War of Hearts (Book 1)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

They turned her into evil

Nanatili ako sa kanyang bisig at hindi ako makagalaw. I feel like I was frozen. Malakas ang kabog ng aking dibdib habang nakakulong sa kanyang bisig. He's caressing the back of my hair so gently, na para bang ingat na ingat niya iyon. I'm secretly gulping, and I don't know what to say and how to move after hearing what he said to me. That just made me right. Tama nga ako na pinipigilan lamang niya ang kanyang sarili mula sa akin. Para lang matupad ang distansya na siya mismo ang nagsimula.

Mariin akong pumikit. I know this is wrong, and I should push him away. But why do I feel like I'm treasured in his arms? Bakit pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko kailangan pang isugal ang buhay ko para sa karamihan? Pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko kailangang isaalang-alang ang aking sarili para sa kaligtasan ng lahat. Kahit paano, I feel treasured and safe when I should not. Sa pagdilat ng aking mga mata ay marahan ko siyang tinulak. I can't push him so hard, dahil baka magtaka ito kapag naitulak ko siya ng malakas. That door will be broken if I push him normally. I have to act and pretend that I'm a normal person who pushes normally.

Bumuga ako ng hangin at mabilis na naglagay ng distansya sa aming dalawa. Ngunit nang nagtama ang mga mata namin, pakiramdam ko ay natutunaw ako sa mapupungay nitong mga mata.

"It's official, Jaycee. I'm doing what you want," ani ko at nagkibit balikat.

"Because you didn't tell me!" Nahagip ng mga mata ko sila Shaheal at Sky mula sa bintana. Bago pa siya magsalita ay muli ko siyang tinapunan ng tingin. Ni hindi man lamang napawi ang mga mata nito sa akin mula kanina, "I'll tell Ms. Cruz about what I will wear for the pageant so you can prepare yours paired with mine," mabilis kong pahayag.

"Cali!" Sigaw ni Shaheal mula sa may bintana. Napunta ang mga mata nito kay Jaycee na nakatalikod mula sa kanya at nasa akin pa rin ang mga mata. Kumunot ang noo nito at tila ba ay pilit na kinikilala ang likuran ni Jaycee.

"Bakit kasi napakaraming susi?!" Malakas na reklamo ni Sky mula sa may pinto. Kinuha ko ang bag ko at hindi na tinapunan pa ng tingin si Jaycee. He's not really cutting his eyes from me, and it's f*cking made my heart pound so much that I couldn't breathe properly.

"You idiot, there are a lot of rooms here, of course!" Singhal ni Shaheal na nilisan na ang bintana at nasa pinto na rin. I badly want to go out of his room. Dahil pakiramdam ko ay napakaliit lamang ng kwarto na ito para sa aming dalawa. Lalo pa ngayon na ramdam ko pa rin ang mga mata niya sa akin at hindi man lang iyon natinag.

"Stop looking," I said when I couldn't take it anymore. Ang mga mata ko ay nanatili sa may bintana, at pinagmamasdan ang kawalan. I'm only doing this to avoid meeting those eyes that are dangerous for me.

"I can't stop it, what should I do?" Natigilan ako at hindi ko na napigilan pa ang pagbaling sa kanya. He smirked as I did, like he won the lottery after I bit the trick he did. Ni hindi man lang ito naapektuhan sa aking sinabi kanina at pakiramdam ko ay mas nabuhayan pa siya ng loob. I can see determination from his eyes, and here I am again, having a hard time to take my eyes off him as it's like a magnet that is hard to get rid of.

"You're enjoying this, don't you?" Tumaas ang gilid ng labi nito sa akin. I'm trying to avoid him because I know this is wrong, the kingdom forbidden me from this. Can't he just stay away from me so I can't be put in this hard situation? I'm trying to stop myself from forgetting the distance between us. But here he goes, breaking it, and breaking me in.

"No," aniya. My heart pounds even more when he calmly walks towards me. When I tried to walk backwards, I felt the chair behind me. That's when I realized that it's a dead end. Hindi ko pinutol ang mga mata ko sa kanya tulad nito na diretso sa aking nakatingin. Hindi pa ito nakuntento at mas nilapit pa ang kanyang mukha sa akin. I almost stopped my breathing when he stopped and gave a small distance from the both of us. Ikinulong ako ng kanyang magkabilang kamay na nasa magkabilang upuan sa aking likuran. Napaupo ako sa lamesa ng upuan while I'm having a hard time to breathe.

Paano ako makakahinga gayong naamoy ko na ang mabango nitong hininga? His eyes went down to my lips, and started looking at it with hunger and thirst from his eyes. Napalunok ako at hindi makagalaw. One wrong move, and I will kiss him at this point.

