Tall, Dark and Dead (Rewritten)

Dark and Twisty

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

N a t a l i a

I still need to know more about Leona Malonzo and that is why I am now currently spending my time at the Sunken Garden with another book about vampires and their nature. Mykee agreed to meet me here after third period. I'm trying to avoid Alek and that is why I've been ditching my classes.

"Hey..." Hindi ko napansin, may tao na pala sa may likuran ko. "Bakit mag-isa ka lang dito? Where are your friends?" Tanong niya sa akin. Rio sat beside me, reading the title of the book I'm holding. "How humans made vampires? Hmm, so you're into the supernatural?"

"I'm into that sort of thing. Yeah, sure." Actually, hindi gaano. I only want to delve more into this dahil kay Alek. "Ikaw? What brings you here?"

"May binisita lang."

"Talaga? Sino?"

"Prof mo."

"Sinong prof?"

Rio didn't answer my question. Instead, she told me, "Ooh, let me compliment you on how you smell."

"Um, ah, okay?"

Hindi naman sa pag-aano, pero sobrang lapit na yata ng mukha niya sa akin, kaya naman tumayo na lang ako. "What's wrong? Do I make you feel uncomfortable?" Ayan, nagtanong na tuloy ng ganun. "Did I?"

Bumalik na lang ako sa kinauupuan ko at sinabing, "Yes, actually. Masyado ka kasing malapit sa akin." I believe I do have the right to say that to her. Ngumiti naman kaya alam kong naiintindihan niya. "Pasensya ka na."

"That's okay. Ako nga dapat ang mag-sorry, eh." Dahil sa sinabi ko, lumayo siya ng konti sa akin. "Is this better?" I nodded, taking the book from her. "Vampires, huh?"

"I like werewolves, too," I said to her. With what's happening right now, you can never be so sure if the person you're talking to is supernatural or not. "They're kind of cool. But of course, I like vamps more. Go Team Edward, yay!"

"Who's Edward?"

"Girl, you don't know who Edward is?" Okay, this is totally normal. Meron nga akong kaklaseng 'di pa napapanood ang Titanic, eh. "Basta, sikat na bampira 'yon."

"Ah, okay, okay."

"Panoorin mo. It's good."

"I'll do you one better, Natalia. I'm gonna tell you more about these vampires that you love."

"You say it like they were real."

"These creatures are vicious, I'm sure you already know that, 'cause you're a fan." Is it me o alam niyang may tinatago ako? At bakit 'di ko man lang napansing may tao na pala sa likod ko? For a moment, I even thought it was Alek. "But do you really want to know the real story about these supernatural beings? And where they came from?"

"Oh, please. Fictional ang mga 'yon." Try ko nga lang magbiro, kung ano ang dating sa gaya kong normal na tao. "Kung meron man, amin na. Jowain ko na. Right now."

"Really? You'd want to? 'Di ka matatakot or what?"

"Ay, hindi. Mostly sa kanila charming sa movies at series, eh."