City of Blinds Series 1: Cross Fire

Chapter Thirty

"Nang sabihin niyang mahal niya rin ako, mas lamang ang naramdaman kong takot kaysa sa saya. Yes, she may be in love with me today. But what about tomorrow? She can forget all about me tomorrow. She can leave me tomorrow. I'm always worried about tomorrow." –NC

"NO, I don't believe in fairytales. It's unbelievable. It's crazy. Gaya na lang ni Cinderella. They say her glass slippers were a perfect fit. But it slipped off. Saka kung mahal siya ng prinsipe, bakit pagkatapos ng party, nalimutan niya agad ang itsura ni Cinderella? Kinailangan niya pang ipasukat sa buong kingdom ang glass shoe. Paano na lang kung may ibang umangkin niyon na pareho ng shoe size kay Cinderella? His so-called love of his life would be gone forever and he wouldn't even know it because he's a fool, depending only on the shoe. That story just showed how fool a man could be. "

Kumunot ang noo ni Cinaris nang hindi sumagot si Aden. Nanatili lang itong nakapamulsang nakatitig sa kanya at nakasandal sa hamba ng veranda habang may ngiting naglalaro sa mga labi. Inirapan niya ang binata. "Nakakainis ka. Bakit ganyan ka kung makangiti?"

"What do you mean? Paano ba ako ngumiti?"

"Iyong ngiti mo, ngiting tagumpay."

Natawa si Aden. Lumapit ito sa kanya at niyakap siya mula sa likuran. "Totoo naman kasi. I feel victorious knowing that whatever happens in the future, I can be assured that your heart will remember me and that you won't be easily attracted to any prince charming out there. Dahil hindi ka gagaya sa kinaiinisan mong prinsipe sa fairytale. 'Looks like I fell in love with a woman who doesn't believe in fairytales. Ikaw pa lang ang nakikilala kong babae na may ganitong pananaw sa gano'ng bagay. I'm amazed."

"Sa mga kwento sa libro lang ako hindi naniniwala. I'm a fan of the real thing. When I was staying in the mortals' realm, I saw this beautiful couple. The woman looked a lot like me except that she didn't have flowers on her hair and wrists. She was like an older version of me. At mortal siya. Naamoy ko iyon sa dugo niya."

"Really? But how is that possible? Hindi kaya magkamag-anak kayo ng babaeng nakita mo? Pero sa 'yo na rin nanggaling na mortal siya. The chances are low. Naikwento mo na ba kay tito Saemis ang tungkol sa bagay na 'yan?"

Lumungkot ang anyo ni Cinaris. "I would have loved to. Pero alam mo namang hindi ko basta-basta makakausap si dad. Baka isipin niyang walang katuturan lang iyon at magalit pa dahil sa pag-aaksaya ko ng oras niya."

"Don't worry, you have me now, love. I will always listen to whatever you say. Mula ngayon, may tagapakinig ka na. Come on. Talk to me more. I love hearing your voice."

Bumalik ang sigla sa boses ni Cinaris at hindi na nagdalawang-isip pang nagpatuloy. Napakahirap ang manatiling malungkot tuwing yakap siyang ganoon ng binata. She closed her eyes and tried to visualize the adorable couple that she saw. Nang maalala ang ngiti ng lalaking nakita noon ay gumuhit ang matamis na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi. Para lang itong nakatatandang kapatid niya. Nakasisiguro siyang gaya niya ay supernatural din ito. "We're living in a mysterious world. Kaya posible na magkaroon tayo ng mga kamukha na hindi natin kadugo. I've heard about dopplegangers once. And who knows? Maybe that woman and I are each others doppelgangers."

Nagkibit-balikat si Cinaris. "I don't know why, but looking at them melted my heart. Ilang beses ko rin silang nakita tuwing dumadaan sila sa village namin. Inaabangan ko sila sa bintana ng room ko parati dahil hindi ako makalabas ng bahay noon. I would have approached them if only my father didn't use to lock me up in the mansion. Dahil nawawala ang bitterness sa puso ko tuwing nakikita sila. The love they have for each other was written all over their eyes like an open book. And that book shines, Aden. And I've seen that look in you. It was like your eyes."