Flame Academy

/31/

"Bakit mo ginawa 'yon?" Bea asked after we helped Jillian to stand up.

"If I didn't do that, she'll kill Ace."

Natigilan ako sa sagot na narinig namin mula sa kanya. I looked back and saw Neo helping Ace to stand up. And if you'll think about it, mas malala pa ang nakuha ni Jillian galing kay Main Titan kaysa sa natamo ni Ace na mga sugat mula kay Jillian.

"But you didn't need to do that," I said and they looked at me. "Jillian won't kill him. You know she cannot do that."

"She almost did," Ace said.

Jillian snickered. "And you know I won't do that without a reason."

Napansin kong medyo natigilan si Ace habang napatingin naman ako kay Jillian. They are staring at each other and I can feel that something wrong is going on.

And I badly want to know what it is.

"Are you both okay?" Miss Lara asked and they both nodded. She looked at Jillian. "You surpassed the line."

"I know."

"It's okay," Ace said and we looked at him. "I'm fine so it's okay."

Nakita ko ang pagngisi ni Bea dahil sa sinabi ni Ace habang saglit akong napakunot noo dahil parang iniiwasan niya ang mga mata ni Jillian. While Jillian on the other hand just sarcastically chuckled and shook her head while walking toward our seat.

Sumunod naman kaagad si Bea sa kanya habang napabuntong hininga ako. I looked at Main Titan when I saw his stare in my peripheral vision. But I quickly adverted my gaze and just went back on our seat because I can't stand his eyes.

The training continued and I'm spacing out during the battles of the next pairs. The girls beside me are also silent and it looks like Jillian doesn't care about the wounds on her arm.

I raised my head and looked at Zeska when she nudged my arm. I was about to ask why when I noticed that everyone is already staring at me. When I looked at the center, Main Titan was already standing there and looking at my direction.

"Kayo na," sabi ni Bea at nginuso pa si Main Titan.

"Kate?" Miss Lara called and I stood up.

Naglakad ako palapit sa kanila at huminto sa harapan niya. My hands are already shaking so I held it tight. No one seems to notice that. Instead, the students look excited to watch how the two Main Titans of this school fight each other.

"Are you both ready?" Miss Lara asked.

"If one of us is already kneeling or lying on the ground, the battle will be over, right?"

We all looked at him because of his question, even me. I saw a sly smirk on his lips which made me frown. Something is obviously running inside his head and I don't feel good or bad about it.

Tumango si Miss Lara. "Yes."

"I see," he said and nodded.

He looked at me and it took me few seconds to advert my gaze. I think I already know what he's going to do. At hindi ko alam kung bakit nakaramdam ako ng inis kung sakaling totoo nga ang naiisip ko.

"Again, are you both ready?"

He quickly nodded while I took a deep breath and nodded too. Miss Lara smiled and glanced at the both of us.

"Then you may now start."

But none of us moved. We just stood there, facing each other while being meters away apart. May ideya na ako sa pwede niyang gawin at mas lalo akong nanginig dahil doon.