Loving A Deceiving Monster (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-One: Hello Cold World

[Asher Diaz’ POV]

She is so pretty.

Yes, I know, that’s an understatement; she’s pretty inside and out.

Guys, sorry ha, medyo naïve ako sa ganitong mga feelings. First time ko kasi maramdaman pero, ganito ba talaga? Ganito ba talaga kapag gusto mo yung isang tao? It’s like you’re continuously being electrified kapag tinitingnan ka niya. Sobrang overwhelming yung pakiramdam na parang gusto mo na lang siya yakapin.

Shit. Do I sound gay? I really think I do. But I don’t care. Right now, I am at my happiest.

And I’m scared as shit too. Naiinis na talaga ako sa sarili ko, sa totoo lang. While waiting for her kanina na dumating sa office, I already planned everything I’d tell her, kung anong mga tatanungin ko sa kanya and the way I’d talk to her. Nakakahiya man sabihin pero pati nga sound ng tawa ko pinractice ko eh.

Bullshit talaga. Nawala lahat yun nung kaharap ko na siya. For the first time in my whole history, nun lang ako na-mental block. Mental block, wala yun sa dictionary ko ha! But shit was I so blocked.

And now I find myself looking at her pretty smiling face in this picture. Feeling ko tuloy, mukha akong gago na ngi-ngiti ngiti mag-isa dito sa office.

Finally, may picture na niya ako. I’ll print this in all picture sizes there is at ilalagay ko lahat sa picture frame. I don’t want to forget her face. No, I can’t forget her face. Might as well, panindigan ko na na lagi kong makikita ang maganda niyang mukha.

But hey, don’t think na alibi ko lang yung ilalagay ko to sa article niya pero sakin lang naman talaga. That’s true, kailangan talaga yung picture niya. Okay, I sound so defensive there.

*blink*

I received an e-mail. I gave the picture one last glance before ko binuksan yung e-mail.

It’s from the principal, reminding everyone about the upcoming Fall Solstice Party.

Oo nga pala, how could I forget such important events? Naturingan pa naman akong EIC ng school paper.

Okay guys, I know you want me to explain. Fall Solstice Party. In other words, Halloween Party. But it’s not totally like the usual Halloween Party. Walang takutan dun kasi ayaw ng principal pero gusto niyang mag-celebrate nang October 31 kasi birthday niya. This usually happens on the night of October 31 sa center field mismo ng Academy. We got this big bon fire on the center and when the clock strikes 12, everybody dances around it.

Ahh, the dancing. Lahat dapat may partner. It is believed na kung sino ang partner mo on that night, siya na ang one true love mo for the rest of your life. They say na maraming magulang ngayon ng mga present studs ng Academy na nagkatuluyan because of that dance. Ironic, right?

On the past years, Cade and I always come with Erica. Lagi ngang masama ang tingin sa akin ni Cade but Erica always insist na dapat kaming tatlo ang magkaka-sama since wala naman kami pare-parehong partners. Erica’s like that. She doesn’t want anyone out of placed.

We just eat and have fun on ourselves and everytime the clock strikes 12, sinasabayan namin ng uwi. Of course, Cade always asks Erica to dance pero ayaw ni Erica. He never surrendered hanggang last year.

I suddenly found myself smiling from ear to ear.

If before, I don’t have a potential partner, tingin ko ngayon, meron na.

I just stared at her picture again, just when the door bursted open.

Sa gulat ko, I quickly hid my camera inside my drawer without turning it off.

Ah, si Cade pala. Wala siyang polo, yung white inner shirt lang ang suot niya pang-taas.

“Wala kang balak umuwi?”  he said and sat at the same chair Kyra sat on earlier.

“Uuwi na din. Teka, lumakad ka sa campus not wearing your proper uniform?”

He rolled his eyes. “Oo, ano naman. Wala silang pakialam”

I sighed. Something made him pissed again. Bigla ko tuloy naisip si Kyra.

