Verse of the Day.
"Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?" I said, "Here I am. Send me.""
Isaiah 6:8

Chapter 40
Confrontation
[ Ava Maureen ]

"WHAT ARE you doing?!" singhal ko sa sarili. Narinig ko siyang tumawa sa loob ng isipan ko at inasar akong tumahimik na lamang at manood. Nakakainis talaga kapag kalaban mo ang sarili! You really need to stop it by force!

The smoke from the air bomb disappeared and I saw my teammates sitting on the floor while coughing so hard. Si Headmaster Kashmir naman ay nasa loob ng isang bubble na gawa sa tubig. He surely used his incantation as a wizard.

Naunang tumayo si Harrison at agad akong pinuntahan. Hinawakan niya ang siko at agad naman nagpumiglas ang sariling katawan ko. "Maureen! Wake up and go back to yourself!" he shouted in front of my face. Yeah, in front of my face. Kahit mahal ko siya, wala pa rin siyang karapatan na sigawan ako sa mukha!

"Ugh! How dare you shout at my face! You will pay for this!" my other self shouted back at him. Mukhang sarili ko nga ito, pareho kami ng mindset, eh.

His eyebrows met and suddenly, a hand just slapped me hard. My other self blinked few times, while me, on the other hand, thinks how I felt that stirring pain, even at the reason that I'm not the one who's controlling my body. Harrison already planned to slap me again but his twin stopped him abruptly.

"Do not slap her. You are just hurting her, idiot," she said while rolling her eyes. Jane lean on Harrison and whispered something inaudible. "Alright?"

Harrison sighed and nodded. He looked at me with his eyes, hesitating to do something I'm not aware to. Nagulat na lang kaming dalawa ng ibang sarili ko nang lumapit siya sa katawan ko at pilit na hinahawakan habang pinapatingin ang mga mata sa kaniya. Ava can't do anything but to stay still because of the tightness of his grip.

At mas lalo pang nahinto sa paggalaw, at pati na rin yata sa paghinga ang gumagamit sa katawan ko nang ilapit ni Harrison ang kaniyang mukha patungo sa mukha ko. If it was even possible, I would just force my body to go first on his plan to kiss me... but maybe for now, I will atleast know how would it feel to be kissed by the person you love.

Harrison really did it, kissed me in front of our friends, yet I know better. He just did it for the sake of my sanity and he wouldn't think of this in the first place if Jane never told him what to do... It hurts knowing that this is only for the safety of us, not because he love me too.

Ouch, so much for assuming, Ava. Many died because of that cause.

Seconds later, ang malambot na labi niya ang sumalubong sa pagbabalik ng kontrol ko sa sariling katawan. I tried so hard to not spread a tear as I think the reason why he need to do this. Not for love. I opened my eyes, still a little bit hazed for the sudden reaction of my body. Napakurap ako ng paulit-ulit bago ko inilayo ng kusa ang mukha ko sa kaniya.

Tiningnan ko silang lahat at nagsalita, "Thank you for making me back to myself. I owe you this one," I whispered, enough for them to hear me with the help of air. I turned my back at them and run towards the place I didn't know where it can lead to.

Patuloy ako sa pagtakbo nang may maramdaman akong sumusunod sa'kin, at alam kong kanina pa ito sa likod ko. I stopped and was about to face him/her when two arms just snaked around my stomach, making me jump a little on surprise. The person smells so familiar, as he place his head towards my neck and smell and lick it. I shuddered at the movements.

Tuluyan ko ng hinarap ang may gawa nito at sa una pa lamang, alam kong siya talaga 'yon. Harrison's eyes were bloodshot, as though he's just stopping himself from crying. "M-Maureen..." he whispered using his hoarse voice.

"Harrison..." A lump in my throat rise as I stepped backwards. "Why did you follow me?"

He tried to reach me out but I just shooked my head and plastered a sad smile. "Please, Maureen, let me hug you so that I let you feel how much I Iove you..." he told me softly. I even thought it was not Harrison who followed me and I was just hallucinating things.

"L-Liar."

Hindi na niya natiis at hinila ako papalapit sa kaniya, dahilan ng pagsubsob ko sa kaniyang malapad na dibdib. As soon as he did that, continuous sobs was released immediately from me. Paulit-ulit ko siyang pinagsasasapak sa may dibdib at balikat niya.

He received all of those willingly and started explaining his side. "Sorry... sorry for hurting you, Darling. It wasn't my intention, but I need to hurt you just so you can distance yourself from me. I know to myself that I am bethroted to someone, so I stopped myself from developing my feeling for you..." He laughs. "But I guess it really is true that when you force yourself to forget that someone particular, you'll eventually hold your feelings much more stronger than before."

"I'm sorry... I love you, Darling..." Harrison hugged me so tight that made me stop from smacking him. I sobbed and hugged him back, glad to know his side.

"I-I hate you for calling me a flirt, and I know it was a bit true... but I never got attached and developed my feelings too strong to any guy aside from you. Yes, I loved twice a —," he cuts me off.

"You loved a man back then?" he asked and I think I just smelled jealousy mixing with air.

