M I L L E R

After what happened the other day my everyday life has gone more chaotic than before. Axel– I mean, Kristoff (na nagpapanggap pa rin bilang si Axel Wesley) and I are hanging out at the university. Hindi man masyadong madalas, pero tiyak na mas madalas kaysa sa amin noon ng tunay na Axel. Although, he is still hanging out with his classmates on the other classes sa mga araw na hindi kami pareho ng lecture.

Ang weird lang sa pakiramdam na katabi sa lamesa ang doppelgänger ni Axel. Lalo na kung magsalita ito. Kristoff speaks in high pitch and is always smiling. Malayong-malayo. Sobrang layo sa Axel na kasama ko araw-araw sa iisang bubong. By the way, Sabado ngayon. Bumalik ang sa boarding house ko para makahinga naman ng maluwag mula sa tensyon sa condominium ni Axel.

I am currently on the way to the host club. Duty ko na naman. Naglalakad ako habang ine-enjoy ang malamig na simoy ng hangin sa gabi, sa kabila ng dagsa ng mga tao.

Ilang minuto na lang at malapit na ako sa club nang may tumabing sasakyan sa akin.

Kagaya ko ay napalingon din ang mga kasabayan ko sa daan. They look all confused dahil hindi naman parking area ang daan na ito. But for me, this is no longer new. Sa gara pa lang ng sasakyan ay mapapalingon din naman talaga ang lahat.

Smooth na bumaba ang salamin ng bintana ng sasakyan at sumilip mula sa loob si Axel.

"Get in," aniya.

"Why—Suddenly..."

"Just get in."

Luminga-linga ako. Sa totoo lang ay ayaw ko talaga na pumasok kaso naisip ko lang na ang arte ko naman kung hanggang ngayon ay aangal pa rin ako sa ganitong sitwasyon. I mean, I've been staying in this guy's house so why make a fuss about riding his car?

Ugh. I am strangely getting used to this vampire's presence.

"What do you want?" I asked, slightly annoyed by the thing I just thought.

Hindi pa man ako tapos na mainis, pero sumagot naman si Axel ng, "Let me have a sip of your blood."

Woah. I can't with this guy. How easily can he change my mood? Ngayon hindi na lang ako naiinis, gulat, at... nag-aalala na rin ako. And I don't even know why I should feel the latter.

"Woah. I did not expect that. Nakasakay ka sa kotse mo at hindi nag-teteleport kaya akala ko kung ano na ang sadya mo—teka..." panimula ko na may balak sana na iparamdam sa kanya ang inis ko nang may mapagtanto ako. I scanned him from top to bottom and asked, "Why do you want to drink blood? Don't tell me your ex-lover harassed you again?"

Sa pagkakaalam ko kasi ay sa mga ganitong sitwasyon lang siya nanghihingi ng dugo sa akin. Based on what I witnessed, I am pretty sure that that man keeps chasing him.

"No. Of course not," tanggi ni Axel.

"So, galing ka na naman sa away?" hula ko. "Don't tell me you have a huge wound somewhere in your bod—"

"Hey, stop it. My ex did not harass me and his goons didn't come after me today. Stop acting as if I am a problematic kid who's always involved in a delinquent fight. Minamaliit mo ang sitwasyon ko," pahayag niya na hindi lang magka-salubong ang mga kilay kung hindi ay nakanguso rin ang labi. Mukhang tagumpay ako sa parte na gusto siyang inisin. Hindi ko rin inaasahan na makita siyang magmaktol.

And how will I know about his situation if he keeps refusing to tell me about it?

Oh, it's rare for him to speak in a language besides English. I thought he was completely foreign in Tagalog, but his accent is pretty good.

Gusto ko sana na pag-usapan ang pananagalog niya, but obviously this is not the right time for it.

"If... If it's none of those. Then, why?"

"Dude, what's wrong with you?" I am also wondering what's wrong with me. Axel brushed his hair then lightly slammed his hand on the car's steering wheel. "I am asking for your blood because I need it."

"I know you needed it."

"Then, what else could it be?" he demanded. I think I am starting to upset him ... a little?

"It's that...Why?" I muttered as I am too is not sure of why I am having a fuss about this. "Bakit hindi mo na lang sabihin sa akin?" dagdag kong tanong. Wala, eh. Nasimulan ko na.

Nagbuntong-hininga si Axel. "You are very stubborn," banggit niya, " I simply need my food, my nutrients."

Food? Nutrients? Then why doesn't he have a meal? I'm pretty sure it is more efficient than drinking blood. I heard from Kristoff that this is medicine or something similar to that for the vampires. Hindi ba siya ma-ooverdose sa ka-iinom nito? Lalo na kung sinasabi niya na wala siyang ininda na sakit ngayon. Or maybe he is only lying about it?

"Okay, I think you misunderstood something about vampires." Bumuga muna siya ng hangin bago lumingon sa akin at nagpahayag ng, "We are basically slaves to blood. We can drink any type of blood, even vampire blood. But, human blood is the most versatile of all."

