The Moonlight Daughters

Storm's Temporary Settled

At school...

Ana was walking along the corridor. Coming from behind was Cainnick, he was briskly walking so that he could overtake her. He gently touched her back with his pointer finger. When she felt that someone had touched her back, she immediately turned around. She got surprised when she found out that it was Cainnick. Cainnick smiled.

"Hi... Cainnick." She waved her hand slightly and she smiled back.

"Ummm..." Cainnick began to speak.

"How is Black?"

"Oh...Black? He's fine," Ana told him.

"May I ask. Why didn't you get him yesterday?"

"Ummm..."Cainnick looked up to the ceiling, thinking of a good alibi.

"It's a family crisis," he said. "My big brother was brought to the hospital. He had an injury to...to his leg."

"Oh. That's unfortunate," she gently nods to say that she understood. "I am sorry to hear that. That might hurt."

"Yeah. So much pain," Cainnick replied.

"So...Are you going to get him today?"

He nodded.

"Cool. I'll call my sister to tell her that you are going to take him this afternoon."

"Great," Cainnick agreed.

"But, are you sure you are going to come this time?"

"I am sure."

Suddenly, from a distance away behind Cainnick, Seline saw Ana talking to someone. And so, she approached her.

"Ana..." she wrapped her right arm around Ana's left arm. Then she looked at the boy Ana was talking to.

Her wide smile faded. She looked a bit shocked, surprised that a familiar person was standing in front of her. Moreover, she can't believe Ana knows him.

"Hi!" She greeted instead as she brought back her cute smile.

"Hi!" He waved at her.

"Ahy...Seline. This is Cainnick. Cain, this is Seline," Ana introduced.

Then, they shook hands. There, he sensed a strange feeling coming from Seline. The same as what he felt with Ana when he first met her.

Seline noticed the little portion of the wound mark that wasn't completely covered by his round-neck collarless black shirt.

"Nice mark you got," she asked.

"This...? This is nothing," then he cleared his throat. "Just got burned."

"Ahhh..." she gently nodded to indicate that she understood.

"Okay. I gotta go," he told them.

"Okay. See 'ya." Ana waved her hands. Cainnick walked away then.

****

Nick was sitting on a couch. He was keeping his head down. He was crying, thinking about the memories during those times he and his grandfather had spent together. Sitting beside him was Daya who was trying to comfort him.

On a wooden chair facing the couch, Danny was sitting on it. He was silent, thinking so deep, rubbing his palms against his face.

"What are going to do?" Nick asked, sobbing.

Danny was back to himself after he heard him. He looked at him. Even though he was hurt due to the death of his grandfather, Danny saw that Nick remains to be brave. It seemed that Nick was willing to help.

"Lolo was right," he told them. "I must have to be brave. I must have to live...for him."

Daya took her eyes on her brother-in-law. Danny also looked at her. He can see that Daya's facial expression was telling him that she sympathized with him. At the same time, he knew that she was in deep conscience because she felt that she's the reason why his grandfather willingly surrendered. She thinks that she didn't do something to save Teodoro. Danny sighed in frustration. He held his head back down for a second. Then, he stood up.

"Let's invade their place, now!"

"Calm down, Danny. Can't you see that we don't stand a chance to defeat them? We might die."

"I don't care. Those sons of bitches must die."

"You want to commit suicide?"

Nick was quiet. He doesn't want to engross himself in their argument.

"Kuya Danny. Calm down, okay?" Daya approached him.

"We can stop them, but not now. You told me yourself. We can't stand a chance against them."

Daya brought out the thing Mr. Teodoro gave her. She showed it to Danny. Danny got surprised.

"We can't let Mr. Teodoro's sacrifice in vain. For now, this is the only way to stop them," Daya said.

"Daya is right," Nick spoke. Danny looked at him anxiously, he seemed to disagree with Nick's comment.

"He knew that he is going to die. Yet, he accepted his fate. Let's not waste the chance he gave for us," Nick added.

"Danny. My father doesn't know that Mang Teodoro has the other key. He gave this to me before he surrendered. "

"I...I have no idea he has that," Nick told them.

Daya and Danny turned their heads to him. They were also surprised to know that he never knew that all the years his grandfather was hiding such an item. But after knowing that, they've learned that his grandfather has a reason why he didn't entrust nor inform Nick. It is to protect him.

"Did Benjie called you?" Danny asked.

****

Dionysus was standing on a cliff, enjoying the wide view of the vast lands from afar and below. He also enjoys feeling the strong current of the fresh breeze as it passes through him. He closed his eyes and he breathes in heavily. He held his breath for a few seconds. He released it when he sighed.

"Apo." Someone suddenly appeared at the back.

He turned around.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"The association had arrested one of us," he reported.

Dionysus gulped due to his nervousness.

"How did this happen?" he asked.

