"Pa'nu ba 'yan..." the winner said, tauntingly.
And the loser--- she looked like the enraged Maleficent.
No other than--- Yuna, the witch. The redhead wanted to ripped-off Alexa's head. Hindi niya maintindihan ang nararamdaman. This was just a game, pero pakiramdam niya ay mas malaki ang nawala sa kanya. She was too annoyed to comprehend what she really feels. Basta naiinis siya.
Alexa curiously peered at her opponent. Yuna really looked like a real witch now, with blazing eyes and flaring nose. Alexa imagined a raging bull witch. She couldn't help but sniggered at her crazy thought.
The bull witch's nose flared some more. Pati tenga yata nito ay nagbubuga na ng usok.
"What's so funny?" Yuna hissed at the silly woman.
Hindi naman mawala ang nakakalokong ngiti sa labi ni Alexa. Napailing lang ang palalong babae.
"Yeah!" Biglang lapit ni Zeke at pumagitna sa dalawa. "We have a winner!" He shouted and raised Alexa's left hand "Alexa Madrigal!"
The expectators cheered too. Lumapit ang mga kasamahan kay Alexa at masiglang binati ang nanalo.
"Yes! That's my man!" Mula sa pagkakaupo ay sigaw din ni Nolan.
Napapunta sa likod si Yuna dahil sa nagkakagulong mga players.
Tumabi sa kanya ang dalawang pinsan. The two looked symphathetically at their couzin.
"Ouch... She really kicked your ass, hard," Jessica remarked with a shook of her head.
"Right... And what did she call you? Witch?" Amused na tanong ni Reign. Sinundan iyon ng tawa at sinabayan pa ni Jessica.
The two did a high-five.
Yuna who was crossing her arms, had a dark look on her face. She didn't glance at the two. "Kapag hindi pa kayo tumigil na dalawa ay kakalbuhin ko 'yang mga pinakaiingatan niyong buhok, habang natutulog kayo," madiing banta niya sa mga nang-aasar na pinsan.
Bigla namang natigil sa pagtawa ang dalawa at agad na nabura ang mga ngiti. Yuna could be serious in her threat. They knew what the redhead was capable of. May pagkapilya kasi itong pinsan nila. Yuna could be a real witch if she wanted.
Both girls grimaced and held their hair as if protecting it. "Hey!" They both protested.
Yuna smirked evilly and finally look at her menacing cousins. She suddenly turned serious. "Then stop annoying me!" She hissed, low.
Nang sa wakas ay makawala sa mga kasamahan ay nilapitan na ni Alexa si Aya. Ngiting-tagumpay siya. She felt elated for winning. Naisahan niya din ang witch.
"Yeah, man!" Salubong sa kanya ni Nolan, sabay yakap sa kanya ng mahigpit at tapik ng malakas sa likod. "I am so proud of you!"
Tumawa lang si Alexa.
Si Aya naman ay nakaupo na rin ng tuwid, ngunit sapo pa rin ang ulo. Kaagad na nilapitan ito ni Alexa matapos kumalas kay Nolan.
Naupo si Alexa sa tabi ng designer. "Ayos ka lang ba?" Ang nag-aalalang tanong, sabay akbay dito.
Napahilig si Aya sa balikat ni Alexa. "I guess I'm really drunk..." mahinang tugon ng designer. Ramdam na niya ang matinding pagkahilo, na tila umiikot ang paligid niya. Matagal na din kasi siyang hindi nakakainom.
"Are those two together?" Mula sa gilid ay curious na tanong ni Tara, isa pang member ng CUBS, kay Mitch.
Narinig iyon ni Yuna. She tuned-in on their conversation.
Mitch answered, "nah... Ang alam ko nililigawan pa lang siya ni Alexa."
Yuna's indifference towards Alexa, escalated. Hindi pa pala ang mga ito, kung makahawak na ito kay Aya ay wagas. And here she thought they were already a couple! 'This bitch!' Bigla siyang nanggigil sa duwende, parang gusto niyang hablutin mula rito si Aya.
Napansin ng dalawang pinsan ang mood ni Yuna. Hahakbang na sana ito nang pigilin sa braso ni Jessica.
"Hey... Anong binabalak mong gawin?" Ang tanong.