"Is this another of your limited vampire lessons?" I whined.

He always tells me stuff about vampires but never answers my questions. With the limited information he is giving, he is only making me more curious about him– I mean them, the vampires. Every time he tells me something and it triggers my curiosity, later I start asking questions but then he will not answer me. Kung gusto niya talaga na hindi ako magtaka, he should stop feeding me half-baked informations. This is nothing but a bother.

"Yes. You have to know at least about this one as the human who gives me his blood." Pumreno sa gilid ng kalsada si Axel. With this attitude, sa palagay ko ay seryoso siya sa gagawing pagpapaliwanag sa akin.

"Okay, we drink all types of blood right," pag-uulit niya, "But human blood is like the most essential one for us, because it has richer nutrients than animals' blood or any other creature. It is the most pure of them."

"Wait. What do you mean any other creature?" Natigilan ako. "May ibang creature pa ba sa mundo maliban sa tao at bampira?"

"Uh, hello? If vampires exist, so do the others. Don't tell me you never thought that mermaids and fairies could?" Axel said as if it is something common.

"Oh. So, they do?"

"Absolutely, they also exist. But their blood is too strong for us. Fairy blood is magical, it has an acidic taste. Mermaids on the other hand are too pungent, it basically tastes like fish blood. So far, 'yun pa lang ang nasubukan ko. I don't know what other creatures taste like anymore."

Hearing this is so... strange... and magical? Yet, crazy. I don't know. Knowing about the vampire's existence is already too much. Paano pa kaya kung totoo ang buong mythology at legends na naririnig ko? Siguro pati rin ang mga aliens?

Argh! This is too insane!

"Oh, gosh. Namumuhay rin ba sila kasama ang mga tao?" tanong ko na medyo nababaliw na sa mga naririnig ko.

"Uh-huh." Tumango si Axel.

Simula ngayon I won't perceive the world the same way anymore.

"And blood is our main dish," dugtong ni Axel. Hindi pa ata siya tapos tungkol sa mga dugo. "We live because of blood, it's like the tree of life for us. Human food is only for taste. Those are basically as light as air in our stomach when we eat."

Oh. That's why he doesn't care about his food supply. Those are completely garbage for humans, you know. Very unhealthy.

"Now, stop overreacting and let me have a drink," sabi niya.

"A-Ah... s-sure."

Nagmadali na akong ilabas ang balat ko. I am already wearing my long sleeve shirt at hindi ito stretchable kaya tinupi ko na lang ang sleeves. Inilapit ko ng konti sa kanya ang braso ko na para bang nagsusubo lang ako ng pagkain.

Axel didn't hesitate to put his mouth on my arms. Then as usual, he pierced his fangs on my flesh. The familiar sting wrapped my arm, yet this time it is not just pain I felt. Somehow it feels... good. Just like how an almost healed bruise would feel when touched. His sips and gulps vibrate through my arms adding a ticklish sensation along with pleasure and pain.

"Ahng..." he breathes as he let go of my arm.

Waah~ this man never fails to brighten every time he finishes his drink. Lumiliwanag ang pula niyang mata saka ito bumabalik sa kulay brown. He got this droopy and sleepy eyes as if he just got drunk. And I really hate that I am liking it.

It's annoyingly seductive. Mibilis akong umiwas ng tingin habang hinihimas ang kahihilom ko lang na sugat.

Argh. Ramdam ko pa rin ang malambot niyang dila sa balat ko.

"Uuwi ka na ba pagkatapos nito?" sambit ko para pawiin ang nararamdaman kong pagkailang. Habang dahan-dahan naman na umabante ang sasakyan ni Axel.

"Why do you care about that?" pagsusungit niya na hindi ko inaasahan. Napalingon ako. Unlike me he is still the same. I wonder if he got the same feeling as mine... or it's only me and I am just too pent up to even be turned on to a man.

"Anyway, thanks for the food," paalam niya sa akin saka ako bumaba ng sasakyan.

Sa sobrang pagpipigil ko ng l*bog ay ngayon ko lang namalayan na nasa harap na pala ako ng host club.

"Hays. Ano ba itong iniisip ko?" It's pathetic. Katatanong ko lang nito sa sarili pero walang pagdadalawang-isip kong kinuha ang cellphone ko at tinext si Kristoff.

"Hello. Itatanong ko lang kung pumunta ba d'yan sa inyo si Axel ngayong araw?" tanong ko sa text.

Bumuntong-hininga lang ako pagkatapos kong isend ito at ibubulsa na sana ulit ang cellphone nang kaagad itong nag vibrate.

"Oo," ang maikling sagot ni Kristoff na mabilis naman na sinundan ng, "Wala sa bansa ang Supreme kaya buong araw siyang nandito."

I don't really understand what he meant by it, yet knowing that Axel did not get himself in trouble today gives me relief.

Teka. "Why am I relieved?"