War of Hearts (Book 1)

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The danger that I will not avoid

"Oh, ba't para kang nakakita ng multo?" Bungad na tanong sa akin ni Kristel at nilahad ang mga pagkain sa lamesa. Pagdating ko sa cafeteria kanina ay naghanap ako ng lamesa sa halip na pumila. Not just because I already know that Kristel will buy me food already. Iyon ay dahil nadagdagan lang ang iniisip ko. Unti-unti, habang tumatagal kami sa mundong ito at sa unibersidad na ito ay unti-unti kong nalalaman at nakikilala ang aming mga kalaban. I can't stop thinking of Jaycee's identity, but when I'm in front of him, I couldn't even look away from those eyes and I couldn't help but to flash a smile on my lips that I never did before. Even my heart is beating like a drum and I don't know how to stop it. Para bang kusa na itong nagiging tambol sa tuwing dumarating si Jaycee.

Mariin lang akong pumikit at hinilamos ang aking kamay sa aking mukha. I just figured it out, Crystal's lost sister. Ngunit hindi ko lubos na maalala kung saan ko siya nakita. Batid ko na pamilyar siya sa akin at alam kong ilang beses ko ng nakita sa unibersidad na ito ang maamo ngunit matapang nitong mukha. She looks like Crystal. Pakiramdam ko ay nakikita ko ang mga mata ni Crystal sa tuwing naaalala ko ang mga mata niya. But their eyes are different from each other.

Crystal's eyes show mercy and kindness, her lost sister's eyes show evilness and darkness.

Habang tumatagal ay mas nagiging komplikado ang lahat. Mas lalong dumarami ang tumatakbo sa isip ko at mas lalo akong nababalisa.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Ani ko at pekeng tumawa. Inabot niya sa akin ang french fries, chicken, rice, at coca cola nilang tinatawag. I have been drinking this here. Parang nangangagat sa dila sa umpisa, pero hindi naman pumapalya sa masarap nitong lasa lalo na kapag malamig, "Why did you buy me food?" I asked again even though I expected it already.

"Nasa pila na 'ko, hindi pa ba kita bibilhan? Isa pa ay mahaba ang pila," bumuga siya ng hangin at bumaling sa akin, "Besides, I'm really thankful to you. You saved me twice from those bullies," aniya at marahan akong nginitian bago nagsimula sa pagkain.

"Don't be, I just did the right thing. How much is this? I'll give you the money," ani ko at akma nang kukunin ang wallet na binili namin noong nagpunta kami sa mall. Agad naman niya 'kong pinigilan at dismayado akong tiningnan.

"No, it's on me!" Aniya at kumindat pa, "So, what's with you and Jaycee, huh?" She asked, teasing me. Natigilan ako nang bigyan niya ako ng mapaglaro na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi at sa kanyang mga mata. Bumuga ako ng hangin at napailing sa kanya, "Come on, I already noticed that the last time you saved me and he stopped that girl from slapping you," aniya at mahinang tumawa.

I remember that day. Mas lalo lang siyang tumakbo sa aking isip.

"The feelings are mutual," I said and started eating the food she bought for me. Binalot ng kilig ang mukha ni Kristel at mas lumawak pa ang ngiti sa kanyang mga labi. Niyugyog niya pa ako suot ang ngiti nitong halos punitin na ang kanyang mga labi.

"Does that mean you like each other? Oh, no! Does that mean you love each other? OMG, CALI!" Malakas ako nitong hinampas sa aking braso at napatakip sa kanyang bibig habang kinikilig at hindi na mapakali. Mahina akong tumawa at napailing-iling na lang sa kanya.

"Don't tell anyone. You're the only one I spoke to about it," ani ko sa kanya. She acted zipping her mouth before she hit me agad on my arms. Napapailing na lang ako sa kinikilig niyang reaksyon sa akin.

"Stop it, Kristel." Natatawa kong pahayag. Halos hindi na kasi siya makakain. Sa tuwing susubukan niyang kumain ay bigla siyang kikiligin.

