Blaze's Point of View

Sumisipol akong bumaba ng hagdan. Ewan ko kung ano'ng meron. Pero paggising ko'y ang gaan-gaan ng pakiramdam ko. Sa sobrang gaan ng pakiramdam ko tila ba'y gusto kong mambwisit. Yesterday was a bit intense between Nkri and Dash.

We all know there's something going between the two. And the bastard Dash won't tell me what it is. He went pale if one of us asked him about it or he would immediately excuse himself to avoid getting asked. Minsan naman ay biglaang mamula ang pisngi niya't tenga.

O 'di kaya'y iniiwasan niyang salubungin ang mga mata naming lahat. Hindi man niya sinasabi, pero hindi siya makakatakas sa akin. That bastard fell hard. Tumingin ako sa labas nang mapansin ang kalmadong kalangitan.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Blei sitting on a round single couch near the glass wall. Nakahawak siya ng tasa sa kaliwang kamay niya. She supported it with her other hand. Napailing ako habang hindi mapigilang mapangiti.

Her soft sea-green eyes, her brown hair that always shone when it hit by the sun's rays, her pointy nose, and a rosy thin lips. Face that is round, but it fits her. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko nang bigla na lamang itong magwala.

Muli akong umiling at kinagat ang aking ibabang labi.

Napansin kong si Nkri pa rin ang palaging nahuhuling gumigising. Or perhaps, kanina pa siya gising at ayaw lang niyang lumabas ng kwarto. Sina Erin at Fuego naman ay nasa kusina. Marahil ay nagtulungan ang dalawa sa paghahanda para sa kakainin namin mamayang tanghalian.

Sina Ace at Dash ay nasa living room. Parehong nanonood ng soccer competition sa telebisyon. A teasing grin quickly plastered upon my lips when I saw Mavros and Heshiena spending time together in veranda. Palagi ko pang napapansin na panay titig si Mavros.

I scoffed in disbelief when I saw him smile for the first time.

He is so attentive to what Heshiena about to say. Tila ba'y ayaw niyang makaligtaan ang ikinukuwento nito sa kaniya. And it is my first time seeing Chry reading a book.

I guess everyone is having a character's development.

Pa-simple rin siyang umiinom ng tsaa. Her sour face greeted my eyes when she noticed me I was looking at her. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw her how she rolled her eyes. Kasunod naman nito ang pagtaas ng kaniyang kilay.

"You look like a stupid, Blaze," she commented.

Naglakad ako papalapit sa kaniya. Nakipag-apiran pa ako kina Dash at Ace nang dumaan ako sa kanila. Umupo ako sa tabi niya. I crossed my legs and use both of my palms as a pillow. Habang siya naman ay nagpatuloy sa pagbabasa.

"I was just wondering why Ace suddenly feel in love with you," panimula ko pa, "lalo na't hindi naman kagandahan ang ugali mo."

Gusto ko matawa sa reaksyon niya nang marinig ang sinabi ko. I heaved a sigh to teased her further. Sumipol ulit ako nang mapansing natagalan siya sa pagsagot sa sinabi ko.

"And I am also wondering why you fell in love with Blei." Nagsilakihan ang mata ko nang lakasan niya ang boses niya. Causing Blei to look at our direction. Blei immediately averted her gaze when we both looked into each other's eyes. "I bet―" she paused to tease me. And flashed a victorious smile upon her lips, "she doesn't feel the same way."

Tumawa ako nang malakas dahil sa sinabi niya.

"You're so funny, Chry."

"And you're not."

Tumayo siya at aakmang aalis. "Takot ka bang pag-usapan si Ace?" Tinaasan ko na rin ang boses ko. Dahilan para mapalingon sina Ace at Dash sa amin. Kinindatan ko si Ace bago muling tapunan ng tingin si Chry. "Dahil ba in love ka na rin sa kaniya?"

I saw how her jaw moved. It was then followed by balling her palms. She threw all her warning gaze at me. Ako naman ay hindi nagpapatinag.

"In love―" she emphasized the word love. Tumango ako habang hindi nawawala ang ngiti sa labi ko, "your ass."

She clicked her tongue and walked away. Humagalpak ako ng tawa nang itaas ni Chry ang gitnang daliri niya. Si Ace naman ay panay ngiti. Tumayo ako sa pagkakaupo't naglakad patungo sa kusina. Nadatnan ko ang dalawang nagtatawanan.

Sumipol ako. Pareho silang natigil sa pagtawa't napalayo sa isa't isa. I teasingly glance Fuego who is now looking at me with his warning look. Ibinulsa ko ang aking dalawang kamay, habang naglalakad patungo sa lagayan ng mga baso.

