Vampire's Pathos

Blood 14

"Miss Eara?"

Napatingin ako sa gilid ko, and judging from the way he called me.

It must be him.

Nakita ko nalang si Rion habang hawak hawak yung bag niya, at ito naman ako na ganon rin ang ginawa kasi tapos na yung klase.

"May gagawin ka ba ngayon?" Tanong niya na mukhang medyo nahihiya pa, at nagbalik naman sa utak ko yung usapan sa office kanina. 

"Tonight."

An unwanted voice rings in and out of my ears, at parang ulit ulit lang yung sinasabi. And behind Rion, I saw the person behind all of it..

Kian Pierce Aerovan.

Nakita ko siyang mapatingin sa akin, and his stare was too intense for comfort. It's like he was already warning me not to do anything reckless. Then he promptly leaves. Parang tinitigan niya lang talaga ako para ipaalala 'yon.

Alam ko. I know it already. Wala na akong magagawa.

I am going to move out the dormitories tonight.

And I will be living in a mansion full of vampires before this day ends.

Everything is already set in stone.

I exhaled slowly, at saka ako sumagot kay Rion. "I do." Maikli kong naisagot, at nakita kong manlumo yung mukha niya. Kaya naman napailing nalang ako at napabuntong hininga.

At least with him around, I feel normal.

"But it can wait until the afternoon. Ano bang balak mong gawin?" I asked him this time, and he looks at me like a joyful puppy. Kaya natawa nalang ako sa itsura niya.

"Because the clinic called me the other day.. Sabi nila makukuha ko na daw yung pusa." He smiles tenderly, at hindi ko maitatanggi yung gulat ko nung narinig ko yung sinabi niya.

Out of all the days.. ngayon pa talaga pwedeng makuha yung pusa?

"Miss Eara? Is something wrong?" Napatigil ako sa pag iisip when Rion called for me once again, and I slowly shook my head.

"No, nothing.. Let's go?" Aya ko sa kanya, disregarding the thoughts inside my head, at nagsimula na akong maglakad while he just followed me from behind.

Tahimik lang kaming naglakad palabas ng building, but I couldn't help but notice.

Ako lang ba? O sobrang daming nakatingin sa amin ni Rion?

While walking down the path to go out the campus, isa isa kong pinapasadahan ng tingin yung mga studyanteng nakapaligid sa amin.

Something tells me that this is a red flag..

May nangyari ba? If so.. then it must be something about me..

I just wish na hindi ako masyadong madadamay sa g**o, but even I myself highly doubt that. Because judging from the looks of those people, parang ako yung nililitis nila sa utak nila.

"Miss Eara?" Naalis ko yung mga tingin ko sa mga studyante, at napatingin ako kay Rion na nasa tabi ko.

"Nabibigatan ka ba sa bag mo?" Oh.. Napansin niya sa siguro yung itsura ko kanina.

Akala niya yung yung bag ko yung problema. Napailing nalang ako bago sumagot.

"No, it's fine." I convinced him, at mukhang hindi gumana yung pangungumbinse ko.

"I can carry your bag for you." I shook my head once more, at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

"I insist." I gave him a brief look, and I saw him determined to carry my bag. Na parang ayon na yung misyon niya sa buhay.

Kaya naman napabuntong hininga nalang ako.

No matter how many times I refuse, once he made up his mind, wala na akong magagawa. Paulit ulit niya lang akong tatanungin hanggang sa bumigay ako.

So, to save myself from the relentless asking barrage he has up his sleeves.

Binigay ko nalang yung bag ko sa kanya.

Nakangiti niyang kinuha yung bag ko, at napansin kong may bagong sugat na naman siya sa kamay niya.

"Meron na naman?" Tanong ko at hinawakan ko yung kamay niya, kaya napatigil kami.

Did they hurt him again?

"Oh, that.." Nakakunot noo ko siyang tinignan, and he gently pulls his hand away from mine. At ngumiti na naman siya sa akin.

"Ako may kasalanan nito.." He awkwardly laughs it off, at napahawak nalang ako sa ulo ko.

Akala ko naman may nangyari na naman sa kanya.

