LAKAD-TAKBO ang ginawa ni Jasia nang tuluyan siyang makalayo sa lugar ng lalaki. Nang makarating sa gilid ng kalsada, kaagad niyang pinara ang taxi na paparating. Pumasok siya sa loob at doon lang nakahinga.

'What the hell is that? What the hell is that? What the hell is that?' Ang paulit-ulit na sinisigaw ng kaniyang isipan habang nanatiling kalmado ang kaniyang mukha.

"Sa Eastville Village po," saad niya sa drayber bago sumandal sa likod ng upuan. She crossed her arms and legs. Ginawa niyang pamaypay ang kaniyang kamay dahil sa nanunuot na init. Mainit na nga ang panahon, tumakbo pa siya kaya dobleng pawis ang tumataginting sa kaniyang noo at leeg.

Hindi siya makapaniwala sa kaniyang nakita. How did a shadow appear in front of her and become human? Not only that, it looked like a murderer! It had a knife in his hand. And the one behind those was none other than the guy with scary makeup. How did he light a fire on his hand?

Winaksi niya ang ilang hibla ng kaniyang buhok na natanggal sa pagkakapuyod.

Maybe he's some kind of a magician?

Mariin siyang napapikit bago nilingon ang driver sa rearview mirror. Hindi matatahimik ang utak niya hanggang sa hindi niya makakabuo ng sagot. She cleared her throat before asking, "Manong, kaya bang gawin ng mga magician ang bumuo ng apoy sa kamay nila?"

Kumunot naman ang noo ng drayber sa biglaan at 'di inaasahan niyang tanong. Kahit nalilito, sinagot pa rin siya nito. "May nakita akong ganiyan sa TV, ma'am."

"Ah, that's good to know, manong." Tipid siyang ngumiti at tinuon na ang tingin sa bintana. Although she didn't feel any sense of relief, she chose to fool herself and believe what her mind could only process.

There was no need for her to panic. Right--yeah, right. There was no need for her to feel scared even though he could see through the man's face the intent to kill her.

"I'm not scared." She convinced herself. She may look composed but her heart was still pounding hard. The more she said declarations, the more she gets flustered. And it was all thanks to that man with a cloak.

Ang init-init tapos iyon pa ang sinuot.

"I will not see him again anyway." She smiled with that thought.

Nakarating na siya sa Eastville village. Hindi niya tinanggal ang ngiti sa mga labi hanggang sa makalabas ng sasakyan. She jogged towards the gate of her house and opened it. When she got inside, her smile immediately fade away. Bumalik sa isip niya ang nangyari kanina.

Lumingon-lingon muna siya sa paligid bago kinuyom ang mga kamao. Ang lahat ng emosyong inipon kanina ay inilabas niya sa isang impit na sigaw.  "Ah! No! No! No! I don't want to see him again!"

Tumakbo siya papasok sa kaniyang dalawang palapag na bahay habang nagpaikot-ikot sa buong gusali ang matinis niyang boses. She leaped on the third stair and went to the room beside hers.

"Isabella! Isabella!" Knocking hard on the door, she screamed her cousin's name. "Isabella, pakinggan mo ako. You won't believe what I witnessed!"

It took a while before she heard a voice. "What is it? Ang init na nga ng panahon, ang ingay-ingay mo pa."

Both hands on the sides of her cheek, she shouted on the door. "I think I saw a magician. A real one!"

"Huh?" Natawa naman ang kausap niya. Subalit, kahit na ganoon, damang-dama pa rin niya ang katamlayan nito. "Did your ballet performances got into your head? There's no real magician, Jas."

"I'm not fooling around! I'm serious." Huminga muna siya nang malalim at dinutdot ang pisngi sa pinto. "He summoned an emerald fire on his hand. He also summoned a shadow tapos naging tao. Tapos pinagbantaan ako!"

"Emerald fire?" Curiosity sparked her voice. "What does he looks like?"

Napaisip naman siya. "Well, 'di ko ma-explain. 'Di ko kasi ma-explain mukha niya."

