CHAPTER ONE
657 Words
Umambon pa rin nang konti nang lumabas si Elara Montes sa convenience store, hawak-hawak yung mainit-init pang cup noodles na magiging dinner niya ngayong gabi. She sighed, pagod na pagod sa buong araw, tipong gusto na lang niyang umuwi, maligo, at mahiga na parang wala nang bukas.
Tahimik ang kalsada. Streetlights lang ang kasama niya, kumikislap sa basa pang semento.
Pero yung tahimik na gabi… biglang nabasag.
A black motorcycle rolled into the parking lot — mabilis, maangas, at nakakabingi ang ingay. The rider was all black: black jacket, black helmet, black everything.
Lord, sino ’to? Batman?
Elara blinked. At first, she didn’t care.
Until the rider took off his helmet.
Wet black hair falling over sharp eyes.
Defined jaw.
Serious expression.
Mukhang bad boy. Mukhang may dinadala.
Mukhang hindi niya dapat titigan.
Pero ayun siya… nakatitig.
Napansin ’yun ng lalaki.
He raised a brow, hindi naman suplado, pero parang, “Uy, nakita kita ah.”
Raven (malamig yung boses pero hindi bastos): “You okay?”
Nagulat si Elara. “Ah— yeah! Sorry, nasobrahan lang ako sa tingin— este, napatingin. I mean— napatingin lang.”
Lord, anong sinasabi ko…
Raven didn’t laugh. Pero umangat nang konti yung sulok ng labi niya — barely a smirk, pero sapat para tumalon yung puso ni Elara.
Raven: “Nilalamig ka.”
“Ha? Hindi naman—”
Humampas yung malamig na hangin sa batok niya.
“…medyo,” she admitted, hugging her noodles closer.
Tumango lang si Raven, then walked past her papasok ng store. Pero bago siya tuluyang pumasok, tumigil siya sandali — as if may gusto pa siyang sabihin pero nag-aalangan.
Raven (hindi lumilingon pero ramdam mo yung concern): "Di safe maglakad mag-isa sa oras na ’to.”
Napasinghap si Elara.
Concerned siya? For me??
Before she could say anything, Raven went inside.
AFTER a few minutes, lumabas si Raven ulit, may dalang dalawang energy drink. Mukhang sanay sa puyatan. Or sanay sa problema. Or both.
He stopped beside her, walang ka-drama-drama.
Raven: “’Tara. I’ll walk you home.”
“H-ha? Hindi na, okay lang ako—”
Raven (straight to the point): “Hindi ako nagtanong.”
Napatulala si Elara.
Sino ba ’tong lalaking ’to at bakit siya ganito magsalita?
Pero weirdly… hindi scary. Hindi rude.
Just… firm. Calm. Sure.
And then she nodded.
“Okay.”
THEY walked side by side down the quiet street. Elara held her noodles like a shield; Raven kept his hands in his pockets, eyes scanning the road like bodyguard vibes.
Elara: “So… do you always walk strangers home?”
Umiling si Raven. “Hindi.”
Elara blinked. “Then bakit ako?”
Huminto siya sa paglalakad for a second, tumingin sa kanya — diretso, parang binabasa siya.
Raven: “Ewan ko. Mukha kang… vulnerable.”
Elara’s jaw dropped. “Ha?! Vulnerable agad?”
Raven shrugged. “Yung tipong magso-sorry ka pa sa dahon pag natapakan mo.”
“…hindi naman,” she whispered.
Raven: “’Di ba?”
“…maybe,” she admitted.
Narinig niya yung mahina pero sincere na tawa ni Raven.
Not loud.
Not playful.
Pero totoo.
At parang may kung anong nag-init sa dibdib ni Elara.
Pagdating nila sa apartment door niya, both of them slowed down.
“Thank you… for walking me,” she said softly.
Raven nodded. “Goodnight, Elara.”
Napatigil si Elara.
“…I never told you my name.”
Raven paused sa paglalakad palayo, then turned his head slightly.
Raven: “Nasa necklace mo. ‘E.M.’”
Napahawak si Elara sa pendant niya.
“Oh.”
Raven let out a soft breath — almost a chuckle.
Raven: “See you around.”
He put on his helmet, revved the engine, and sped off into the night, leaving Elara standing there… heart racing like crazy.
And somewhere deep inside her…
something whispered:
“This guy is going to matter.”
She just didn’t know how much.
- Writer