"I'm going to get Aya from her!" Mahinang asik ni Yuna. "Aya's drunk. Who knows what she'll do with her."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa... Hold on," ang pigil pa ng pinsan. "From what I know about Alexa, she won't harm a woman in any way. She may be weird and crazy-looking, but Alexa was a good person. In fact... She's the humblest among us," ang depensa pa ni Jessica. She crossed her arms, "and not to be rude, couz... But you're the one who've hurt Aya," she stated seriously, this time.
Natigilan naman si Yuna. Tinamaan siya sa sinabi ng pinsan. She suddenly thought why she was acting this way... Wala na siyang karapatang magselos pa. Wala na siyang karapatan kay Aya, simula nang piliin niya si Mike. Yuna suddenly had a sinking feeling. Oo nga pala, may boyfriend siya. At si Aya ay isa na lamang nakaraan, na mas pinili niyang talikuran. Wala na dapat siyang pakialam pa dito. At tama si Jessica... Siya ang nanakit dito. If there was a person Aya should avoid--- it was her.
At the corner of her eye, Yuna saw Alexa and Aya got up from the chair. The guy with them helped the dwarf carry Aya. Yuna's protective instinct kicked in again. She marched after the three. Hindi na niya pinakinggan pa ang sinasabi ng utak niya.
"Yuna--- !" Ang magkasabay pang habol nina Reign at Jessica. Subalit nagtuloy-tuloy pa rin ang witch. Nagkatinginan na lamang ang dalawang pinsan. They both sighed.
Sinundan ni Yuna ang tatlo na nakita niyang pasakay na ng elevator. Bago pa siya makahabol ay sumara na iyon. She turned at the other one. There were three elevators available. She pressed both the other two. Kaagad namang nagbukas ang isa niyon at madaling pumasok si Yuna. Paglabas niya ng elevator ay nakita niyang papalabas pa lang ang tatlo. Natagalan ang mga ito dahil medyo bagsak na ang katawan ni Aya.
Yuna slowly walked towards the trio. Hindi namalayan ng mga ito ang paglapit niya. Nakayuko ang mga ito at abala sa pag-alalay kay Aya. Despite what Jessica said about Alexa, Yuna wasn't convinced that Aya's safe with the dwarf. O siguro'y naiinis lang siya... nagseselos... sa isiping masosolo nito si Aya. Her reasoning was warped because of jealousy. And now she's admitting it to herself--- she's jealous.
"Where are you taking her?"
Mula sa pag-alalay kay Aya ay biglang napaangat ng ulo si Alexa sa nagtanong, gayundin si Nolan. Kumunot ang noo ni Alexa nang bumungad sa harapan niya si Yuna.
The witch had an accusing look on the face, and looked like ready to charge.
Alexa looked skeptically at the witch but answered anyway, "I'm taking her to my room. She's drunk and needed some rest, obviously."
Aya was confused why they stopped. Hindi na niya gaanong maunawaan ang nangyayari sa paligid niya. Hindi rin niya gaanong maaninag ang kausap ni Alexa. The designer groaned, she badly wanted to just lay down on the bed.
"Lex-xa... Wala pa ba tayo?... Gusto ko nang matulog..." she said drunkenly. Umiikot na talaga ang paningin niya sa pagkahilo, pati eyeballs yata niya ay umiikot. Pakiramdam niya ay nakasakay siya sa rides na walang tigil sa pag-ikot at anumang oras ay maaari siyang mag-collapse. She struggled to stable her footing.
Both Yuna and Alexa turned at the drunken woman.
"You should bring her home, instead," Yuna protested.
"Look... Masyadong malayo kung iuuwi ko pa siya. Mas lalong mabubugbog ang katawan niya. Ang kailangan niya ay magpahinga," pangangatwiran ni Alexa. 'Bakit ba nangingialam siya? It's not as if she has the right to,' Alexa thought, confused by the witch' behavior.
"I won't let you!" Biglang bulalas ni Yuna.
Natigilan naman si Alexa, maging si Nolan ay nabigla rin sa outburst ni Yuna..
"Lasing si Aya. Who knows kung anong puwede mong gawin sa kanya," mariing pahayag pa ng witch.
Tila nainsulto naman si Alexa sa sinabi ni Yuna. Ano bang gustong palabasin nito? Ang lakas naman ng loob nitong pagbintangan siya.
"Hey..." ani Alexa na sumeryoso ang mukha "wala akong binabalak na masama kay Aya at hindi ko 'yun magagawa sa kanya," mariing tutol niya.
