POV: Seth Andreas
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"What flavor do you want?" I looked back at Hebe yet she was already gone. Nakapila ako ngayon sa ice cream shop. Luminga linga ako at nakita siyang nakaupo sa di kalayuan. Her back faced my direction.
"Sir, may I take your order?" I snapped out of it. Napatingin ako sa cashier at ngumiti. She smiled back and lowered her gaze.
"I'll take two orders of chocolate fudge brownie ice cream.."
"Would that be all sir?"
"and two medium sized fries"
Matapos kong magbayad ay pumunta na ako sa mesa. Nakatanaw lang sa malayo si Hebe. She's lost in her thoughts but the moment I placed the tray in front of her, napunta sa akin ang tingin niya.
"Thanks" she dug into her cup of sweet right after thanking me for it. She focused on the desert and completely forgot about me. Natawa ako. A soft giggle. Tumaas naman ang tingin niya sa akin. Mula sa mesa ay tinitigan niya ako.
"Why?" She grabbed at table napkin and wiped certain parts of her face. From her lips and to its left side and then the right. Tinignan niya ito pagkatapos at lalong nagtaka dahil wala namang dumi.
"I'm just amazed." She became curious. Nakataas ang kanyang mga kilay at tila naghihintay ng sunod kong sasabihin.
"About what?" Tanong niya.
"I feel comfortable around you."
Tumawa ako ulit. Alam ko namang kaylangan ko siyang mapamahal sa akin ngunit lahat ng ito ay totoo. Walang pilit ang aking mga ginagawa at walang kasinungalingan ang aking mga sinasabi. I do feel comfortable around her. She stared at me. A long and deep stare na hindi ko mabasa. She didn't say a word so I continued.
"You feel so familiar na tila ba ay kilala na kita noon pa. Sa bawat pag-uusap, I'm just drawn into you and I want to know you more. I want to protect you. I want to hold you. I want to be with you. I want to see you, palagi. Nagagalit ako tuwing sinasaktan ka ng iba. And, I feel annoyed with them: Sol, Ares, Apollo.. for liking you."
It's the truth. I may be stuck in a quest for the king and throne but everything I said was true. Hebe is so familiar that I always want to be near her. To be with her. Back when Ares proposed to her, I followed her out because I wanted to try my luck and beat him but talking with her made all the difference. That night, I was just drawn into her voice as if it is an old song than I have listened to before. Her face, an old painting I've seen within my lifetime.
"You're stupid" Sa dami ng sinabi ko ay yan ang kanyang komento. My eyebrows furrowed and I know my face screamed "what? why?" questions all over it.
"It's true!"
"Do you want to marry me?" She chuckled. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Things got heated when she said that and I nodded. I mean, I want to keep her. If I can marry her without doing what father told me to do, I'd gladly tie the knot with her. For the longest time, she of all people feels like home. Weird, right? but just being with her, just walking with her side by side katulad noong galing kami sa library, felt so new and different. Felt unfamiliar but good. I don't know the feeling of love but maybe it is the closest thing to it that I've ever felt.
"Fuck" She said something under her breath that I couldn't follow. I was about to ask her to repeat it until I realised her eyes were filled with tears slowly creeping down her cheeks. Fuck. What have I done?
BINABASA MO ANG
MTBMW: Wealth, Pride and Love
Fanfictiona story among half-brothers: Ares, Silvan, Seth, Apollo and Sol on their journey to being their father's chosen one. five men, one spot, one condition: to marry Hebe Aphrodite, the most beautiful and youngest; their father's favourite mistress
