Tale 10

Bittersweet Memories

~Charm~

"Don't do that ever again.." sermon sakin ni Cobalt matapos kong i-kwento sa kanya yung tungkol sa lalaking nakita ko, pero hindi ko na sinabi pa ang tungkol sa kulay ng mga mata nya at kung paanong nakita ko na ang mga matang iyon sa mga panaginip ko.. Ayokong lalo pa syang mag-alala.. Sapat nang alam naming parehong nasa panganib ako dahil sa mga Traveler..

"I wont." I assured him, kumalma na ako at nasa loob kami ngayon ng silid ni Mom dito sa ospital..

Akala ko talaga kanina magic ni Arren yung naramdaman ko.. It turns out I was wrong.. Whoever that guy is, I don't want to meet him ever again.

Napatingin ako kay mom.. She's a sight to behold. Pale white skin like snow. Full lips as red as an apple. Hair that is as black as the night. Snow White replaces Aurora as Sleeping Beauty. My lips twitch as I suppress a smile that form on my lips. Maybe I should start questioning my sanity. My mom is in a coma state and I'm still having this weird thoughts.

It's not because I don't care about my mom. I just have faith in her. She's a strong woman. And I know she doesn't want me to worry anyway, so I won't.

"Colby do you think my friends will hate me once they found out that I'm the dauther of the Witch of Carnage??" tanong ko kay Cobalt matapos lumipas ang mahabang katahimikan sa silid.

"That's possible. But I think they will end up getting frightened instead." Sagot nya kaya sinimangutan ko sya

"Yeah. That's very encouraging. Thanks.." Walang gano kong tugon

"It's also possible that they will end up respecting you instead. People are scared of the Witch of Carnage, she's the Royal Family's personal reaper. And some people almost worship her because of her magic. No one is saying a word about this because of fear, but your Mom is far more influencial than the members of the Royal Families.. She's feared and respected because of that.." Dagdag ni Cobalt

Yeah. And that puts a lot of pressure on her only dauther. I want to say, but choose to keep the thought to myself.

My mom's stay in this hospital is kept secret to the public.. No one knows that my mom fell into a coma state.. We did this to protect her from her enemies..

We decided to return to school when the clock hits three in the afternoon.

Pinag-isipan ko ang mga sinabi ni Cobalt.

Parehas kami ng mga naisip na posibildad.. And I have to decide soon.

Maybe I should just trust my friends and tell them..

I'm tired of hiding in the dark.

I want to be honest with my friends.

I want to be brave.

Ok. Then maybe I just need to find the right moment to make them understand.

I want my identity to remain a secret. It's for my safety too. But I want to make exceptions. So yeah. I need to tell them. I want to tell them.

Soon I will.

And wait..? Ano kayang nangyari kina Flay after naming dumating ni Cobalt sa ospital?? Huli ko silang nakita ay noong sinusundan pa nila ng palihim si Cobalt..

Napangiti ako ng bahagya.. For sure kukulitin nanaman ako ng tatlong yun para ipaliwanag ang mga nangyari...

Napalingon ako sa may kaliwa ko. Snow, my white tiger pet, lies beside my feet. It's already evening and I'am seated on the window of my room in the school dormitory, looking outside and talking to myself like an insane person..

Avril is not around and I have no idea where she is right now. Cause yes, until now she still refuses to talk to me and she still treat me coldly. So here I'am, alone, reflecting on myself.

I usually do this when I'm alone. I talk to myself a little. I'm just analyzing things in my head. It's more like I'm refecting on my previous actions. But sometimes a few words escape my lips so it looks like I'm talking to myself. Maybe I should really start questioning my sanity..

"Snow nagugutom ka na ba??" tanong ko sa puting tigre sa paanan ko. Yep, I also have this habit of talking to animals eventhough I know I wont get an answer. And yes, right now I'm already questionaning if I'm still sane.

Tatayo na sana ako mula sa aking pwesto nung may matanawan akong pamilyar na pigura mula sa labas ng bintana..

Si Arren..

Mukang galing sya sa office ni Headmaster Fridd.. Walang ibang estudyante sa paligid kaya kapansin-pansin sya kahit pa medyo gumagabi na..

Hindi ko na sana sya pag-uukulang pansin but something about him caught my attention..

Arren is not wearing his eyeglasses..

It's not really a big deal unless you grew up knowing that he never removed those glasses as far as you can remember..

Even from up here I can see how graceful he walks, as if he grew up as a royalty.. His raven hair greatly complements his pale gray eyes..

Nung tuluyan na syang nawala sa paningin ko, saka ko lang namalayan na nakatitig pala ako sa kanya..

Ahm, I mean, it's just odd. Walang ibang ibig sabihin ang mga ikinilos ko. It's just really odd..

He's wearing eyeglasses ever since we were little.. So how come he's not wearing them now??

Bored and curious, I decided to come out of my room to ambush Arren before he manage to go to the boy's dormitory in the fifth floor..

I hurried to the school's third floor and waited patiently for Arren.. Wala masyadong estudyante dahil karamihan sa kanila ay nasa dorm na, ang iba marahil ay nasa labas pa ng unibersidad, 9pm pa kasi ang Sunday curfew ng school.

