhm..." Binulsa ni Athena ang papel bago tignan muli ang kapatid. "Mataas parin ang lagnat niya. Ililipat daw siya sa bahay bukas sabi ni Papa since she's not fit to travel tonight. Dito matutulog si Kuya Ash mamaya to keep her company"
"What about Auntie Gray? Alam na ba niya?"
"Bukas daw ng umaga andito na sila. We just have to take care of Ate Aria tonight"
Hinipo ni Zeus ang noo ni Aria. "Nag undergo na ba siya ng mga test?"
"Hindi pa. Sabi kasi ni Mama wag muna hangga't wala pa sila Auntie Gray. Malay mo fever lang pala 'yan"
Zeus just shrugged. "Your training room is done by the way. You better check it out para masabi mo na agad kung may ipapabago ka"
Athena took it as a chance to slip out. "Okay I'll check it right now" Bago pa man maka sagot ang kapatid niya lumabas na siya at agad na binasa ang papel na patagong inabot ni Seige.
Ambrose is at the cemetery right now
Napakunot ang noo niya sa nabasa. What Ambrose doing here?
Hindi na siya nagdalawang isip pang puntahan ito. Wala nga siyang kasalubong na student dahil lahat ay nagpapahinga sa dorm. Masyadong nakakapagod ang mga activities nila ngayon lalo na sa mga Humans.
She didn't expect Ambrose to be by the gates so she went deeper in the cemetery hanggang sa makarating na siya sa tinatambayan nila Enzo but wala parin siyang nakitang sign ni Ambrose.
Hanggang sa may marinig siyang kaluskos galing sa itaas.
"I was expecting Seige pero okay ka na rin," Ambrose jumped down from a branch to another. "Hello Athena"
"Hi" Binigyan niya ito ng tipid na ngiti. "Bantay sarado si Seige ni Kuya kaya ako ang pinapunta niya dito. Anyway,you shouldn't be here you know, it's too risky"
"Wala namang pumupunta sa part na 'to bukod sa inyo" He motions her to join him up. Walang hirap namang inakyat ni Athena ang puno, they even went higher para makapagtago.
"Bakit ka andito?" Athena asked.
"Shifting"
"Shifting? What's that?"
Ambrose leans on the tree trunk before staring at her with a wide grin, "We watch you guys all the time"
"Us? You mean Half Bloods?" Hindi makapaniwala niyang tanong pabalik. "Ibig sabihin palagi kang andito? Ikaw ba ang kasama ni Seige tuwing nawawala siya?"
"Sometimes," he answered. "Minsan naman gusto niya ang mag-isa"
"Kung shift mo ngayon, sino ang kanina?"
"Amarande, who else?" Tumawa naman ito. "Kapag sa labas ng Academy si Syre. Inside job si Seige. She reports back to me and I report back to Aisling"
Napatango si Athena sa sinabi nito. "How long have you been watching us?"
A small smile crept on to Ambrose's lips. "Ever since you were born"
Nanlaki naman ang mata ni Athena. "Talaga?"
Ambrose nods. "We used to play with Ezra secretly when she was little. We had to use angel dust to make her forget"
"That's why she said Amarande looks familiar..." halos pabulong niyang saad. She was so dumfounded with what Ambrose was telling her.
Angels were watching them all along.
"Ang taba kasi niya noon" Napahaglpak naman ito sa tawa kaya natawa na rin si Athena.
"Don't let her hear that now. She will end your life"
"I know," ngumiti ito na para bang may inaalala. "She grew up to be so feisty. That's what I told her a long time ago, dapat hindi siya dehado. Palagi kasi siyang binubully ng Kuya mo noon"
"Ikaw pala ang dahilan kung bakit siya na ang bully ngayon"
"Hey," Ambrose said defensively. "I just gave her life advice. I'm actually proud dahil ilang beses namin siyang ginamitan ng angel dust hindi niya nakalimutan 'yon"
They both gazed at the breathtaking view of Sinclaire Academy. They were pretty high up kaya kitang kita nila ang kabuuan ng kagubatan na nakapalibot rin dito.
"I have a question" Athena says after a few seconds of silence. "Nung nakita kita sa war, iyon ba talaga ang unang beses na nagkita tayo? Did you use angel dust on me too?"
