Kara's POV

I didn't sleep the whole trip.

I was staring at the mirror watching the funniest thing I have seen so far: Cesia sleeping on Trev's shoulder. Funny because of the look on the guy's face. Clearly, kinakabahan siya.

Not moving a single millimeter making sure na hindi magigising si Cesia.

It's the first time I met someone that can actually match Trev.. and I'm happy for our leader.

We all are. Lahat kami nakatitig sa salamin. And when Trev looks at us, we just nod and look at the windows or pretend to be asleep.

It was entertaining... very entertaining...

"nakasmile si Kara... what the-oww!" siniko ng malakas ni Ria si Chase.

I sighed and gave him a blank look. We're currently in Arcadia having dinner. We occupied one circular table.

I would prefer eating on my own if I could. The main reason is this son of Hermes.

"daydreaming?" Dio, sitting beside me, asked me.

I don't know about him but he doesn't know I'm still mad about what he did the night we saved them from the Sirens. Manhid ba siya? Imposible. He's sensitive. I just know.

Or is he pretending that he doesn't know?

Dio is unpredictable. I gave a sigh as an answer. That would make it obvious na galit pa rin ako sa kanya.

Tinuon ko nalang ang aking atensyon kay Cesia na nakangiti habang kumakain. A smile formed on my face unknowingly.

A sad smile.

Why can she still smile like that? How can she wear a vibrant smile like that? How can all of them speak and think without remembering their painful pasts?

Why can't I be like them?

I may be the daughter of Athena. Alam nilang walang imposible para sa'kin.. na kaya kong gawan ng solusyon ang kung anong problema.. that I don't have a weakness.

They didn't know they're my strength. They're my pillars. I cannot get strength from myself anymore. My system is tired.

Funny how they look at me like I'm the strongest.. but I'm the weakest here. I'm wise enough to be aware of that.

"Sasabihin ko sanang nagseselos ka.." the annoying one whispered.

"do I look like I care?" I whispered back.

"you look like you care too much.."

my eyes widened. Paano niya nabasa ang utak ko?

Gods! I'm having mixed feelings with this guy. Nagpapanggap ba siyang alam niya? or isa sa secret ability niya ang mind reading?

Nalilito ako.

"you don't know me." I gave him a piercing stare at the same time, studying his facial expressions, changes and shifts. If he can read my mind, then I can read his every move...

and he's hiding something.

"you're not Kamille anymore, Kara."

All of a sudden, his words stabbed me.

It actually hurt.. to the point that tears threaten to slide down on my cheeks.

I slammed my hands on the table, abruptly making my exit.

I can't shed a tear in front of them. I can't cry in front of anyone.

I let my feet bring me anywhere as long as I'm alone. At nakahanap ako ng pwesto sa isa sa gardens nila. It's already dark kaya useless lang ang paghahanap sa'kin, if ever they decide to find me.

But I know they won't.

I closed my eyes setting the tears free... every breath I draw is painful.

I know I'm still stuck in the past. Being a daughter of Athena makes it worse. I know what I'm not supposed to know.

My eyes wandered sensing someone approaching and stopped to look at the flowers blooming.

"let me guess.. they sent you to comfort me?" I asked realizing the person behind me.

She gave me a pat on the shoulder and proceeded to sit beside me.

Umiling siya. Nandoon pa rin ang ngiti niya... walang nag iba.

"it's my job." she responded looking away from me.

Of course she'd be here. She's a daughter of Aphrodite. Every beat of heart, she can hear. Every second of silence, she can understand.

I just stared at the flowers blooming near us. I should feel like blooming too.

But sadly, I am not.

"Wag kang mag-alala hindi ko ginagamit ang ability ko para tulungan ka. Alam ko namang hindi tatalab sa'yo yun eh." natatawa niyang sabi.

Cesia is unlike any girl I have met.