Anyway I know I'am suppossedly a socially-awkward person, but excuse me dear readers, I'am also a family-oriented person, and although Arren is my nemesis, he's also the longest friend I ever had. He's more like a family to me. A brother you hate so much. He's like that to me. And since I'm bored I will bug Arren instead of letting myself rot in that room without anyone to talk to but myself.

It wasn't long before I spotted Arren and he frowns after seeing me..

"What do you want??" he asked in a tone that is very familiar to me, he uses that tone when he knew I'm bored or when he knew that I need something from him. It's somewhat smug but friendly, the way your older bother addresses you when he knew you need something from him.

"Nothing in particular.. I was talking to myself earlier and realized that if I don't talk to someone, I might end up crazy by morning.." I answered non-chalantly

A small smile formed on his lips, "You need not worry. You're already insane." Saad nya

"Ha-ha. Very funny." I answered in a sarcastic manner

He just rolled his eyes.. "Anyway, go back to your room already.. May mga klase na ulit bukas.. Go rest.." dismiss nya sakin

Well that's new. Mukang wala sya sa mood makipag-asaran, kung kelan naman game ako saka sya walang spirit..

"May problema ka ba??" curious kong tanong kaya kumunot ang noo nya

"Wala." Simple nyang sagot

I eyed him suspiciously.. Something is definitely wrong with him.

"You're not wearing your eyeglasses.." puna ko

Medyo natigilan sya..

I gave him a questioning look..

He sigh.. Then he suddenly conjures an eyeglass from thin air.. Isinuot nya iyon and then he eyed me like a rebelling teenager would towards their mom.. "Happy?" bored nyang tanong

I smiled. "Bawal gumamit ng magic sa school hallways, Mr. President." I reminded him and he just smirk

"Well I'am an exception to that rule.." sagot nya

This jerk. He knows his way to get out of trouble. Be the student council's president. Kasura talaga ang isang toh kung minsan.. -.-

Bigla kong hinila yung salamin nya. Bat pa sya nagsasalamin?? Muka namang hindi na malabo ang mga mata nya??

To my surprise, he suddenly back away in horror the instant I removed his eyeglasses..

???

Anong problema nya?

His eyes are wide, his cheeks looks rosy red all of a sudden, and his mouth were parted a little..

He look shocked, and terrified at the same time..

I raise an eyebrow.. "Anong problema mo??" nagtataka kong tanong and he woke up from his trance with my words..

Kumunot ang noo nya.. He analyzes me for a while before closing the gap between us.. He snatch away his eyeglasses from my hands..

Mukang napikon sya sa ginawa ko dahil hindi ko maipinta ang muka nya..

"Don't do that ever again.." banta nya

Muli nyang isinuot ang salamin nya..

"Why not??" tanong ko, confuse as to what just happened

Lalong kumunot yung noo nya, if that's even possible..

"You mean you don't remember??" tanong nya at mukang naasar na sya sakin

Remember what???

"We were six years old..? In the Lockser Mansion where we use to play..? You don't really remember??" tanong nya

Umiling ako without even putting an effort of rocking my brain to remember what he's saying..

He gave me a defeated look. "Tsk. Whatever. Just don't do that ever again." Saad nya saka padabog akong tinalikuran

Eh???

Ano bang meron?? Bakit mukang natakot sya nung alisin ko yung salamin nya??

Pinag-isipan ko ulit yung mga sinabi nya habang papunta ako sa kwarto ko dito sa dorm ng mga babae..

We were six years old.

In the Lockser Mansion where we use to play.

???

Witches are not superhumans. We don't have super good memories. We can easily remember spells, but aside from that, our ability to remember is totally normal.. So I'm having a hard time remembering stuffs from my childhood days..

Ok, ang naalala ko super close kami ni Arren noon. Bestfriends.  Kelan ba kami nag-start maging frenemies?? When I was 8 years old?? 9?? Or was it when I was 10?? Basta noong tumira kami ni mom sa earth frenemies na kami ni Arren tuwing bibisita kami sa kanila.. Teka bakit nga ba kami sa Earth tumira ni Mom?? I can't remember why.

Hmm?? Wait, bakit nga ba kami naging ganito ni Arren?? I can't remember this either..

Arren used to be very gentle and kind, he love books so much he ended up wearing eyeglasses when we turned six years old.. I remember I hate seeing him wear his glasses so I will always lean close to him, stare at him for a moment, remove his glasses, then I will.. I will.......

Bigla akong natigilan sa pagpihit ng pinto ng aking kwarto..

I remember it now..

Kaya pala ganun na lang ang naging reaction ni Arren kanina..

He reacted by impulse.. Because he still remembers.

Marahan akong pumasok sa silid namin ni Avril.. Memories of my childhood plays on my head like an old movie scene..

A figure of little Arren was sitting opposite from me under the warm light of the sun, bathing us early in the morning in a garden filled with the sweet scent of flowers and sunshine.

Arren was reading a book.. I'm watching him. Smiling as he read to me passages from the book in his hands..

I remember I hate seeing him wear his eyeglasses back then, so I will always lean close to him, stare at him for a moment, remove his glasses, then I will give him a kiss on his cheeks and he wil give me a warm smile..

Nanlamig ako..

Shocks.

What have I done..?

~~~~~~~~~~~