Barely Breathing

Chapter 8

Namamaga ang mga mata ko kinabukasan. Nanay Cora was asking me if I'm okay, and I pretended that I was okay. Well, I'm partly okay. I was wearing my eyeglasses as I go to school. Kuya Yuan was the one driving me to school today.

"Kuya, may alam ka ba sa nangyari doon sa babaeng ginahasa noon sa Arcadia? Iyong babaeng fan ni Cloud Alarcon?"

Kuya Yuan tensed as he heard the name I just mentioned. Napabilis ang takbo ng kotse niya na ipinagtaka ko.

"Kuya, may problema ba?"

Umiling siya at doon lang bumalik sa normal ang takbo ng kotse.

"Why'd you ask?"

"Wala lang. I just read it somewhere. Totoo bang ginahasa talaga niya iyong babae, Kuya? Kasi impossible naman na gawin niya iyon."

"There are things that might seem impossible, but is actually possible. And why are you even bothering yourself about that case? The case was closed way too long ago. The guy was killed and no one wanted to remember a rapist like him. Don't be bother, Astra. That's just nothing."

Hindi nalang ako nagkomento sa sinabi niya. Wala naman siyang sasabihin sa akin. Alam kong may tinatago sila sa akin. Nararamdaman ko iyon. There's a reason why I'm hiding my identity. I'll have to find that out but before that, I have to refrain Frost first from becoming a demon. I'll do everything in my might to prevent him from becoming one.

Nang makarating ako sa room, doon ako pumwesto kung saan madalas umupo si Frost. I waited for him. Minutes later, dumating na siya. He was not shocked upon seeing me beside his chair. Inaasahan na siguro niya na dito ako uupo. I smiled at him. He didn't smile back. He got that cold face again.

He sat beside me.

"Good morning."

I greeted him. Hindi siya nagsalita. I pouted my lips. Why is he acting cold to me again?

"Are you avoiding me?"

I asked him. He plainly looked at me.

"I'm giving you a favor, Astra."

"No, you are avoiding me. Why are you doing this to me?"

Naiiyak kong sabi. Na-fufrustrate na naman ako sa kaniya.

"Tss... If you want to stay beside a devil, you should start calling him Alas."

Napatahimik ako sa sinabi niya. He wanted me to call him Alas. That's an improvement. Si Aria lang ang tumatawag sa kaniya ng Alas.

"Okey, Alas."

I smiled at him and he just avoided his gaze.

"Mr. Lexus wants you in his office, Mr. Demise. He'll be expecting you in 15 minutes."

Our Professor in General Physics said as he sat down on his chair. Pagkapasok niya, iyan kaagad ang sinabi niya. Tumayo si Alas. Ang boung akala ko ay aalis na siya pero nagulat ako nang hilain niya ako pasama sa kaniya.

"T-teka.. Ikaw lang naman ang pinatawag ah."

He stopped walking before facing me.

"I'll take you with me. I'll introduce you to Mr. Lexus. I'm sure he'll be glad to meet you."

Wala na akong nagawa nang hilain niya ulit ako. We arrived at Mr. Lexus' office. Tantiya ko ay nasa 50s na ang matandang kalbo na nasa harapan namin.

"Who's she? Another Aria?"

The old man laughed sarcastically. Alas grin before holding my hand tightly.

"She will not be like her. I'll make sure of that. If I need to chain her to make her stay with me then I'll be doing it."