The Curse

[#2]

THE PEACEFUL CURSE

Zarxenne's POV.

"Cleo, may P.E ka today?" Nasalubong ko si Cleo sa corridor na kalalabas lang ng classroom.

"Yeah, it's actually my next subject" Banggit n'ya.

"Ay same! Twinning!" Pang-aasar ko sa kaniya.

He laughed while opening his locker, getting his P.E uniform out. Sumenyas s'ya sa'kin na magpapalit muna s'ya ng uniform. 

Kinuha ko na din yung akin tsaka dumeretso ng banyo. I immediately removed my shoes and  suddenly, two girls entered the bathroom. Mukhang magpapalit din sila ng damit for P.E.

"Have you seen that 2nd-year college student named Cleo?" The girl with long hair and eyeglasses asked.

"Cleo?" Patanong na sabi naman ng kasama n'ya

"The dodgeball player?" Tanong n'ya ulit.

Kinuha ko na ang mga damit ko at pumasok sa isang cubicle para magpalit. Hindi ko fully sinara ang pinto ng cubicle para makita ang dalawang babaeng pinaguusapan si Cleo.

"YES! He's so fine!" The girl with long hair exaggeratedly said.

"I think he has a girlfriend." The other girl said.

"Well, I don't see 'em together." The long-haired girl said.

Lumabas ako ng cubicle atsaka inayos ang pinaghubadan ko. Lumabas na din ng banyo yung dalawang babae. I looked at the mirror and fixed my clothes.

It's been a year and a half since my mom decided to cut my wings. She's a surgeon and she saw me suffering because of my wings. It's getting bigger as time goes by kaya napagisipan n'yang putulin na din. It's been very relieving since then. I started college with a light body.

Lumabas na ako ng banyo and Cleo's leaning against the wall, waiting for me.

"You are so slow." Banggit nya habang nakapamewang pa.

Naglakad kami papuntang gymnasium ng may biglang tumawag ng pangalan ko...

~~~~~~~~~~

Cleo's POV.

"Zarxenne!" A man called Arxe. Lumingon sa'kin si Arxe at inabot ang dala n'yang bag ng sapatos.

"Wait lang ahh!" She ran towards the man. Sumandal muna ko sa pader para intayin sya.

At once, bumalik din s'ya. She brought the man with her.

"Cleo si Gray, Gray si Cleo." Pagpapakilala n'ya.

"Sasabay na daw s'ya sa'tin papuntang gym" She said. I nodded back as an answer.

Sumabay saamin si Gray papuntang gymnasium. While on our way, Arxe ran instantly towards her friends, who were already sitting on the benches in the gym. 

All of a sudden, Gray grabbed me by the hand and stopped me from walking.

"Is that your girl?" Tanong nya bigla.

"Yeah." She is my girl. Since then, I have never wanted anyone else except her.

He gives out a chuckle matapos ko s'yang sagutin.

Before the game started, Arxe walked towards me to give me the Gatorade that I asked her to buy.

"So, what y'all gonna play today? Typical dodgeball?" She asked.

"No, we're going to play basketball. I don't know what changed with the agenda, but the coach said that the other section was going to play dodgeball and would use the new balls. It's hard to play with the old balls, which is why maybe we're going to play basketball instead." I explained.

"You're way better at this game than just sitting there." I utter.

She chuckled and goes back to the bench. Hahatiin lang ang oras namin for the girls to also play.

----- 2 YEARS LATER -----

Zarxenne's POV.

It's summer, and it's been a year since I've seen Cleo; I've had to be homeschooled kasi since the start of my 4th year of college because, unexpectedly, my wings started to grow again. It was growing fast this time. I hope Cleo's doing okay... He's going to start his fifth year.

"Anak!" My mom called me.

Bumaba ako para puntahan si mama na nasa lamesa sa kusina. Nakaupo s'ya at hindi umiimik. Lumapit ako sa kaniya at umupo sa katabing upuan.

"Kamusta?" She asked.

"It's still hurting." I said. We're talking about my wings.

"I have to tell you something." Lumingon s'ya sa'kin at hinawakan ang aking mga mukha. She's serious.

"Your dad and I fell in love at the wrong time. His mother, your grandma, doesn't want me to be the wife of her only child. She likes someone better for his son, but your dad insists. We ran away from his family, and his dad helped us live together." Kuwento n'ya

"I turned 25, and you came. We tried to go back and ask for forgiveness from her mom. We talked to her, and we told her that I'm pregnant. As we talk about my pregnancy, your grandma had a heart attack. Before she ran out of time, she cursed you. She called it the Peaceful Curse." She continued, and my tears started to fall, she wiped them immediately.

"We were so scared of the consequences. At first, everything was fine, but as you grow, you develop your wings. Your dad explained to me that he is a hundred percent sure that it's the curse from your grandmother because the only thing that your grandma finds peaceful... are birds." She explained.

I can't help but cry, knowing the truth that this curse will never be revoked. Nagmadali akong tumakbo paakyat sa kwarto ng makaramdam ulit ako ng malalang sakit. At this time, it never stops. The pain—it feels like my whole body will explode. I need Cleo. I need him to be here. Sobrang sakit na ng pakiramdam ko.

TO BE CONTINUED...