Olympus Academy (Published under PSICOM)

LV | Lanterns

Kara's POV

From the corner of my eyes, I can see their faces glowing with the faint light of the aurora on display above us. It isn't my first time watching the spectacle of colors across the darkened sky, but it's the first that I get to really see how the Alphas look at it, completely mesmerized, kahit ilang beses na naming nakita ito, maliban kay Cesia na kasalukuyang nakabukas ang bibig habang nanonood at hindi na makapagpatuloy sa pag-kain ng popcorn.

It was hypnotizing seeing the pink, green and blue waves of light dance for us. It longed for our attention, as if alam nitong may nanonood. And as always, it didn't fail to captivate our eyes, kaya hinding-hindi ako magsasawang panoorin ito.

Napabuntong-hininga ako pagkatapos sumagi sa aking isipan ang mangyayari bukas.

"Kara?"

I was situated in the middle, and that put me beside Dio who might have heard my sigh.

"How about you enjoy the rest of the night?"

"I can't." sagot ko. I can't act like nothing's going to happen to us.

The deity whose blood runs in my veins is one of the most intelligent and wisest among the Gods. Dahil dito, ako ang tipo ng taong hindi madaling ma-distract. My mind automatically classifies anything according to how important it is. The more important it is, the more I focus on it. It's just one of the perks I get for being a daughter of Athena and according to others, it's an ability. Dapat nga raw akong magpasalamat dahil ibig sabihin nito, mas epektibo ang paraan ng pag-iisip ko kung ikukumpara sa iba.

According to them, the inability to lose focus is an ability.

Unti-unting gumuhit ang isang mapait na ngiti sa aking labi.

Ako nga ang tipo ng taong hindi madaling ma-distract, ibig sabihin, ako rin ang tipo ng taong mas nahihirapang magpa-distract.

Dahil sa 'ability' kong ito, nahihirapan akong ibaling ang aking atensyon sa ibang bagay kung alam kong may mas mahalaga pa dito kaya't sa huli, walang sandaling hindi ako nag-aalala.

Sometimes, people tend to forget that distractions aren't all bad. They are considered 'flaws', but they're one of the flaws that make us humans. So to tell me that I should be grateful because I can't get distracted... is to tell me that I should be grateful for being less human.

Sa totoo lang, I never asked any admiration for my supposed 'unique' thinking, dahil sa tuwing pinupuri nila ang abilities ko, sinasabi lang nila sa'kin na hindi ako kasing-tao katulad nila, at ayoko n'on. Ayokong bilangin ng iba ang mga pagkukulang at kahinaan nila bilang tao para sabihing mas lamang ako sa kanila.

Dahil kung tutuusin, tao pa rin naman ako, na kahit kapuri-puri ang abilities ko, may mga kahinaan pa rin ako at paminsan-minsa'y nagkakakamali.

"You should really stop thinking about whatever you're thinking and look at the sky."

Napasimangot ako. "I am looking at the sky, Dio."

"Your eyes are, but you're not."

I gave him a sharp glare. "Mind your own business, will you?"

Wala na akong narinig na salita mula sa kanya pagkatapos kong sabihin 'yon. And after a moment, I closed my eyes to think about our plans for tomorrow, only to be disrupted by his soft laughter.

In all seriousness and a bit of curiosity, I asked, "What?"

"Naalala ko kasi yung mission natin dati. You, Art, Chase and I, remember?" aniya, nang nakangiti. "Nawala lang ng saglit si Art sa mall and you were worried like hell, way worse than a mom."