There's something inside her that I am interested of. Siguro isa sa rason ay ang dugo niyang Aphrodite. Like her mother, she knows how to get anyone's attention within a second.

"Alam mo.. may nakalimutan nga pala akong sabihin sa'yo..." she lifted her head.

I didn't say a word but she accepted my silence as a signal to continue so she started to speak again...

"Nung war... nung nasa trance ako.. nakita ko si Athena. Actually, siya yung nagpakita sa'kin. Who knew? Siya yung nasa huli ng list ko ng gods na makikilala at makikita ko. Isa pa namang malaking karangalan ang maka face-to-face ang isang goddess. Yung Goddess of Wisdom pa!" even without looking at her, I know she's speaking the truth.

"and you know what?" she looked at me with a funny look.

"what?" I finally spoke a word.

"tinawag niya akong coward! Hahaha akalain mo yun?" siya lang mag-isa ang tumatawa. But her laugh brought a smile to my face.

I should smile more often...

"yung feeling na hopeless na hopeless ka na sa digmaan tas may magpapakita sa'yo na goddess para lang tawagin kang coward?" when she laughs, the more flowers bloom... should I be like these flowers and accept her radiant rays, I should have no problem laughing with her.

But I'm not. I'm a being with darkness threatening to eat me alive if I don't cooperate with it.

"hahayaan ko nalang daw na magpatiwakal kayo para sa'kin.." her voice turned sad. So did the flowers.

"Ang selfish ko raw kasi.. kasi sarili ko lang ang iniisip ko..." but still, her smile remained.

"It didn't hurt me though. May point naman yung mama mo. Alangan namang di ko paniniwalaan yung sinasabi niya eh goddess of wisdom na mismo ang nagsabi? Duh." she tried so hard to cheer herself up that her voice broke.

"Okay.. partly masakit..." she nodded. "kaso... needed yun eh. Para akong si Sleeping Beauty... pero imbes na isang halik, isang malaking sampal ang kinailangan ko para magising."

I wanted to say something...

but I laughed.

"wag mo nga akong pagtawanan." inirapan niya ako but failed because she ended up laughing too.

"thank you for making me laugh today.." I smiled. "I needed it.."

tumango siya "sa tingin ko.. kailangan mo na ring magising... madadapa ka lang palagi kung ayaw mong kumawala sa kung anong humihila sa'yo. Pero di kita pinipilit ah? mag antay lang tayo... alam kong may tutulong sa'yo... baka kasi, isa ka ring sleeping beauty na kailangan ng halik para magkamalay. At pagkagising mo, ibang tao ka na." her genuine smile gave me goosebumps.

Kahit mahirap paniwalaan, a part of me wants to believe her. Hoping that someday, that someone will help me.

I am a daughter of Athena. But I have accepted that I am not alone... and will never be. No one deserves to be alone... and no one deserves to dwell in the past, to float in eternal darkness like me.

I'll find that light someday... ang siyang gigising sa'kin so that I may be able to wake up and start anew.

"Close your eyes and command all the flowers here to bloom.."

Sinunod niya ang sinabi ko. I heard a voice whisper before the whole garden started blooming... her voice made the dandelions' flower heads dry out causing the seeds to float everywhere.

Meanwhile, the whole place was glowing bright.

"Ang gandaaaa!!!" I heard Art's voice from behind.

Tinignan ko sila and was relieved to know that they just arrived. Akala ko narinig nila lahat ng pinag-uusapan namin.

The rest of the Alphas came to watch the white umbrella-like fuzz float from the dandelion puff balls.

It seemed like a dream. And after many years of living a nightmare, I finally had a happy one.

'The greatest sin is to think yourself weak' a woman's voice whispered. 'What you're seeking for is within your radius... be fearless child.'

Tumigil ang mata ko sa lalaking nakayuko habang sinusuri ang bulaklak.

He looked at me back.

Our eyes locked for a moment when a fuzz sat on the tip of his nose making him sneeze.

I laughed...

and I meant it.