"I'm actually loving it," he said huskily. Before the door opened, marahan pa nitong inipit ang takas na buhok sa aking mukha sa aking tainga at marahan akong binigyan ng ngisi.

"Gosh, napakadali lang, oh!" Singhal ni Shaheal kay Sky matapos mabuksan ang pinto. Mabilis na lumayo si Jaycee at kinuha ang kanyang bag bago ito nag martsa paalis. Nadako ang mga mata nila Shaheal at Sky sa kanya nang madatnan nila ito sa may pinto. Pinanood ko ang pag-alis nito, at natagpuan ko na lang ang aking sarili na hinahabol ang aking paghinga.

Mariin akong pumikit at bumuga ng hangin. D*mn him!

"Woah, what is he doing here?" Sky asked habang nagtataka ang kanilang mga mata. Kunot noo na nakatingin sa akin si Shaheal at gaya nga ni Sky ay puno ng tanong ang mga mata. Mabilis kong kinuha ang bag ko para lang maiwasan ang mga mata nilang iyon sa akin.

"Why are you sweating?" Aniya at tinuro pa ang aking noo. Natigilan ako at nagulat ngunit hindi ko iyon pinahalata. Mabilis ko iyong pinahid ng aking kamay at bumuga ng hangin. Why the hell am I sweating for god's sake?!

"Let's go home, you took so long before you figured out that I was still here and locked in this room," ani ko at naunang nag martsa palabas na para bang walang nangyari. But the truth is, I can't stop thinking of him. He's running in my head rent-free. Mariin akong pumikit habang nasa likuran ko sila. Panay ang pagbulong ko ng mura habang naaalala ang ginawa ni Jaycee. I almost cannot breathe because of him. But his scent, his breath. It's like a hypnotizing smell that will catch everyone's nose.

I bit my lower lips as I thought of it. Even his d*mn lips keep running in my head.

"Si Sky kasi, dumating kami sa bahay ni Crystal dahil nasalubong namin si Ms. Cruz at sinabi nga wala kayong practice ngayon. Akala ko umuwi ka na kaya dumiretso muna kami ni Crystal sa milktea shop," mahabang paliwanag ni Shaheal, blaming Sky.

"Bakit ako? You're the one who enjoyed drinking milk tea at the shop!" Pabalik na singhal ni Sky, blaming Shaheal now.

"I didn't know! Umuwi ako sa bahay at wala man lang kayong sinabi ni Adrian sa akin na wala pa si Cali! You two were enjoying watching that hot scene on the TV!" Muling singhal ni Shaheal sa aking gilid. Talagang pinagitnaan ko pa sila habang nagbabangayan at nagsisisihan sila. Pati ang pangalan ni Adrian ay nadawit na.

"Hoy, we're not enjoying it!" Pag depensa ni Sky sa kanila at masungit na tiningnan si Shaheal. Sa mga mata pa lang niya ay bistong-bisto na sila ni Adrian. He looks guilty, I could say that.

"Kaya pala hindi ka nag skip? You're totally guilty, stop denying it!" Patuloy na saad ni Shaheal at talagang hindi ito nagpapatalo kay Sky.

"I'm not denying it--"

"Oh, edi inaamin mo? See? I told you!" Napailing na lamang ako. Shaheal is winning at these arguments. She's handling it too well.

"You're not letting me sp--"

"Shut the hell up," matigas kong saad sa kanila. Ang mga bibig nito na akma pang magsasalita at ipagpapatuloy ang pagtatalo ay agad na natikom at masama lamang na tiningnan ang isa't isa. Napailing ako at mariin na pumikit. They're giving me frustration when I'm already frustrated with Jaycee in my head, "You guys forgotten about me, and it's all your fault not only one of you," dagdag ko at mas binilisan ang paglabas ng unibersidad at agad akong dumiretso sa sasakyan. Hindi naman na nagtalo pa ang dalawa matapos ko silang bawalin. Akala mo ay mga batang nagtatalo sa isang pagkain.

"Ano ba kasi ang nangyari? Bakit kayo na-locked?" Shaheal asked when Sky started driving the car. I really don't want to talk about it, but Shaheal isn't the person who will stop asking without getting the answer from it.

"Our classmate told me that the door is broken. Kapag daw naisara ay nakakandado at hindi na mabubuksan mula sa loob," natigilan ako at mariin na pumikit nang naalala ko ang ginawa ni Jaycee na siyang naging dahilan kung bakit kami nakulong sa classroom na iyon. Ni hindi ko alam kung dapat ko ba iyong sabihin.

