Playing with the Dark (COMPLETED)

Chapter 3

Dark.

Amber. Hmmm.

I searched my brother's name, not that I'm willing to but because I have to check on something.

I tried searching for "Amber" in his friend's list. I came up with an unfamiliar set of names but there is only one "Amber" in it.

"Amber Tasagi, huh?" I whispered. "I know who to avoid now."

I tried scrolling through her profile. Pamangkin siya ng may-ari ng eskwelahan. She doesn't have a lots of friends. Siguro dahil may pagkamisteryoso nga ang babae.

"Stalking Amber now, aren't we?"

I was busy watching a focused video of her dancing when Ashley suddenly popped out of nowhere. I just unbelievingly looked at her and shook my head as a sign of disagreement.

"Kumukuha lang ako ng impormasyon. I'm curious, okay?" sabi ko.

"Curious?" she smilingly asked. "It was a long time ago when I last heard that from you."

Natigilan ako. Huling beses kasing sinabi ko yon ay dahil sa lalaking tinulungan niya raw at pinigilang magpakamatay. I was just jealous kaya na-curious ako sa kaniya.

"Maybe she's a bad news," nasabi ko bigla. Well, the bastard that I was curious with turns out to be someone that I would want to punch, then maybe this unknown girl can somehow be the same?

"Anong bad news pinagsasasabi mo?" tanong ni Ashley. "Hay, yan ka na naman sa pagiging OA. Una na ko, baka mahawaan mo ako e."

I smiled then patted her head, which I always do. "Sige. Baka malate ka pa. Papunta-punta ka pa kasi rito."

She's actually older than me. Kasing edad niya ang kuya ko, at yung bastard. I sometimes wish that I was born earlier.

Hindi naman siya kilala ni kuya dati e. Magkahiwalay kaming lumaki dahil naghiwalay din ang mga magulang namin. I was a mama's boy but she chose kuya over me. Now, I had to leave with my dad. At si dad? Masyadong perfectionist. Ang pinaka nakasama ko mula pagkabata ay si Ashley. At first, she was like a big sister. Pero I realized that she's far more special from that. Kaso lumipat sina mama noong grade 5 na ako. Nagkakilala si kuya at si Ashley. As his brother, I knew that he likes Ashley. Nakakainis lang kasi...aagawin na naman niya ang akin dapat?

Mabuti nalang at hindi siya nagustuhan ni Ashley.

Then the bastard named Joseph came. At mukhang kahit wala na siya sa usapan, hinding-hindi ko na makukuha si Ashley mula sa kaniya.

I suddenly made my way to the gymnasium without me knowing. Wala pa rin naman akong klase, mamayang hapon pa. I'm a grade 12 student, next year pa magco-college.

Nakita ko agad ang babaeng dati pa palang kasintahan nung bastard. Pinaasa kasi ni Joseph si Ashley para lang sa wala.

I tried examining her. Airalene Suarez. Masasabi kong angat talaga siya kumpara kay Ashley pero...I really find Ashley so perfect and special. Kaya para sakin, kahit gaano pa ang angat ni Airalene-----

"KADILIMAN!"

Napatingin lahat ng mananayaw, kasama si Airalene, don sa babaeng may mala-amber na mata. Pati ako, naagaw niya ang atensyon.

Kunot ang noo ko hanggang sa marinig kong inaasar na siya ng kapwa mananayaw. I saw the bastard's girl telling 'em to have a break first. Agad namang lumapit sakin ang kanina lamang ay umagaw ng atensyon ng lahat.

"Kadiliman," banggit na naman niya nang makalapit.

Tumikhim ako. "You see, kadiliman is darkness, not dark."

She rolled her eyes. "Eh anong gusto mo? Dilim?"

I didn't answer. She started eating some chips. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit hindi pa ako umaalis. Hinanap nalang ng mata ko yung Airalene pero hindi ko siya makita. I was about to go when the unknown girl called me again.

"Kadiliman," she started. "Ano palang ginagawa mo rito?"

I was about to open my mouth when she answered her own question. "Siguro crush mo ako kaya andito ka ngayon, noh? Paano mo pala nalamang dancer ako?" she asked while letting out a small chuckle.

"I'm not here for you. Don't assume too far, unknown girl."

She rolled her amber eyes after hearing my nickname for her. "I was just joking. Na-curious ka kay miss Aira, noh?"

Natigilan ako. I didn't want to answer so I remained silent. Pero damn, how did she freaking know?

"Don't be afraid. Sadyang alam ko lang," sabi niya. "Miss Aira is a great person. Maybe that's the reason of sir Joseph for choosing her. Tsaka diba, pabor naman sayo na nagkatuluyan sila?"

"Stop saying things that you are not even sure about," sabi ko. "You don't know us."

"I may not know you but I can see it, through your eyes," sabi na naman niya. I suddenly felt goosebumps running through me. She sounds so serious, and I didn't like it. "Masyado kasi kayong predictable."

"Mape-predict mo ba kung magkakagusto sakin si Ashley?" I whispered. Hindi ko talaga nilaksan dahil parang sa sarili ko lang naman yung tanong.

"Pwede naman," sabi niya na ikinagulat ko. How did she hear that?! "But I told you. If I were you, I'd stop waiting."

Naguluhan ako sa sinabi niya. If there is a chance of Ashley and I working out, then why would she tell me to stop?

"I think that she's worth the wait," I told her.

"Of course. She's worth the wait," pagsang-ayon niya. "Syempre, worth it yon kung magiging kayo. Pero paano kung hindi? It would be painful."

Her last words hit me. I know. I know that it'd be painful pero...I've been experiencing that pain for years now. Sanay na ako.

Sanay na nga ako, diba?

"Pain isn't a thing that you should be used on," dagdag niya na para bang sinasagot ang mga tanong sa isip ko. "Ito nalang. Itanong mo sa sarili mo."

Hinintay ko ang sasabihin niya, dahil...wala lang, gusto ko lang marinig.

"Deserve mo ba talagang masaktan dahil feeling mo naman, she's worth it?"

Nanikip ang dibdib ko sa tanong niya. No. Hindi dapat ako makinig. Ilang beses na akong nasaktan diba? Ngayon pa ba ako susuko?

"I've waited for her since I was a kid," I started. "What makes you think that I would give up waiting just because you told me to do so?" I confidently asked, even though I felt like the words that she will say might change it.

She challengingly smiled at me. "Because if not, then I have to make you do it, in my own way."

No. No. I'm better than this.

"You can't, Tasagi."

"Try me, Dark."

She called me by my name. This is really getting serious now.

"This is not just playing in the dark, Amber. You're going to be playing with the dark itself."

Napangiti siya. "So? I love the darkness. And if playing with it will change your perceptions, I would gladly do it....for you."