"Give me my bag for a minute." He hesitantly hands my bag over to me, at nahalata kong nagtataka siya kung bakit ko ginawa 'yon.

Then I proceeded to look for something in my bag, at nung makita ko 'yon. Kinuha ko naman kaagad at binalik ko yung bag ko kay Rion.

"Akin na ulit yung kamay mo." I told him, at binigay niya naman kaagad yung kamay niya sa akin.

Dahan dahan kong hinipan yung sugat niya, and I put the band-aid I got from my bag.

"There.. Matuto kang lagyan ng ganyan at linisan yung sugat mo." I said as if I accomplished something great, and I scolded him for not doing the same.

He just turns to smile at me, and he looked at his now bandaged hand.

"Why did you blow on it?" Nagtaka ako sa sinabi niya at napaisip din ako.

That's right.. why did I do that?

"Maybe from a distant memory..? May gumawa sa akin no'n.." I answered a bit unsure if what I actually said was true or not.

But somehow, I could always see a figure of a person every time I did that. That person did it to me too before, and said that it would make me feel better.

And just from that, I could feel that the person was kind..

Panaginip lang ba 'yon nung bata ako?

Regardless of whether it could be true or not, the gesture stuck with me up until now.

"You didn't do it before though." He stated, and he gently flexes his hands open at bigla nalang mapapatingin sa akin.

He must be talking about that time at the garden..

Natawa nalang ako at bumwelo.

"Because I think what I did before was this." Ani ko nalang pagtapos niyang magsalita at hinampas ko yung likod niya.

Nakita kong nasaktan siya sa ginawa ko, well, considering that he still has some of the wounds from last time. Malamang masakit 'yon.

"Bilisan mo kung hindi iiwan kita."

"Miss Eara!"

He called out to me at tinalikuran ko siya, at naglakad na kaagad paharap, and I carefully observed the people all around us.

Isa isa silang dumami nung napatigil kami ni Rion..

They weren't doing anything, pero nakatingin sila. Like they were observing us.

Kaya pinili ko nang umalis para hindi na ako maabala pa sa mga tingin na binibigay nila. 

"Ah, buti naman nakapunta ka." Bati nung babae na nakausap ko the last time that I was here, and from Rion, agad na napadpad yung tingin niya sa akin.

But she wasn't surprised one bit.

Like she expected me to come here.

Sinabi ba ni Rion na kasama ako?

"It's nice that you're here too." Ngiti niya naman sa akin at napatango nalang ako.

"The cat's this way." Umalis siya sa pagkakaupo niya sa harap ng table, and just like last time, she led us to a room.

Habang naglalakad papunta doon, I clearly saw excitement in Rion's face. It's like he was given a once in a lifetime chance to own a cat.

For a few days at least.

Ganoon niya ba talaga gustong makapag alaga ng pusa?

Nang makarating kami sa isang kwarto sa loob ng clinic, nakakita kami ng iilang mga hayop na nakakulong.

At may mga pangalan sa baba nung kulungan nila. Mukhang kukuhain din sila ng mga amo nila. Naglakad lang kami hanggang sa nakarating kami sa dulo, and on the table, may nag iisang kulungan doon.

And that's where we saw the white cat, sleeping in its cage.

"May naisip na ba kayong pangalan para sa pusa niyo?" Tanong nung babae, and I looked at Rion, at napatingin din siya sa akin.

Nagkatinginan lang kami ng ilang segundo, at ako nalang ang sumagot.

"Wala pa po."

Ani ko at napatango nalang yung babae, and Rion took a step closer para makita ng maayos yung pusa.

"Well, your boyfriend seems eager to own the cat. Kaya naman sigurado akong makakahanap din kayo ng magandang pangalan."

I definitely saw Rion flinch because of the woman's statement, at nakangiting tinignan lang kami ng babae bago ako sumagot sa sinabi niya.

Why does everybody say that?

"I'm just a friend."

Bakas yung gulat sa mukha nung babae, at napatingin nalang siya kay Rion, and the guy just smiles awkwardly..

Namomoblema rin siguro si Rion since I might not be the only one experiencing this.

