War of Hearts (Book 1)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Arrow to arrow

Jaycee's POV

"Jaice, please calm down!" Tinabig ko ang kamay ni Crysten sa akin habang tinatahak ko ang daan papasok sa bahay. The pageant ended with an arrow. Alam kong sinadya iyon at hindi iyon para sa akin. That arrow is for Cali and I know who threw that arrow. Everyone was surprised as they saw the arrow that was about to stab Cali. Nakakuyom ang aking mga palad. My jaw clenched many times and I couldn't control myself anymore. I can feel anger all over my body.

"ISHMAEL!" Malakas kong sigaw pagtapak pa lamang ng aking mga paa sa sala.

"Oh, you're already here?" A smile plastered on his lips and innocence is plastering his eyes, pretending innocent. Malamig ko itong tiningnan. If he thinks he can fool me and make me believe that he didn't do anything, then he's wrong.

"Shut the f*ck up!" Sigaw ni Crysten sa kanya. Light pushed me on my chest when I was about to go near Ishmael. Mabilis silang pumagitna sa amin ni Ishmael ngunit ang malalamig kong mga mata ay nanatili kay Ishmael. Seeing him still smiling makes me want to erase that on his lips.

"Calm down, Jaice." Ani Light sa akin at pilit akong tinutulak palayo kay Ishmael, "You have to calm down and talk about it ca--"

"F*ck calmness," I quickly pushed him away out of my way at mabilis kong tinulak si Ishmael sa pader. I heard the sound of the wall cracked as I covered it with ice. Ishmael chuckled, not thinking of the pain I gave him. Mahigpit ang aking hawak sa kuwelyo nito at madidilim ang mga mata kong tinitigan ito ng diretso. Now, I can see how evil he is again.

"Why did you f*cking do that?!" Malakas kong sigaw.

"Oh, the arrow?" He chuckled at me, "I did it to wake you up, Jaice." Madiin niyang saad at matalim din akong tiningnan. Natigilan ako sa oras na iyon. I know I have been letting myself be near the danger and the danger is Cali. I know I should not let my heart control me. But I'm trying, I'm f*cking trying to avoid her.

"By killing her with an arrow?" Malamig kong tugon. He smirked with evilness.

"Yeah. I didn't succeed, maybe next time when you're not around I could kill her with arrow as w--" mabilis ko siya binalibag sa simento na tila ay isang magaang bagay lamang.

"Jaice, ano ba?!" Sigaw ni Crysten. Nakakuyom ang aking mga palad. Hinahabol ko ang aking paghinga sa matinding galit kong nararamdaman. I faced the wall that was covered with ice. Mariin akong pumikit at pilit na kinakalma ang aking sarili. But what he did makes me mad.

"What, Jaice? Are you in love? Are you f*cking in love with that mere human?!" Galit niyang tanong sa akin. Lahat sila ay bumaling sa akin at naghihintay ng kasagutan mula sa akin. Matiim kong sinalubong ang mga mata nito.

"Touch her again, and you will not exist anymore." Malamig kong saad bago ko sila tinalikuran.

I am, I am in love with her. And I know that I put myself in hot water. But I will not let anyone hurt her or touch her. They will be dead before they do that.

Cali's POV

"There's no way that a normal person will do that," pahayag ni Rovielyn habang pinapasok ang ibang gamit sa sala. Suot ko pa rin ang gown at galing pa lang kami sa pageant. Nakaupo ako sa sofa at nilalaro ang aking mga daliri. I know that arrow was from the enemy. What I don't know is that, do they know me? Or maybe not? Isa lang ang sigurado ko, ang pana na iyon ay para sa akin at hindi para kay Jaycee.

Speaking of him, his eyes. Pakiramdam ko kanina ay alam na niya agad kung kanino galing ang pana na iyon. His eyes were speaking an idea with assurance of the person behind that arrow.

"They released their first card, Cali," utas ni Adrian at naupo sa kaharap kong sofa.

"Do you think they know you already?" Shaheal asked.

"It's not impossible," pahayag ni Crystal, "Evils are wise enough to figure it out," dugtong nito.