"Then?" Shaheal asked.

"Jaycee accidentally pulled the chair from the door while we were cleaning. Kaya ayon at nasarado ng tuluyan," pahayag ko at pinikit muli ang mga mata ko. I want some peace, especially peace of mind from everything. Pakiramdam ko ay sasabog na parang isang bomba ang isip ko. Jaycee is driving me crazy, d*mn him.

"Ang cheap naman ng University!" Komento ni Shaheal at bumuga ng hangin.

"Ang arte," inis na bulong ni Sky ngunit batid ko na sapat lang iyon para marinig ni Shaheal sa likuran.

"What did you say?!" Agad nitong tanong at hindi nga ako nagkamali.

"Lalalalalalala~" biglang kanta ni Sky. I know he's just teasing Shaheal. Napailing na lamang ako sa kanila. Para silang mga aso at pusa na walang gustong paawat. They argued over a small thing. At dahil lang iyon sa hindi nila ako agad nabalikan doon. Even if I want to blame one of them, wala naman na akong magagawa dahil nangyari na iyon.

Jaycee, he's really confusing me. Mas lalo niya akong pinapahirapan. If I let my heart control me, I know that I will end up being with him when I should not. That would be a big betrayal from my kingdom. I was not sent here for this thing and feeling. We were sent here for a mission that is not yet accomplished. Ni hindi pa namin nahahanap ang mga totoong magulang nila Shaheal at Sky na matagal na rin na nawawala tulad ng kapatid ni Crystal. I don't know where they are. Tulad ba ng kapatid ni Crystal ay kinuha rin sila ng evils? Wala sa sarili akong napailing. They will not do the same. Sigurado ako na hindi sila gagawa ng isang bagay na mahuhulaan at malalaman namin agad. I'm sure they're hiding them with a purpose. But I don't know when to start finding them.

Nang pumasok kami sa gate ay agad kong natanaw si Crystal na nakaabang sa may pinto sa sala habang yakap ang kanyang sarili sa malamig na simoy ng hangin. Agad akong bumaba nang huminto na ang sasakyan.

"You're finally here," aniya at bumuga ng hangin. Tila ba ay naging kampante ang mga mata nito nang nasilayan ako. Then I remember that Adrian and Crystal are not also on good terms. They still have not talking to each other until now.

"Yeah, thankfully." Ani ko at pumasok sa loob. Bumungad sa akin si Adrian na tulog sa sofa at si Rovielyn na tulog din sa isang sofa habang ang TV ay umaandar lamang. Nagkalat pa ang ibang pinagbalatan ng sitsirya sa sahig. Napailing na lang ako. It seems like they had a movie marathon again.

"What happened?" Crystal asked.

"Ask them, I already explained." Walang gana kong saad at nag patuloy lang sa pag akyat sa itaas papunta sa aking kwarto. Binagsak ko ang sarili ko sa malambot na kama at muli kong hinarap ang puting kisame. This roof witnessed how I always overthink about everything. Marahan kong pinikit ang mga mata ko at nagpakawala ng hangin. I feel tired physically and mentally. Sometimes, I feel like I'm draining. Pero kailangan ko pa rin magpatuloy para sa aming kaharian, para sa lahat.

Sometimes, I don't understand why the evils want to kill us when we are not even throwing a fight or a war with them. All we do is to live peacefully in our kingdom. Minsan ay napapaisip ako, paano kung may kapayapaan sa aming pagitan? Siguro ay napakasaya at magaan sa dibdib. Iyon bang wala kayong pinaghahandaan na digmaan at walang nakaabang sa iyo na kamatayan. It feels good to imagine how we can go out and explore our world without having the fear that we might get killed.

That night, I fell asleep with my messy mind thinking about everything. Kinabukasan, maaga kaming nagising lahat. Rovielyn invited some people who brought a lot of boxes with different gowns inside it. There are also a lot of heels in the living room. Abala sila sa pag-uusap at pag-aasikaso ng lahat. That's all for me. Bukas ay pageant na. My whole section is rooting for me. They are cheering me up with their widest smiles on their lips, magmula pa noong magsimula kami ng practice kay Ms. Cruz. Shaheal taught me how to walk confidently while wearing heels. Nakaupo lamang ako sa sala at walang magawa kung hindi ang pagmasdan sila sa kanilang pagiging abala.

I don't even know if I will win. I'm only doing this because I have no choice in the first place.

I was excused, dahil sa sinabi ni Shaheal na naghahanda kami para sa pageant. That's Ms. Cruz quickly excused me. That's the only thing I loved that Shaheal did. It's better not to see Jaycee today. Let me take a break from thinking and thinking of him all day and all the night.

