An unpleasant hymn of information sang inside my head. My system is still disrupted as if I am fully not functioning well. And rowdy whispers of my friends aren’t much of a help at all.

“Garet?” I heard someone called.

“Bakit?” Marahan kong tinunghay ang ulo ko upang makita si Emerald. Tipid siyang ngumiti sa akin saka mabilis na sumilay kay Alexis na ngayo’y walang malay na nakahiga sa kanyang kama.

“Bantayan mo muna si Alexis—”

“Ayoko nga!”

Isang suntok sa sikmura ang natanggap ko mula kay Freya, ang nakakatakot nitong ngiti ang agad na nagpangiwi sa akin. Tangina. Nang sinubukan kong igala ang aking paningin, bigla ko na lamang namura ang aking sarili dahil naisahan na naman ako.

Dahil habang ako’y lunod na lunod sa sandamakmak na impormasyon, ang Dyosa ng Buwan ay muling tinakas ang aking inaanak.

“Where the fuck is Artemis?!” I exclaimed. They all looked at me with disbelief as I slowly crumpled my face like a sheet of paper.

“Nagpaalam siya sa’yo kanina, Garet,” sagot ni Jackson. Binigyan ko siya ng isang asar na tingin dahilan upang iwasan niya ang mga mata ko habang sumisipol pa. “Nakatulala ka r’yan noong nagpaalam siya sa’yo. Tumango ka pa nga e.”

“Seryoso ba?” Paninigurado ko. Tumango naman silang lahat. Anak ng bobo. “Si Aicelyn?”

“Dala n’ya.” Dinig kong sagot ni Freya.

Ay, putangina. Mapapatay na talaga ako ni Savannah. Nakangiwi kong tiningnan si Freya, “Hindi mo man lang pinigilan? Alam mo namang si Aicelyn ang pinunta natin dito!”

“E, tumango ka kaya kay Artemis! Akala ko approve mong dadalhin niya si Aicelyn kay Dionysius kasama ni Skyler!”

“Ha?!”

Someone suddenly tapped my shoulder while Jackson and the others lightly pushed Freya out of the room. I looked at Emerald and Glifford who remained in the room with me along with Alexis.

“You’re galit, I know,” Glifford mumbled.

“Isa pang conyo na salita. Ipaparamdam ko sa’yo ang inis ko, Glifford.”

Glifford puckered his lips and glanced to Emerald to pass the baton in handling my annoyance. Emerald softly laughed and lightly tapped my shoulder once again.

“Chill. Kami na ang bahala kay Savannah.” Nakangiti siya ngayon sa akin kaya’t hindi ko maintindihan kung dapat bang gumaan ang pakiramdam ko. Minsam kasi ayokong maniwala sa mga sinasabi nila. Mamaya ipahamak pa nila ako. “Bantayan mo na lang muna si Alexis—”

“Bakit hindi kaya ikaw, ano? Ikaw ang bestfriend—”

“Hindi naman ako ‘yong may gusto.” Pamumutol ni Emerald na ikinasimangot ko.

“Ayieeee!”

“Maverick, mamatay ka na sana!”

Ang nakaririndi nilang halakhak ang nagtulak sa akin upang literal na itulak sila sa labas. May natutulog dito tapos ang ingay-ingay pa nila, konting consideration na lang sana kay Alexis.

After calming myself down, and finally recovering from my conversation with Zeus. I slowly walked towards Alexis’s bed and sat in its corner.

I just stayed and looked at her angelic face. If the stars and universe could just take a glimpse of her beauty, I would probably be in a middle of a war, in a bloodbath just to fight for her attention. But I think, I don’t need to beg for her attention because this woman is in love with me.

As I leaned to her, I gently caress her face. Damn, I missed her. I missed her so much. If I could just stop the time, just for this moment to last.

A tiny drop of liquid escape my eyes, touching her face. I frustratingly bit my lower lip and contained myself not to wake her, but when my lips touch her forehead I felt her hand slowly touching my face.

“Garet…”

“Hmm?”

“I thought you’re angry at me…” she whispered. Muli kong hinalikan ang kanyang noo, pinaulanan ito ng maliliit at marahan na halik. “Because of what happened between Poseidon—”

“Even if I am not your first nor Skyler’s father… I am not angry, and I don’t have the right to be.”