Umismid si Yuna. Hindi pa rin kumbinsido. "Kailan ka lang ba nakilala ni Aya? Wala pang dalawang buwan? Gaano siya makakasiguradong wala kang masamang gagawin?"
"Hindi sukatan ang tagal ng panahon para pagkatiwalaan ang tao. At hindi siya sasama sa'kin kung wala siyang tiwala sa'kin." depensa ni Alexa. Yuna was starting to get on her nerves. Inaalala niya si Aya na masama na ang pakiramdam. Sana'y nakapagpahinga na ang designer, pero hahara-hara naman itong witch na 'to.
"I don't care. Give Aya to me. Ako na ang mag-uuwi sa kanya," ang utos ni Yuna. Diskumpiyado talaga siya sa duwendeng ito. Lumapit na siya at inagaw ang isang braso ni Aya mula kay Nolan, na napatanga na lang sa palitan ng dalawa.
But Alexa didn't let Yuna have her way. She tugged the designer's body away from the witch. Mas hindi niya papayagan ang gusto nitong mangyari. Hindi ba nga't ito ang taong paulit-ulit na nanakit at nanloko kay Aya?
"No, you can't!" The silly woman fought.
Hinila rin ni Yuna papunta sa kanya si Aya. They were like playing a tug-of-war, now. Walang gustong bumitiw.
"Uh---" napamaang na lang si Nolan sa nasasaksihan. Palipat-lipat ang tingin sa dalawang magkaribal. Hindi alam kung paanong aawatin ang dalawa. Bigla siyang naawa kay Aya na walang magawa dahil sa kalasingan.
The drunken woman just grunted in pain. Ikaw ba naman ang lasing na nga ay inalog-alog pa?
"Hey, ano ba! Nasasaktan si Aya!"
"Just give me to her!"
"No!"
Sa pag-aagawan ng dalawa ay biglang natumba si Aya at paupong bumagsak sa sahig.
"Ouch!" Ang mahinang daing ng designer. Halos mapalupasay na sa sahig dahil sa pagkahilo.
Bahagya lamang napigilan ng dalawa ang pagbagsak na iyon ni Aya. They were too caught-up by their fight.
"Hey! Look at what you've done!" Galit nang asik ni Alexa. Kaagad na dinaluhan ang designer.
Si Yuna ay hindi na nagawang lumapit at natuod sa kinatatayuan. "It's your fault. Kung binigay mo na lang sana siya sa'kin, hindi mangyayari 'to," ang sisi naman niya.
Bigla namang napatakbo si Nolan sa tabi ni Aya para alalayan ito.
Napatayo nang dahil sa inis si Alexa at hinarap ang mangkukulam.
"She's with me and she's my responsibility, not yours!" Galit na sita ni Alexa rito "and how dare you doubt my intention, you don't know me," she squinted at the witch "if anything... Ikaw ang dapat na hindi pagkatiwalaan. Ilang beses mo na bang pinaglaruan at sinaktan si Aya?" Ang bulalas pa niya. "I will never ever do that to her! Ikaw itong nanggugulo sa tahimik na niyang buhay. So back-off, will you?" Mariing turan pa niya.
Yuna was stunned. Parang kidlat na tumama sa kanya ang mga sinabi ng duwende. Pero maya-maya'y naningkit ang mata. "And you also don't know me, so, don't you judge me! And how dare you tell me to back-off? Aya's not yours!"
"At mas lalong hindi na siya sa'yo," mariing tugon naman ni Alexa. Umiinit na ang ulo, dahil na rin siguro sa alak na nasa sistema niya.
Mula sa sahig ay parang nahimasmasan ng kaunti si Aya. Nasa tabi pa rin niya si Nolan. The designer blinked her eyes, repeatedly. She was confused by the shouting. In her blurry vision, she could see two figures of women. Pilit niyang idinilat ang mga mata.
"W-what's happening?" Nahihilo pa ring tanong ni Aya. Medyo masakit rin ang kanyang puwetan.
Nolan suddenly snapped his head towards the drunken girl, beside him. Nawala na ang atensyon niya dito dahil sa umiinit na tagpo ng dalawang magkaribal.
"Hey, Aya... Okay ka lang ba?" Ang nag-aalalang tanong.
"The same goes for you!" Nanggagalaiti nang sigaw ni Yuna mula sa harapan. How dare this dwarf mock her.
"Who was that?" Aya asked, still dazed. Ipinilig niya ang ulo at pilit na tumayo.