I nodded my head and smiled. "Yes... the first one was to my bestfriend when I was twelve, his name was Jeivy, Jeb-Jeb as his nickname. But sadly, he died due to my recklessness," my voice cracked and anothe pile of tears had fallen as I remembered the memories that I tried so hard to be forgotten. That I tried so hard not to feel guilty, because it's all that old man's actually fault. Harrison hushed me so I continue my storytelling.

"Second was with Brandon. He really let me feel that I am loved, but that's just the fraud truth. However, I was just an innocent teen back then, knows nothing about fake emotions. He never love me while I am to him. He just used me for them to get to the high society again." I looked up to him and to my shocked, he was staring intently at me. "Kaya noong sinabi ni Sofia na walang nangangailangan sa'kin, masyado akong nasaktan. She didn't know anything about me. She just know me for being me, Maureen who's flirt, self-centered, and a bitch..."

I saw how he frowned his perfectly formed thick brows. "Don't call yourself with that stupid names. Sofia was not in herself at that time. And besides, Mia and her was the best of friends way back on our childhood. Maybe she couldn't take a look to the dying Mia."

"Ohh..." I smiled cheekily. "You're telling me not to call names like that to myself? Then why do you always calls me fli—,"

Harrison snickers, "Hush now, Darling. It's all in the past and I already told you my reason, a'ight?" I couldn't do anything but to nod and smile at him understandably. Suddenly, he leaned off and gives me a kiss which I automatically responded. I wrapped my arms around his neck while his arms is on my waist, supporting my weight.

After his confession, we decided to go back to the mansion. Me with him, smiling from ear to ear. I was so, so happy, really. I never love this kind of love. It's as if fate has plans for us. It's as if we are destined together, bound to be forever. How I wished time would stop and we'll be forever like this, happy and contented.

But I know there's so much problems that we had to face and fight together along the way...

The double doors opened and I saw them on the receiving area, sitting quietly and as if waiting for something or someone to come with them. My forehead creased on their reactions when they saw me; sighs of relief with a hint of nervousness. What's with these people? As though someone had just made me go back in reality, scenes of how they sided Mia to get rid of me.

Nawala ang kaninang ngiting suot-suot ko nang mag-unahan silang pumunta sa'kin. But Mia were just at the back, lowering her head while playing her fingers. Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kaniya at binalingan ng tingin ang mga tao sa harapan ko. I was more than shocked when they hugged me all in surprise. Ang akala kong ubos na na mga luha ay nagsituluan sa ginawa nila.

How I love this people! Kahit pa siguro pagtangkain nila akong patayin o magtraydor, hinding-hindi ako magagalit sa kanila dahil alam kong mayroon naman silang kaniya-kaniyang dahilan.

When they parted, I noticed Andrea who's being so sad. "What happened, Andeng? Are you alright? You look so sad..." I came after her and hugged her like a sister.

I closed my eyes when I feel pain in my head, like someone just entered on it and said, 'Her father, Professor Ed, was a traitor. Sumama siya sa mga kalaban at hindi na inisip ang kapakanan ng sarili niyang anak.' it was Kendreck's voice.

My mouth gasp, as to my eyes widen in shock. What? Sir Ed is a traitor? Tama nga ang hinala ko sa kaniya sa una pa lamang naming pagkikita! Something was off about him. But I just couldn't seemed to decipher what it really was. Pero noon 'yon... at ngayon ay talagang napatunayan na traydor siya.

What an insolent human. Tsk.

They all apologized to me which I gladly accepted without hesitation. Ganito naman siguro kung mahal mo ang mga tao na nakapaligid sayo, hindi ka mahihirapan na patawarin sila sa mga kasalanang kanilang nagawa na alam mo namang mayroong rason.

Tumitig ako sa babaeng mayroong kahel na buhok na nakatirintas. Naroon siya sa gilid at nakatanaw lang sa amin habang nakangiti. Nang mahuli niya akong nakatingin sa kaniya, agad siyang lumapit, dahilan ng pag-atras ko.

What if she'll slap me again? I can't let her do that! No one will ever scratch my face with their disgusting hands!

Nawala ang ngiting dala niya at napahinto. I noticed that my comrades are watching us, maybe letting us to talk. Tumingin ako sa kanila. And by that, one by one, they all left in the living room, including Harrison. Ohh... they are giving us a privacy to talk, huh?

Mia once again attempts to walk towards me and this time, I let her do it. Nang makapalapit na siya ng lubusan, nagulat ako nang bigla niya akong niyakap. "I-I know that we barely know each other... and I'm sorry for what I did to you. Alam ko naman na kasalanan nating dalawa iyon, pero sana maging magkaibigan tayo. I will give Jack to you, and will also tell my parents to stop the engagement. I, being bethroted with him, was just our parent's idea. Kaya pasensya na talaga..." Mia explained thoroughly her side.

After I heard her words, I hugged her back. Finally, wala ng hahadlang sa'min ni Harrison. I feel like I was someone at a movie... the protagonist.

Hindi naman pala mahirap magpatawad... kung sakaling mayroong magtraydor sa'kin, kagaya ng nagawa ng ama ni Andrea, mapapatawad ko kaya siya?

@eggarru