"Oh, akala ko kasi.." Napatigil yung babae sa mga sinasabi niya, and she sounded apologetic enough kaya naman hinayaan ko nalang.

"Bagay pa naman sana kayo.." She said, finally putting an end to her thoughts and I just shrugged it off.

Bagay?

Yeah, right.

After some paperworks and such, nakuha na namin yung pusa, and after a long struggle of brain storming for names.. We finally found a name for the white feline.

Or more likely, Rion found the name..

"Blank?"

Ulit ko sa pangalang napagdesisyunan ni Rion, at tumango naman siya.

"Sigurado ka?" Nginitian niya ako bago niya muling tignan yung pusang nanahimik sa kulungan nito.

Blank huh?

Kind of weird for a name..

Especially for a cat.

"Does it mean something?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang nakatingin sa dinadaanan namin. After one more block, makakabalik na ulit kami sa school.

And after that, l will have to arrange my things for the move.

Ako rin pala yung mag aalaga nung pusa di ba?

"White."

Nakunot ko yung noo ko dahil sa sinabi niya, at tinignan ko siya ng maigi.

He wore a relaxed expression in his face, and he was smiling. But even so, something about that smile felt.. wrong.

"In another language, blank means white." Ani niya at napaisip ako.

Blank means white..?

"Is that so?"

I can't help but think that there's still a lot of meaning behind the name, pero sa tingin ko kahit na magtanong ako ngayon.

Wala rin siyang balak sumagot.. So, I didn't bother asking again.

Tahimik kaming naglakad hanggang sa nakarating na kami sa gate ng school. It was just past three in the afternoon.

Saktong sakto lang if one should say.

"I'll walk you to your dorms." Ani niya habang hawak hawak yung kulungan at iilang mga bag na may lamang cat food at kung ano ano pa para maayos na maalagaan yung pusa.

"Um, about that.." Napatigil kami sa paglalakad nung nagsalita ako, at agad siyang napalingon sa akin.

I should probably say this if he's letting me take care of the cat..

"I'm moving out."

Bakas sa mukha niya yung gulat natapos kong magsalita.

"Why? Is it because of what happened earlier?" Ang natanong niya at nag alinlangan akong magsalita.. Oh, that's right.. Hindi rin pala siya nagtanong ulit kung bakit ako pinatawag sa office kanina..

Mukhang napansin niya rin na may nangyari.

But still, there's no way I'm telling him I'm moving out of the dorms because some vampire said it.

"Don't worry, maaalagaan ko pa rin yung pusa. For a few days." I dodged the question, at mukhang hindi siya nakuntento sa naging sagot ko.

Paano ba ako makakaalis sa sitwasyon na 'to?

"Um, kailangan mo ba ng tulong?" Napatingin ako kaagad sa kanya nung nagsimula siyang magsalita, and he wore a smile.

He wasn't planning on asking anymore.

Nagpatuloy lang ulit kami sa paglalakad habang pinag uusapan kung paano ko aalagaan yung pusa, and how would he be able to see the cat from time to time.

Meaning..

He now knows kung saan ako lilipat.

Nahalata ko na kaagad nung sinabi ko sa kanya. He really wanted to ask why I was moving out to live in the Aerovan's mansion, but he didn't.

As a person with secrets, I'm sure naramdaman din niyang hindi ko pwedeng sabihin yung dahilan kung bakit ako lilipat. I didn't have to give a lot of clues..

We just know that there are lines we shouldn't cross.

I guess you could say that our relationship are made out of secrets..

Wala nang nagsalita pa sa aming dalawa nung nakarating kami sa harap ng dorms. We took our time to climb up the stairs hanggang sa nakarating kami sa third floor ng building.

"Oh, there you are."

Sabay kaming napatigil ni Rion nung may nakita kaming babae sa harap ng pinto ng kwarto ko.

Judging by the way she looked, she was in her twenties? I guess?

She had a short brown hair that at least reached her shoulders, she was wearing black jeans and a black blazer on top of a white shirt.

Dahan dahan siyang lumapit sa amin, at napaisip nalang ako.