"I can't help it! Bagay na bagay kayong dalawa! Biruin mo, ang Mr. and Ms. Agar ay in love sa isa't isa? That's really awesome!" Mahaba niyang pahayag habang kinikilig. Mas masaya at kinikilig pa siya sa akin. If she only knows how problematic I am because of this forbidden love. Kung sana nga ay normal kami at walang dapat intindihin. For a prince and for a princess, the kingdom must be first in their hearts and not their desires. I don't know yet if he is the prince of evil, and if he is, we're in hot water and that will boil our hearts.

We're enemies not just by blood. We were both born to fight each other, or maybe his goal is to kill me. Hindi ko maiwasan isipin, paano kung dumating ang oras na malaman niyang ako ang babae niyang hinahanap, ang dapat niyang patayin. What would he do? Would he still kill me? I smiled bitterly, that's possible. He's a prince after all. In my condition, I don't know if I can do that to him. Not now that he has a big place in my chest.

Jaice's POV

"She knows one of us, who could that be?" Balisa na tanong ni Ismael habang nilalaro ang kanyang mga labi. Nilalaro ko lang ang ballpen sa aking mga daliri habang nasa harapan ang pana na siya rin mismong ginamit ni Ismael nang gabing iyon. She fired back the arrow we threw to Cali. The worst is, she fired it back at us with a threat. Little by little, I can slowly feel how strong she is and her fire.

"I'm that's not me," ani Light habang nag-iisip.

"Lalo naman ako," Crysten added while drinking. Dumako ang mga mata ko kay Bridgette na nakikinig lang ng music at abala sa cellphone. Ni wala itong naririnig sa pinag-uusapan namin. Lahat sila ay nabaling sa kanya ang tingin at batid ko na iisa lang kami ng mga iniisip ngayon.

"Oh, d*mn. Of course, it's her!" Ani Ismael at mariin na pumikit.

"The question is, how did she know?" Crysten asked.

"And who is her?" Light added and chuckled.

"She's playing with us, that's her first card." Ismael stated while playing with his lips using his dirty fingers that killed many lives. Cali kept crossing my mind. Is it her? Is she the strongest among them? Mariin akong pumikit at bumuga ng hangin. She can't be. She was surprised when that happened. Ngunit ang isip ko ay pilit na nagsususpensya sa kanya. I don't know them. And I can't trust anyone here. Lalo pa at alam kong nakikipaglaro rin sila sa amin.

Kinuyom ko ang aking mga palad. I don't know what to do if I end up finding out that she's the princess, the one who controls fire. It would tear my chest apart, and I will not be able to kill the girl I love. Hindi ngayon na malaki na ang lugar niya sa puso ko.

What did you do, Jaice?

"What's your plan now?" Crysten asked. Marahan akong umiling at kinuha ang pana na iyon kasama ang iniwan niyang mensahe. She's playing with us better without fear.

Is it you, Cali? Are you also playing with me?

"We observe," mabilis kong pinag yelo ang earphone ni Bridgette kaya't mabilis siyang natigilan at kunot noo akong tiningnan bago iyon inalis sa kanyang mga tainga, "And don't let one of them knows your identity again," madiin kong saad at malamig na tiningnan si Bridgette. Pinag yelo ko ang pana at dinurog iyon bago ako nag martsa paalis.

I can't fight the person I love. Please, I hope she's not the enemy I have been looking for. Dahil hindi ko siya kayang protektahan sa buong kaharian.

I'm a prince. And a prince must think of the kingdom first before his desires in his chest.

Cali's POV

Mahimbing ang tulog ni Kristel sa library. We ate earlier and after a while, she got sleepy and now she's sleeping peacefully. Nakalimutan yata nitong marami pa kaming kailangan aralin. She's sleeping on the top of the book that is still open. Hindi ko maiwasang matawa dahil nakanganga pa ito at mahina pang naghihilik sa pagtulog. Kristel is responsible and smart. She's like a nerd, a beautiful nerd. Kilala siya bilang nerd, I just don't know why people don't often see her beauty inside and out.