"He was caught in Baguio," he responded. "He was cornered at Camp John Hay. While his partner, Adan escaped."

"The Association must not know what we are planning to do. They are going to be one of my problems," he said. His irises turned blue due to his stress.

"What's the plan, boss?"

"Bring me Adan. I have some questions," he ordered.

****

During their class...

Grace Joy was busy taking notes on the words written on the blackboard while the teacher was speaking in front of them. Sherdel, the person sitting beside her was on his phone reading some threats coming from some random students who hate him via messenger.

"Motherf...." he muttered.

Grace Joy immediately looked at him. Her face painted a shocked expression.

"Hey. What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Grace Joy shrugged. "You are loud so I looked at you. You really have a bad mouth."

"Tsk..." he frowned. Then he turned his head to the front.

Grace Joy returned focusing on the discussion.

A few moments later. He spoke.

"Why did you do that?"

Grace Joy creased her forehead. She was puzzled. She looked at him.

"Ha?" she reacted.

"In Burnham, remember?"

"Ahh..." She stuttered.

"You wanted to touch me?"

"Uhmmm...." there was a conflict in her mind. She was thinking if she will going to tell her the right reason or lie.

"Nothing," she responded. "You looked so sad that time that's why I wanted to comfort you."

He faking chuckled. He put down his phone on his desk. He stared at her.

Grace Joy suddenly felt insecure and uncomfortable.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked.

He smiled.

"I never had met someone who wants to comfort me before."

Then he turned his head to the front. After that, Grace Joy went puzzled. Her forehead creased trying to figure out why'd he said that.

****

It was already six in the evening, Ana arrived at their home. She opened the door. She got surprised when she saw Black coming. She thought Cainnick had already fetched him.

"Black? You are still here?"

She knelt down and she reached for its forehead.

Then, her mother appeared. She came from the kitchen. She was holding a pot of hot sinigang na bangus.

"Oh. You're here," her mother was surprised.

"I am here!" she greeted.

"How's the birthday party? Did you enjoy it somehow?" she asked.

"Yes," she responded.

"Can you spare me the details?"

"Uuummm...."

"Where's the person who's suppose to take this dog?" Ana then asked.

"He's not yet here. Maybe he'll arrive later. Let's just wait."

"I hope he's really going to get Black tonight," she said. She gently rubbed her fingers against its fur. "If ever your master didn't come to get you. You are mine, okay?" she baby talked.

"Hey. Don't be bitches," her mother said. "You're like your sister. He's gonna come and take that dog back home."

"It is better if you could help me carry this pot because my hands feel so hot right now," she then ordered.

"Okay." She immediately stood up. She went close to her mother and she took the pot from her.

****

"This stew is delish!" Ana said while chewing. She took another spoonful in her mouth.

"Eat slowly, dear. You'll choke," her mother warned.

"The sinigang is great."

"Really now? Is it your first time tasting my cooking?"

While the two were enjoying their meal, they heard that someone's knocking on the door. They paused for a while.

"Oh. That might be your sister."  Her mother stood up and rushed towards the living room.

Ana continued eating. Meanwhile, her mother came back.

"Come. Don't be shy to come in. Eat with us. Come while the dinner is still warm."

To her surprise, she saw Cainnick entering the kitchen. He was so shy so her mother tried to force him to enter the kitchen and eat with them.

"Sit here, my son," she told him. And so, Cainnick had no choice but to sit down on the chair across Ana. Her mother immediately prepared him a plate and a spoon as she laid them on the table.

He looked at Ana. He smiled. There go his deep dimples that make his face cuter. Ana smiled back.

"I am sorry," he said.

"It's okay. Mama is always like this to the visitors. We got used to it."

"Is that so?"

"Come on. Let's eat. I promise you, Mama's sinigang is great."

He smiled again. And he scooped up some rice to his plate then he mixed it with the Sinigang's broth. After that, he took a slice of milkfish.

"Mmmmm..." he reacted, delighted after he tasted. "It's really good."

"See?"

Cainnick didn't respond. He was focusing on tasting the tasty sour flavor of the viand mixed with the rice. While he was chewing, Ana spoke.

"It's good that you came."

He swallowed the food.

"I can't wait to see Black, I really miss him," he said.

Ana smiled upon hearing what he'd said. Her mother was just silent, watching the two talking to each other.

"Sana all," she reacted. Then, she chuckled faintly. Cainnick also chuckled. Then, he took another spoonful in his mouth.

"I bet you can't wait to see another day to meet your girlfriend?" she teased.

"Well, I hope so," he said. "I have a girlfriend once," he added.

"Ahhh..." she no longer asked after that.

"How about you?" he asked.

"Ummm.." she doesn't know if she's going to say "yes "or "no".

Ana's mother then interrupted.

"Let's enjoy the food, shall we?"

"Yeah. I can't argue with that," Cainnick replied.

Ana smiled. Then she resumed eating.