A Demigod's Curse

The Friend

"Rude, as always." sabay ngiti na parang nang-iinis.

"Ganon talaga, mind your own business." malamig ko naman tugon sa kanya habang nakatingin sa cappuccino ko.

Suplado, yan ang madalas na label sa akin ng mga kaklase ko, little did they know, this is just something I wanted to be known.

I sipped my drink.

"Bakit ka nandito? Thought you're gone for good, kagaya nya?" pagtatanong ko sa kanya.

"I know Matteo, you just missed me. I'm back for good. Dito na ulit ako mag-aaral, with you. Isn't that exciting?" exhilarated.

"Napaka-good news naman nyan. Tuwang-tuwa ako. Yey!" sarkastiko kong sagot sa kanya.

She drank her frappe to the last drop.

"Uuwi na ako." sabi ko sa kanya at akmang tatayo na sa kinauupuan ko.

"Wait! Babayaran ko lang bill natin." saka sya pumunta sa may cashier.

The odd thing is she just whispered something to the guy cashier and tumango naman yung lalaki at saka na sya naglakad papalayo doon.

"Mapagsamantala ka talaga kahit kailan, Shane." tugon ko sa kanya.

"It's called using the available resources Matteo. I do that all the freakin' time. Haha!" natatawa nyang sagot sa akin.

***

Hindi ako tinigilan ni Shane. She even came with me until sa dorm.

She ranted about the mess na naabutan nya. Nagkalat kasi ang mga gamit. Sinabi ko naman na di akin yun at sa ka-roommate ko na si Kael.

"Still angry to him, aren't you?" pagtatanong nya out of the blue habang nakaupo sa kama ko.

"Don't even go there. You know what will be my answer." sagot ko naman sa kanya.

"Chill Matteo. Sorry for asking. Hehe" saad naman nya.

Bestfriend? More like siblings na ang turingan namin ni Shane. Magkakilala na kami since we were kids. Katulad ko, kahit ayoko man tanggapin, we both have a godly parent. She's a daughter of Aphrodite. Physically, she's a girl-next-door-ish type and mabait, kapag gusto nya. Medyo may pagka-b*tch din to minsan eh.

She stumbled upon my laptop.

"OMG! Taylor Swift?!" sigaw nya out of the blue.

"Ayun yung earphones ko sa drawer. And please, stay quiet." sabi ko sa kanya.

One thing that made us click as friends is our music taste. I love Taylor Swift baby.

"The story starts when it was hot and it was summer and,
I had it all, I had him right where I wanted him" she sang, out loud.

"Sabi ko be quiet Shane eh." pagsasalita ko sa kanya.

"You know, nakaka-inggit si Taylor noh? For a demigod, she was super blessed. Beauty, voice and song-writing skills? Damn! Full package na!"

"Yeah." maikli kong sagot.

Demigod din si Taylor Swift, daughter of Apollo. Kahit ako din hindi makapaniwala because that makes us half-siblings!

Oo, my dad is the god Apollo. So what's the joy of being a demigod and a son of the most vain god who ever existed?

Wala. Napakalaking sakit sa ulo. I can't do anything normal, kagaya ng ibang normal na tao. Kailangang parating sigurado lahat ng galaw. Kadalasan, mag-isa ako kasi I know no one will understand, except mom.

Sya ang nagsabi sa akin ng lahat. Before she took her last breath. Doon ko nalaman na hindi nga ako normal at lalong hindi naman ako espesyal, taliwas sa sabi sa sakin ni mama na espesyal daw ako for the reason that I am a son of Apollo.

I was bullied a lot noong bata pa ako. Hindi sila naniniwala sa mga sinasabi ko. At kung mangyari man yung sinabi ko, they'll call me weirdo. And it sucked kasi that was the supposed "gift" that Apollo gave me, the gift of sight. Yung kaya mong makita ang future ng isang tao. Yung parang manghuhula minus yung bolang kristal at baraha.

Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin matanggap na ganto ako. Lalo na nung araw na aksidente kong nagamit kay mama yun.

That day, I knew when she will leave me. But I kept it in me. Alam kong selfish, pero selfish bang matatawag yun kung ayaw mong tanggapin na mangyayari ang isang bagay na kinatatakutan mo?

I had to endure. I hated Apollo, kahit ngayon.

"Deep thoughts again, Matteo?" pagbabalik sa mundo sa akin ni Shane.

"Wala to. Di ka pa aalis?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"I was about to, nagpapaalam na nga ako sayo eh pero tulala ka dyan na parang tanga. I even took a pic without you even noticing." pagsasalita nya.

"Sige, alis ka na." walang ganang tugon ko.

Naglakad na sya palabas ng kwarto ko.

"Piece of advice, from a friend. Hate isn't the answer. You and I both know that." sabi nya sakin habang naka-half-smile.

"Just go, Shane."

"Okay. Take care Matteo. See ya around!" masigla nyang paalala sa akin.

"Sila mag-iingat sayo. Geh na."

Nang makaalis sya, saka ko lang narealize na namiss ko din si Shane.