The Beating of a Metal Heart [On Hold]

Chapter Five: Operation Melt the Ice Covered Heart Begins

Hildegarde's Point of View

Malapit na ang formal night. I knew exactly what I have to do. I'm wasn't exactly sure if it would work... oras na mabisto ni Mathilde ang plano ko, I might as well forget that we're friends. 

That's it. I am going to push Lothaire into her. Push really hard. I know she's very smart, and chances are that she'll find out sooner rather than later, but I'm going to have to try.

Oh yeah. I've got my plans ready: make them dance together, partners, in the coming formal night. Have them eat lunch together. Involve them in a huge project.

.

.

.

It will work out, somehow.

.

.

.

I called Mathilde shortly after arriving home. Gusto kong malaman kung kumusta na siya.

Hey. I breathed into the phone.

Oh Hilda. How was the day? I was not at all able to go to school, I had a fever.

Yes, I figured. Sinabi na sakin ng helper niyo. E ano? Ayos ka na ba?

Umm. Oo. Makakapasok na ako bukas. Anong ginawa niyo? Ganyan naman iyan eh... ang mentalidad... 

Test sa math. Quadratic functions. Wag mo nang intindihin, bibigyan ka naman daw ni ma'am nng special test.

Ok.

Pasok ka nang maaga bukas, sabay na tayo ha? Ok ka na talaga?

Oo naman. Why exactly?

Basta.

I have to go. 'Bye Hilda.

Bye. And she hung up.

Just like any other phone conversation we had before. She spoke with a flat tone. Walang emosyon.

Mahirap ding isipin kung minsan, kung ano ang naging dahilan ng pagkakaibigan namin. 

It all began in childhood, I could say that. When things were better, we shared our joy. When the skies went dark and the rain started to fall, we were together. Alam ko kung anong pinagdaanan niya, lahat ng nagdaang kabanata ng buhay niya. It was almost as if she and I were one and the same.

Ewan ko lang kung ganon din pananaw niya...

Right now, she seems so... distant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up early that following morning, and made it through my morning routine even earlier than usual. I saw Mathilde by my gate as I went out, she was only my neighbor. Together we went off.

Lothaire's Point of View

Uy. Tutulungan talaga ako nitong si Hilda. I can feel it. So proud! hehe.

Magkasama sina Hilda at Mathilde nang pumasok. Kumindat sakin si Hilda and shot me that "I-told-you-so" glance. Okay, gets ko naman eh..

.

.

Nung makatiyempo na di nakatingin si Mathilde, nagpasa siya ng note. Ulit.

Lunch break mamaya, sumama ka sa min. Sumakay ka na lang sa mga sasabihin ko ha? Mapapahiya ka pa kapag di mo ginawa eh. Kapag nagtanong, ang sagot natin: naging medyo close tayo habang absent sya. K?

I only nodded my head, after shooting a glance at Mathilde.

Thankfully, she still had her back turned against us. Napaka-authoriative ni Hilda pero, talagang gusto ko naman si Mathilde eh. For some reason.... and I surely won't rest until I know the reason why....

.

.

.

Why our first meeting seemed meant to be. It sounds so cliche.