MTBMW: Wealth, Pride and Love

MTBMW 3: An Eclipse

"Can I have your desert?" Napailag si Sol mula sa direksyong pinagmulan ng boses.

"Kabute ka ba?!" He faced the smiling girl.

"Sorry" She had a grin as wide as joker's but he didn't really mind. Puno ang isip ni Sol sa kanyang nakita. Bakit nga ba sinundan ng kanyang kapatid si Hebe—ganun na ba talaga nito ka-gustong makuha ang lahat ng kayamanan ng pamilya nila?

The woman beside her knew Sol liked Hebe wayback seven years ago; the time they first met her. He was 19 then, Hebe was 21 and the girl was on the tender age of 16. She remembers because she've liked him even before that.

They walked sideways. Sol didn't bother to ask her kung saan siya patungo and she liked that. Artemis thought it was better to just tag along than be sent back to her room. Hindi niya alam kung saan sila papunta ngunit nakatuon ang kanyang atensyon sa kanilang pagsasama.

"Gusto mo?" She stopped walking. She didn't care if he wasn't paying attention with her and only noticed her now. Ang importante sa kanya ay kinausap siya nito. She squealed deep inside and took the cookies he were bringing along.

"Naubusan ka ba?" ani Sol.

"I haven't finished my meal."

"Ba't? May nangyari ba sa loob?" Sol faced Artemis. Her eyes were fixed ahead of them.

"I followed you out." Artemis looked at him. They locked eyes and for the first time, the cookies tasted good.

"A-"

"I like you" For a good ten seconds, they were just staring at each other's faces. Sol waiting for her to say it's a joke and Artemis trying to figure out the reason behind his frozen expression. She knew she didn't stand a chance with his 7-year long crush but she tried her luck. Sol shook his head, an awkward laugh escaping his lips. What he did next made her cheeks flare up, turn red and her stomach seemed to be on a world war between elephants, dinosaurs, hippos, tigers, lions and every single species you can name.

He placed his arm on her shoulder and purposely made it heavy for her. He found their time together awkward. Artemis floated around cloud nine.

"Siyempre di naman mababait ibang kuya mo" Her fantasy faded. Of course, kapatid lang naman tingin ni Sol sa kanya. A half-sister. A sister from another mother and he is just Sol, her kuya but she liked him more than that. Mas gusto pa nga niya ito kesa kay Apollo na kadugo niyang puro.

"Wag ka mag-alala, ikaw din naman pinakagusto kong kapatid na babae"

"No, i mean.. I like you"

She repeated yet her message wasn't accepted still. "I'll walk you back your room. Lead the way, Artemis."

He pulled his arm back from her shoulder and looked the other way. Nakadating na pala sila sa headquarters ng mga lalake. The girl's headquarters would be a 5-minute walk from there. Pumanik na sila sa direksyon patungo dito. Sol walked behind her but it was fine. It was only approximately 10 minutes na magkasama sila ngunit sobrang saya na ang dulot nito. Mula sa silid ni Hebe patungo sa tinutuluyan ng kanyang mga nakakatandang mga lalake but it was more than she could ask for.

Her cookies have turned bitter-sweet. Artemis glanced back at the leaving man. Palayo siya ng palayo sa bawat hakbang.

Artemis was left reminiscing their sweet encounter. Their seldom yet short interaction, her beating heart and the last piece of cookie on her bedside table. She dozes off.