"Bakit? Ano ba mayroon sa mukha niya?"

"Why don't you let me in so that I can explain well?" She smiled on the door.

"No. Maingay ka. Ayoko ng kausap."

Napasimangot naman siya. "You're talking to me right now though."

"Just hurry and tell me!"

"Okay. Okay. So ganito." She gestured her hand as if she was facing a person, when in fact, it was only a door. "May mga patay na bulaklak sa mukha niya tapos nalalagas siya. And then the flower doesn't have any stem, roots lang. Tapos iyong roots nakakabit sa--hindi ako sure--pero baka buto niya iyon." Napahawak siya sa sariling pisngi at napahimas.

Nakarinig naman siya ng kalabog at mga yabag ng paang tumatakbo. Ilang sagdali pa, hinampas ni Isabella ang kabilang parte ng pinto dahilan para maipaigtad siya. "What? What did you say? Are you toying with me?!" sigaw nito.

"No, I'm not. I'm serious, Isabella! I think that guy wants to kill me!" Muli siyang napahiyaw at hinawakan ang nakakandadong busol. Inalog-alog niya ito at doon pinokus ang nararamdamang takot.

Nakarinig naman siya ng isang buntonghininga. "You know what, Jas. If you want to tell me that you have been reading my story, you don't need to come up with these lies."

"Huh?" Napatigil naman siya sa pag-alog. "Your story?"

"You just describe my character, idiot." Mga tunog ng paa ang naglakad papalayo sa pintuan. Mukhang bumalik na ito sa kama. "You hype me up for nothing. Akala ko pa naman may kakaiba nang nangyayari sa mundo."

"Wait, Isabella. I'm not reading your story. Though I told you last week I would, I haven't started it yet. What I saw is real!" paliwanag niya.

"Oh, yeah? Then tell me why you know Xibel's face."

"Xibel? Who's that?"

"My character, Gregory August Xibel Thelonius. The villain from my ongoing reincarnation story. He have the eyes of the sea and gold. His hair is bisque, and he got a rotting face."

Ilang beses siyang natahimik. What Isabella said summarized the look of the person she saw. Napatakip siya sa kaniyang bibig nang may mapagtanto. "Isabella, what if napunta rito character mo?"

Kaagad namang napahalakhak ang kausap. "I didn't expect those words from a non-reader like you. Try mo magsulat baka may potential ka."

"I'm not joking!"

"It's impossible, Jas. We're not in a magical world.  And if you've really met Xibel, you'd be dead by now."

"What do you mean?"

"He hates women."

"But he has a daughter, Isabella. I saw him with a kid."

Muli itong humalakhak. "Enough, Jas. Sakit na ng tiyan ko kakatawa sa 'yo."

Napaismid na lang siya dahil sa isinagot nito. Walang plano si Isabella na paniwalaan siya. Who would believe her, anyway? To say that she had met a fictional character was a tale only valid for a lunatic.

But . . . she wanted to confirm whether what she saw was real or not. Otherwise, her wandering mind would not stop.

"I'm going to prove it to you. You'll see."

"Prove what? Are you going to bring Xibel in front me?" natatawa nitong sagot. "I'm looking forward, Jas. Tell him I said hi!"

Hindi na niya pinansin ang sarkastiko nitong sinabi at naglakad na papunta sa kaniyang kuwarto. Hinubad niya ang sweat shirt at leggings bago nagtungo sa shower. She never had thought this day would turn out unbelievable.

She stayed on the bakery shop earlier to have lunch after strolling around. Hindi niya inaasahan na ang isang batang babaeng lumapit sa kaniya ang magiging dahilan ng pagkalito ng kaniyang isipan. What she saw made her confuse of reality and open up what ifs to supernatural things.

What was more, she had to see the man again. After claiming to the media that he was her husband, she wouldn't be surprised if pile of articles greet her the next morning. She would be the talk of the netizens again and many stories about her would start to suffice. Knowing the media, they wouldn't be satisfied with what they had found out today. They would dig more, so she had to talk to the man again in order for her claim to work like a real thing. Otherwise, they would find out she was lying.

