Promise
1876 Words
Today marks Virgo's first day in the recruitment. I don't how she's doing, kung okay lang ba siya. Kung nahihirapan ba siya doon. Kahit ano, wala akong balita. Every passing hour, I become more worried and worried and I just don't—
"Aries?" Napaigtad ako nag bahagya nang tinawag ako ng mentor namin. I have archery today.
"P-po?" Napakurap kurap ako napalingon sa paligid. Nandito kami sa field, sa archery station banda. I am 5 meters away from my target yet all I did was stand up and stare at nothing. Hinihintay na siguro nila ako na mag shoot para ang susunod na naman ang mag shoot.
I apologized and took my arrow. It didn't hit the bull's eye. My hand was slightly shaking, and remembered that I have 3 tries. My second try was almost at the bull's eye which made me feel relieved. Sa panghuli kong arrow. I kind of felt uneasy.
Parang may kakaibang vibration na nakapalibot sa'kin, hindi ko ma explain.
I breathed in and was about to let go of my string when I heard... my father's voice.
"She's doing a great job, sir—" nabigla ang mentor namin nang lumipad sa kabilang banda ang arrow ko. It went right pass the target! In front of my dad!
The shakey feeling that I felt earlier? It just worsened. My father saw me in this state, missing a damn target! I am so f****d up!
"Aries." He firmly called me. I gulped and secretly looked around. Everyone was quiet and has this nervous face on them. I stood up straight, chin up and fixed my shirt before walking towards my dad.
I did not utter a word. He surveyed me from head to toe, before gesturing me to follow him. Silence came between us. Napapangiti at bati lamang ako sa ibang mga nag papay respect sa substitute president nila dito sa camp. Bukas pa kasi babalik si Chandler. Napalunok naman ako nang dinala ako ni papa sa The Fall dome.
Tiningala ko ito. Almost a month ago, I came in here and got out victorious.
"How has camp been treating you?" Napalingon ako kay dad sa tanong niya. He sounds... caring.
I cleared my throat. "I-I'm doing fine, dad. Been working hard as far as I know." I said carefully.
He nodded and he sat on the bench right outside the dome. I sat next to him but gave us a few inches of distance in between. Then more awkward silence. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nandito siya. Did he know about Virgo and wanted to check on me if I'm handling it well? I don't know. Hindi naman si papa ang tipong ama na showy ang pagcacare sa anak. I don't know why he's here. I can't think of a reason, and it's scaring me. What if I did something wrong and—
"I heard about you and Mr. Delluna." Biglang bumaliktad ang sikmura ko. I bit my lower lip and looked away. Acting innocent.
He sighed heavily and spoke. "He's not going to be good for you, my child." Napataas ang mga kilay ko sa sinabi niya.
What makes him say that? He doesn't know Archer! He doesn't know what Archer did. A mere reason why I'm alive from The Fall. Archer has been my coping mechanism from stress and work, yet he judges him, just like that? Ang lakas niyang sabihin iyan when all he ever was to me was a harsh father.
"You don't know him, dad." I said calmly.
Nakatiklop ang kamay niya sa kaniyang harapan, he glanced at me. "Yes I do. That is why I want you to break up with him." Napamulagat na ako sa sinabi niya.
"What?! Bakit ko naman gagawin 'yon?" Hindi ko mapigilan ang mapataas ng boses sa ama.
Inirapan niya ako at naglabas siya ng isang nakatuping papel galing sa ilalim ng suit niya and gave it to me. Curious, I unfolded the paper and read it, twice!
Kasi hindi ako makapaniwala.
"Their architecture and engineering group was the company that made a deal with us, a couple years back." He started. Yes, I remembered them. But I didn't know it was the Dellunas! "The same company that tricked us and caused me and your mother so much problems before."
I remember that story. When my dad was a lot younger, siguro pinagbubuntis pa lang ni mama si Nimue. My grandfather's company got bankrupted. It costed our family so much money, which means losing so much as well. When my father decided to rebirth the company, he wanted it to be built by a friend. And that friend built our empire, with an affordable price, yet in the end, sinapawan ito ng ilang milyon upang magka utang si papa sa kanila. It ruined our family's trust with those people but I didn't expect them to be the Dellunas!
"Why... didn't you tell me?" I asked in a small voice. Not like this would make a difference, kahit na magkaaway ang pamilya namin. Labas na kami ni Archer diyan. "How could you not tell me?!" Napatayo ako sa galit.
"You lied to me! Again, Dad. Naiintindihan kita kung ayaw mo sa'kin pero putangina, papa! You could've at least warned me! P-paano kung g-ginagamit ako ni Archer?!" Crap! I want to take that back. Ayokong isipin na ginagamit niya ako. I trust him, I really do.
"He is. Now I'm telling you. Leave him. Wait for your sister to come back from recruit and you both go home unscathed." He ordered. He stood up and was about to leave when I spoke.
"What do you mean? Unscathed? Bakit? Sinong gagalaw sa'min dito? Wala naman diba?"
He looked at me with worry in his eyes. But he slightly shook his head and revealed emotionless ones. "Aries please. Hanggang kailan ka ba magmamatigas ng ulo? I'm doing this to keep you and your sister safe. Can you just be a good daughter for once?" He said with his stoic, disappointed voice and left me speechless.
