Thieves Of Olympus

80

SOLEIL

"Lunox."

Kinulbit-kulbit ko siya para magising. He only groaned and slapped my hands away from his shoulder. Bumalik ulit ito sa pagtulog.

"Kuya kakain na. Hindi mo kinain yung binigay sa'yo kahapon."

I badly want to kick the chair he was sitting on but I won't. Pinangako kong magiging mabait akong kapatid sa kanya ngayon. Pero mukhang tinitesting niya ang pasensyang mayroon ako.

Ang tigas ng ulo!

Hindi ako nito pinansin.

"Lunox Arthur get up! Clea will not leave the freaking bed."

Ilang araw na siyang ganito. Simula noong dumating siya ay hindi siya umalis sa tabi nito—not even caring if they returned from Olympus. It's like he was chained to her and to his bed. Kusa niyang tinali ang sarili sa ganitong posisyon.

Now, the three of us stays in this room.

Ginawan naman ng paraan ni Cole ang kondisiyon niya. A part of Clea's soul is anchored by her mist. But the thing is... She is partially alive. Her physical body is almost dead and cold.

"Let's eat you idiot! Papatayin mo ang sarili mo sa ginagawa mo," hinila ko ang damit niya. I let out a curse when I fell down the floor.

Kanina pa nila kami hinihintay sa dining hall!

Bumungad sa akin ang matatalim na titig ni Lunox. Narinig niya siguro ang murang lumabas sa bibig ko. It is not my first time cursing. Tuwing hindi niya ako kasama ay nagmumura ako minsan.

"Kakain na! Tayo!" utos ko sa kanya.

Dumilim sa labas dahil sa aming dalawa. Nakikiayon ang langit sa magiging away naming dalawa. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay habang nakatingin siya ng pagalit sa akin.

"What did you say?!"

"Let's eat."

"No."

"Yes!"

"Go down already. Susunod ako."

"Hindi! Sasama ka sa akin."

"No way."

"Yes way!"

"Leave Soleil."

"We are going to eat. Damn it!"

Oops! I cursed in front of him!

Kahit hindi ko ramdam ay lumakas ang hangin at dumilim sa labas. Nagbabadya din ang pagbagsak ng ulan at kidlat. We had a staredown before he enters the bathroom.

Pagdating namin sa lamesa ay nakangisi ang ilan sa amin. May narinig pa akong "5000 ko" galing sa kanila. Ang iba naman ay pinukol ng tingin ang kasama ko.

Pinagsabihan nila siya habang nakain. Naging maingay ang lamesa namin dahil doon, isama pa ang kulog at kidlat na naririnig namin. Hindi agad siya pinaalis sa lamesa.

We all distanced ourselves away from the table when he forced his way out... By sending electrical currents on it's surface.

"Tsk," he said and left.

I wanted him to use my bed but he would not budge nor stand from the chair. Kahit noong pinalipat ako ni Erina at Brianna sa kwarto nila noong mga nakaraang gabi. Hindi man lang nagusot ang bedsheet at kumot sa kama ko, kahit ang unan ay ganoon din ang itsura.

Muntik pa ulit kaming mag-away noong hapunan. Sapilitan ang pagpapaalis sa kanya sa kwarto.

Is this how far you will go for love Kuya?

You are so hard on yourself just to pour your love to someone else. You keep saving everyone you love when you are draining out.

Nakatitig lang siya kay Clea hanggang sa makapagpalit ako ng pantulog. He keeps her warm using his warmth. He sometimes kiss her knuckles.

"Go to sleep," halos paos niyang utos.

I scoff at him, "Ikaw din. Do you want her to worry about you?"

He smirks at me. Walang pake sa sinabi ko. He has dark circles under his eyes. He is also thinner and more tired looking.

"Ang pangit mo na," pabiro ko ng sabi. "Maghahanap na ng iba iyan kapag nagising."

"Sleep. You might grow taller if you do."

Hindi ko na lang pinansin ang pagbibiro niya. Bagkus ay humiga ako sa kama at pinanood sila. Earlier the girls wanted me to come to their sleepover but I refused. I wanted to monitor him-them.

Humarap ako sa kanila. Their silhouettes make an outline of lovers that conquers the living and the dead.

It's as if they were watching each other. Side by side.

Pigil antok ko silang pinanood. Lunox is entertained by my yawns pero hindi ako nagpapatalo. Matutulog lang ako kapag tulog na siya.

Pinikit ko na lang ang mga mata ko. Nakikiramdam sa nagyayari.

I can feel his glance at me. Bumuntong hininga ito pagkatapos akong tignan. Just like before, he talks to her even in her deep wakeless sleep.

"Hindi ka pa ba gigising? I am here already. I'm waiting for you... Please open your eyes. We are worried about you... I am worried about you.

Where are you? Do you want me to find you? Kapag hindi ka bumalik, ako mismo ang maghahanap sa'yo. Hindi kita susukuan. Don't leave me.
You are not alone. We're here—I'm here."

I shift to face the wall. Away from them. Ayaw ko siyang makitang naghihina siya but I also want to see him release his emotions. The heavy inside his chest.

Nahihirapan din naman kaming wala si Clea.

Our Clea.

"Don't give up on me. Because I will not let you. I will not give you up. I need you."

He fell silent. Maybe he was thinking of other things to say to her. Does he know that I am listening?

"Do you know that only you made me fall this hard? No one ever made me feel this way. No one made me hurt this much."

Hindi siya aamin pero alam kong nasaktan siya noong nagpaalam si Mama.

I attentively listen to him.

"Is this a curse?" he chuckles humourless, "I found Soleil but I get to lose you."

"Karma na siguro 'to noong pinanood ko lang siya noon. I feel no pity for her, now it's my turn. Time has no pity for me. I don't even get to see you while you are awake."

I blink at the shock. Tama, pinanood niya lang akong mabuhusan ng harina at maduming tubig. Hindi man lang siya kumurap noong oras na iyon.

But he doesn't deserve this pain.

"I'll wait for you."

Ramdam ko ang yabag niya patayo. I saw him kiss her on the forehead, the tip of her nose, and lastly, her lips.

"If you can't return, then I'll follow you to the underworld... Everywhere you go."