Like Nothing Happened
1991 Words
Lesson Sixteen
Like Nothing Happened
“Mmmm…”
- Princess Divina –
Nagkatinginan kami ni Cyrus. He had already assured me that Zero won’t do anything foolish when he wokes up. Pero hindi ko pa rin maialis sa sarili ko ang matakot sa pagkakataong ito. He scares me to death.
And I think, Cyrus sensed that.
“Div, I told you already. You know it’s killing me when you’re scared.”
Isa pa kasi ‘tong gagung ‘to. Ginagago ba niya ako? He often makes out with Naya, he loves Summer and can’t get over her but hell was he acting like he cares about me a lot except for that fact that he’s my protector. He is there to protect not to care.
Now I got it all mixed up in my head.
I faked a smirk. “Why would it kill you? It’s just that you sense fear and nothing else, how would it kill you?”
His face fell like he wanna ask me if I’m serious. I’m dead serious! Not.
“Look—”
“Xana… Xana…ra… XANARA!” biglang napabangon si Zero as we watch him in horror.
Sabi ni Cyrus, as Xanara sweeps memories from Zero that night, she transmitted it to him and Cheen. Now the reason why Zero isn’t actually fighting against Sage is for two things.
One – he’s afraid for Xanara’s life.
And two – Sage is a remembrance of his mother though Cyrus had told us that their mother was a monster disastrous vampire that planned on killing Cyrus for his born talent to not exist in the world. They know from the beginning na magkakaroon siya ng silbi sa amin dahil isa siyang water protector.
But Zero… Zero is just a lost kid who wants a mother’s love pero hindi niya nakuha. And he in fact hurt that one girl who could bring her the love he wants and nothing more.
“Here, coffee.” Nag-abot si Cyrus ng kape kay Zero. “Hope that helps to ease the ache.”
Pero tinabig lang ni Zero ang kape. “I don’t need coffee, I need Xanara!”
“Are you fvcking serious, Zero? You killed her.”
I saw the look of devastation on his face. It was genuine. Na parang isa siyang krystal na biglang nabasag. Ang sakit tignan ng itsura niya dahil pati sa akin tumatagos ang sakit. Tila ayaw niyang maniwala. Galit na galit siya sa sarili niya nang mga puntong iyon.
“I know I didn’t killed her, Cyrus. Just tell me where she is! She promised me, she’s not gonna vanish that easily!”
Umupo si Cyrus sa tabi ng kama ni Zero. “You know the truth, why are you still after her? She’s just being kind because she knows that there’s something you want from her. She’s not her, this is not your time, Zero. Xanara numquam amat. Nunquam facere.”
Napakunot ako ng noo. Ano bang pinag-uusapan nila? Hindi ko ma-gets. They were talking in different language tas di pa’ko maka-relate. Di naman siguro nila pinagpa-planuhang patayin ako noh?
“Zero!”
Nagualat ako nang bigla na lang tumayo si Zero at lumabas ng kwarto. We needed to follow him so we did. Ang bilis niyang maglakad na parang wala siyang tinamong sugat mula sa nangyari noong gabing ‘yon.
“Zero! You can’t go on Saint Claire’s mansion! Papatayin ka ni Randall!” I shouted which is damn true. Papatayin siya ni Randall, there’s no doubt that he’ll do that.
“I don’t care, I need to see Xanara.” Mahinahon pero puno ng kasiguruhan niyang sabi.
“Zero. Zero! Sabi nang h’wag makulit eh!” sumisigaw na rin si Cyrus.
Pagdating ng mansyon, halos ibagsak ni Zero ang gate namin sa kagustuhan niyang pumasok. Nang malampasan ang gate ay sina Naya at Cheen kaagad ang sumalubong sa amin kasama na sina Ryle at Stanley.
“Lumayas ka na bago ka pa abutan ni Randall. Utang na loob Zero hindi mo gugustuhing inisin si Randall ngayon.” pakiusap ni Cheen pero nang tumingin siya sa akin alam niyang hindi niya mapakikiusapan si Zero.
“Asan si Xana? Kumusta siya?”
“She’s okay. She hibernated herself para makagala ang psyche niya and look into something. Yet… Randall stayed for the whole time.” There was a hint of bitterness in Naya’s voice that I could decipher it as jelousy. “He’s really worried dead about her. So please Zero h’wag ka nang magdagdag pa ng problema, umalis ka na lang.”
Umiling lang si Zero at ipinagpilitan ang sarili niya papasok ng mansyon. “There’s no way I’m staying out.”
“There is a way.” Came a lethal voice from forward and we saw Randall.
After two nights ngayon ko na lang ulit nakita si Randall. And seeing him like this, it was evident that he never left Xanara alone for that span of time. Napaka-surreal na makaramdam siya ng ganito kay Xanara. It was forbidden, it wasn’t right and it was impossible. Why is he doing this?
“I love you still when it hurts to love someone like you.” naaalala ko pa yun. Ang mga katotohanang sinabi niya nang gabing ‘yon. How he was hurt physically, mentally, and emotionally while seeing Xanara in that state.
How I wish Xanara saw that. She could’ve been moved.
“Go away or I will make you.”
“You’ll have to kill me.”
“Bring it.”