I came back to my cabin with shunned tears. I tried to look for Archer but he was nowhere to be found, nor contacted. Siguro umuwi siya sa kanila. Sabi ko kasi sa kaniya hindi ako makakasama sa dinner na aya ng mommy niya kasi marami pa akong gagawin dito sa camp.
Hindi ko hinaayang maapektuhan ako sa sinabi ni dad. Pinagpatuloy ko ang araw ko. Tumutulong ako sa mga bagong dating, lalo na sa archery. Minsan pinapa volunteer nila ako sa mentorship. Nag compose ako ng meeting para bukas, sa pagbabalik ni Chandler. Siguradong babaguhin ni Chandler ang flow ng camp, kaya hinahanda ko nalang ang ibang staff at council sa mga posibleng baguhin dito.
"Uhm, Paige?"
"Hmm?" Paige, the new manager trainee was writing something on her notepad but she quickly glanced and spoke with her sweet voice. "What is it, pres?"
"Have you seen.. Archer lately? Pagabi na kasi, hindi pa ba siya nakakabalik?" I tried to stay lowkey. Honestly speaking, not everyone in camp knows I'm dating Archer. Hindi naman na kasi nila kailangang malaman iyon.
Tinapik niya ng bahagya ang dulo ng ballpen na hawak sa kaniyang baba napalingin sa main gate. "Sasakyan niya 'yun diba?" Napalingon naman ako sa tinuro niya.
Biglang nagsaya ang aking loob at sinabihan ko na si Paige na pwede na siyang bumalik sa cabin niya at magpahinga kung gusto niya. Nang nakapagpark na si Archer ng sasakyan. Agad akong tumakbo at sinalubong ko siya ng mahigpit na yakap sa leeg nang makalabas siya ng sasakyan. He stiffened but then he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my cheek.
He rubbed my cheek with his thumb, worry is evident in his eyes. "Okay ka lang ba?" He asked concernedly.
Sumimangot ako bago umiling. "Bumisita si Dad." Hindi ko alam kung ako lang ba pero parang namutla agad si Archer. Kumunot ang noo ko tsaka niya ako binigyan ng ngiti.
"Kung ano man 'yan, magiging okay din ang lahat." He didn't even bother asking me about it. He kissed the top of forehead before pulling me towards the diner. Wala daw siya sa mood kumain sa bahay nila, kumain naman siya pero konti lang. Gusto niya daw ng burger, eh parang hindi naman 'to mabubuhay kung hindi makalagok ng kahit isang burger sa isang araw.
Coke lang ang binili niya para sakin, iyon lang pinabili ko. Tinititigan ko siya habang kumakain.
"Stop staring at me, nakakahiya." He blushed with his cheeks filled with food. Dugyot ah.
I chuckled. "I'm not staring, psycho. I'm... observing." Ngumisi ako habang sumipsip sa straw coke ko.
"How was dinner with your parents?" I placed my elbows on the table and with my other hand, I moved the piece of wavy hair that was lazily hanging on his forehead. "Did you have fun?"
Napamulagat siya ng bahagya at mukhang nagulat ko siya. What's wrong? Did I say something insensitive? I was about to take it back when he held my hand.
He smiled. Oh darn that beautiful smile. I wanna keep that smile forever.
"It was okay. Ikaw? Kumusta naman ang pagbisita ng papa mo?" Mukhang may pagaanlinlangan sa mukha niya nang tinanong niya iyon pero hindi ko nalang pinansin nang nagpatuloy na ito sa pagkain.
Napasimangot ako. I looked at him with hesitation. Should I ask him? I feel like this will create a big impact on our relationship. I'm just starting to stick with him, I don't want to ruin this!
"May alam ka ba sa relasyon ng mga pamilya natin?... babe?" I tried to ease down the tension with an endearment that he likes. But crap! There I said it.
Napatigil siya sa pagkain at hindi makatingin sa'kin ng diretso. "W-What do you mean?" Bigla akong nag alala sa pagka utal at pagka kaba niya. Archer, please no.
I tried to hide my worry under a smirk. "You know, mga bagohang events o ano. Alam na naman na natin ang relasyon ng mga Argents at Dellunas noon pa diba?" He wiped his mouth with a napkin and sat back. Looking straight at me. "Like maybe, a company.. feud?" I hesitated but I had to. I had to know.
"Company feud?" His thick, snatched eyebrows came together at the center. "Like.. the feud between the Delluna legacy and how your father ruined it?"
I sucked on my breath. What? Is he trying to trash talk my family in front of me?
"I- Arch, my father didn't ruin anyone's legacy—"
"Pano mo naman nasabi iyan?" He asked in a cold voice, which sent shivers down my spine. He licked his lower lip before scratching the top of his nose and leaning towards me.
"Look. I know how bitter our family's pasts are. Pero labas na tayo diyan." He grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it. "I'm sorry if that came out insensitive but, babe. I promise you, nothing is going to happen between us. Hinding hindi ako papayag na sisirain tayo ng problema ng mga pamilya natin." He said with sincerity, looking at me in the eyes, piercing my soul, and captivating my breath.
Tumango ako. "You promise?" It was almost like a whisper.
He nodded. "With all my life. Yes."
- Writer