That arrow, it's either a threat or a challenge.

"Have you erased your family's memories, Sky?" Tulala kong tanong habang nakatingin sa kawalan.

"Uhm, not yet. But I'm pla--"

"We'll go there tomorrow night," ani ko at tumayo bago sila binalingan. Nagtatanong ang kanilang mga mata sa akin.

"What's your plan?" Crystal asked.

"I will release my first card. A card that will hunt them," I said and smirked before I walked out. Dumiretso ako sa aking silid at agad na hinubad ang gown. Inayos ko ang sarili ko sa banyo bago ako muling pumunta sa balcony. Muli ay sinalubong ako ng marahan na hangin. Bumuga ako ng hangin habang pinagmamasdan ko ang madilim na kalangitan at ang buwan na siyang nagbibigay ilaw sa lahat.

The intensity in the game began. They released their first card. It's for me to move and release my first card. I will make sure to make them feel fear in their chests. I will make sure to make them feel that my eyes are around them. I will make them feel the flames from me. Kinuyom ko ang aking palad. Haban bumilis ang panahon, ay bumibilis din ang araw na maghaharap-harap ang lahat. The world of normal people is getting smaller for those of us who don't belong here.

"Hey," nilingon ko si Rovielyn na pumasok sa aking kwarto. Matipid itong ngumiti bago siya lumapit sa akin sa balcony, "What do you plan to do?" She asked.

"I'll tell them that I know them," ani ko at sandaling pumikit upang salubungin ang malamig na simoy ng hangin.

"Will we threaten them?" Tanong nito. Marahan naman akong tumango. They threatened us, that's what I will do. I will reveal myself unless they find out who I am or neither one of us. Kahit malaman nila kung sino kami ay hindi ako natatakot na harapin sila. The prince of evils, I know he's strong. But I'm not scared to fight him because I'm ready to die anytime. Handa akong mamatay kahit saan, ngunit hindi ako mamamatay ng hindi lumalaban.

"The truth is, I'm scared of everything. Everything that will happen ahead of us," pahayag niya at bumuga ng hangin. Who doesn't fear what will happen? Crystal can see the future but still fear of everything that might happen.

"It's okay to be scared," pahayag ko, "Just don't let it eat you," dugtong ko. Kahit ako naman ay nakakaramdam ng takot. But I don't let it eat me. Instead, I fight if I have to. I fight if I need to.

"So, dating gawi?" She chuckled.

"Yeah, dating gawi."

Kinabukasan ay isang normal na araw na naman. Going to university and living like a normal person. Everyone talks about the arrow last night. Mas matimbang pa iyon kaysa sa pagkapanalo namin ni Jaycee. These innocent people have no idea where that arrow came from. But not us. We know who's behind it. And I know they know what they did last night.

"Congratulations, Cali." Lumapag ang pulang rosas sa aking lamesa. Agad na sumipol ang mga kaklase ko kay Andrew at sunod sunod nila itong inasar sa akin. Bumuga lang ng hangin si Adrian habang si Sky ay umiiling na lamang kay Andrew.

"Thanks," ani ko lamang at hinayaan iyon sa aking lamesa.

"But you haven't texted me," he said and pouted. Tumaas ang kilay ko sa kanya nang gawin niya iyon.

"Don't try to be cute," ani ko at napailing.

"Am I cute then?" He asked with his eyes gleaming at me. Malawak itong ngumiti sa akin.

"I never said that," ani ko lamang.

"Stop bothering her, Andrew." Ani Kristel at naupo sa upuan ni Jaycee. He isn't here. They aren't here. Hindi ko alam kung bakit absent sila ngayon. I haven't heard anything from them. Wala rin alam si Ms. Cruz kung bakit sila absent. Bumuga ako ng hangin at inalis ang mga mata ko sa upuan nito.

"Do you have a plan later?" Kristel asked with a smile on her lips. Naramdaman ko ang pagbaling nila Sky at Adrian sa akin.

"Yeah," ani ko.

"How about the other day? Let's hang out!" Andrew suggested and smiled at me.