Is she one of Kian's subordinates?

Nang makarating siya sa harap namin, sa akin kaagad siya tumingin.

"Only a few things are left and you're set to go.. I hope you were already expecting something like this, kaya naman sana 'wag ka nang magulat." She said in a professional tone, kaya naman napatango nalang ako.

Of course I kind of expected this..

But still, even if you did expect something.. Magulat ka pa rin di ba?

"Are you here to help her?" She turns herself around to face Rion who was just beside me, at dahan dahan nalang din siyang napatango.

She exhales for a moment at saka siya nagsimulang maglakad paalis.

"Well, you can handle the rest. A car is waiting outside the east gate. Doon kami maghihintay." Huli niyang paalala, and just like that..

She was already gone.

Pinabayaan nalang namin ni Rion yung nangyari at dumiretso nalang kami papasok sa kwarto.

Sabay kaming napatingin sa kabuuan ng lugar nung binuksan namin yung pinto. And not so surprisingly, kakaunti nalang yung mga gamit na natira.

"Saan nakalagay yung bag mo?" Tanong ni Rion saka pumasok sa loob, at sumunod naman ako sa likod niya.

"Sa ilalim ng kama." Sagot ko, at kinuha ko yung mga dala niya at pati na rin si Blank na nananahimik sa kulungan niya.

I gently laid the cage and the other things down the floor, at tinignan ko yung drawers sa table para masigurado kong wala akong naiwan.

After getting a few of the things that were left like dirty clothes, towels, blankets, and some of my newly bought bed sheets..

Wala na akong naiwan pa.

"That's all of it?" Rion asked making sure that I didn't leave a thing behind, at napatango nalang ako sa kanya bilang sagot.

Now, with the cage and my school bag in my possession, umalis na kami sa kwarto. Rion wouldn't let me carry all of things on my own, kaya naman inako niya yung pagdala sa bagahe ko at yung ibang pinamili namin kanina.

Nasa harap na kami ng pinto para buksan 'yon, at napatigil kami nung nagkusang bumukas yung 'yon.

Revealing my unpleasant dormmate, Serene Real.

Nakita rin namin siyang napatigil, at tinignan niya kami nang maigi.

"How nice of you to leave on your own." Ani niya at basta basta nalang siya pumasok, but not before purposely brushing her shoulder against mine.

Ano kayang magiging itsura niya kapag nalaman niyang nakatira kami sa iisang mansyon ng pinakamamahal niyang school president?

A part of me wants to say it just to see her reaction.

Pero hindi pa naman ako ganon katanga para sabihin 'yon, na parang hinihiling ko nang patayin ako ni Kian.

Rion is an exception though.

So, without any other words, lumabas na kami ni Rion and we went to the east gate just as the woman reminded me earlier.

Tahimik lang kaming muli habang naglalakad, kasi alam namin sa sarili namin na wala na kaming mapapag usapan.

Because one question would lead to another, and we'll suddenly end up asking questions that we will never answer.

And soon enough, nakarating na kami sa east gate.

Just like the woman said earlier, they really were waiting at outside.

Nung makita kami nung babae, she looked at the driver and said something. Kaya naman binuksan nung driver yung compartment ng sasakyan.

I guess she was looking at the baggage that I have left.

Nang makarating kami sa harap ng sasakyan, nilagay ko naman na kaagad yung mga gamit ko sa likod ng sasakyan and Rion did the same, but of course I was still holding Blank's cage.

I'm not crazy, at least alam ko naman na hindi nilalagay ang pusa sa compartment ng sasakyan.

I was ready to sit inside the car and prepare for whatever worst things will happen to me at that mansion, pero bigla nalang nagsalita si Rion..

"Can I come with her?"

My eyes immediately widened because of what he just said, at napatingin ako doon sa babae.

She looked absorbed in her own thoughts for a brief second at saka napadpad yung tingin niya kay Rion. 

"Sure." 

Hindi ko mapaliwanag yung nararamdaman ko nung marinig ko yung pagsang ayon nung babae kay Rion.

I felt the tension creeping up my nerves after answer..

What will happen now..?