(A/N: I personally chose this song because I feel like it's really for this scene. Play it when you reach Kara's POV.)
Dio's POV
I haven't got the chance to talk to her...
Sinundan ko ng tingin ang babaeng kapapasok lang ng conference hall. Andito kami para inanunsyo ang bagong missions ng mga classes.
Umupo siya sa tabi ni Ria.
Dinismiss na kami at nakita ko si Seht na nagmamadaling lumabas ng hall. Now that I thought about it, di ko na nakikita si Thea lalo na pag may gatherings and such. Sa dorm ko lang siya nakikita...
"Dio? Nakikinig ka ba?" nagulat ako nang marinig ang pangalan ko.
I gave Ria a confused look. Napailing nalang siya. "I said. Our mission is to follow up Cesia and Trev. Gods know kung asan sila ngayon. Any idea?"
"Aren't they supposed to be in Cesia's place?" tanong ko. Last time I remembered, dun naman talaga ang tungo ni Cesia.. to retrieve some of her past belongings.
"Well yeah... but.. at this rate, alam naming may nakasense na sa kanila na giants. They may have been attacked. So any idea kung saan sila pupunta to seek refuge?" she explained.
The thing is, wala akong alam kung saan ang dating tinitirhan ni Cesia kaya wala talaga akong ideya.
I just sighed while eyeing the Beta and Gamma busy with their tasks.
Responsibilidad ng gamma ang bumalik sa realms para itransport ang refugees safely.
Remember Chase and Ria's meeting that ended at dawn?
Turns out, kaya natagalan ang meeting dahil nagkaroon ng debate. The huntres have asked for help. Hindi daw nila makakayang protektahan ang maraming refugees knowing the situation. So it has been decided that the refugees will stay in the Academy for now.
The Beta were tasked to clear the ground near the Academy. Sila ang mag iinspect if ever some giants make their way here and discover the Academy's location. Napakadali naman kasing mahanap ng Academy.
Just a few miles away at makakakita ka na ng isang napakalaking palasyo na lumulutang sa himpapawid.
The clouds aren't helping too. Naturally, dapat natatakpan ng mga ulap ang academy... kaso... hindi na ata uso ang normal na mga ulap ngayon.
The floating school is pretty much distinguishable due to the red clouds we have now. Para nga itong lumulutang na haunted gothic palace.
"I have asked about the address. The Huntres' old camp is near her place." narinig kong sabi ni Kara.
"You mean the one attacked by Gration?" tanong ko.
Tumango siya averting her gaze on me. Good for her at napapanatili niya ang focus even when she's staring at my eyes.
I don't know... recently I found it difficult... to actually stare at those grayish brown orbs... without me falling deep in those colors...
A mixture of fiery brown... and the color a fire leaves behind after it dies...
"Yes..."
"we will leave at the break of dawn." anunsyo niya bago tumigil sa harap ng clinic. "I will see you then..." bago siya pumasok, nahagip ko ang panandaliang tingin niya sa'kin.
Nagpatuloy lang ako sa paglalakad pabalik ng dorm kasama ang dalawa na nagbabangayan na naman. I looked back and saw the door closed.
I'm so terrible at these...
"Chase. Wala na tayong oras para sa errands mo... tumahimik ka nga-"
"Gusto mong ikaw ang patatahimikin ko?"
Ria paused and I saw how blood rushed on her cheeks.
Siningkit ko ang mga mata ko. Everytime Chase says that, ganyan palagi ang reaksyon ni Ria.
Binalewala ko nalang ang dalawa at nagmadaling naglakad para unang makapasok sa dorm. Kumuha ako ng baso ng tubig bago dumiretso sa veranda.
I closed my eyes trying to inhale air. There was no breeze around. But the openness gave me air to take a breath.
I sipped from the glass. Binaba ko ito at tinignan as if it was something precious.
Water.
Well.. I must say, it is indeed important especially for a son of Poseidon. And the fact that, isa itong elemento na crucial sa buong mundo.
Napadako ang mga mata ko sa baba kung saan isang babae ang kasalukuyang namimitas ng herbs sa lupa.
A smile formed on my lips unconsciously.
Her jeans and shirt hugging her curves pefectly. Her brown hair tied up in a ponytail na tila kumakaway sa'kin sa tuwing gumagalaw siya.
Damn.
Athena got a good grip with this one.
I bit my lip. The more that I avoid her, the more that I crave for her presence.
For fuck's sake wala akong magagawa. I remember when I kissed her underwater. All I felt was those lips giving me life.
Yan lang ang tanging sensasyon na gusto kong maramdaman bago ako mamatay.
But it will take time... napaisip ako.
A smirk formed on my lips.
It will take time...
so why not make that time shorter?
Tumalon ako leaving no trace of regrets behind.
It was her all along.
Kara's POV
I heard a loud thump kaya napalingon ako. Muntik ko nang mabitawan ang mga herbs dahil sa gulat.
"D-Dio?" I stuttered. Sino ba namang hindi magugulat sa kanya na bigla nalang bumagsak malay ko kung saan galing.
My eyes widened when he dragged me on the outskirts of the academy that are full of trees actually...
Teka. Ba't nya ako dinadala dito?
