Galit akong pumasok sa bahay at dali daling tinungo ang hagdan. Naiinis ako kay Eaton. Ayokong makita siya ulit! Gusto ko na tuloy umuwi sa mundo namin. Nakakainis talaga.
"Ariadne."
Pigil sakin ni Gideon habang hawak niya ang braso ko. Nagkatitigan kami. We stared at each other's eyes for about a minute. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin. Hindi ko alam kung paano sasabihin.
"I saw what happened."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. I was out of words. Walang kahit isang salita ang lumalabas mula sa bibig ko.
Dali dali kong binawi ang mga braso ko at nag-iwas ng tingin.
"How could you kiss another man right after you kiss me, Ari?" Malamig niyang tanong.
Nag-angat ako ng tingin sakanya. "Just so you know, I didn't kiss him. He kissed me." Walang emosyong sabi ko at dali daling tumalikod sakanya para pumunta sa kwarto ko. Do I owe him an apology? I think not.
THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW
"So you and Ari are a thing now?" Sarkastikong sabi ni Eaton habang naglalakad palapit kay Gideon. Narinig pala nito ang usapan nila ni Ari kanina bago mag-walk out ang dalaga.
"What is it to you?" Malamig na sabi ni Gideon at naglakad papunta sa balcony. Naiinis siya pero hindi niya alam kung bakit. Sinundan naman siya ni Gideon.
Eaton sarcastic laughed, "I don't get it. Ako naman yung palaging kasama ni Ari nung mga panahong iniwas-iwasan mo lang siya. Ako naman yung nandyan."
Malamig na tinignan ni Gideon ang kaibigan. "Are you being serious right now, Eaton? You're seriously comparing yourself to me?"
"Nah." Eaton said and his lips formed a sad smile. "I was just hoping she'll pick me instead of you. I thought she didn't like you at all 'cause you were a bastard to her." Then Eaton laughed.
"I don't know what's going on between us." Gideon admitted, "We were being so needy for each other, basta ewan ko." Then he frustratedly rubbed his hair.
"Is that true?" Tanong ni Eaton.
"What is?" -Gideon.
"You kissed her?" Eaton was determined to know everything, hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin dahil nasasaktan siya ngayon.
Gideon let out a sigh, "Yeah.." then he faced his friend, "I don't want to lose her, Eaton. Ayoko rin masaktan kapag dumating na 'yung panahon na aalis na siya dito. I.. I'm not able to handle that."
Eaton smiled and slowly tapped Gideon's shoulder, "Just make her happy while she's here."
And with that, Gideon smiled.
Meanwhile Ari was struggling inside her room. Sinubukan niyang abutin ang zipper sa likod ng dress niya para ibaba ito. She then slowly took off her dress and looked at her naked body through her reflection. She scanned her whole body. Nagsimula na magtubig ang mga mata niya, she can't help but to cry. Bukod sa naiiyak siya sa mga naging sugat niya ay masasakit pa ang mga ito. Hinawakan niya ang mga sugat niya mula sa hita pataas hanggang sa mukha niya.
She's disappointed. She's hurt. "What was I thinking..." she mumbled to herself, "I'm so stupid."
Napaupo nalang siya sa kama niya at umiyak nang umiyak. Kinuha niya ang kumot at ibinaot iyon sa katawan niya at nahiga. Later on a little fairy appeared in front of her.
"Why are you crying?" The fairy asked her.
"I... I'm hurting." Ari sobbed. The fairy splashed a bunch of pixie dust along Ari's body na ikinatuwa naman niya.
"I hope that'd make you feel okay." The little fairy said. "I've come to warn you, the Walsh queen heard about what happened in their forest and now she's searching for you."
Ari felt nervous. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin niya.
"We'll protect you.. you must stay here, okay? Just call me by my name, I'm Giselle."
Ari sniffed before talking. "O..okay, Giselle. Thank y-you."
The little fairy smiled then disappeared. Ari hugged herself and cried harder. Ano ba itong pinasok niya? Sa isip isip niya.
"This world is just as cruel as where I came from." She whispered. Maya maya lang ay nakaramdam siya ng hilo. Para siyang nalalasing, para siyang nawawala sa sarili. Dahil ba 'to sa pixie dust? She thought to herself. Maya maya lang ay tuluyan na siyang nawala sa sarili.
Ari heard a knock on her door. "Ariadne." It was Gideon.
"Go away." Malakas na sabi niya dito.
"Ari... a-are you crying?" He worriedly asked. "Let me in, please." He then knocked again.
"No..."
"I'm coming in." Dahil sa sinabi ni Gideon ay napayakap si Ari sa katawan niya. For fuck's sake!! I'm naked! She thought to herself and it was too late for her to realize that Gideon's able to hear her thoughts.
"W..why are you naked?" Nag-aalangang tanong ni Gideon at napatingin sa dress ni Ari na nasa sahig.
"Just go away." Malamig na sabi nito at tumalikod.
Napahinga naman nang malalim si Gideon at umupo sa bandang paanan ni Ari. "Ariadne please talk to me." He softly said, "I don't want to see you like this. Come on."
Ari burried her face in a pillow. "Gideon, please!" She didn't even know what's she's asking for.
He sighed loudly. "If you're thinking of going home, or leaving, I'm not gonna let you."
Ari rolled her eyes and sat up, still holding the blanket over her chest. "Gusto ko na umuwi." Malamig niyang sabi.
"Ari..." he softly said then moved closer to her. "We both know it's not that easy."
"For fuck's sake..." She said, almost whispering "How long do I have to stay here for?"
Gideon's trying his very best not to lose his patience. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit ganito ang kinikilos ni Ari ngayon. Did he do something wrong?
"I don't know why you're acting this way but let me just hug you, Ari."
Hindi umimik ang dalaga and that's when he took the chance. Mabilis niyang niyakap ito at maya maya lang ay narinig niya ang mga hikbi niyo sa dibdib niya. He hugged her even tighter.
Humiwalay si Ari sa yakap at walang ano-ano'y hinalikan si Gideon sa mga labi niya. Gideon tried to resist, "Ariadne.. come on, let's talk."
Ari stared at him blankly. He then felt her soft lips moving against his. Shit... she's being vulnerable right now. He thought to himself. "A-Ari—" He wasn't able to finish his sentence when Ari got on top of him.
"Shit!" Malakas na mura ni Gideon at kinuha yung kumot at dali-daling ibinalot sa hubad katawan ni Ari. Ilang beses na siyang napamura sa isip niya. She started kissing him again and he let her. Their lips started moving against each other.
"Ari.. you'll be the death of me." He whispered between their kiss.
"Gideon, I love you."
YOU ARE READING
Fire Exit (Completed)
FantasíaAriadne is a typical high schooler from earth, being an asocial person kept her from having a fun life until she discovers a magical world through a fire exit-- where she met the awesome-est people, whom she faced different kinds of obstacles with. ...