"H-hey... Dahan-dahan..." he helped Aya get up "uhm... " Nolan struggled to explain. His eyes turned at the still fighting rivals and then to Aya. Kailangang tumigil na ng dalawa, dahil parang nawawala na ang amats ni Aya. 'Oh, man... gulo 'to' napapalatak sa isipan na daing ng lalaki.
Aya brushed her eyes with her fists and squinted to see better. Medyo naaaninag na niya ang mga nasa harapan. They seemed fighting.
"W-wait... Is that... Alexa? And---"
Nolan suddenly blocked Aya's view. "Uh... We have a really big garden at the topmost floor of the building... Maybe we should go there... Y-you need some fresh air..." He rumbled fast, eyes wide.
Aya got dumbfounded. Pumipintig pa rin sa sakit ang ulo niya, ngunit unti-unti nang nawawala ang epekto ng alak. "Ano bang pinagsasabi mo riyan?" Hinawi niya si Nolan, mas interesado siya sa nagaganap sa unahan. Nagmatigas ang lalaki kaya't humakbang na lang siya sa gilid.
"Ano bang problema mong witch ka?!" Frustrated nang sigaw ni Alexa, napasabunot na sa ulo.
"Don't you call me a witch, you dwarfish mongrel!" Ganting-sigaw ni Yuna.
Napamaang si Aya sa nasaksihan. Tuluyan nang nawala ang pagkalasing niya. She turned her eyes at Nolan, who had a sheepish grin on the face.
Napahawak ang dalawang kamay ng lalaki sa batok at hindi makatingin kay Aya.
Alexa sputtered a laugh at what the witch had called her. She still had time to be amused. Maya-maya'y sumeryoso ulit. "Alam mo, sumusobra ka na ha..." medyo malumanay nang sabi pero bakas pa rin ang pagkayamot sa boses "you don't want people mocking you, and yet... Ikaw, grabe kang manlait."
"And you---" duro naman ni Yuna "---you're a mentally-ill bitch. I won't let you have your way on Aya. Baka mamaya isa ka palang psycho at kung anong gawin mo sa kanya."
"Ako pa talaga ngayon ang bitch?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Alexa. Nakakaasar na talaga ang witch na 'to. Normally ay mahaba ang pasensya niya, pero ngayon... pudpod na sa mangkukulam na ito. "Grabe... " palatak niya. "Ikaw nga itong naninira ng gabi. Alam mo, okay na sana ang lahat kung hindi ka lang sumulpot eh," hindi na napigilang ibulalas ni Alexa.
Nagpanting ang tenga ni Yuna sa narinig. "What did you say?" Naniningkit ang matang turan niya. "I'm just protecting Aya from you!" She hissed.
"Oh, is that so?" Alexa answered back, sassily "then, you must protect her from yourself, too. Because---"
"---you two stop!" Aya suddenly interrupted.
Biglang natigilan ang dalawa at parehong napatingin kay Aya. Nakalapit na pala ito nang hindi man lang nila namalayan. Nasa tabi lang din nito si Nolan, nakapamaywang at disappointed na nakatingin sa kanila.
"What the heck is happening here?" Bakas ang pagka-banas sa tono ni Aya. Masakit na nga ang ulo niya ay dumadagdag pa ang mga ito. Liyo pa rin ang pakiramdam niya, subalit hindi na niya kayang panoorin pa ang pag-aaway ng witch at duwende.
Natahimik ang dalawa at napahiyang yumuko.
Parehong na-guilty dahil mas inuna pa nila ang mag-away kaysa ang tulungan si Aya.
"Alexa, halika na..." ang yakag na lamang ng designer. "I had no time for this nonsense," Aya muttered. She badly wanted to sleep.
Kaagad na tumalima si Alexa at lumapit kay Aya. She held Aya's arm. "Right... " she said, sighing "My room's this way," Alexa gestured at the hallway.
Biglang napaangat ng mukha si Yuna at agad na pinigilan sa braso si Aya. "Don't come with her," the redhead warned.
Alexa internally rolled her eyes. Hindi talaga titigil ang witch na 'to.
Iwinaksi ni Aya ang braso mula kay Yuna at hinarap ito. "What are you talking about? I can come with whoever I wanted to and you don't have a say in that," Aya stated with a blank face.
"But, Aya..." Yuna protested but couldn't think of another word to add after that.
