Beyond the Door

Chapter 18

"Salamat, Mal..." mahina kong saad kay Mal nang makalabas kami sa palasyo. We spend 3 hours escaping this s**t castle, we both are tired. I am tired.

Napakamot siya ng ulo at ngumiti.

"It's okay, I hope you'll be safe on your way back home... you can count on me when that b***h Caroline hurt you, ako ang sasampal for you," nakangisi niyang saad at kumaway.

Nagsimula siyang maglakad papalayo hanggang sa mawala na siya sa aking paningin.

Napabuga ako ng hangin at napakagat sa ibaba ng aking labi. Sumulyap akong muli sa malaking palasyo at nagsimulang maglakad papalayo.

Ngunit agad rin akong napatigil nang makarinig ako ng isang maliit na boses.

"What are you doing here?"

Dahan-dahan akong napalingon sa batang nagsalita. Napalunok ako.

"Lara..."

Bumakas sa kaniyang mukha ang pagtataray. Inirapan niya ako at naglakad papalayo. Ngunit agad ko siyang hinabol at hinarangan.

"S-Si Di-A?" tanong ko.

Nakasimangot niya akong tinitigan. "Why are you looking for him? You dislike him remember? He hates you, now..." sagot niya.

Agad naman akong napailing. "No... just... just tell me if he's okay!" naiiyak kong saad.

I completely forgot about him. I'm so mad at myself for leaving him here...

"Lara? What are you doing here? Who are—"

My feet literally froze onto the ground when I met his eyes. My breathing hitched. I can feel my heart beats faster than ever. This familiarity... this feeling.

I felt a pang of pain in my chest but I can't help the fact that I still missed him.

I missed him so much that the fact that I almost hug him.

It's still he and his chocolate eyes that made me speechless...

"Love? What happened to your cheek?" nag-aalala niyang saad.

Napaiwas ako ng tingin at napaayos ng tayo. Agad akong napaatras nang sinubukan niyang humakbang papalapit sa akin.

"Don't," ani ko nang sinubukan niya na namang humakbang papalapit.

He looked at me, confused.

"S-Stay away..." paos kong saad at umatras muli. His jaw clenched but still walk towards me.

The next thing I realized was his arms circled on my waist to pull me towards him. My toes weakened as tears started to stream down my cheeks.

His body heat... his masculine body that covers my entire body. I-I missed his presence...

"Ang daya..." iyak ko at mahinang sinuntok ang kaniyang dibdib.

Sunod-sunod ang ginawa kong pagsuntok sa kaniya habang umiiyak. "Ang daya mo... napakadaya ng mundo..." umiiyak kong saad.

Humigpit ang kaniyang pagkakayakap sa akin.

"Hush... what happened, love?" bulong niya. I bit my lip. I pushed him away from me while shaking my head.

"Can you please get me a towel?" pag-iiba ko ng topic. He tilted his head while staring at me.

Mariin niya akong tinitigan ng ilang segundo ngunit agad ring tumango at naglakad papasok sa palasyo.

Agad akong nakahinga nang maluwag. Napabaling ang aking paningin kay Lara na matamang nakatitig sa akin.

Pinalis ko ang natigirang luha sa aking pisngi at ngumiti sa kaniya. "Please tell Di-A that I'm coming back to get him. Tell him her ate Angeline is coming back..." aniko at agad na nagalakad papalayo sa palasyo.

—

"Goddamn, Angeline! Are you okay?" salubong sa aking ni Lucas.

I slowly nodded at him as I sat on my bed.

"Where's Luna?" I asked.

"She's okay... thanks to you."

Napatango ako sa kaniyang sagot at pabagsak na humiga sa aking kama. Inilagay ko ang aking braso sa akong noo. Dahilan para matakpan ang aking mata.

"Don't ask me questions, Lucas... I'm tired," aniko nang maramdaman ko ang matamang pagkakatitig sa akin ni Lucas at handang magtanong.

I heard him sighed. "Okay, okay. Magpahinga ka muna..." Ramdam ko ang paglabas niya sa aking bahay at paghakbang papalayo.

Dahilan para katahimikan na ang namayani sa aking kwarto. Napabuga ako sa hangin.

Ramdam ko ang paglabas ng mga luha sa aking mata. He hugged me...

He's so near yet I can't do anything. I can't hug him back... I'm too overwhelmed.

And I'm scared of what might happen. I don't know what Caroline might do.

I breathed heavily. I'm just going to focus on getting back Di-A...

—

Nakatitig ako sa aking repleksyon sa salamin. Ang buo kong mukha ay nakatakip ng isang manipis na tela. Tanging mata ko lamang ang nakikita.

Ilang beses akong napahinga nang malalim at nagsimula nang maglakad papuntang palasyo.

Nangangatog ang aking tuhod dahil sa haba ng aking nilakad.

"Angeline..."

Agad akong napangiti nang makita ang taong kasama ko sa pagpasok sa palasyo.

"Mal..."

Sinalubong niya ako at mabilis akong niyakap. "Hey, are you ready?" she whispered.

I nodded as an answer.

"Let's go..." aniko.

Mal is a witch. She used something for us to escape. I don't know why she helped me with this again but she said that she likes helping people. I believed her... but maybe there's another reason.

May ibinigay siya sa aking uniform at sinabing suotin ko iyon. My forehead creased but I followed her order.

"Teka... how did you get this?" gulat kong saad. This is the maid's uniform!

Kamot ulo siyang ngumiti sa akin. "Magic," dahilan niya at ngumisi.

Napalabi na lamang ako at nagsimulang sumunod sa kaniya. Habang papasok nang papasok ay ramdam ko ang pagbigat ng aking hininga.

We easily went inside the castle without someone noticing. Dahilan para makahinga ako nang maluwag.

"How did you do that?" ani ko. Mal glances at me.

"Did what?" nakangiti niyang saad.

I rolled my eyes at her. "You know what I'm talking about..."

She giggled and smirked. "The clothes you're wearing isn't an ordinary uniform... I put some spell to it. You're invisible," she answered.

Making me gasp. Nanlalaking mata akong nakatingin sa kaniya. But she laughed out loud and shrieks.

"Chill... nagjojoke lang ako. Ang dami mo kasing tanong," natutuwa niyang saad. "... but I really put a spell on that clothes, your face changed though..."

Agad naman akong tumalima at lumapit sa salamin na aming nadaanan. What—

"—the fuck..."