Depression Plutus (Curse #4)

CHAPTER 26 Annoyed

OTTILIE VIRSES POV
 
 
She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Honestly, don't you have any shame?" she said, then turned to Plutus, her expression softening. "You really shouldn’t waste your time with her, Prince Plutus."
 
Plutus gave her a bored look, arms crossed. "I’ll decide who I waste my time on. Don’t need advice from someone wasting theirs," he muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
 
Natawa ako sa pinagsasabi ng bruhilda na 'to, napaka-wild naman ng imagination nila para isipin na nilalandi ko si Slate at Plutus. Mukhang hindi ko kaya palagpasin ngayong araw ang kabobohan nila, ah. 
 
I tilted my head, "Got a problem with me?" Pag-aangas ko sa kan'ya.
 
She crossed her arms and stepped closer. "Yeah. I can’t stand girls who act all innocent while throwing themselves at every guy in sight."
 
I laughed quietly. May mga ganitong pagkakataon talaga na hindi na ako nakakapag-isip ng tama. Sa sobrang badtrip ko, basta ko na lang nilapitan ito. I grabbed her head and smacked it against mine with a solid satisfying thud. She staggered back, a shocked expression crossing her face as she clutched her forehead. 
 
"Oh my gosh!" 
 
"Are you okay?"
 
"How dare you!"
 
Ilan lang 'yan sa mga reaksyon ng mga alipores na kasama ng malditang may makapal na nguso. Mas inuna pa nila ang kaartihan nila bago tulungan ang kaibigan nila na nasaktan ng dahil sa ginawa ko.
 
"Sa susunod na tawagin mo ako ng kung ano-ano, paduduguin ko na 'yang nguso mo na sagana sa turok," pagbabanta ko dito. 
 
"You bitch! I swear you're not going away with this!" She grumbled.
 
"Ah, gusto mo pa ata ng isa," turan ko at muling susugod na naman sa kan'ya ngunit may malalakas na kamay na pumigil sakin.
 
"Alright, enough."

Plutus’s voice was a low growl, and before I knew it, Plutus had thrown me over his shoulder like a sack of flour, marching away before I could even process it. 
 
"Bitawan mo ko! Hindi pa ako tapos sa isang 'yan!" Pagpoprotesta ko habang hinahampas ang likod nito. 
 
"Oh, you’re definitely done." He smirked, barely fazed by my struggles. "Or should I drop you off at the principal’s office instead?"
 
I glared at him. "Sige, subukan mo para makagat ko 'yang tenga mo."
 
He chuckled, sounding both amused and exasperated. "You really don’t know when to quit, do you?"
 
I huffed, crossing my arms as best as I could while I'm still on his shoulder. "Buti nga sa kan'ya, dasurv."
 
"Deserved it or not, you’re trouble," he said, shaking his head as we made our way out of the hall.

"And next time, think before you go all ‘wild beast’ on someone." He finally put me down once we were in front of a door, but his smug grin told me how he finds this thing very amusing. 
 
Nang maibaba ako ni Plutus, doon ko lang naramdaman ang pagkirot ng noo ko. Pagkapa ko dito, napansin kong may tumubo ng bukol mula sa pagkaka headbang ko kanina sa bruha. 
 
"Ow!" I hissed, fingers brushing the bump.
 
Aksidenteng nahagip ng mga mata ko si Plutus na napapakagat sa labi nito habang nakatitig sa noo kong may bukol. 
 
"Serves you right for diving headfirst into a fight," Plutus teased as he stifled a laugh, smirking at me.
 
I glared at him. "Isa, tatamaan ka sa'kin!" I clenched my fist, ready to take a swing, but the door swung open just as I stepped forward. Slate stood there, his face breaking into a wide smile when he saw me.
 
"Ottilie!" he beamed, then pulled me into a hug.

I froze, too stunned to react to Slate’s unexpected clinginess.
 
Meanwhile, Plutus just slipped past us without a word, leaving me with Slate. When Slate finally released me, his smile dropped as he noticed the bump on my forehead. His brows creased with concern.
 
"Anong nangyari diyan?" he asked. "Tara sa loob para magamot." 
 
"Wala lang 'yan," I tried to brush it off, but he gently took my hand, leading me into the practice room.
 