Pagkatapos niyang maligo, pinili niyang buksan ang panibago niyang pointe shoes. Naupo siya sa kulay rosas niyang kama habang pinagmasdan ang sapatos. Kaninang umaga niya lang ito natanggap.

Nasira na kasi ang ginamit niya kahapon kaya bumili siya ng panibago lalo na't nalalapit na ang kaniyang ballet performance.

Nilingon niya ang kaliwang bahagi ng kaniyang kuwarto. Her entire room was like splash with monochromes of pink. On the left side were her pile of pointe shoes she used to wear before, five years ago when she started making a name in the ballet industry.

Nahiga siya sa kama habang katabi pa rin ang bagong sapatos. Bukas na lang sa studio niya ito sisirain.

Pinikit niya ang mga mata para umidlip lang sana dahil bandang hapon pa naman. Ngunit nang magising siya, alas dos na ng madaling araw.

Hindi na siya natulog ulit at piniling lumabas para mag-jogging. Tumagal din ng isang oras bago siya nakabalik sa bahay niya. She took a shower and prepare her breakfast.

Kaagad siyang nagbihis pagkatapos magluto. Sinuot niya muna ang kaniyang itim na Leotard at leggings bago ito tinakpan ng kaniyang jacket at jogging pants. She tied her long, black straight her into a tight bun. She surrounded it with hair pins to make sure it won't fall off later in her practice.

Sinilid na niya sa kaniyang bag ang bago niyang sapatos, tumbler at extra clothes. Dinaanan niya muna ang kuwarto ni Isabella para magpaalam bago lumabas ng pinto.

Saktong paglabas niya ang pagdating din ng kaniyang personal assistant na si May.

Pumasok na siya sa sasakyan nito at nagtungo sa Portal Shoe Company. Ang pinakamalaking kompanya ng ballet sa bansa. Ito ang kompanyang ninais niyang mapabilang no'ng bata pa lang siya.

Pumasok na sila sa loob. Habang naglalakad papunta sa studio, iniulat ni May ang schedule niya buong araw.

"You'll have your rehearsal for the Esmeralda today at seven-thirty." Katabi niya itong naglalakad habang ang mga mata ay nasa tablet na dala. "Later at one o'clock will be Swan Lake. Usually, you will end at five, but starting today, you will end at four. The ballet director doesn't want her dancers to be exhausted in the final, thus, she shortened the time."

"I see." She nodded. Nakapag-polish na rin naman sila no'ng nakaraan kaya siguro hindi ganoong mahigpit ngayon si Miss Beverly.

"And one more thing, Miss Cecora. Since what you did yesterday is already all over the news, we need to be careful. For sure marami na namang bubuntot sa 'yo. I have to turn my phone off too because of too many calls." Bumuntonghininga si May. "What was that about, anyway? Why didn't you inform me that you already found someone who will act as your husband? "

She smiled at her apologetically. "Sorry, that's actually on the spot. I have yet to talk to that man again."

"You mean you just said that impromptu?" gulat na saad ni May. Napasapo ito sa kaniyang bangs. "Why did you do that?"

"I got pissed. They won't stop talking about me having a child. I thought it was the best opportunity yesterday to shut them out." She sighed. Rumor about her having a child had been going on for the past two years.

Hindi niya nga alam kung bakit sa lahat ng puwedeng itsismis ng mga tao sa kaniya bakit iyon pa. Sa tuwing namamatay ang usaping ito, palagi naman itong bumabalik kaagad dulot ng isang website na panay ang pagsulat ng kung ano-ano sa kaniya. Ang bawat kuha nitong mga litrato ay kaagad na nilalagyan ng malisya.

Sinubukan na rin nilang alamin at ipatumba ang naturang site pero hindi nila magawa-gawa. Una, sa tuwing naipapasara nila ang site, bumabalik lang din ito. At pangalawa, hindi nila alam kung sino ang nasa likod ng site na iyon. They tried hiring a technology specialist, but unfortunately, they still couldn't get a hint. 