“So, are you going to the party?”

“Hay, Ash! Ayoko ngang maalala yan, pinaalala mo naman!” He sighed too. Ah, alam ko na kung bakit banas na naman to.

I laughed at him. “You asked Erica again, hano? Seriously, dude?!”

“Tigilan mo nga ako, Ash. Simula Junior High ko pa siya inaaya, pero ayaw talaga niya. Laging ikaw ang dahilan”

“Kaya ngayon sa akin ka inis na inis?” I replied while half-laughing.

“Eh kanino pa ba? Badtrip ka kasi, wag ka na nga lang umattend! Last year na natin to ng Highschool, maawa ka naman sakin” he said with his eyebrows curled.

I laughed again. “No way in hell that I’m not going to attend. Gusto mo bang wala akong mailagay sa school paper natin about the party? Ako ang lagot, if ever. Anyway, I’ll talk to Erica”

“Ssh, ano naman sasabihin mo para magpabago ng isip niya?”

“Hay, Cade. After all these years, wala ka pa din bilib sakin. I’ll tell her I’m going with someone”

Mabilis siyang lumingon sakin. “Di nga?”

I just nodded with a smile.

“Wag mong sabihing si Ms. Gonzales?” natatawa niyang sabi.

“Sira! Hindi noh!”

I grinned at him that made his face contorted. “You’ll see, Cade. You’ll see”

[Kyra Lei Montez’ POV]

“Natulog ka kila Cade Ramses Delgado?!”

Inirapan ko ng matindi si Al. Tinuloy ko na lang ang pagkain ko ng Orange. Nasa shop pa sila Nanay at Tatay na nagliligpit ng mga paninda kaya kaming dalawa pa lang dito ni Al sa bahay. “Ang OA mo mag-react, Al. Sobra”

“Anong sabi nila Nanay at Tatay? Sigurado napagalitan ka?”

“Yun nga ang kataka-taka eh. Hindi sila nagalit, nagtanong pa nga ng nag-tanong kung ano itsura ng mansion nila”

Natawa siya. “Sabi na eh. Teka, boyfriend mo si Cade hano?”

Muntik ko malunok ng buo yung isang orange. “Ano?! Anong boyfriend ka dyan! Hindi noh! Yung halimaw na yun maging boyfriend ko? Ne-ver! Ang sama kaya ng ugali nun!”

“Defensive mo, Ate! Eh bakit pinatulog ka niya dun?”

“Kasi nga dahil dun sa project namin!” pagdadahilan ko. Oo, yun nga pala yung naging alibi ko. Ang sabi ko din, marami kaming magkaka-klase na nakitulog kila Cade, kahit ako lang naman talaga-__-“

“Hoo, dahilan mo!” kumuha ulit ako ng isa pang orange dun sa fruit basket na kinuha ko sa kusina namin. “Ang takaw mo, Ate! Pangatlo mo na yan! Sigurado walang mag-aaya sayo sa Fall Solstice kasi mukha kang biik”

Binato ko ulit siya ng apple pero nasalo niya. “Kainis ka talaga, Al! Anong soltice-soltice ka dyan”

“Fall Solstice Party!” mabagal niyang sabi. “Hindi mo alam yun?”

“Eh ano ba yun?”

“Parang promenade yun, parang masquerade ball, kailangan may partner ka para maka-attend ka.”

“Talagaaa?! Teka, totoo ba yan?!”

“Edi wag ka maniwala, ikaw naman magmumukhang ewan eh”

Kinatukan ko siya. “Aray! Oo nga, Ate totoo!”

“Tayo na lang partner”

“Yuck! Asa ka pa”

“Eh sino naman partner mo?”

“Wala ka na dun” sabay akyat niya papuntang kwarto niya. Nakakainis talaga yun, sobra! Lagi na lang akong inaapi!

Bumukas yung main door namin kaya tumayo na ako at sinalubong sila Tatay. Tsaka ko na poproblemahin yung party na yun.