The Perks Of Being Annabeth Petrova

Chapter Seventeen - The Confrontation

"GOOD MORNING, SISSY!!!" bati ni Stefan sa akin pagpasok ko sa dining area for dinner.

Di ko siya pinansin at umupo na sa usual seat ko.

"For dinner, Chicken Pastel, Roast Beef and 1985 Brovia Barolo Monprivato." –Maria serving my dinner at mga kasambahay sa kanila. I do not let anyone prepare my food except Maria. If not, she makes sure she's observing during food preparations.

The MMB's are here with... Him. I avoided having eye contact with him for I can sense his eyes staring at me intently.

For the first time in forever, I feel tensed. Tiningnan ako ni Maria wary. I know. I'm starting to distrust myself. I felt uneasy with him giving me his full attention. Nagsa- start nang mag-shake ang kamay ko nervously. What is happening to me?!

"Sissy?..." tawag- pansin sa'kin ni Stefan

At last, tumingin ako sa mga mata ng lalaking iyon. Why am I feeling this way?! No. no. no. no. this can't be!

Maria touched my hand, worried.  "Miss Annabeth?"

"NO!" Their eyes. All on me.

Tumikhim ako.

"I-I have... to go..." at nag walk out na ako.

Pinagpapawisan akong tinungo ang baby ko. I typed the password on the lock at sinakyan si Cassiopeia to anywhere I can breathe. I drove my car. And drove. And drove. And drove to my heart's content.

I arrived somewhere in Tagaytay. Up in a high cliff, I was all alone, sitting at Cassiopeia's roof. I let the cold breeze brush my hair and cool my dampened cheeks. I listened to the music nature creates. I closed my eyes. But why can I still see his face. The face that could launch a thousand ships in this time. Like Helen of Troy. Only he is a he.

Even though I don't know his name yet, I feel as if he's bound to stay with me. Always and Forever.

Napahilamos ako sa mukha. I could imagine now, him waiting for me at the altar. Having our own family with children that looks alike him and me. Inheriting those dark blue eyes. Living happily ever after. Fairytales. I yelled all my frustrations as the sun starts to rise. And with that, for the first time in forever, I realized I'm starting.

Starting to fall in love. With him.

I returned by 3:04 in the morning. I opened the door to find all of them in the sofa. Umiinom ng kape habang naghihintay sa pagbalik ko.

"Where the hell have you been?!" a raging Stefan ang lumapit sa akin. Hahawakan niya na sana ako pero tinabig ko lang ang mga kamay niya. Napahilamos naman ito sa ginawa ko.

"Don't you dare touch me. And you don't care where the hell I've been." Sagot ko sa kanya in a flat cold tone.

"You know what, kagabi pa kaming naghihintay dito, Annie." – Ran

"Yeah, yeah. We were worried sick about you, sexy." –Eugene

I let out a long sigh. "Stefan, go back to France. I don't need you here." Stefan turned to face me at nalaglag ang kamay niya sa pagka-pameywang.

"Do you think I came here for you? No, I don't. Do you think me here in the Philippines same as you do gave you that idea? Sissy, it doesn't mean that I am here because you need me. Nor do I want you to need me."

My eyes were wide open. "No. it isn't that. It is because I don't want you here." Matigas kong sabi. Siya naman ang nagulat sa sinabi ko.

"Is that what you want, huh? Is it?!" galit na siya.

"Yes!"

"Fine! You do not care about anything or anyone around you!" dinuro niya ako.

"Sir Stefan!" saway dito ni Maria at lumapit sa side ko.

"You do not even care about me! Your twin. Your brother!"

"S-sir Stefan, please don't." pigil ni Mia dito.

"Don't interfere, Mia!" bulyaw niya dito. Dahil doon, I can't tolerate him anymore.

"You don't understand." Mahinahon kong sabi.

"I don't understand?! What are you talking about? If you would just tell me, I could understand you. I'm you're brother." Naguguluhan na siya.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yes! You're my brother. All the more you shouldn't know!" my voice raised na.

Ginulo nito ang buhok. The MBB's were watching us as if they're watching a movie. Only live ito.

"If you care about me, if you love me then you'll trust me to hear the whole damn truth!"

"I... love you and I care for you. But, you can't. no, you can't." umiiling akong sinabi ang mga salitang ito.

Nagulat kami ng hinablot niya ang bote ng alak at tinapon ito ng malakas sa banda ko. I did not bother to dodge. Hindi ito nasapol sa mukha ko at tumama sa dingding. Sa lakas ng impact, nabasag ito at tumilapon sa akin ang mga bubog nito at nasugatan ako.

"M-miss Annabeth! Why didn't you dodge?!" nag-aalalang si Maria.

"I-I'm s-sorry..." parang natauhan ang kapatid ko ng makita niyang nangilid ang dugo sa mukha ko.

Umalalay naman ang MBB Boys except 'him'. Tinaboy ko naman sila.

"Don't touch me. I'm fine." Inabutan ako ni Maria ng handkerchief. Napahawak naman sa sentido ang mga bachelors. They're still worried. I took the piece of cloth and headed for the stairs.

Paakyat na sana ako ng may humigit sa nasugatang braso ko. It should have been hurting big time right now. But, I'm no crybaby. I'm Annabeth Petrova. I can withstand pain.

"You're hurt." Hearing those two words make my heart want to melt. What voice he has. Pwede na siyang maging big time millionaire disk jockey sa boses nyang yan. Parang boses ng isang Greek god. Like the way he looks. Marahas kong piniglas ang kamay ko, letting him know that I'm untouchable. I gazed at him noong hindi nya binitawan ang kamay ko. And now, I found myself drowning in those two sapphires. Again. I gulped.

"Isabella..."

when I heard that name, I stiffened as if tinuklaw ako ng King Cobra. I pushed him hard. Accidentally, he fell. With me.

Thank you for reading!!! ^_^