The Girl Who Came From Above

CHAPTER 23: There Are Things That Are Undeniable

Angel rushed over to the bridge habang bitbit niya ang bowl na naglalaman ng mga cherry blossom petals na ikakalat namin mamaya kina Lloren and Jastine. Habang paakyat siya ng hagdan ay bigla siyang nadapa dahil she is rushing over without noticing the steps of the staircase. Natapon lahat ng mga cherry blossom petals and most of it, nagsitapunan sa tubig. The bridge is built over the lake for the people to pass through. Lumapit ako kay Angel and she is picking up the petals na naitapon niya. "Paano na to" she said habang patuloy na namumulot ng petals. Tinulungan ko siyang magpulot ng petals ng mapansin ko ang sugat sa kaniyang tuhod, siguro dahil sa pagkadapa niya. I hurriedly grab her hand, stopping her from picking up the petals at napatingin siya sa akin. "Leave it, you're bleeding" I said to her. Napatingin siya sa tuhod niya na kasalukuyan kong tinitingnan at agad na nagsalita. "Okay lang ako Paulo, mawawala lang iyan mamaya" at nagpatuloy sa pagpulot ng mga petals.

The wind blows kaya nagsiliparan ang mga petals sa tubig at mas lalong nag-alala si Angel dahil iyon ay parte sa plano ni Lloren. It is the most vital part of the surprise. Tumayo si Angel at bumaba ng bridge and less that I expected, lumusong siya sa lake at hinabol ang mga petals that are floating on the deeper portion of the lake. Agad akong tumayo at tumakbo to stop her. I know the surprise is important and Lloren entrusted her about that but it doesn't need for her to be on a dangerous spot upang magiging successful ang surprise ni Lloren. Lumusong din ako sa tubig at hinawakan siya sa kamay. "Angel, stop it. Let's think of something else" she stop walking and stares at me. Hindi siya umimik at hinayaan niya lang akong hilahin siya out from the water.

Her shoes are wet as well as the lower portion of his jeans. Umakyat kami pabalik sa bridge and saw Jastine and Lloren still talking to each other. Nakatingin lang ako kay Angel habang si Angel naman ay nakatingin lang sa kanilang dalawa. I already know her secret and I know that she is not Jastine's cousin that's why sometimes I can feel that she has something to Jastine. Even that she's not telling me about how she feels towards Jastine, ramdam ko and it is obviously spitting out from her. Lloren give us her sign for the cherry blossom petals kaya I raised my hand to gain Lloren's attention and inform her that there will be no petals but I am shocked when Angel put her hand in the air and the wind started to blow harder. The trees shake and in a minute, nagsihulugan ang mga petals and it is undeniably beautiful.

I never expected that tonight, marami akong malalaman tungkol kay Angel. Una, I knew accidentally that she is a guardian and now nalaman ko na mayroon siyang nararamdaman para kay Jastine. Nalaman ko rin na kaya niyang gumawa ng mga bagay na hindi kayang gawin ng karaniwan na tao at nalaman ko rin kung gaano niya kagusto na pasayahin si Jastine kahit alam ko na nasasaktan na siya. Angel is still staring at them, the sadness in her eyes are manifesting. Pilit siyang ngumingiti pero ramdam ko ang kaniyang pagkatamlay. Jastine suddenly pulled Lloren closer to him and kissed her kaya agad akong lumapit kay Angel. I cover her eyes upang hindi niya makita but I think I am too late for that. Before I can even cover her eyes, she already saw it.

Naramdaman ko ang pagtulo ng mga luha sa kaniyang mga mata. Angel is crying. She slowly sob as if she's trying to stop herself from crying. Hinila ko kaagad siya palayo sa lugar na iyon. I can't bear to see her looking at that scene. Huminto kami sa paglalakad when I feel like malayo na kami kina Lloren at Jastine. Humarap ako sa kaniya, she's still crying but pilit niyang pinapahid ang mga luhang tumutulo sa kaniyang mga mata. "Angel-.." I can't continue speaking dahil she cut me off. "Paulo, hindi ko maiintindihan kung ano ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Bakit, bakit ako umiiyak?" hindi ako nakaimik dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Hindi ako tao Paulo. Hindi ako nakakaramdam. Hindi maaaring umiiyak ako ngayon" dagdag niya na lalong nagpaalala sa akin. Instead of na magsalita ako, lumapit ako sa kaniya at niyakap siya ng mahigpit. I don't know how to comfort her dahil mismo ako, hindi ko alam. Hindi ko alam na ang mga taga-bantay ay hindi maaaring makaramdam ng pagkalungkot at pag-iyak. "I think, I think you already like Jastine, Angel" mahina kong sambit sa kaniya. Humiwalay siya sa pagkayakap at tumingin sa aking mga mata. "Hindi Paulo, hindi kami pwedeng magkagusto sa mga tao. Hindi ito maaari, naguguluhan lang ako. Naninibago lang ako" sabi niya while trying her best not to admit the thought that Angel started to like a human being. "Pasensiya kana Paulo, pero gusto ko munang mapag-isa ngayon" sabi ni Angel sabay takbo ng mabilis palayo sa direksiyon ko. "Angel, wait-.." she dashed off at hindi ko na naaninag kung saang direksiyon tumakbo si Angel.

I feel my phone vibrated on my pocket kaya kinuha ko ito at sinagot. "Paulo, are you with Angel right now? I need to talk to her" sabi ni Jastine sa kabilang linya. Inaaninag ko ulit ang daan kung saan tumakbo si Angel but I can't see her. "She's with me earlier but I'm afraid I lose her" I replied. "Where are you right now?" Jastine hurriedly asked. "I'm somewhere quite away from the campsite, I can still see the light post in the bridge from here. In my right side" I said to him. "Okay, I'll be right there" he replied and ended the call. Minutes passed, I can hear some footsteps na paparating sa direksiyon ko and my hunch is right, it is Jastine. Hingal na hingal siya at nang makita niya ako lumapit kaagad siya sa akin at nagsalita, "Nasaan si Angel?" he asked. "She ran off that way. I'm afraid she might got lost and it's dark and dangerous out there-.." hindi paman ako makatapos sa pagsasalita ay agad na tumakbo si Jastine upang hanapin si Angel. I pick up my phone, dialed both Ken and Josh numbers and ask for their help.

Ken, Josh, and three more boys are running towards my direction. "What happened?" Ken asked me. "We lost Angel. We need to separate and find her. Madilim na at it'll be dangerous for her to be alone. Jastine is also looking for her in the woods" I replied at agad naman nagsitanguan sila. "Let's leave marks on the trees so that we can find our way back" I added and Ken handed me colored tapes na magiging mark namin upang hindi kami maligaw sa gubat. "Magkikita tayo ulit dito" Josh said habang tinatahak ang daan papasok ng gubat.

I shouldn't have let you ran away like that Angel.