Natigilan ako sa pagsulat nang lumahad sa aking harapan ang isang milk tea. I remember it, because Andrew gave me this before. Umangat ang mga mata ko sa pag-aakala na si Andrew iyon, but my eyes met the danger again.

"Jaycee," I said. He kissed me gently on my forehead and sat beside me. Doon ko napagtanto na dalawa ang dala niyang milk tea. Isa sa akin at isa rin naman sa kanya. I smiled as I looked at that, "Thanks," I gladly thanked.

"You're so busy. I can't even be with you alone," aniya at ngumusong tiningnan si Kristela na tulog at walang kamalay-malay na narito si Jaycee ngayon. Luminga ako sa buong library, nakahinga ako ng wala namang ibang tao at kami na lang palang tatlo nila Jaycee. Si Kristel ay tulog pa.

"You're with me now. Isa pa, why aren't you studying for the upcoming exam?" I asked, pagkatapos at tinaasan siya ng kilay. Kumurba ang malapad na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi.

"I can pass as long as I can see my girlfriend," he said and smiled at me. Marahan niyang pinadaan ang kanyang kamay sa aking pisngi at diretso lang akong tinititigan. I can't really believe that I'm seeing this soft side of him. He was really cold before, even the first time we accidentally met at the mall. Mga mata pa lang niya ay malamig na. But the way he looks at me, it's different from before. It's full of love and treasuring me like I'm an important creature in his lovely eyes.

"Girlfriend?" I asked. Nagmistulang tambol muli ang aking dibdib.

"Yeah. You're my girlfriend," aniya at tinukod ang siko niya sa kanyang mesa pagkatapos ay nilagay ang kanyang kamay sa kanyang baba at diretso lang ako na pinagmasdan. Para bang ayaw nitong alisin ang kanyang mga mata mula sa akin. Wala sa sarili akong napainom ng milk tea. Pakiramdam ko ay nag-iinit ang magkabila kong pisngi. How can the danger make me feel this?

"Stop it," ani ko at mahinang tumawa sa kanya. He just chuckled, pagkatapos ay nakipaglaro sa aking buhok. Pilit kong dinala ang atensyon ko sa libro kong inaaral. But before I could even continue focusing on it, naramdaman ko na lang ang pagsandal niya sa aking balikat. Nang lingunin ko siya ay marahang nakapikit ang kanyang mga mata. Hindi man natatapos ang pagkaka surpresa ko ay pinalupot na nito ang kanyang mga kamay sa aking baywang. I chuckled a bit as I glanced at him. Halos hindi na niya ako pagalawin.

"How can I study?" Natatawa kong saad. Bumangon naman siya sa pagkakasandal sa akin at sinalubong ang aking mga mata.

"Don't study then," he said softly.

"You're a bad influence, Jaycee." Ani ko at umiling sa kanya. He just laughed at me at kinuha ang kamay ko. Dahil doon ay nabitawan ko ang ballpen kong hawak at napabaling agad sa kanya.

"I love you," he said, which made me stop. My lips parted as I heard he just said to me. Diretso ko siyang tiningnan at bakas ang gulat sa aking mga mata. My heart is pounding like a drum again, and butterflies are playing in my tummy. Habang tinitingnan ko siya ay mas napapalapit ako sa kapahamakan. Because slowly, I'm falling, I'm falling to the wrong person. I couldn't imagine being in a war and fighting him. Fighting the man I love. How can I fight him and hurt him with my own hands? But what if he hurts me or maybe kills me if he finds out that I am his enemy that they have been looking for? It's tearing my heart apart right now.

"You said I'm dangerous, why do you love me?" I suddenly asked as I felt my heart aching already.

Natigilan siya ngunit hindi natinag ang mga mata niya sa akin.

He smiled, "You're the danger that I will not avoid, and you're the danger that I will embrace than avoiding," he said softly, "I love you, and that won't change whatever I find out,"

He held my hand gently and kissed it with so much love in his lovely eyes.

You're the danger that I will not avoid too, Jaycee. The danger that I will love till my last breath.

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