Winter Heat

Chapter 19 - Rain Puddle

Chapter 19 - Rain Puddle

"Oy, Winter!"

That simple greeting kept on playing in my mind. And no matter where I looked, the image of Heat carrying Flame while walking away is what I see.

I knew to myself that I was hurt. I knew I was jealous. The problem was I didn't know how to deal with it. I had no idea what to do with my emotions. Winter Elison was only trained hard for acads. Life was never hers to explore. She only knew about love on her first year at Camp Mitesco. And now, on her second year at the same camp, she's lost again.

Nakakatawa na sa ganoong bagay, si Heat lang ang naiisip kong puwede sanang makatulong sa 'kin. Siya lang ang alam kong makakapagpakuwento sa 'kin. Pero sa pagkakataong 'yon, tungkol na rin sa kaniya ang istorya na iniiyak ko. Nakakatawa na nakakalungkot.

"Figured I'd find you here."

From looking at the dark sky while sitting on the doorway of our tree house, I looked down and saw Brian walking towards my direction, looking up at me. Parang doon ko lang napansin ang oras, dahil sinusundo niya na ako. Doon ko lang naalala na noong napatigil kami sa trail, tumakbo ako sa tree house. At hindi na umalis do'n buong hapon hanggang gabi.

"The whole staff were looking for you earlier because your buddy got into a fight. Well, he just casually punched someone who walked in front of him but—Are you crying?" he asked, cutting his own sentence as he got closer and got a better look at me.

"What do you need?" I just asked back. I didn't even try to wipe my tears because that would give him confirmation that I'm indeed crying. Kunwari na lang namalikmata lang siya.

I knew, though, that I wasn't able to fool him. It's one of the traits that I hate the least about Brian—he didn't ask me again because he sensed that I didn't wanna talk about it. He's annoying but he's kinda matured. "Sab wants to eat dinner with you," he just said.

Napakunot ang noo ko. "Dinner time's over."

Brian just stepped closer to the stairs of the tree house and extended his right hand up to me. "That canteen is in Camp Mitesco—which she owns, by the way."

I just sighed and simply wiped my cheeks. I didn't take his hand but I went down. We then quietly walked to the Grand Cabin. Quiet, because none of us were talking, and because everyone seems to be inside their cabins already. Ganoon na kalalim ang gabi.

Wala na rin kaming nakasalubong sa lobby at hallways ng Grand Cabin. The only other person we saw was Sabrina, who was placing three plates around multiple dishes on one table inside the canteen. Siya ang naghahain dahil wala na rin ang mga staff doon.

Saglit na napatigil si Sabrina sa ginagawa nang mapansin niya ang pagpasok namin ni Brian. Lumingon siya sa 'min.

"Winter, kain na," she told me while smiling. That short invitation to eat and the way she said it did something to my heart and I hoped she knows it. Because I couldn't react. Mas nangingibabaw pa rin ang lungkot na nararamdaman ko noong mga oras na 'yon.

"Heat was looking at you and Frost!" biglang sabi ni Sabrina sa kalagitnaan ng pagkain namin. Nag-angat ako ng tingin, pero diretso kay Brian na nagkibit-balikat lang, bago ako tumingin sa kaniya. "Kinikilig ako sa inyo!"

I sighed. "Last I saw him, he was carrying Flame to the infirmary."

"That bitch!" Ganoon lang kabilis na nagbago ang ekspresyon ni Sabrina. Hindi na ako nagsalita pa ulit. Kaya ko namang magalit kay Flame kahit hindi ko alam kung anong history nilang dalawa, pero kasi... lungkot lang talaga ang mayro'n ako noong panahong 'yon. Yumuko na lang ako ulit at nagpatuloy sa pagkain.