The first thing I noticed was his bandmates scattered around, chatting among themselves. They welcomed me, and I shyly waved back. Then, I roamed my eyes inside the room. The place was cozier than I expected, filled with instruments: drums, guitars, a piano. But what caught my eye was a violin hanging on the wall, looking well-loved.
 
Slate guided me to a plush couch and made me sit. "Stay here a sec."
 
After rummaging around, he returned with a white first-aid box with a red cross on it. He sat beside me and started to open the kit.
 
“Alright, hold still,” he said, sitting beside me and opening the box.
 
"Ako na, Slate, kaya ko na 'to," I protested, reaching for the kit, but Slate frowned, pushing my hand away.
 
"Ottilie, let me take care of it," he said softly, dabbing ointment on my forehead. His closeness was making my heart race.
 
Nagpapanic na lahat ng laman-loob ko sa katawan dahil sa sobrang lapit nito sa'kin. Nagmukha akong bata dahil sa laki nito, nahihiya naman akong lumayo dahil seryoso na ang mukha nito habang ginagamot ako. 
 
Hays, napakagwapo niya talaga pero bakit parang hindi na gano'n kalakas ang appeal niya sa'kin kumpara noong una ko siyang nakita? 
 
"So… mind telling me how you got this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
 
I sighed, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Hindi ko naman alam na grabe pala ang pagka-obsessed ng fangirls niyo, kaya heto, hindi na kinaya ng santong-dasalan," I admitted, rolling my eyes.
 
Slate paused, his fingers hovering over my forehead. "What did they say?" he asked, his voice low.
 
"Nothing important," I said, but he didn’t seem convinced.
 
Slate’s face hardened for a moment. "Ottilie, I’m sorry you had to go through that. I had no idea…" He shook his head, gently applying the ointment again.
 
When he was done, he cupped my face gently, his touch warm and steady. "Ottilie, don’t hurt yourself again, alright?" he ordered, his voice soft but firm. "I know you’re tough, pero ibang usapan na kapag nasaktan ka."
 
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. The intensity in Slate’s eyes made my heart pound harder, locking me in a silent, unspoken moment with him.
 
Huy, bitaw na gar, masyado kana atang feeling close? 
 
But then everything around me froze. The sounds of voices and instruments all disappeared, realizing that everyone, including Slate, was completely still. My heart thundered as I processed what was happening.
 
Time itself had stopped.
 
Bakit bigla na lang tumigil ang oras? Mata lang ang kaya kong igalaw dahil nakahawak pa din si Slate sa magkabilaang pisngi ko. But then, a shadow crossed my vision, and I looked up to see Plutus walking toward us. His hands were stuffed into his pockets as he stopped in front of me, his dark eyes bore into mine.
 
"Don't. Let. Him. Touch. You. Like. That." he growled, his voice low and dangerous. 
 
The threat in his words struck a chord of fear, so I immediately dropped Slate’s hands. Ano na naman problema ng prinsepe na 'to, parang kanina lang inaasar pa ako nito, ah? Napapigil hininga pa ako ng bigla na lang inilapit nito ang mukha niya sa'kin.
 
"If you let him touch you again," he leaned closer, his eyes flashing. "I’ll bury you alive, six feet below the ground. Understand?" Plutus said, his voice laced with the promise of violence.
 
I swallowed hard, barely able to nod as his words sank in. The sheer force of his gaze left me trembling. Kapag ganitong nagbabanta na siya, hindi na ako makapalag. Hindi ko talaga maintindihan ang topak ng isang 'to, palagi na lang pasumpong-sumpong ang sakit niya. 
 
Without another word, Plutus turned away, and just like that, time resumed. Bumalik nang muli sa dati ang lahat. Samantalang si Slate naman ay mukhang walang kaalam-alam sa nangyari kanina lang. 
 
"Kapag tumindi ang sakit, magpatingin kana agad sa healer, okay?" Slate reminded and gave me a soft smile. 
 
"Ah, hehe, sige..." nauutal na sagot ko dito.
 
Then, Plutus came, "Slate," his tone loaded with impatience. "Are we starting anytime soon, or do you plan on playing nurse all day?"
 
Slate shot him an annoyed look as he stood up, then gave me a warm smile. "Saglit lang 'to, diyan kana muna at magpahinga." 
 
Then he stepped away to join the other band members, while I stayed in my seat as my mind raced with thoughts. Maaga ata akong magkakasakit sa puso nito kapag araw-araw sumumpong ang topak ng prinsipeng iyon.
 

To be continued...