CURSED

11- Distant

Nakangiting nanonood si Deus kina Bleik at Kari na tinuturuan ni Garren mag-cast ng iba't ibang spells. The latter lied when she said she was not practicing magic. She was, as a matter of fact, really good at it. N'ong una ay hesitant lang talaga ito na ipaalam sa kanila ang totoo nitong pagkatao dahil ayaw nitong may makaalam na isa itong Vertex witch. She was still hiding from the Silent Magicians who killed her coven twenty years ago.

"Sabi mo afam," biglang sabi ni Bleik.

"Aahfam. Magkaiba 'yun. Ayusin mo ang pronunciation mo. Mas magaling pa sa'yo si Kari eh," sagot naman ni Garren.

"Ayusin mo ang pagtuturo mo."

Gustong matawa ni Deus sa mukha ni Bleik na kanina pa nakasimangot. She looked really different now. She looked healthier and happier kahit na lageng iniinis ni Garren. She looked beautiful. Kakaiba sa ganda ng mga Purebloods. Kakaiba sa ganda ng mga witch-vampire. Pansin ni Deus, Bleik, Garren and Kari share the same red hair and green eyes. Naalala niyang gan'on din ang couple na kasama ni Garren sa picture noong bata pa ito.

"Look, Mama!" sigaw ni Kari nang nagawa nitong buhayin ang lantang halaman na nasa vase.

"Very good, Kari. Ang galing naman ng baby ko hindi katulad ng isa d'yan na lageng palpak," ani Garren na niyakap ang anak.

"Tigilan mo nga ako, Garren. Heto na nga o. Nagfo-focus na nga ako wala pa rin," ani Bleik na titig na titig sa halaman. May namumuo nang pawis sa noo nito.

Lihim na lang na napangiti si Deus. Apat na araw na ang lumipas mula noong na-confirm nila na isang Vertex witch si Bleik. She was working so hard to learn. He could really tell that she wanted to be a witch so bad. She practiced everyday.

Ganito rin sila noon nina Tiana at Cole. Noong mga bata pa lang sila at tinuruan sila ng kanilang ina kung paano mag-cast ng spells.

Speaking of Tiana, may message ito sa kanya. Gusto s'ya nitong bisitahin pero alam nilang hindi pwede. Para saan pa ang paglayo n'ya kung lalapit lang din naman ito sa kanya?

Cole and Malik called him yesterday. Nakipag-video call ang dalawa sa kanya dahil parehong nakatambay sa Gerhardt manor ang mga ito.

Gaius and Rifka were in Faiga Mountains to celebrate Atira's birthday. Auberon was there too. Of course, dahil nandoon si Beynish.

His parents, Savannah and Titus Bloodworth, called him too. Almost everyday, to check on him. His mom was still doing research para makabalik na s'ya sa Vergaemonth.

Everyone either messaged or called him. Everyone except Sophia.

Sinulyapan n'ya ang kanyang cellphone at tiningnan ang last message nito. It was sent three days ago.

I will call you tonight. I wanna talk to you.

But she didn't call him that night. Not even on the next night. And the next. But he waited. He was still waiting. Even now.

"You know, you can call her first, right?" pabagsak na naupo si Garren sa tabi n'ya sa couch.

"She might be busy," sagot n'ya.

"And the winner for the great pretender award is... drum roll," malakas na sabi ni Garren at nag- drum roll naman sa coffee table sina Kari at Bleik. "Deus Bloodworth!"

Pinaikot ni Deus ang kanyang mga mata pero natatawa naman siya. Somehow, his loneliness was not as bad as he expected. Dahil siguro sa tatlong 'to. These ladies made his stay in this foreign land bearable. Of course malungkot s'ya but at least he knew he would survive this. He wasn't alone. May makukulit siyang kasama.