Winter Heat

Chapter 22 - All This Time

Chapter 22 - All This Time

It had been the talk of the camp.

Heat giving Flame a bouquet of freshly picked carnation flowers, I mean. From breakfast up until dinner, I didn't hear anyone talking about anything else. Well, except from Frost who didn't say a word again after his buddies-supporting-each-other pep talk, and well, Billy and Chan na maghapong nasa infirmary.

First time kong pumasok noon sa infirmary ng Camp Mitesco at lumalabas lang ako kapag meal time. That's because I didn't wanna go back to our cabin and see the flowers on our coffee table—which still happened because they didn't allow me to sleep on one of the beds in the infirmary that night.

"Winter, look!" bungad pa sa 'kin ni Flame nang pumasok ako sa cabin namin. "Heat gave me these!"

Nananadya ba 'to? Tapos hindi ako puwedeng mayamot kasi ipinapakita niya lang naman sa 'kin 'yong mga bulaklak? Tangina. Mas pipiliin ko pa si Avery na lantarang maldita lang kaysa ganito.

"Congrats, Flame," was what I replied to her. Even I don't know why that is what I said. But it made her smile triumphantly.

The next morning, I found myself eating breakfast with Frost, Billy, Chan, Brian, and Sabrina. I don't remember how it happened, but we were all in one table.

"Malaman ko lang talaga kung sinong nag-tsismis sa 'yo!" gigil na sabi ni Sabrina. Yep, they were talking about the rumours. And yep, it reached even the management.

I simply looked at Frost who was already looking at me. We both know who it was. And, honestly, bitter na kung bitter but I would love for Flame to be out of Camp Mitesco... if it wasn't for this hopeless lover boy. Tsk. Plus, I'm not really sure if that would satisfy me. Gusto ko rin namang lumaban nang patas. 'Di ko lang talaga alam kung mayro'n pa bang laban.

"Have you talked to Heat?" Nag-angat lang ulit ako ng tingin nang itanong 'yon ni Brian. Sa 'kin nakatutok ang mga mata niya.

"About what?"

"About the flowers?"

"Those were for you!" pagsingit pa ni Sabrina. "Kaya nga pumayag ako agad kahit mamaya n'yo pa activity 'yon—"

"What for?" I asked which made them all stop eating. "Why do we need to talk about it?"

Why does it matter who those flowers are for? Flame got them in the end. And Heat agreed to her about me and Frost...

"A-Ah, oo..."

Damn it.

"Madam..." may naiilang na tawang pagtawag sa 'kin ni Billy pero nanatili akong seryoso.

"Do you want alone time with him? You can talk inside the office," sabi naman ni Brian. "You're always there last year, anyway."

I sighed. "I just want quiet." They all looked at me. "Please."

Our table fell silent.

I was about to continue eating when Chan spoke. "Ayaw mo na?"

Napalingon ako sa kaniya. At kay Frost. Seryoso lang din siyang nakatingin sa 'kin.

Bumuntong-hininga ako ulit saka bagsak ang mga balikat na nagsalita. "Can I just... have time away from all this?"