Aya had made a mistake to look at Yuna's eyes... There was those emotions dancing in those big eyes, again. It was as if they were pleading at her. Looking at those orbs, Aya suddenly felt a deep longing inside of her. How long has it been? Two months? Ito ang unang pagkakataon na nakaharap niyang muli ng ganito kalapit ang ex-girlfriend. Nag-init ang sulok ng mga mata ni Aya. She wanted to reach out... To fill that emptiness she was feeling. But despite the throbbing of her head and her heart, her mind was now clear. And she fully understood the truth--- Yuna wasn't hers anymore. The redhead had chosen someone else, not her.
Aya swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and forced herself to look away. There's no way she would let Yuna cast a binding spell on her, again. She have had enough of that.
Aya turned her back from Yuna, but the redhead stopped her again. The smaller woman halted her step.
"Aya please..." Yuna didn't know what she was pleading for. Why did she suddenly felt this way--- like she was about to lose Aya, again? She wanted to curse herself. "Look... You barely know that woman," she said and took a glance at Alexa, who made a huffing sound "itsura pa lang hindi na mapagkakatiwalaan. Just look at her. She looks like a crazy woman, to me. Are you really coming with her?" She asked, incredulously. She knew she was being unreasonable, but she just didn't want Aya taken by the dwarf.
Nolan, who was listening, faked a cough and looked mockingly at his friend. Sinamaan ito ng tingin ni Alexa. Nakatikim ulit ang lalaki ng siko sa tagiliran.
Pagak na napatawa naman si Aya dahil sa mga salitang lumabas mula sa bibig ng dating kasintahan. Hinarap niyang muli ito. "You have the audacity to say that to me? After what you've done? Who are you to tell me that people I come along with are untrustworthy, when you yourself doesn't know the meaning of that word! Huh? And why are you suddenly meddling with my life, again? It's not as if you care! You're the one who had left me ruined, and these people..." she gestured at Alexa and Nolan "they're merely helping me to move on and repair myself, from the damage you've made," Aya spat, angrily. She stepped closer at the stunned woman, "At mas gugustuhin ko pang makasama ang kagaya niyang 'itsurang hindi mapagkakatiwalaan', kaysa sa isang kagaya mo... Na mukhang malinis, oo... Pero paulit-ulit naman akong ginagago at sinasaktan!" Maanghang na sumbat pa.
Every words that came out from Aya was like a knife for Yuna. She probably would collapsed dead on the ground, by the pain.
Aya backed away. "You've chosen to let me go... so, just leave it like that. Our lives will be much easier that way. I'm better off without you," she spoke, low. As her words cuts Yuna, it was cutting her, too.
Aya turned to walk away. Sinundan kaagad ito ni Nolan. Naiwan si Alexa na nakatingin kay Yuna. She should be happy but she wasn't. She couldn't help but felt pity towards the redhead. Alexa could see the pain on the witch's face. She remembered the story of Maleficent. She could compare Yuna's story with that. Alexa was sure that there was a reason behind, on why Yuna had done that to Aya. Alexa wasn't one to judge people. Nadala lamang siya ng emosyon kanina kaya nakipagsagutan siya rito.
Alexa's attention was shifted to Nolan. Nasa tapat na pala ang mga ito ng pinto ng suite niya. Pinapalapit na siya ng lalaki para buksan iyon.
Aya, beside the man was just looking blankly at the door and didn't dared looked back.
Alexa took a last glance at Yuna, who was still silent, and stepped forward--- but then, suddenly halted again. She was two steps away from Yuna, with her back turned against the witch.
"You don't have to worry about Aya. She's in good hands, now. She will be happy... I will make sure of that," ang sabi ni Alexa bago tuluyang umalis.
.
.
.
.
.
Yuna was left speechless, her head bowed down. Tears began to spill from her eyes. Why she was crying? She wasn't sure... The only thing she was aware right now was the searing pain in her chest. 'Oh, Yuna... you are such a fool,' she thought to herself.
At the entrance of the elevator, Jessica and Reign stood. They didn't saw everything, but they witnessed the last part. They took pity at their cousin and slowly walked towards the dejected witch. Yuna seemed powerless now--- a witch without her broom and wand. Nang makalapit ay niyakap nila ito. Hilig nila itong asarin, at ito naman ay mahilig mang-trip, pero mahal na mahal nila ang pinsan. Noong mga bata sila ay lagi talaga silang magkakaaway. But then... as time passed and they got older, they learned to relay on each other and became friends.