And Scene!

017

Ophelia: Madilim yung daanan pauwi sa bahay namin. May dadaanan pa kasing ektarya ng palayan, at halos wala pa dating ilaw. Kailangan talaga may dalang flashlight ang kahit sinong nakatira do'n.

I also had a phobia of walking alone in the dark. When I was a child, a man suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled  if it were not for Grantham who almost murdered him with a rock. We never really saw his face when he run away. Years later, the idea of that person still on the loose continued to haunt me.

Kaya lagi akong hatid sundo ni Grantham.

That night was different. Hindi ko inaakala na gagabihin ako sa pamimili ng mga gamit. I did not bring my flashlight with me, and that specific person was nowhere in sight. For the first time, he was being a teenager— dating and exploring with other girls instead of coddling his best friend.

I wanted to go home, so despite the dark path, I walked. Nanginginig pa ang kamay ko habang naglalakad. Naka ilang Hail Mary na ata ako habang yakap yakap ang sarili. Bitbit ang mga pinamili na gamit.

Trust me when I say that I am not exaggerating of how everything was pitch black, and a simple light would mean a great difference. Nasa kalagitnaan ata ako ng Our Father nang may marinig akong tunog ng bisikleta kasabay ang pagliwanag ng lugar.

It came from its headlights, and there I saw Constantine driving.

Constantine: It was a dangerous road, and seeing a gentle girl like Ophelia being there alone made me furious. Nasaan ang magaling niyang best friend na halos hindi siya bitawan?

Ophelia: Bumagal sa pag papatakbo ng bisikleta si Constantine pang pantayan ako. Tinanong niya kung bakit wala daw ako kasama. I told him to go away.

He rolled his eyes before saying, "Huwag kang tanga, Ophelia."

I glared at him, of course, for his word choice. Con grinned apologetically while peddling. His headlight only gleams when the bicycle is moving, so he can't stop and wait for my pacing. May mga oras na malalampasan niya ako sa bagal ko maglakad. Minsan, bababa siya mag abang. Bubuksan niya ang stand at gagalawin ang pedal para ilawan ang dinadaanan ko.

He was so patient... waiting for me. Hindi siya nag reklamo kapag hindi ko siya sinasagot sa tuwing kakausapin niya ako, o kaya naman sa tuwing sinasadya kong bagalan ang lakad para lalo siyang mainis. He wouldn't leave me there. May kasalanan sa akin, eh.

If it were not for the stunt he pulled last few weeks ago, I would've kissed him right on that spot.

Constantine: It was fun... watching Ophelia try to push all my buttons when in fact, I was enjoying our time alone. Mas lalo niyang pinapahaba ang oras namin. Sarili niya namang kagagawan 'yan.

She was so pretty even with her knotted forehead. Parang rabbit na maldita. Perhaps, I was too focused on trying to win her apology for the past few days that I forgot how much she looked adorably frightening. Yung tipong hindi naman siya nakakasindak pero mapapa-amo ka na lang.

Ophelia: When we reached our house, he stopped biking. Tumigil ako at hinarap si Constantine, siniguradong mararamdaman niya kung gaano ako kagalit. He stood inches away from me, staring back with those sullen eyes. Despite my grudge towards the boy, his charms still managed to hold a candle against me.

[Sighs] I finally decided to fight back.

"Why did you quit the team, Constantine?"

Constantine: Ophelia Ruiz cornered me with that question. Hindi ko kaagad siya na sagot. Parang nag war flashback sa akin ang nangyari noong mga nakaraang linggo. How I walked away in a snap... the disappointment from my teammates' face... my father's rage. Everything was so vivid.

Nilakasan ko ang aking loob bago siya sinagot. "Kasi matatanggal rin naman ako. The quiz bee was the only chance to pull up my grades, and I didn't make an appearance."

Between me and her, I was straight up lying through my teeth.

And I should've known better than to underestimate the girl in front of me.

Ophelia: I went on a rampage and blurted out all the words I have been meaning to tell him, all the inferences I've drawn during the nights I lie awake thinking about Constantine Rivera.

Constantine: "The teachers offered you remedials. Huwag mo ako bigyan ng mga ganyang rason. You just didn't want to be there. Guilt fades away, Con, and eventually you start to regret all the impulsive things you have done to make it vanish."

"Pero hindi ka nagsisi sa ginawa mo, di'ba? Kasi kung oo, kinuha mo na kaagad ang oportunidad na bumalik sa oras na binigay 'yon sa'yo. You didn't leave the team because you were guilty. You left because you wanted to, and it wasn't out of impulse."

I have never been good in memorizations, but as Ophelia psycho-analyzed me, her words have repeatedly rung inside my head ever since. Those were her exact lines delivered with so much conviction, as if she hit the bullseye.

That girl just fucking called me out... deciphered the truth that had puzzled me for years.

Ophelia: Constantine Rivera stepped closer and placed his hand gently on my face. Gone the soft boy who was willing to go down his knees, begging for forgiveness. The man in front of me that very moment was unruly, fearful, and defeated.

"Has anyone ever told you how smart you are, Ophelia?" he questioned with his teeth gritted.

Perhaps, that was the first sign of growing up. All the magic suddenly doesn't making sense anymore until you start to hate how childish it is.

The jock woke up one day and realized he hates sports. [A bitter smile] If you think about it, that was the universe’s first sigil of warning.

Grantham: I waited outside her house for nearly two hours after finding out she hasn't been home. It was the most excruciating 120 minutes filled with hatred, worry, and regret— that I should've asked her more of her plans, and that I should've canceled mine.

Then from a distance, I saw her... with Constantine's palm resting on her rosy cheeks, and the only thing I could think about was, 'thank god, she's safe'.