Dying Embers

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Two Worlds

I took a step back first, kahit ang bigat ng mga paa ko. Parang bawat hakbang palayo sa kanya may tali, may humihila pabalik. Chance didn't move; he just stood there, watching me, like he was trying to memorize the exact way I looked right now.

The night air felt colder all of a sudden, biting against my skin. Or maybe it was just the absence of his warmth.

"We should... we should go back," I managed to say, quickly wiping my face before he could see more tears. My voice trembled, thinner than I wanted it to be.

He nodded, slow and quiet. Pero sa mga mata niya, may halong dalawang bagay na hindi magkasundo.

Tahimik kaming naglakad. The crunch of gravel under our shoes was the only sound between us. Every now and then, our shoulders brushed, and each accidental touch felt like a spark I tried so hard to ignore. My heart kept betraying me, beating faster even as I told it to stop.

Somewhere ahead, faint laughter drifted from the camp, reminding me that the rest of the world still existed. That this moment, no matter how heavy, wasn't ours alone.

"Nieve," he said softly, halos lunukin ng hangin ang pangalan ko.

I kept my eyes on the ground. "Hmm?"

"What are you going to do now... you know... kay Psalm?"

I let out a slow breath. The weight in my chest sank deeper. I don't know. God, I didn't. The thought alone twisted my stomach, parang may humigpit na tali sa leeg ko. But I didn't want to lie.

"Sasabihin ko sa kanya ang totoo," I whispered, biting my lip as my eyes stung again. "I just... I hope he can still forgive me," I added, more to myself than to him.

I risked a glance at him. He only nodded, pero sa liwanag ng buwan, there was something in his eyes, something raw, unsaid, and painfully familiar.

The silence between us felt fragile, like glass. One wrong word, one wrong breath, and it would shatter. Kahit gustuhin ko mang bumalik sa dati, alam kong hindi na kaya. Masyado na kaming napagod. Every word between us felt like peeling off old bandages, only to find the wounds still bleeding.

We walked and walked, until the soft glow of the bonfire flickered ahead. I hadn't even realized we were already back at camp.

Jilliana was the first to spot us. Nakaahon na sila mula sa ilog, nakapagpalit na rin.

"Rain? Chance?" She squinted at us, her tone sharp with curiosity. "Saan kayo galing? Kanina pa namin kayo hinahanap."

Henry and Nimbus exchanged a quick look, one of those silent, knowing looks friends have when they've already guessed what happened. My stomach dropped.

"Anong nangyari?" Henry's voice cut through the night air.

Their gazes were heavy. I felt Jilliana's eyes sweep over me, my blotchy face, my trembling hands, then shift to Chance. She knew. Not the whole story, but enough to hurt.

Henry sighed, rubbing his face. "I really didn't want to do this..." he muttered. Then his tone shifted, firmer now. "Alam kong nag-usap na naman kayong dalawa. Pareho ko kayong kaibigan, so I won't take sides. Pero, Rain..." His eyes locked on mine. "...may boyfriend ka na."

Then he turned to Chance. "And you... 'wag ka nang gago. Kahit saan mo tingnan 'to, tapos na. Pero kung ipipilit niyo pa rin, sana 'yong walang masasaktan. Sana hindi niyo sirain 'yong mga taong wala namang kasalanan sa gulo niyo."

The bonfire crackled, filling the silence that followed. My throat felt dry, my chest screaming with everything I couldn't say.

I swallowed hard, pero kahit ilang lunok, hindi mawala 'yong bigat sa lalamunan ko. I wanted to explain, to tell them it wasn't what they thought, but no matter what I said, it wouldn't change what they'd already seen. The damage was done.