“S-Sandali!” pumagitna ako na sinundan nila Naya at Cheen. “Parang awa n’yo naman na tama na! Ang gulo-gulo na ng sitwasyon magpapatayan pa ba naman kayo!”
Cyrus held Zero and Ryle and Stanley did the same with Randall. Inilalayo nila ang dalawa mula sa isa’t-isa.
“Wala akong gagawing masama, gusto ko lang makita si Xanara!” Zero shouted.
“Wala siyang pakialam sa’yo!”
“How can you say that? You don’t even know what she wants!”
“Paano ka nakakasiguro sa bagay na ‘yan, Zero? I’ve been in her side for all times, how are you sure na wala akong alam sa mga bagay na gusto niya! Avrona niya ako. That is a fact!”
“Isa ka lang gamit para protektahan siya. H’wag mong pangarapin ang posisyong higit pa d’yan.”
Natigilan kaming lahat. Para bang may lason ang mga salitang binitawan ni Zero. Maski si Randall ay nanahimik at napatigil. One thing. Zero is right. Avronas are made to protect a Hera. They are born because of us. And therefore, gamit lamang sila ng mga espiritu para protektahan kami.
But Randall shoved it off and he grinned. “You’ll pay for that, leech.”
And the battle began.
- Princess Xanara –
s**t! She sealed herself. And she’s somewhere. Somewhere I don’t even know where! Hindi ko siya mapapatay. I hate you Sage. A freak of a coward. Where the hell did you hid yourself?
“Kamahalan.”
Napalingon ako. Nakasunod lang si Raikki sa’kin. “Oh?”
“Naniniwala ba kayo sa posibilidad at interpretasyon ng maraming mundo?”
Napakunot ako ng noo. “Ano ‘yon?”
“Nakita n’yo noon sa vision mo na binanggit ka ng bampira sa nakalipas na imposibleng mangyari dahil kailan lamang kayo nabuhay dahilan na rin ng sumpa sa inyo. Kung nabuhay man kayo ilang taon bago ang kaganapan ng sumpa ng cyathea, hindi ba dapat ay naaalala n’yo ‘yon?”
“So… what are you trying to convey, Raikki?”
“Sa loob ng bilog ay may isa pang bilog. Sa pangalawang bilog ay nagkaroon pa ng pangatlong bilog. Sa loob ng pangatlo ay mayroon pang isa.”
I hate riddles! (_ _ǀ|)/
Pero come to think of it, if the universe contains a bunch of many universe inside of it, what would possibly happen? “Maaari bang nanggaling sa ibang ilang posibleng mundo na iyon sina Sage at Zero at maaari rin bang itinapon ni Sage ang sarili niya sa isa sa mga mundong ‘yon?”
“Hindi natin alam, Kamahalan. Wala pang nakapagpapatunay sa teorya na ‘yan.”
I clenched my jaws. Ang sakit-sakit na ng ulo ko kaka-decipher sa lahat ng ‘yan! Nakakabaliw! 0
“ZERO! RANDALL! THAT’S ENOUGH!”
Asdfghjkl!
Wala sa oras ay napamulat ako ng mga mata just to see my door collapsed on the floor and a wounded Zero being thrown against the wall. Randall… si Randall. Oh s**t!
“Enough.”
Tumingin silang lahat sa akin. The guys were able to hold Randall as Zero stood up and threw himself to me. Ang higpit ng yakap niya sa akin like he wanna crush me into his arms.
“Xanara. Xanara, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.”
“GET OFF HER!” Randall shouted.
Mariin akong napapikit. Nakakasikip ng dibdib. Bakit ba kailangan niyang masaktan ng masaktan? When all of this is done… if it will be really done… I hope hindi siya mapagod.
“Me and Zero will talk in private.” Tumayo na ako and they give a way as I held Zero’s hand. “No one will follow.”
“Xanara!”
“I SAID! No one… will follow.”
Naglakad ako ng diretso. Hindi ko gusto ang tumitingin sa mga mata nila with every moment of that dull conversations. It’s piercing through my heart shattering me to pieces and I don’t like it.
We stumbled in a park. Then I realized we’re on the square. Where everything started for me and Zero. Where everything happened.
“Zero, I want answers. Honest ones.”
“Mother had turned Rosage even before Cyrus killed her. Cyrus doesn’t know that mother has left someone of the ability to supremely gain control of someone else’s minds. And Rosage… gained control of me.” nagulat ako nang hilahin niya ako at yakapin ng mahigpit. I loved the feeling of his breath to mine. “I tried hard fighting it. But my heart was so afraid that something might happen to you if I fight it.”
Napahinga ako ng malalim. I hugged him back and he seemed to relax. “You know that I love you, right?”
“No.”
“Zero…”
“I love you more.”
I held his face and make him inched away. Tinignan ko ng mataman ang labi niya and I was tempted. I kissed him. I had with me the mixed of my emotions, not certain if I’m doing it right but I want Zero to feel na pinatatawad ko na siya kahit gaano pa man siya ka-sama sa tingin ng maraming tao. I just loved him like this.
“You can take me today, Zero. Anyway you want, anywhere.”
He buried his face to my palm and he smiled, closed my hands. “I love you… so much that it hurts. I love you, Xanara. I’m sorry that I love you like this.”
Today, we can pretend we’re okay like nothing happened. Today I love him. And tomorrow’s another day.
…another demise.
- Writer
