Dark Fairytale (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Chapter 31: Eremitia

CHAPTER 31: EREMITIA

"Where there is mystery, it is generally suspected there must also be evil."

- Lord Byron

It was finally Friday. Even though Declan made sure that I don't leave his sight for the past few days, he apparently had some business to do today. Madaling araw pa lang ay wala na siya sa Casa Eleonor. Hindi rin siya pumasok sa Elford High. Tulad noong nakarang umalis siya, ang sabi ni Lev ay hindi ito mawawala nang matagal; that he was just around. I was starting to get curious at what he was actually doing. Did it have something to do with him being a Novou?

I sighed as I watched the group at the table across mine. It was the second time Forest had lunch with Zoey and her friends. Maybe, she really just decided that being friends with me was not worth it. Forest was actually a pretty girl. Her cute, innocent face and attractive red hair could catch anyone's attention. Hindi maipagkakailang nababagay talaga siya sa grupo ni Zoey. Ganoon pa man ay hindi ko pa rin maiwasan ang makaramdam ng lungkot. I had seriously started to like being friends with her.

"You must never trust a reaper," I heard Lev murmured beside me. Tulad ng sinabi niya kay Declan ay hindi nga niya ako pinabayaan lalo na when it comes to food. He was treating me to delicious meals. Napapaisip tuloy ako kung talagang binabayaran siya ni Declan upang gawin iyon.

"Reaper?" kunot-noo kong tanong.

Tila nagulat pa si Lev sa sinabi kong iyon. Mukhang hindi niya sinasadya ang pagbanggit dito dahil agad siyang napailing kasabay ng mabilis na paglingon sa paligid. Sabay pa kaming napabaling sa direksiyon ni Forest at nakita itong nakatingin din sa amin. Matamis ang kaniyang ngiti subalit nanlilisik ang mga mata.

"Just forget it," bigla'y wika ni Lev.

Bahagya akong napasimangot sa kaniya. He shouldn't have said things to me if they were meant to be a secret. Hindi ko alam kung hanggang kailan ko hahayaan itong paglilihim nila ni Declan. Now that Forest seemed to distance herself from us and Declan and Lev being so secretive, I couldn't help but feel insecure. What if no one really wanted to stay friends with me?

Maghapon akong binagabag ng isipin na iyon. Hindi rin nakatulong ang mga mapanghusgang tingin na patuloy kong natatanggap. Invisible or standing out, I still suffered. It wasn't really the high school life I dreamed of. All I wanted was to make friends in Elford High just like my parents.

Nagpakawala ako ng buntonghininga at sumandal sa bench na katabi ng malaking puno sa likod ng school. Medyo matagal na rin nang huli akong magpalipas ng oras dito. At dahil wala si Declan at si Lev naman ay may panghuling klase, dito ko na lang naisipan na maghintay. Medyo na-miss ko rin kasi ang katahimikan ng lugar na ito.

"So, you're back to the place that you belong."

Bigla ay napatuwid ako ng upo sa tinig na iyon. Kunot-noo akong lumingon at nakita ang papalapit na si Zoey. Tulad ko ay mukhang naghihintay din siya ng pagtatapos ng klase.

Pinili kong hindi sumagot sa insulto niya. Iyon ang karaniwan kong ginagawa at alam kong kapag nanatili akong tahimik ay titigilan niya rin ako. Subalit tila may iba pa siyang pakay dahil nagpatuloy siya sa paglapit at tumayo sa mismong harap ko. Nagtataka ko siyang pinagmasdan. Ni minsan ay hindi ko pa nakitang nagawi sa parteng ito ng school si Zoey. She didn't like the seclusion of this place; thus, it became my safe space. Kaya naman hindi ko maintindihan kung ano ang ginagawa niya ngayon dito.

"Not so brave now that you're alone?" muli ay sarkastiko nitong pahayag.

Bahagya akong napailing at sinalubong ang arogante niyang tingin. "Ignoring your insults doesn't make me a coward," mahinahon kong sabi.