"Yes and no," hindi nakatingin sa kanya si Ambrose, ang mga mata nito ay pinapanuod lang ang papalubog na araw. "Aisling doesn't want your mind to be tempered with so we had to stay in a safe distance away from you. The time when I saved you was really the first time we met"
"Thank you again for that"
"I can't let you die" He glanced at her with a smile.
"Can you enlighten me about the Eighteen? Since andito ka rin lang naman, lulubusin ko na"
Tumawa ito at tumango. "Well as you know, the Nephilims that are under our care right now is eighteen. They were named after all the Angels which the Three of us remember the names from our youth," bahagyang kumunot ang noo nito at bumuntong hininga. "After what happened to Mermont wala na kaming masyadong maalala. Our memories were wiped, new ones come in from time to time hanggang sa nakokonekta nalang namin lahat."
"Anyway, we made them choose kung papalitan ba nila ang pangalan nila before we take them. The rest chose to change their name and leave their Human life behind except for Seige and Syre"
"Tell me about Seige," request ni Athena. "Even when I know what she already is hindi parin ako natatahimik sa kanya"
Ambrose smiled. "She tends to be like that"
"Are you gonna tell me or what?" Hindi naman sa namimilit siya. Gusto lang niya talagang makilala si Seige from a different perspective. She guessed Ambrose had been with Seige for a very long time so he knows her very well.
"Seige mentioned something about her first life..." Athena trailed, remembering Seige's words that night. "What's up with that?"
Bumuntong hininga muna si Ambrose bago magsalita muli, "Seige died seventeen years ago"
---
- Zeus Achilles -
Seige sat on the vacant hospital bed next to Aria's, kinuha nito ang librong binabasa ni Aiane kanina. Silang dalawa nalang ang naiwan at mukhang masyadong mabigat ang tulog ni Aria kaya hindi ito nagigising sa ingay nila.
"What do you usually do when you're at home?" Seige asked.
"Read, sleep, eat, train Blake, repeat" Zeus chuckled an answer. "Ikaw?"
"I'm not usually home"
Zeus wanted to ask where she's usually at ngunit pinigilan niya ang sarili.
"Blake's ability is Pyrokinesis" Seige stated.
"How do you know about that?" Zeus asked in wonder ngunit agad rin niyang dinagdag ang, "Right you're Seige, you know stuff"
"Gianna's ability is Telekinesis, Asher's is Cryokinesis while the twins' are Psychokinesis" She stated again.
"But in a more advanced level," Zeus replied at the last thinf she said. "We call them Alters. Since they can't just control minds but can change it too"
Humiga siya sa kamang inuupuan nito. He rests his arm behind his head and gazed up at her. "You'll get a chance to see their ability now that we're on the next level. Speaking of that, I have less time to spend with you since I've got private training. You can visit me in my training room"
Seige just nods like a kid. Zeus took it as a chance for a convo starter.
"What's your favorite color?"
"White" Seige answered without a pause.
"Why?"
"Because it represents purity" She smiled down at him.
"Favorite food?"
Seige shrugged. Binuksan nalang nito ang librong binabasa ni Aiane kanina, nang tignan ni Zeus nalaman niya na isa pala itong story book. She's killing all his attempts to get to know her.
Truth is he's not prying for secrets. He just wants to know stuff about her. Simple facts and the likes.
They were both quiet for a moment.
Zeus watched as Seige's eyes moved as she read the book.
The light of the room made the shade of her eyes darker.
"Your eyes are beautifully breathtaking, do you know that?"
Seige stops reading and blinks.
Zeus laughed out loud because he caught her off guard. This is the first time it happened kaya tuwang tuwa siya.
Her eyes slowly widens na para bang napagtanto rin nito kung bakit siya tumatawa.
Iyon ang eksenang naabutan ni Asher at Flame nang pumasok. Zeus stops laughing and stares at two who are already staring at them.
"Didn't know you two were here," Asher said while Flame kept her head down, avoiding Zeus' eyes.
"I think we should go," Flame said after a beat. "Ash come on"
"No, stay" Pigil ni Zeus. "Seige and I were just talking"
Seige nods at what he said.
Asher shrugged. "If you say so"
Hinila pa nito si Flame para tuluyang makapasok. Pinuntahan ng dalawa ang kama ni Aria, si Flame ang humipo sa noo nito habang inayos naman ni Ash ang kumot nito.
"Her fever is still high," Flame said. "We have to wake her up in half an hour para uminom ng gamot"
"You think its something serious?" Asher asked, looking very serious while gazing at Aria's sleeping body.
