The Midnight Lies (THE PRESTIGE 3)

14

El Guerrero

He fears my death more than his. What did he meant by that?  He fears the thought of living without me, of not being able to protect me or take care of me. He fears the thought of not being able to be there for me when I need him.

Nandoon na kami sa isang bench. Malapit na sa parking lot.Mabuti na lang at kakaonti na lang ang tao pero may mga ilan pa rin na nagbubulungan sa gilid dahil nakaalalay sa akin si Sorin. Bitbit niya ang gamit naming dalawa sa kaniyang isang kamay.

I almost drowned...and yet, he jumped to the pool without any hesitation.

I saw it. He just opened the door and the moment he heard me screaming and fighting for my life, he run towards me.

If I were him, at alam ko namang magaling akong lumangoy, at may nakita akong nalulunod, tatalon din naman ako agad. That'll be my first reaction too. However, the fear in his eyes is bothering me. Really confusing me. Kung takot ako kanina, mas takot siya. And the way he hug me, it seems like he don't want to lose me. He is afraid for my safety.

It's no big deal. He saw you drowning, he saved you. Alangan namang panoorin ka lang niya hindi ba? Baka takot lang na sa kaniya nga masisi kung sakaling nalunod ako.

I looked down to my hands which is still trembling. I felt like the water is reaching my chest—straggling me to breathe.

Paano nga pala kung wala si Sorin? Paano kung hindi niya ko pinuntahan at hindi ako pinansin dahil galit nga siya? O, nahuli man lang siya ng dating? On going ang ceremony. Nandoon lahat ng tao.

Ako lang. Ako lang ang natira sa swimming pool area. Mag-isa. Nalulunod.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

I shifted on my seat when I heard Sorin's voice. He squatted in front of me and almost stripped my clothes off judging on how the way he looks. Nilagay din sa gilid ko ang kape na mukhang sa starbucks pa nga binili. Hindi rin nakaligtas sa akin ang isa pang supot.

"Saan ang masakit? Hmm?" He asked again.

Now that he's in front of me this close, the fear in his eyes is very vivid now.

"Nothing." Mahinahon kong sagot na parang kinagulat ko pa dahil hindi ako nasigaw.

Hindi na siguro iyon maiaalis sa akin. Matatatak na sa isip ko ang nangyari sa araw na ito. Sa kung paano ako unti-unting nawalan ng pag-asa dahil wala akong kasama. Pero, sa kabila ng pagsuko ko, may nagligtas sa akin. Hinawakan niya ako. Hindi lang basta hinawakan, dinaluhan niya ako at niyakap ang lahat ng akin.

"Is this mine?" I broke the silence.

Ako na ako kumuha ng kape sa gilid ko. I saw him watching me intently for some time before he let out a harsh sigh.

"Careful it's hot."

Our hands touched. Nagkatinginan kami saglit pero ako na ang umiwas.

I can't stand to see how his stares looks so indifferent than the usual emotions I get to see whenever we met in the market.

"I'll send you home after you finish it." He said horsely.

Nakatingin lang ako sa kaniya habang umiinom ng kape. Iyong thank you ko, nakabara sa lalamunan ko. Humahanap pa ng tiyempo kung kailan ko ibobomba iyon.

It's not so me. It's not so us. We used to annoy each other. Irritate each other. Paulit ulit ko na iyong sinasabi sa sarili ko. Pero may mga pagkakataon talaga na ganito. Na ganito kami. Akala mo magkasundo. Akala mo, close.

And this, being silent with him, I am not used to this. This is...giving me different feelings I can't even formulate and name it at all.

"I saw your profile in the hallway." Pasimula ko. Trying to divert the attention with regards to my drowning accident. Ayaw ko ring pag-usapan pa dahil pakiramdam ko ay nilulunod ako nang paulit ulit. "Ace player, huh?"