Umalis kaagad ako roon at nagtungo sa living room. Tumabi ako kay Dash.

"Dash, kamusta kayo ni Nkri?" biglaan kong tanong. Nagpanggap siyang hindi niya ako narinig. Ako naman ay nagpipigil sa pagtawa. "Pansin ko parang hindi kayo nagpapansinan. Naayos niyo ba 'yan?" pagpapatuloy ko pa.

Si Ace naman ay sumang-ayon sa sinabi ko. Dash give me his bored look. But he was also quick to avert it. Nagkatinginan kami ni Ace. He just shrugged and returned all his attention to what he was watching.

"Wala ka namang magawa, bro?" Dash suddenly asked without looking at me. I hummed as a response. "Lakas talaga ng trip mo," he commented.

"Well." I couldn't agree more. "Good luck with Nkri, though," huli kong sabi bago tumayo.

Napatingin ako kay Blei na hanggang ngayon ay nakaupo pa rin sa round couch. She enjoyed herself. Kaya hindi ko na lang ito ini-istorbo. Tumingin ako sa dalawang nilalang na masayang nag-uusap sa veranda.

Gusto kong lumapit sa kanila. Pero napagdesisyonan ko na lamang na huwag na. Baka mawalan ako ng kaluluwa pagkalapit ko kay Mavros.

☽ ♆ ☾

Mukhang kinarma ako sa ginawa ko kanina dahil kahit na ano mang pilit kong ipikit ang mata ko, hindi ako makakatulog.

Padabog akong bumangon sa pagkakahiga. There's a deafening silence, waves of the sea crashing against the shore, and numerous chirping of crickets dominating the night.

Napahilamos ako sa aking mukha dahil sa frustration. Tumayo ako't naglakad papalapit sa bintana. Hinawi ko ang kurtina. Napakadilim sa labas. Lumabas ako ng kwarto't tinungo ang kitchen para sana uminom ng gatas.

Nagbabaka-sakaling makakatulong ito sa pagtulog ko.

Chills quickly race down my spine when I heard a creaking sound. Minumulto na ba ako? Sumilip ako mula sa kusina. There I saw the door was slightly open. Napahawak ako sa aking baba. Panigurado bumukas lamang ito dahil hindi ito naisara nang maayos.

But that's Faistus' task.

I am referring to our talking dorm house. It's her job to ensure that we are safe. Or perhaps, may isa sa aming lumabas? Sino naman? Inubos ko muna ang ininom kong gatas at napagdisesyonang lumabas.

Sandali akong bumalik sa kwarto ko't kumuha ng jacket. It's freezing outside, that's why. As I finally got outside, the night breeze brushed against my cheeks. There's no one. Dinala ako ng aking paa sa dalampasigan.

I was quick to gasped when I saw a figure from afar. She was sitting at the sand hugging her knees. Kumunot ang aking noo. Naglakad ako papalapit upang makilala ko ito. Nanlaki ang aking mata nang mapagtanto ko kung sino ito.

I was about to approach when she suddenly sang.

"We've been friends for quite some time
Not knowing you deeply feels like a crime
I didn't know that your life is as sour as lime
That pain in your chest ingrained like a grime"

I don't know why but my heart ached the moment I heard her voice gradually crack.

Hindi pamilyar sa akin ang kantang kinanta niya, pero ang tanging nakakuha ng atensyon ko ay kung paano niya ito kantahin nang buong puso. Emotions are there. To the point that it made me teared up.

"Your beauty is as mystical as your eyes
Behind it were filled with cruelty of the world
Heart that are wide as skies
Soul that engulf by darkness

Oh, your name the same as the color
A forsaken, getting duller
Despite what happened, you remained in my chest
I wrote this song as our crest"

Napalunok ako ng laway. Sumikip bigla ang dibdib ko nang marinig ko ang mga hikbi niya. She hugged her knees tightly when the night breeze brushed against her skin. I sniffed and quickly wiped the tears that I couldn't stop from falling.

Quiet people are indeed the best observers. They keep to themselves. They tend to look, listen, and wait. They know how to observe and catch the smallest details of things, meaning if anything changes around them, quiet people will be the first to notice it.

And the majority of them are creative.

Kahit na expected ko na, nagugulat pa rin ako sa nasaksihan ko ngayong gabi. A bulb suddenly popped above my head. I don't want her to know that I am here. Dahil kung sakali man ay baka mailang siya.

I have to respect her space.

Babalik na sana ako nang marinig ko ulit siyang kumanta. But this time, she couldn't sang it properly. Because she couldn't resist herself from sobbing. Pinunit bigla ang aking puso sa narinig.

Oh, I would love to protect this woman.

"Farewell, Violeta."