"Hindi naman siguro" Flame replied.
"Let's hope not"
Tinapos ng dalawa ang pag c-check kay Aria. Zeus watched as Ash walk to the direction of the bed he's lying on. He was about to sit next to Seige but before he could even sit down, Zeus kicks him. "Doon ka sa dulo"
Napakamot nalang ng ulo si Asher at umupo sa dulo ng kamang hinihigaan ni Zeus.
Flame sat on the visitors couch, looking uncomfortable.
Halos isang minuto silang tahimik. Zeus felt the awkward air around them. Kahit si Asher ay hindi kayang basagin ang katahimikan na nakapalibot sa kanila. Zeus wanted to sigh, he doesn't want things between him and Flame to be like this.
Nadadamay pa si Asher at Seige sa kanila.
Zeus was just staring at the white ceiling while Seige decided to read the book again. She decided not to acknowledge the awkward silence. Good for her.
Zeus decided to close his eyes. Magpapahinga nalang siya...
"Okay I can't take this anymore," Asher finally speaks up after another minute. "Can we all stop pretending that we don't know what's happening here"
"ASH!" Pigil agad ni Flame.
"I'm not surprised that you know about us," Zeus said without even looking at Ash. He really wasn't dahil wala namang masasabihan si Flame kundi si Asher lang. And just then he realized that he wasn't that affected by her anymore.
"Seige knows too by the way," he adds for the two to know. The cat's already out of the bag, why hide the rest?
Nakita niya ang pag iwas ng tingin ni Flame.
He propped himself on his elbows to look at her clearly. He wanted to ask how she's doing, just to be nice but he can't. Feeling niya kasi kapag mag usap sila masasaktan na naman nila ang isa't isa. Everything they went through was enough.
When Flame noticed him staring, kumunot ang noo nito.
"I think I should go," Flame said before standing up and wordlessly left the room.
"She's really determined to avoid you," Asher sighed.
"She can't avoid me forever," Zeus gets up and taps Asher's shoulder.
He stretched his hands when he got off the bed and then he looks at Seige. "I'm letting you go now but you have to come back to me later okay?"
Zeus smiled when Seige nods before smiling too.
Asher on the other hand had his brows in a knot. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to follow Flame"
Naabutan ni Zeus si Flame na palabas ng hall. He paused for a bit to rethink his decision but he thought to hell with this before breaking into a sprint to catch up with her fast pace. He grabs her arm to stop her.
Para bang nakakita ng multo sa gulat si Flame sa pag talon nito when he caught her arm.
"Relax it's just me," Zeus said because of how agitated she looked.
"What do you want from me?"
Zeus stared at her green eyes that turned into a shade of jade. It turns darker everytime she blinks.
"You never asked me what I want, Cassandra Flame"
Her eyes showed a hint of confusion with his words.
"Then what do you want?" Halos pabulong nitong saad, getting what he wants her to say.
Zeus realized that he couldn't stand seeing her like this. He wasn't cruel enough to wish for her to be unhappy. Somehow they had to acknowledge their feelings again but not to fight for it anymore. May mga laban talagang kailangan nang sukuan but there are some things are worth saving.
Like their friendship.
"I want us to be friends. I want to fix what's broken between us not to bring back what we had but for the sake of friendship. At least give that to me, Flame. That's all I want from you"
"I know what your asking for isn't meant to hurt me pero bakit ganon? Why does it hurt?"
Zeus didn't know how to answer when her eyes turned moist with tears.
"Giving you what you want feels like I'm finally letting go of you" She sobbed. "But I've caused you too pain already. All I could do is at least give you that"
Zeus pulled her in for a hug. Flame's tears always made him weak. He realized that they may not have had the same feeling throughout the relationship but now that it's done parehas silang nasaktan.
"The grand hall," he whispered. "Iyong huling araw na nag usap tayo. Do you remember what I told you?"
"I chose not to. That day will forever be locked in my memories and will not resurface again"
"My parting words were I want you to be happy even if it's not with me" Zeus tightened his arms around. It's been so long since he held her like this. "I meant what I said"
He held her out at arms length and wiped her tears away. "Here's another thing that I want..."
Pinunasan niya muli ang kumawalang mga luha sa mata nito bago ngumiti. "I want you to smile again, beautiful girl"