Azalea's POV
Nakasunod lang ako sa kanya hanggang sa pumasok kami sa isang kwarto. Sa isang banda, may sofa na nakaharap sa isang flat screen TV. May coffee table sa harap ng sofa at may nakapatong doon na maliit na vase na naglalaman ng kulay pink na rosas.
Umupo siya sa isang swivel chair na nasa likod ng isang lamesa. Doon ko lang napansin na may gano'n pala. Akala ko parang sala lang itong kwarto.
It's her office. Nakumpirma ko 'yon nang makita ko ang pangalan niya sa ibabaw ng lamesa. Her name was written in all caps. Nakasulat sa ibaba ng pangalan niya ang posisyon niya: University President.
"Please seat down, Ms. Miagan," kalmadong sabi niya. Tinuro niya ang isang upuan sa harap ng lamesa niya kaya doon ako umupo. "Do you have any idea why you're here?"
Hindi ko alam kung matatakot ba ako o ano. I've heard many things about Jupiter Costales. She may look like a girl but she has a fist of a man.
"No, ma'am," mahinang sabi ko.
Tumayo siya at tinanggal ang leather jacket niya. Basta niya nalang iyon binato sa lapag bago bumalik ulit sa pagkakaupo.
"As I thought. Anyway, I don't want you calling me that way. It sounds shitty in my opinion. I'm not that old." Nagulat ako sa pagiging bulgar niya. I was just looking at her. "My name's Jupiter and I prefer you call me that."
Hindi parin ako nagsalita. I was staring at her. She really looks a lot like her sisters. The Three Jovian Sisters.
"Did you somehow became mute?" Sabi niya no'ng mapansin niyang hindi ako nagsasalita.
"I don't know what to say..." Lumiit ang boses ko. She's the one you don't want to mess with. Hindi lang dahil siya ang president ng university, siya rin kasi ang tipo ng taong walang inuurungan.
Ngumisi siya. Siguro nahalata niya sa boses ko ang kabang nararamdaman ko ngayon.
"Don't be scared. I won't hurt you." Umikot ang mga mata niya. "My brother will kill me if I try."
Brother? She has a brother? Ang alam ko tatlo lang silang magkakapatid at puro babae.
"Ano po bang pag-uusapan natin?" I want to get out of here. She intimidates me.
Sumeryoso ang mukha niya. Tumikhim siya bago nagsalita.
"It's about Braxon Farren." Napasinghap ako no'ng marinig ko ang pangalang 'yon. What about him? "Alam kong alam mo kung ano ang mga ginagawa niya ngayon. And to be frank with you, what he's doing gives me a major headache. That love-struck fool doesn't even know how to control his emotions." Umiiling na sabi niya.
"Love-struck? Who?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. Hindi ko na maintindihan ang mga sinasabi niya.
Tumingin siya sa'kin na parang hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinasabi ko. Maya-maya'y umirap siya at bumulong-bulong.
"Isang manhid at isang torpe. Great! There's no hope for the both of them," bulong niya na narinig ko. Napakurap nalang ako sa mga sinasabi niya. Bumaling siya sa'kin bago sarkastikong ngumiti. "Have you ever been in a relationship, Azalea?"
Where is this heading?
"Uh... no."
Tumingala siya at bumuntong hininga. No'ng humarap ulit siya sa'kin, nakangiti na siya.
"Okay, I'll go straight to the point here. Braxon Farren is my brother." Napanganga ako sa sinabi niya.
What? Is she serious?
"No way..." Hindi ko mapigilang sabihin.
"You shock? Can't blame you, though. He never broadcast his life and neither do I." She shrugged. "My point is, Braxon's current behaviour is my problem as the university's president and as his sister. And I know you're the only one who can talk the sense out of him."
BINABASA MO ANG
The Demon's Heart
General Fiction"The only way to tame a demon is to get his heart." He has his demons. And those demons made him one of them. Now, everyone knows that he is a demon. He doesn't care, though. He wants all of them to be afraid of him. They should be. He can trash any...