"Excuse me," natigilan ako nang dumating si Jaycee at Ismael. Walang ngiti sa mga labi nito ngayon hindi tulad ng dati. Naupo siya sa upuan niya ng walang mayabang na ngiti. Pinagmasdan ko si Jaycee nang nagtama sandali ang aming mga mata. He eyed with nothing in his eyes.

"Oh, sorry!" Ani Kristel at agad na tumayo bago bumalik sa kanyang upuan. Naupo doon si Jaycee ng walang reaksyon. Kumunot ang aking noo. Something's up with them. Pakiramdam ko ay may nangyaring pagtatalo sa pagitan nilang dalawa.

"Nariyan na si Sir!" Malakas na sigaw ni Kristel mula sa pinto. Mabilis naman na bumalik sa kani-kanilang upuan ang mga kaklase namin. Nagpatuloy ang klase buong maghapon. Nilalaro ko ang aking dalirin sa bawat klase naming nagdaan habang hinihintay ang pagsapit ng oras sa pagpunta namin sa bahay nila Sky. I don't know if our enemies will come again. But I think they will. And if they do, we don't plan to fight them.

Because I plan to threaten them with fire.

"Come on," Rovielyn said before we all went to Sky's house. Tahimik kaming lahat sa buong biyahe. Lahat kami ay may kanya-kanyang iniisip. Tulad ng ginawa namin na pagligtas kay Shaheal noon ay siya rin naming gagawin ngayon. We are all wearing a black hoodie and a black mask that covers our face. Nilalaro ko pa rin ang aking daliri buong biyahe habang hawak ang pana na nanggaling mismo kagabi sa kalaban.

"I'll come alone inside," ani Sky habang hinuhubad ang seat belt nito nang dumating kami sa kanilang bahay, "Just watch out," aniya sa amin at bumuga ng hangin bago lumabas. Nanatili kami sa loob at pinanood lamang ito sa labas na pumasok sa kanilang bahay. I was tapping the side of the window while watching him go inside their house.

"Do you feel anything?" Crystal asked.

"A bit," Rovielyn said while looking outside. It's night. Madilim ang buong paligid kahit may mga ilaw sa labas at sa daan. Silence is always a threat to anyone. Marahan kong pinikit ang aking mga mata at naghintay lamang. I'm sure they are here. Ilang sandali pa ay naramdaman ko ang pag-iinit ng aking katawan. The fire hits me up again. Umilaw ang aking marka kasabay ng pag-ilaw ng aking mga mata.

"They are here," ani ko. Nang lingunin ko sila ay umiilaw na rin ang mga mata at marka nila. I smirked as I saw them. Inalis ko ang seatbelt at kinuha ang pana naming dala, "Watch out," ani ko sa kanila bago ako lumabas ng sasakyan. Maya maya pa ay nadama ko ang malakas na hangin papunta sa amin. It's Sky, it's a signal.

"Go inside and save Sky. Make sure to erase his family and do not confront the enemies," mabilis kong saad kay Adrian at Crystal.

"Got it," ani Adrian at mabilis silang lumabas ng kotse at tinakbo papasok ang loob ng bahay nila Sky. When I saw a man standing at the door and looking at me right now, mabilis kong tinaas ang pana at sinipat ang posisyon nito. Before I released the arrow, tinusok ko ang papel na sinulat ko kanina. Pinag-apoy ko ang dulo nito bago ko iyon pinakawalan at pinatama iyon sa pinto ng bahay nila Sky. I saw him looked at it, kasabay din nito ang paglabas nila Sky, Adrian, at Crystal. Nanatili ang mga mata ko sa lalaki. He's holding the paper now and reading it. Ilang sandali pa ay muli ako nitong tiningnan sa malayo.

I smirked behind the mask.

'I know one of you'

That's what I wrote.

"Let's go!" Sigaw ni Adrian. Mabilis akong pumasok sa sasakyan.

"Calm down, I'm a healer," ani Shaheal kay Sky na may sugat sa kanyang braso.

As we planned, arrow to arrow. The only difference is, my arrow has a fire.

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