"I told Ms. Cruz that you will be wearing a red elegant gown since it is connected to the color of your fire. So, make sure to burn all the candidates," ani Shaheal at masayang kumindat sa akin.

"Literally?" I asked. Natigilan siya at napaisip bago siya mabilis na umiling sa akin.

"No, Cali! I mean burn them with your powerful vibes!" Aniya at nagkamot ng ulo bago bumalik kay Rovielyn na abala sa mga gown. I don't know why she buys so many gowns. Am I going to change and change until I wear all of those?

"Hey," naupo si Crystal sa aking tabi at kinuha ang maliit na unan bago tumulala sa kanilang mga abala. Adrian and Sky are in the kitchen, cooking because Rovielyn is busy here. I don't even know if they know how to cook, but I don't know how, "I heard no one is wearing red for the pageant, you'll be the star and caught their eyes," she chuckles and leans on the sofa. Pati sila ay hindi na pumasok nang nalaman nila na excuse ako at si Shaheal.

Nagkibit balikat naman ako. I really don't care if they wear the same color. I'm just joining because I have no choice at all.

"Cali, what would you like for sports attire?" Rovielyn asks habang palapit ito sa amin.

"Sports?" Crystal and I asked in chorus. Rovielyn eyes us with despair in her eyes bago ito napailing sa amin, "Games that we play physically? You know? Like basketball, volleyball?" Sinusubukan niyang paliwanag. Napatango naman ako.

"Don't they accept archery?" I asked. Tutal ay iyon lang naman ang mukhang pwede kong gawin na sport attire. Napaisip ito at tumango-tango sa akin.

"That's unique," aniya, "Okay, gamitin nating props 'yung pana dyan, hahanap lang kami ng attire mo na red para burning arrow 'di ba?" Pahayag nito at humagikhik bago nagmamadali na tumakbo papunta kay Shaheal. Napailing ako at ngumisi na lamang sa kanila. I appreciate their support, though. Sabay kaming bumuga ng hangin ni Crystal.

"Do you know what she last said to me the day she went missing?" Bumaling ako kay Crystal na tulala pa rin na nakatingin kila Rovielyn at Shaheal. Ang mga mata nito ay nababalot ng pighati mula sa nangyari na iyon. Una pa lang ay alam ko ng ang nawawala niyang kapatid ang tinutukoy niya. I remained silent, at pinagmasdan lamang siya.

"I'm all ears," komento ko at inalis ang mga mata ko sa kanya. Thinking that she might be more comfortable to speak it out if I'm not looking at her.

"She said that she has a sister who will protect her from any harm," what she just said broke me already. I couldn't imagine her sister saying those at her before she was kidn*pped by the evils. I can feel how Crystal felt after that. Pakiramdam ko ay bumalik sa aking isip ang araw na iyon. The night her sister went missing and where I saw her crying while looking at nowhere in the forest.

(Flashback)

I was peacefully sleeping in the middle of the night in my bed with the lights turned off. The window in my balcony is open, and the wind is coming from there. The only light that reflects is the moon, giving light in the middle of the night.

"Crystal,"

I started hearing noises, and some people kept calling Crystal's name, but my eyes were still shut and I'm too sleepy to wake up. I was finally woken up when someone knocked at the door in my room. I slowly get up and glance at the door confusingly. Who would dare to knock at my door in the middle of the night?

"Let's go Crystal," lumingon ako sa may balcony kung saan makikita ang kagubatan. I can hear people from there and they kept calling Crystal.

What's happening?

I got distracted when the knocking at my door continued. I had no choice but to get up and open the door.

"Adrian," kunot noo ko siyang tiningnan at kinusot ang aking mga mata. Nakapantulog ito at may hawak na laruang espada na gawa sa kahoy. Malungkot at basa ang mga mata nito. It seems like he just finished crying, "Did you cry?" I asked, confusingly.

"Tell us what happened, Crystal," napalingon akong muli sa kagubatan na tanaw ko sa balcony ng aking silid. That's the Queen's voice and it's coming from there.

"Calida," ani Adrian at umiyak, "Crystal's sister, she was taken away," umiiyak niyang pahayag sa akin. My lips parted as I heard it and processed it in my mind. Natigilan ako at hindi ko alam ang dapat kong ikilos. Her sister was only 5 years old. Who would take her away? Mabilis akong tumakbo sa aking balcony at sinilip ang ibaba. From there, I saw my parents and some of the people from our kingdom approaching Crystal. There she is, eyeing the forest with fear in her eyes. She's sitting in the grass, at tila ba ay wala itong naririnig mula sa mga nakapaligid sa kanya.