“But… You left me even when you told me, you wouldn’t.”

I slowly pulled myself up, and intently looked at her watery eyes. Looking at her, looking at this woman makes me greedy. I want this moment with her to last forever, unending and eternal.

“Alexis. Hindi kita iniwan dahil galit ako sa’yo. Umalis ako noon para sa’yo, para sa atin, para sa anak sa sinapupunan mo.”

“Garet, hindi kita maintindihan.”

“Nang umalis kami ni Freya… I went to Poseidon to settle something.”

Malamlam niya akong tinitigan, mata sa mata, hanggang sa dahan-dahan niya nang naiintidihan ang pinapaliwanag ko saka ko siya marahan na nginitian at inalalayan na maupo.

“Why would you that, you stupid king vessel?!” She hissed. I languidly looked at her as she continuously slapped my shoulder, making me laugh at her.

“You already know why.”

And when silence slowly wrapped around us, the taste of freedom and fondness scattered around, whispering the endless what-ifs to our ears. I slowly leaned my forehead to hers, and as I slowly shut my eyes I gently caress her face.

With my other hand, I pulled the most treasured item in my pocket. A velvet box, covered with ribbons made of gold. And when I opened my eyes, her alluring eyes passionately looking at me.

“Athena’s lovely daughter already knew what this means, right?” I asked.

She slowly nodded with tears plummeting down her cheeks, “Garet naman…”

Ngumiti lamang ako sa kanya’t marahan siyang binuhat patungo sa balkonahe saka ko siya inupo sa malamig na barandilya. Bahagya akong lumayo sa kanya at dahan-dahan na lumuhod sa kanyang harapan.

“I want the moon, the stars, the universe to witness this moment, our moment, Alexis.” A tear made of joy suddenly fell from my eyes as my lips slowly tremble due to nervousness. “Will you conquer the future with me, Alexis Lancaster?”

Her tears joined the parade of my tears when she jumped into my arms along with her unending nodding, “I will. I will conquer the future with you, Garet Christopher Lockser.”

With overflowing emotions, our lips met. Like how passionate the moment, the warmth of every exploration collided. The universe watches and lets us enjoyed the sophisticated scene, as we robbed the enchanting moment from the stars and moon, the universe seemed to be delighted for our unsaid reunion.

And when we parted, gasping for air to breathe suddenly become our competition.

“Garet…”

Muli kong hinalikan ang noo niya at dahan-dahan na binuksan ang kahon na nakalaan para lamang sa kanya, dahilan upang ang mga luha niya’y muling umagos.

Bumungad sa kanya ang isang mala-rosas sa kulay na singsing, ang natatanging singsing na pinaglaanan ko ng panahon upang hulmahin. Ang simbolo ng walang katapusan na pag-ibig ko sa kanya.

Nang ilahad niya ang kanyang kamay, nanginginig pa ang aking kamay sa pagsusuot nito. Palihim akong napangiti nang tinitigan niya ito ng buong pagmamahal, ngunit biglaan din siya sumimangot nang umapoy ito at naglaho.

“Nawala!”

“Hanapin mo!”

“Gago, nasaan?!” Inis niyang tanong sa ‘kin, “Nasaan na? Hindi mo na ako mahal?”

“Nandyan pa rin ‘yan. Babalik ‘yan pagpinakasalan mo na raw ako.”

“Uy, gago!”

“Kanina ka pa gago nang gago. E, gwapo ‘tong nasa harap mo.”

Ngumiwi siya, “Yikes.”

The cuteness enveloping her presence urged me to locked her in a tight embrace. And once again, secure the moment with a touch of lips on her forehead.

“Alexis…”

“Hmm?”

“Let me ruin the moment first. Let’s throw all this loving moment for a while, forget my words for a while… until we won this battle against the most wicked god.”

Alexis grasped tighter to my arms, with tears falling in her eyes, she nodded and said, “Just for a while, Garet… This moment will be our universe’s little secret.”

“And just like the sacred laws, this promise is not bound to be broken. But as a rule-breaker, the perfect and unexpected time will come for me to defy the laws that I made.”

#