"Dio tumigil ka nga!" I pulled my hand from his hold. "What is wrong with you!?"
"I don't know Kara!" he turned abruptly to face me. "I don't know what's wrong with me!"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko pagkatapos mapaatras dahil sa biglaan niyang pagsigaw. Hindi ko alam pero bigla akong nakaramdam ng takot.
Seeing him like this.... is new to me.
Napansin niya ata ang naging reaksyon ko kaya napabuntong-hininga lang siya. "I..."
"You what?! What is it so important to tell me that you have to drag me here?!" napalitan ng inis at galit ang takot na naramdaman ko. It feels like I have been building up this anger for so long just for this moment.
"Pwede bang huwag mo muna akong sigawan?!"
"You were the one who did it first!"
"I THINK I LOVE YOU KARA!"
My eyes were wide as an owl. My knees weakened. My heartbeat stopped only to hear it beat louder again. My mind rocketed straight to the moon.
"A-ano?" I took a step back.
Napayuko ako habang dinaramdam ang sarili ko. Hindi ito panaginip... I thought as I secretly pinched myself.
"I..." napalunok siya. "I think I love you..." he paused to correct himself. "No scratch that..."
"I love you." he said finally letting out the words he has been trying to hold in.
Nakatayo lang ako sa harap niya. Hindi ko alam kung paano mag-react. It's my first time hearing those words being directed to me.
"Maybe it's a misunderstanding-"
"Don't call it misunderstanding my feelings Kara because for the past months I was confused trying to figure out kung anong nangyayari sa'kin! Kung anong ginagawa mo sa'kin! You think it was easy to jump from our dorm to actually tell you these three words?! It wasn't!" he started to walk closer.
"It had taken me a lot of sleepless nights Kara... and I can't take it anymore."
I gasped.
"I can't take it anymore to see you... feeling alone. Dahil hindi ka nag-iisa! Everytime you excuse yourself to walk you think I wasn't watching you? Everytime you go outside to stare at the heavens you think I wasn't with you? Because Kara... everytime you stare at the sky and close your eyes in deep thoughts is me staring at the same sky and wishing that somehow... someday... you will feel like you're not alone..."
"because you were never alone..." kumunot ang noo niya emphasizing every word he was to say next. "I have never left you alone."
Narinig ko ang mga boses ng mga assassins na kinakasama ko noon...
'Ha! Ano bang emosyon na nalalaman ng batang 'yan eh pumapatay lang 'yan!'
'Tanga ka ba? Walang magmamahal sa'yo. Mag-iisa ka lang!'
'Gaya ng isang mamamatay tao, walang lalapit sa'yo.'
Bumalik ang mga ala-ala ko kasama ang nag-iisang leader namin...
The one who broke my life. The man who shattered the only broken pieces that I have left.
'You failed to kill a child?!' sigaw niya sabay sipa sa tiyan ko dahilan na mapaluhod ako.
'You think you can do things on your own?!' he gave me a stinging blow on the cheeks.
I fell... I curled up in a ball attempting to defend my already weak body.
Nagdadasal ako na titigil na siya...
Nagdadasal ako na titigil na ako sa pag hinga...
Pero hindi siya tumigil. Sinipa niya ako ng ilang beses... tinadyakan.. until he thought he was satisfied.
Bago siya umalis, tinapon niya ang sigarilyo sa'kin.
'Walang magmamahal sa'yo Kamille. Walang pagmamahal na darating sa'yo. You are not worthy to be loved sweetie.'
I flinched when I felt his gentle touch on my cheeks. Nakita ko ang lungkot sa mga mata niya. He was wiping a tear that escaped from my eyes.
"Siya na naman ba ang iniisip mo?" tanong niya. His gaze pierced through me. It was the sincerest that I have seen.
And it hurts.
Tumango ako bilang sagot earning a sad smile from him. "I don't know how much he has hurt you... pero.. susubukan kong lagpasan ang nagawa niya sa'yo.."
He cupped my cheeks. "this time... I'll be punishing you with kisses. I'll be tormenting you with hugs. This time, nanaisin mong mamatay dahil sa sobrang pagmamahal at pag-aaruga na matatanggap mo..."
Napangiti ako sa sinabi niya. I was like a child being comforted.
"Pero alam mo namang hindi kita hahayaang mamatay ng ganoon lang..." he was closer than I expected.
I let out a chuckle. Pero sinundan kaagad ito ng kaba. Was I even ready?
Surprisingly, lumayo siya sa'kin. Which made me feel... unease. As if may inaasahan akong mangyari na hindi nangyari.
"I promise not to hurt you." he declared.
"Promises aren't easy to keep." sagot ko.
He moved forward at napaatras ulit ako. I ended up trapped between him and a tree.
"You know... for a daughter of Athena.. you're stupid." puna niya.
"Stupid?" I acted like I was annoyed but I wasn't really. I was smiling on the inside. He has successfully taken me with his words.
Tinignan niya lang ako.
"I love you Kara." he said gently grabbing me by my waist. He was waiting for an answer obviously.
"who's stupid now?" I asked before closing the gap between our lips.
I let my hands crawl their way around his neck. Hinila pa niya ako palapit sa kanya just to deepen our contact.
Napangiti ako.
And finally...
I felt the love everyone has been trying to show me.