"What happened?" I asked with pain.

"We don't know, Calida. We just heard a scream and when they went there, Crystal was already like that and her sister wasn't there. One of the servants told us that she saw her sister being taken away from someone who wears black," aniya. I don't know what to do. All I can do is to sympathize with Crystal. Mabilis akong bumaba doon kasama si Adrian, wearing my sleeping dress.

"What happened, Crystal?" The king asked. But Crystal didn't talk at all. Tulala itong nakatingin sa kagubatan habang lumuluha.

"Crystal," puno ng sakit sa aking dibdib na tawag ko sa kanyang pangalan. My heart was broken when I saw her in so much pain. Bumagsak ang luha mula sa aking mga mata at marahan ko na pinahid ang luha sa kanyang mga mata. She didn't even give me an eye. Her eyes remained in the forest while her tears continued from falling.

After that day, Adrian and I witnessed how much Crystal changed and suffered in so much pain. She was in trauma. Madalas ay tulala ito habang lumuluha. She was also distracted by that. She wasn't able to train well and practice blades.

"I'm all ears, Crystal. You can tell me what happened and what you feel," pahayag ko sa kanya. Ngunit hindi niya ako sinagot at walang emosyon siyang tumayo para magpatuloy sa pagsasanay. Kanina pa siya wala sa ayos at lahat ng kanyang gawin ay mali. I can't stop myself from worrying and thinking of her. Kahit hindi siya magsalita ay alam kong labis siyang nasasaktan. The whole kingdom is still out there trying to find her sister. Ngunit isang linggo na ang nagdaan ay wala pa rin kaming balita. Little by little, Crystal changed so much to the point that Adrian and I couldn't recognize her.

"Crystal, watch out!" Malakas na sigaw ni Adrian nang napansin namin na binilisan niyang lalo ang paghahagis ng mga blades at ngayon ay pabalik iyon lahat sa kanya. She threw all of it with anger and pain, that's what I could see in her eyes.

"Do something, Calida!" Adrian begged nang nanatili si Crystal na nakatayo at walang pakialam sa mga blades na papalapit sa kanya. It seems like she doesn't want to live anymore and she's doing her own death. Before it could even stab her, mabilis kong tinapat ang aking kamay sa mga iyon at agad iyong nag-apoy hanggang sa naging abo ang mga iyon at bumagsak sa lapag. Bumuga ako ng hangin at pinagmasdan itong tulala muli habang umiiyak. Habang nakikita ko siyang ganito ay mas dinudurog ako.

That's what we only know. That's what we witnessed. And until now, we don't know what exactly happened. Hanggang sa lumaki kami ay naging matigas na si Crystal. Naging tahimik na ito laging seryoso tulad ko. She became fierce without telling us anything.

"My sister told me that she can't sleep, that's why she asked me to go with her in the forest for a while," pinilit kong hindi siya lingunin sa oras na iyon, "We went there and we just talked. I couldn't forget her widest smile on her lips while telling me that I will protect her from any harm because I was already practicing blades that time. We made a promise that night and that is to protect each other. She ran near the trees in the forest while singing, and I was just sitting on the grass watching her enjoy with a smile on my lips," I heard her sobs, a sign that she's crying already. She finally spoke about it.

"A man who's wearing all black and hiding half of its face suddenly appeared and took her away while running. It was quick, napakabilis na para bang isang pitik lang ng daliri ay biglang naglaho ang kapatid ko sa aking paningin and I don't even know where they go all I was able to do was to scream and the king and queen heard that, that's why they came down to me quickly. I tried to shout her name and I went inside the forest, but she was not there, not even a sound from her." Mariin akong pumikit habang pinapakinggan ang kwento nito.

"I felt useless. I was not even able to save her. Evils tricked and defeated me that quick, Calida." Uimiiyak niyang pahayag sa akin. Mabilis akong umiling sa kanya at pinahid ang mga luha mula sa kanyang mga mata.

"You're not useless, Crystal. It's not your fault, the evils did that with a purpose," mahigpit ko siyang niyakap at marahan na hinagod ang kanyang likuran. Habang nakikita ko siyang ganito ay labis akong dinudurog. It's giving me determination to win this and make them pay from everything they have done to them.

"They made them evil, Calida. They made my sister turned into evil," humahagulgol niyang pahayag sa aking balikat.

Bumagsak ang luha mula sa aking mga mata.

"We will make them pay, Crystal. We will make them pay for taking her away, for killing Adrian's mother, and for everything they have done. I'm gonna make them pay, even if I die doing that."

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