The Unseen Trial [Ace Lucifer's Series Three] ON GOING

Twenty Seventh Trial

warning: alam niyo na wahahahahahaha *tuuuut* again, hindi na kayo bata, o kung bata man sa edad, pero hindi sa isip, you have been warned guys. wag gayahin ah? read at your own risk. 

ENJOY READING! 

BRYSON 27

"Merry Christmas!" bulong ni Bryson matapos ang misa. It's December 19th, days before the Christmas. It's a chilly morning. The sun almost rising. Ang mga tao sa paligid ay may kaniya-kaniyang jacket. Ang ilan ay kinikiskis ang kamay dahil sa lamig ng madaling araw. Some people are buying foods for breakfast, but unlike the normal days, they're buying the once in a blue moon food every Christmas.

"Excited ka?" tanong niya kay Bryson. Inakbayan siya nito pero ayos lang naman sa kaniya. Bryson's body heat helped her to ease the coldness of the morning.

"Hindi ko nasabi sa'yo 'nong umpisa nung unang Simbang gabi...tsk... nasira tuloy 'yung tradition ko." Ngumuso si Bryson. Hindi siya tinignan, but Candace looked up at him. Namumula ang mga mata nito dala ng pag-iyak nito kagabi, but then, as always, Bryson's cheerful as he is. Always. As if nothing happened last night.

Parang bumalik sila sa dati, bago sabihin ni Diane ang lahat, at bago nito guluhin ang isip niya.

Bryson's lightened up face. Always beaming. Always ready to make jokes for her... and be silly, habang siya ay parang bored na bored na kasama, at parang ayaw kasama si Bryson. Their usual duology atmosphere is back.

And it's all because of Bryson. He handled the both of them well, especially her.

Back when she's not saying anything to Bryson, and when he doesn't know a single thing, everything in her mind is chaotic. She can't organize her thoughts properly. She wanted to escape. Everything was hazy, but only one thing that stood out that time, and that was to protect Bryson amidst her chaos... but then, when Bryson made sense to her, as if everything Diane had said was not true.

Alam ni Candace na parte ng sinabi ni Diane ay totoo, but what Bryson said, she should've communicated, asked them, and opened up to them like promised but then she didn't. Mas nauna ang instinct niya, at pag-aalala niya kaya hindi man direktang sinabi ni Diane, sinunod niya ito. She distanced herself, when in fact, she shouldn't have.

And Bryson's right. Everything about her is valid. Her opinions. Her thoughts. Her feelings, and decisions... but mistake is inevitable but she doesn't have to dwell on it. Instead, dapat siyang bumawi.

"Tradition?" she asked.

He sighed. "I promised myself to greet you Merry Christmas every start of Simbang gabi...wala lang. Wala kasi ako ng mismong pasko palagi kaya gusto kong mauna... gano'n... pero yaan mo na. Magkasama naman tayo. Ayos lang... at mas okay dahil okay na tayo."

"Kailan ang alis niyo?" she asked. Hindi ito ang unang beses na mawawala si Bryson tuwing holiday, at summer break dahil sa tuwing ganitong panahon, Bryson's family has something to settle in other countries. Kada-taon ay paiba-ibang bansa, at dahil naka-settle sila sa Pilipinas, tuwing bakasyon lang naasikaso ang mga iyon, at ang paniguradong balik ay ang mismong unang araw ng klase matapos ang bakasyon.

"Bukas... bali, madaling araw pa naman kaya sa susunod na bukas pa."

Tumango na lang siya.

"Bilhan natin ng pasalubong si Bella. Panigurong gising na 'yon pagka-uwi." Hinatak siya ni Bryson sa bilihan ng bibingka. May puto bungbong din itong binili. Candace plans to eat breakfast at Bryson's. Hindi siya sigurado kung si Macey ay nandoon din lalo na't bakasyon na, katulad ni Bryson but to be sure, marami na ang binili ni Bryson.