Alexandria Academy

Chapter 16: His Reason Why

EDITED VERSION

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Althea's POV

Our training becomes so hard every single day. Walang pinapalagpas na oras ang grupo namin. I can barely keep up with their strength but I managed to complete my tasks and my training.

But I feel unease every time that Isaac is around. I can't focus. Sinusubukan niya akong kausapin pero iniiwasan ko siya. He probably knows the reason but he keeps on approaching me.

"Althea, here!" Inihagis sa akin ni Lydia ang isang energy drink. Kakatapos lang ng training namin at pagod na pagod na kaming lahat. I sat down on the ground and drank the whole bottle. Pero napaigtad ako nang tumabi sa akin si Isaac.

"Hanggang kailan mo ako iiwasan?" he asked. Tiningnan niya ako nang diretso sa mata pero agad akong umiwas.

"Until you realize you're beyond your limitation," sagot ko. I heard him chuckled. Tila nainis siya sa sinagot ko.

"Beyond my limitation my ass," iritado niyang sabi. "You're avoiding me because you are confuse."

Sa inis ko ay agad ko siyang hinarap. "Anong sabi mo? How can someone be this arrogant?!" Nakakainis siya! Napakayabang at presko! I don't like this side of him.

"Why don't you just accept the fact, Althea? Why are you avoiding me?!" asik nito sa akin. Napatingin sa amin sila Kurt kaya umiwas ako ng tingin at tumayo.

"I'm not avoiding you, Isaac." I'm just avoiding what I feel. Umalis ako sa training room nang hindi sila hinihintay at agad akong dumiretso sa rooftop.

It's better this way. Alone yet peaceful. Tinatangay ng malakas na hangin ang buhok ko. I closed my eyes at pinakiramdaman ko ang buong paligid.

Naglabas ako ng apoy sa aking kamay at pinalaki ko 'yon, pero agad na naglalaho. I don't have concentration that's why my power doesn't cooperate.

Naikuyom ko ang aking kamay. Isaac keeps on bugging my mind and I hate it as much as I hate myself for feeling this way towards him.

Hindi pa ba ako nadadala? Sasaktan ko nanaman ba ang sarili ko? Falling first is like a suicide for me. Kapag ikaw ang naunang nakaramdam at nahulog, ikaw rin ang unang babagsak at lalagapak. Kaya't bago pa 'yon mangyari ay gusto ko ng iwasan.

"I knew I'll find you here," someone said. Napalingon ako sa kaniya at palapit naman siya kung saan ako nakapuwesto. He stood up beside me.

"Go back, Isaac. Iwan mo muna ako mag-isa," I said but he just chuckled and leaned on the edge of the rooftop.

"Ganito muna tayo," aniya. Sa sobrang inis ko ay agad ko siyang hinarap. Can't he hear I've said o sadyang nananadya lang siya?!

"What is wrong with you? Isaac, puwede bang tigilan mo na ako?! Find someone to play with but not me!" sigaw ko sa kaniya. Naguguluhan niya akong tiningnan.

"Why can't you just let us enter your life, Althea? Bakit ba ang tigas ng puso mo?!" asik niya. Napakagat ako sa aking labi at tiningnan ko siya nang diretso sa mata.

"You don't have any idea what shit I've been through!" I yelled.

"Then, tell me! Because I want to understand you! Gusto kong malaman 'yong totoo beyond being Althea Genovie! Gusto kong malaman dahil--"

"Dahil ano? Because you don't want secrets being kept away from you, hindi ba? Dahil gusto mo lahat alam mo! But fuck it, Isaac! Tigilan mo na ako! I hate you so much because you're acting as if you care but in reality, you don't!"

"What makes you sure? What if I care for you?" sabi niya na nagpatahimik sa akin. Napapikit ako. I hate this.

"Althea, stop shutting people out. We know you've been hurt for a long time. Pero paano naman kaming mga gustong maging parte ng buhay mo?" sabi niya. A tear glide down from my eye.

"Why do you want to enter my life all of a sudden, Isaac?" Gusto kong malaman 'yong totoo. Bakit sa isang iglap, gusto na niya akong makilala? At bakit sa isang iglap ay interesado na siya sa buhay ko?!

"Is it because I'm the daughter of Elijah? Dahil ba natatakot kayong tumulad ako sa kaniya?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

"Hindi ganoon--" I cut him off.

"Then what?! Kasi imposibleng sa isang iglap interesado ka na sa buhay ko! Isaac, months ago I wasn't even part of your team! Kaya paanong nangyari na gusto mong maging parte ng buhay ko--" he said something that made me stop.

"Because I like you!" Natahimik ako. Pati ang puso ko ay tila tumigil din sa pagtibok nang mga oras na 'yon. "Althea, I fucking like you that I can't even sleep. The thought of you makes me awake all night! Sabihin mo nga, what did you do to me that I felt this way?"

Napahawak ako sa aking ulo. I'm trying to sink in every little words that he just said.

"I-Isaac, itigil mo na 'to. Stop joking around--" he cut me off again.

"Sino ba ang nakikipagbiruan, Althea? Do you think I'll come here just to joke around about my feelings?!" asik niya. He messed his already messy hair. I find it attractive every time he'll do that. Hell.

"Bakit ako? I mean..." I thought all about the flaws in me. Napakarami at hindi ko na mabilang. I can't even reach him at this point. I can't be the girl he likes. That is too much impossible.

"Bakit hindi ikaw?" nagtataka niyang tanong. "Althea, it's been a long time since I felt this way to anyone. Akala ko hindi ko na ulit mararamdaman 'to. But you came along and broke that. Do you have any idea what I feel right now?"

"Isaac..." I uttered. Nakatingin siya sa mga mata ko at wala man lang akong makitang bakas ng kasinungalingan. They say lips can lie, but I eyes can't. And his eye speaks truth right now.

He smiled, bitterly. "You don't have to react or say anything, Althea." I can feel that he's sincere. "Hayaan mo lang ako na maramdaman 'to sa 'yo. And one day, for sure. I'll make you fall for me." Then he winked.

Kinagat ko ang aking labi dahil pinipigilan kong ngumiti. Damn. Paano ko nga ba pipigilan ang emosyon na nararamdaman ko ngayon? Wala rin siyang ideya kung gaano niya pinapatibok nang malakas ang puso ko nang mga oras na 'yon.

Now, he fell already. Hindi ko alam kung dapat akong matakot. Isaac...

How can I stop you?

If I can't even stop myself from falling, too?

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