Dahil napapagod na rin siya sa paulit-ulit na tsismis sa kaniya, napagpasyahan nila ni May na  pangatawanan na lang ang tsismis at maghanap ng puwedeng magpanggap niyang asawa.

"Do you know where that man lives? I saw his face and he's quite . . . menacing." Nilingon siya ni May. "Are you sure you want to do it with him?" 

"I don't have a choice." She stopped in front of the door of the studio. "And yes, I know where he lives."

"When will you two meet again? I'll include it in your schedule."

"I don't know yet. Just leave it to me." Tipid siyang ngumiti bago tinulak ang pinto pabukas.

Alas sais pa lang ng umaga kaya siya pa ang tao sa studio. Ayaw niya nang nahuhuli siya kaya naman maaga siyang umaalis. Ayaw niya ring maabutan ng mga reporter.

Binuksan niya ang ilaw bago nilagay ang bag sa locker. She got her new shoes and started breaking it. This was to make the shoes not stiff and be flexible enough to fit on the ballerina's feet shape. The shoes completes a ballerina, after all. For them, it was a magical tool that would make them go beyond reality. And to be able to effectively perform, they had to be one with the shoes.

Tiningnan niya ang malaking orasan na nakapaskil sa pader matapos suotin ang sapatos. Binuksan niya rin ang speaker at nagtungo sa Barre upang simulan ang kaniyang warm-up.

Habang umuunlad ang oras, nagsidatingan na rin ang kaniyang mga kasamahan hudyat na magsisimula na ang kaniyang nakakapagod ngunit masayang araw.

It was, after all, her dream to be a ballerina. For years and years, she trained in hopes that she would be noticed by the Portal Shoe Ballet Company. And it did. Ang akala niya'y iyon na ang pinakamasayang araw sa buhay niya pero mayroon pa pala.

It was two years ago when she became the prima ballerina of the company. She had taken all the lead roles for the past two years, and until now, she still stood atop all the dancers.

Four at the afternoon came and she got herself ready to leave the company. She texted May to drive the car out and leave as a decoy to fool the reporters she was inside. Sa likuran siya dumaan gamit ang isa niya pang sasakyan na inutos niya rin kay May kanina na dalhin sa company.

Pauwi na siya sa Eastville village subalit napatigil siya sa playground bakery shop kung saan kumain siya kahapon. Sumagi sa isip niya ang bata at ang lalaki.

Bago niya pa mapagtanto ang ginawa, nasa harapan na siya ng bahay nito. Isang kulay itim na three-storey building na nagmukhang haunted house. The dead flowers surrounding the house served as a clearcut boundary between the dead and healthy plants.

"How is that possible?" namamangha niyang tanong. That could only be possible if the owner is someone not comprehended by reality.

Nanatili siya sa loob ng kotse, nag-iisip kung kakausapin niya ang lalaki. Judging from his reaction yesterday, he might still be oozing with anger. It was a clear warning that she should stay away from him.

Nagkibit-balikat siya at napagpasyahang bumalik na lang sa susunod. Masiyado pang presko ang pangyayari kahapon kaya baka tama ang hula niyang galit pa ito sa kaniya. At baka mas galit pa nga ito sa kaniya ngayon dahil kalat na kalat na sa buong news ang nangyari kahapon.

Pinaandar na niya ang kaniyang kotse paalis. Bubuksan na niya sana ang speaker upang magpatugtog nang may mahigip ang kaniyang mata. Napatigil siya sa gilid ng kalsada at kaagad na binaba ang windshield.

Nakita niya ang mag-ama na may kasamang babae na may edad na. Pinag-aagawan nila ang bata.

"Let her go!"

"You can't just take her away from us!"

She glanced at the child's face. Namumuo na ang luha sa mga mata at halatang nasasaktan sa paghila sa kaniya ng dalawa.

Hindi siya nagdalawang-isip na bumaba. Sinuot niya muna ang kaniyang shades bago nagtungo sa kinaroroonan ng tatlo.

"What's going on here?"