Arielle and Eclipse

18

18

Pinikit ko ang mata ko at lumunok. Kinabahan ako bigla sa naging sitwasyon ko ngayon. Damn it, don't tell me I was tricked and he really didn't get inside?

Unti-unti kong binitawan ang seradura ng pinto. Kinalma ko ang sarili at nag-isip ng pwedeng gawin para depensahan ang sarili kung sakali mang saktan niya ako. Hindi ako dapat kumilos agad at baka magulat ko lang siya. He might end up really stabbing me once he thinks I suddenly get violent.

Huminga ako nang malalim at nagdesisyong harapin nalang siya. I was about to turn myself to him when he suddenly walked and went in front of me instead.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang ma-realize kung sino ang lalaking 'to. What the?

"You surely are a weird woman, aren't you?" He said, grinning from ear to ear.

Hindi ako sumagot at salubong ang kilay na tinitigan lang siya. Naguguluhan ang isip ko kung bakit nandito siya when in fact, walang tao dito kanina maliban sa akin at sa lalaking nakaitim. At isa pa, ba't naman siya mapapadpad dito?

"What are you doing here?" I asked him instead and eyed him warily.

He smiled and looked around. He spread his arms wide and returned his gaze at me. "Well, let's just say I strolled around the school in boredom until I stumbled upon this strange place and found you here."

I impassively stared at him. Hindi ako sumagot at tinantiya ang sagot nito. Hanggang sa bumaba ang tingin ko sa kamay nito at nagulat sa nakitang bagay na hawak-hawak niya. Awtomatikong bumalik sa isip ko ang nangyari kanina at kusang napaatras.

Fuck, I forgot. He poked a knife on me earlier!

"Why? What's the matter?"

I took another step back. I tightly held on my bag for some support, and maybe, for defense. My eyes were still fixated at what he was holding--the butterfly knife the black-clothed guy dropped earlier when we were on a chase. At dahil dun, hindi ko maiwasang isiping he might be the guy who chased me. Kasi naman, how could he be casually here a moment after that guy's presence disappeared? He was holding the exact knife of that bastard. Imposibleng nagkataon lang na lumitaw siya sa likod ko kanina. Sigurado akong inabangan niya ako at nagpanggap lang na ibang tao.

Tiningnan ko ang kabuuan nito at napamura. Tangina, and he's clothed in all black! The only difference is, he doesn't have the mask, his jacket doesn't have any hood, and he has no black glove in his hands. But, heck, I can't help it! The stance is the same, his body build, and...his voice. That deep voice which really engraved in my mind ever since the first time I heard gim speak.

Hindi kaya siya talaga 'yung sumusunod sa'kin kanina?

"You look like you saw something horrible." Puna nito nang ilang segundo pa ay nanatili pa rin akong nakatitig sakanya.

Experienced something horrible, you mean.

I gritted my teeth and looked at the other way. Masamang maghinala lalo na't hindi din naman ako sigurado sa iniisip ko pero hindi din naman siguro masamang maging maingat sakanya simula ngayon. The assumptions fit but I shouldn't just jump into conclusions. And besides, naisip ko rin na kung siya nga ang lalaking humabol sa'kin kanina, he would waste no time chitchatting to me right now and would immediately stab me in the back without hesitations just as he was told to do so.

Pretty boring to die here in school, noh?

I sighed and gave the idea up. I stared at the knife in his hand then at his curious eyes for the last time and turned my back from him. Isinukbit ko ang bag sa balikat at nagsimulang humakbang. I was wary of his presence but it really didn't give me any suspicions air yet so I let go of the thought of him being one of my killers. For now, at least.