Trickster of the Butterfly

Chapter 30- Resolve

Alora and Michael stared blankly at each other for an entire minute.

The mystery of her missing friend had been dropped right in front of her along with a ton of other perplexing things happening all at once. Her friends were stuck like statues, the bustling sound of the students all around the school had faded, the wind had also strangely died down. Her heart was drumming crazily against her chest, hundreds of questions were popping in her head, a drop of sweat poured down her face from the right side of her forehead. Alora couldn't collect herself. In her mind she was asking God for every bit of restraint she needed to not explode in front of the jerk who just showed up.

"Kamusta? KAMUSTA?! KAMUSTA?!!!" Alora snapped. "NAWALA KA NG TATLONG BUWAN NA WALA MAN LANG PALIWANAG TAPOS "KAMUSTA?" LANG MASASABI MO?!!!"

"A-actually four months ako nawala." Michael corrected sheepishly.

Alora clenched her right hand so tightly she could've broken her nails. She marched toward Michael and prepared to slap his face. Michael closed his eyes to brace for it.

Alora's hand stopped 1 inch from Michael's cheek.

Michael wondered what happened and opened his eyes.

"Hindi mo lang... hindi mo lang alam kung papano kami..." Alora's voice began to break. She pulled back her hand. "...kung papano ako nagalala kung ano na nayari sayo," she broke into tears.

"Kung alam mo lang yung lungkot na pinagdaanan namin, Michael Randelo... gustong-gusto na kitang bugbugin ngayon."

Overwhelmed by what she was feeling, she forgot all about the school that had completely stopped in time.

"Gusto kitang sapaki-" Michael cupped Alora's mouth with his hand.

"Alora, that's exactly what I came here for," he slowly put his hand away from her face and wiped off a tear on her cheek. "Nandito ako para magsorry sa lahat ng sakit at lungkot na iniwan ko sa inyo lahat. Sayo na lalo, Alora."

Michael had prepared what he was going to say to Alora for weeks prior to the day that he decided he best meet her. Now was the time to set things right, and it was made clear to him that this confrontation didn't have to go the way he saw it in his vision.
The future was not set in stone, the Voice had told him. The fact that the future can be changed gave Michael hope that he didn't have to leave her with more pain than she's already suffered.

He tried to meet Alora's eyes but she just looked down.

"Alora, sorry. Sorry na umalis ako ng walang paalam, na walang paliwanag. Lalo na nung oras na muntikan ka na mamatay, dun pa ako umalis. Ang totoo, di ko lang nakayanan yung sobrang bigat na guilt sa ginawa ko, kaya ako umalis-"

"ANONG GUILT?! Wala ka namang ginawang masama ah! Di kita maintindihan! You're not making any sense Michael!" Alora shouted.

"I-I have to tell you something," Michael said nervously. "A-ako yung muntikan nang makapatay sayo. Ako, hindi si Janus."

Alora knit her eyebrows and looked more confused than ever.

"Anong ibig mo sabihin? Diba nga ikaw yung sumugod para iligtas ako?"

"Look here," Michael lifted his hand. It glowed a bright yellow light.

"I have superpowers. I can do various manipulations in space with time itself. Totoo lahat ng mga speculation ng news tungkol dito, totoo yun. Marami sigurong hindi naniwala sa mga sinasabi ng mga eyewitnesses, pero totoo lahat ng nakita nila nung gabing yun," Michael put down his hand.

Alora didn't know what to make of what he was telling her.

Michael's whole body began glowing with a rainbow colored aura. A wave of light burst from him and pushed Alora two feet away. Alora was dumbfounded.