Kara's POV

I massaged my temples before aiming the daggers at the ants. I have been training for hours now pero sa tuwing hinahagis ko ang daggers tila nahihilo ako.

Ang bigat kasi ng pakiramdam ko.

I inhaled before throwing them. And for the fourth time, I missed.

Wala naman sigurong mali sa footing ko... or hand position... or even my posture. Yung utak ko lang talaga na ayaw magfunction in accordance with my body.

Something's weighing me down. I realized.

I went to collect my daggers stuck on the tree. "Someday I'll get you little ants." I murmured under my breath.

I flinched when I pulled the blade instead of the handle. Tinignan ko ang dugo na dumadaloy sa palad ko.

I'm out of focus today.

Kaya napagdesisyunan kong hanapin kung saan galing ang distraction. I looked around and saw nothing. Saka ko napansin ang mga bulaklak na tila nakayuko sa paanan ko.

I sighed.

Mukhang alam ko na kung bakit ang bigat ng atmosphere dito sa forest.

I closed my eyes and saw yet another surroundings when I opened them.

Pamilyar ang lugar na'to. I believe this is the beach we went once. The one located near the Huntre's Camp. Where the boys attempted a surprise.

Kusa akong napangiti.

Pero naglaho rin ito nang makita ang isang babae na nakaupo. Facing the the ocean.

Siningkit ko ang mga mata ko at napagtantong si Cesia nga ito. Of course it's her. Sino pa ba ang kilala kong tao na kayang makontrol ang mood ng kapaligiran niya.

"Mind if I sit down?" I asked.

Halatang nagulat siya. She nodded before wiping her tears. An attempt to hide her sadness.

But everyone knows she failed at that. Dahil una, ang bigat ng atmosphere at pangalawa, namumula pa rin ang ilong niya.

"Why would I find a daughter of Aphrodite crying all by herself?" kumunot ang noo ko. Pumalpak ba kaming Alphas kaya't nag-iisa siya ngayon? Did we fail to show her how we could be trusted?

"No. Mali ang iniisip mo Kara. Gusto ko lang mapag-isa ngayon... kasi.. w-wala lang.. trip ko lang siguro..." sagot niya.

I raised an eyebrow. "that's just the worst lie Cesia." seryoso ba siya? I can clearly see the wet trails her tears left on her cheek.

Tapos sasabihin niyang trip lang niya? I shook my head.

Napalunok siya bago pinakawalan ang mga luha na kanina pa niya pinipigilan. "I-I'm s-sorry.." she whispered with her raspy voice.

Pati boses niya napapagod na pero yung mga luha niya patuloy pa rin.

Red forehead...

Rough voice...

Clenched fists...

"Are you... mad at something?" Inangat niya ang ulo niya at tinignan ako saka tumango.

"P-pakiramdam ko kasi... Lumaki ako sa mundo ng mga kasinungalingan... t-tapos.. ayoko magalit k-kasi..." with every pause of her sentence she inhales sharply.

"Hey... I can't understand you.." I stroked her back.

Huminga siya ng malalim. "hindi ko totoong auntie si auntie.. y-yung a-ano... hindi daw kami biologically related.."

Oh that.

"kaya napaisip ako... kung ano pa ba ang mga bagay bagay na hindi ko alam... na baka may dapat pa ba akong malaman... pero eto ako ngayon.. umiiyak kasi nalilito na ako sa pagkatao ko. Baka may hindi pa siya sinabi sa'kin..." humagulgol siya ng iyak. While I just sit beside her listening to her feelings.

"B-baka may sagot siya kung bakit ako ganito.. a-anong meron sa abilities ko.. kung bakit hanggang ngayon nagbabago pa rin ang katawan ko.." she wiped her cheeks. "kung may mali ba sa'kin.."

"walang mali sa'yo..." I tried to sound comforting.

And after that, wala na akong sinabi. Because I got nothing. I can't say she'll be getting answers because the only one with answers is dead.

Unless...

"we can go back to your old home if you want..." I suggested.
Naalala ko kasi si Theosese. Kahit patay na siya, somehow he was able to give us answers through leaving his things...

In a matter of second, narinig ko ang pagbasag ng trance. Bumalik na rin kami sa dating forest ng Academy and we were sitting on a rock now.

"Posible kayang may iniwan rin siya para sa'kin?" tanong niya. Her eyes gleaming with hope.

I nodded. "there's always a possibility Cesia. I know for one that her love for you will never fade even after her death." maybe she knew she was going to die too.

Agad siyang tumayo at pinasalamatan ako. "Pupunta lang ako sa office Kara ah?" pagpaalam niya. Nagsimula na siyang naglakad pabalik sa Academy pagkatapos ko siyang tinanguan.

Pinagpag ko ang jeans ko saka bumalik sa dating training ground.

Finally.

•••

"Kara!"

"shit-" Nagulat ako kaya nahagis ko ang dagger sa direksyon ng lalaki na papunta sa'kin.

"WHAT?!" sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

Buti nalang at nakaiwas siya. Pinulot niya ito saka inabot sa'kin.

It almost hit the center of his forehead.

"don't ever do that again Dio." paalala ko sa kanya habang tinutulungan niya akong kolektahin ang mga daggers.

I saw him grin so I took back what I said earlier. "Unless gusto mong mamatay.. then feel free to surprise me everytime I do my training."

"Nah. I trust you." he subtly replied.

He trusts me? He trusts me to not hurt him?

And with that I let out a laugh. He gave me a confusing look and I replied with a punch that sent him three steps backward.

"Do you still trust me?" natatawa kong tanong. Tinignan niya lang ako tas inayos ang damit niya.

"Yeah." he smiled.

This time, ako na naman ang napaatras.

The time he almost drowned. When I tried to save him..

I saw him with that same smile before...

before...

WHAT THE HELL did I eat and why is my gut sending me waves of... I don't know.

"Why? Okay ka lang ba?" he gave me a worried look.

Tumango ako. "I'm tired... it must've been my training." I said and started walking. I made sure na hindi niya makikita ang ekspresyon sa mukha ko.

I looked like a lost child.

My body is giving me signals... that I can't decipher.

"Pero hindi ka pa kumakain.." I heard him say.

And there it goes again. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang maramdaman ang kamay niya sa balikat ko. I immediately removed his hand off of me.

"Don't... don't touch me..." I sprinted towards our dorm.

Pagbukas ko ng pinto, si Cesia ang unang sumalubong sa'kin. "Kara! Nakakuha na ako ng permission mula sa-" huminto siya.

She tilted her head as if studying me. Nakita ko rin ang namumuong ngiti sa labi niya.

"Hi Dio!" bati niya sa lalaking nasa likod ko.

"Cesia. Handa na ba yung pagkain? Nagugutom na kasi ako."

.
.
.

A few seconds passed at hinila ako ni Cesia. "nakaharang ka sa daan Kara." bulong niya sa'kin.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah Dio. Okay na okay." she gave him a thumbs up.

"Dahil kasi sa katigasan mo nababaguhan tuloy yung katawan mo sa pakiramdam. Hmm. Fair enough. Ang cold mo kasi sa kanya." she shrugged.

"That's your slap Kara. Now wake up." she whispered.

"It's time you feel love again."