The Journey Of The Demigods

Chapter 1

Gab's POV

Having a peaceful sleep is one of the best things you need in life especially when the weather is perfectly cold and comfy but someone really had to bother you in these kinds of moments.

"Gab?!" A voice with a loud banging of the door woke me up from my deep sleep. It must be my mom. I stood up to open the door, still rubbing my eyes.

Humikab muna ako bago ito buksan. "Pick up Jade at the train station. She will arrive at two o'clock in the afternoon." bungad ni Mama sa akin, wala man lang bati sa umaga.

"What time is it?"

"Quarter to 1. Mag tanghalian ka na sa baba." She said before closing my door again, leaving me confused. I feel like I've only been asleep for an hour. Maybe it's because of the weather.

Bumalik ako sa kama upang ayusin ito. Hindi naman ako nagpuyat kagabi ngunit pakiramdam ko ay konti lang ang tulog ko. It was too tempting to go back to sleep pero kailangan kong sunduin ang pinsan ko.

Galing siyang Rutherford, a big city like town far in the north, the most populated place where big buildings and huge vehicles are all over the place.

After I took a bath and got dressed, I went downstairs to have lunch. It was foggy outside even though it's already afternoon. Agad akong nagtungo sa dining area. My mom was already eating when I got there. Napailing na lang ako.

"Bilisan mo na dahil 2 pm nandoon na yun." I mentally rolled my eyes. I know it's rude but does she have to keep on reminding me this. Atat na atat, marunong naman sigurong maghintay yun.

I only nodded as a response then quickly finish eating. Hindi ko na gustong magtagal pa dito dahil baka sermonan na naman ako ni mama.

Dala ko ang bagong kotse na regalo sakin ng lola ko. I just got my driver's license but I can drive well. Hindi naman gaanong kalayo ang estasyon ng tren dito sa amin. Hindi din traffic kaya mabilis at swabe lang ang biyahe.

When I arrived at the station, loads of people were waiting for their service. Some are waiting for the next train to arrive. They're all minding their business.

"Gabriella?" lumingon ako nang marinig ang pangalan. Iginala ko ang paningin upang hanapin kung sino ang tumawag.

"Gab! Oh my God, it's you!" I almost choked when she hugged me so tight.

"Yeah, let go of me please."

"Hala! Sorry!" nakangiti niyang paumanhin. Kitang kita sa mga mata niya ang ningning nang makita ako. Tinignan ko ang mga gamit na dala niya at nagulat ako dahil hindi ko ma-imagine kung paano niya nabuhat palabas ng tren ang mga ito sa dami. Maybe someone helped her.

"It's been a long time! Grabe, siguro mga 9 or 10 pa tayo nung huli nating nagkita." Tumango lang ako at pilit na ngumiti. I don't really want to start a conversation with her. Not that I hate her, I'm just too lazy to speak.

Kinuha ko ang iba niyang gamit at ng mapansin niya ay tinulungan niya na lang din ako. Nilagay ko sa trunk ng kotse ang dalawang maleta niya habang ipinasok naman niya ang dalawang malalaking tote bag sa loob.

After fixing her things nagpunta agad ako sa manibela at ini-start ang engine ng kotse.

"So.." I glanced at Jade. I'm waiting for my engine to cool before driving off so I might listen to her story for a while. "What have you been up to recently?" I sighed, thinking.

"Nothing much. Maybe playing video games or.. reading?" sagot ko ng may pag aalinlangan. Wala naman akong ibang ginagawa bukod sa maglaro at magbasa. Tapos na ang school year kaya bakasyon ko na pero wala naman akong ibang ginagawa ngayon.

"Simple but exciting. I like it." She sounds so sarcastic but her face says the opposite. I don't really understand her.

Hindi ko na siya kinausap pa at nahalata naman niyang ayaw ko na magsalita pa. Humarap siya sa may bintana at nilibang nalang ang sarili. Binuksan ko naman ang music player para hindi siya masyadong mabagot. Baka sa sobrang bored niya at walang magawa, maisipan niya pang buksan ang pinto at tumalon.

"I like this song!" She excitedly said. I looked at her when she started singing.

"Why you standing all by yourself? Those shoes were made for dancing with someone else."

Tinignan ko siya saglit at nakita kong nakatitig lang siya sakin habang nakangiti. Napailing naman ako. Iniiwasan ko ang tingin sa kanya. Mukhang hindi magandang idea ang mag patugtog.

"Why don't we move over to that empty space? I bet you 20 bucks I'll put a smile on your face. I know a place where we can."

Nilingon ko ulit siya at hindi na mapigilang mapangisi dahil mukha siyang tanga sa ginagawa niya. Nakapikit ang mga mata, nakahawak sa dibdib at pasuray-suray.

"Dance~ the night away. Baby, we could try to.
Make the world spin slower. We could take our time and.." Itinapat niya sa mukha ko ang kamay niya. Napairap naman ako at napabuntong hininga.

"Get to know each other over cherry wine, huh."

Malawak na ngiti ang lumapat sa kanyang labi ng makuha ang gusto. Napapailing na lang ako at hindi na muling kumanta pa. Bahala na siya jan.

"Jade! Long time no see!" Mama immediately hug her when we arrived after the 20 minutes ride. Binuhat ko pababa ng kotse yung mga maleta niya at iba pang gamit habang busy siyang makipagkwentuhan kay mama.

"Ma'am, ako na po." Our maid said, finally offering help. Seriously, her baggage is super heavy. Feels like I've carried a whole tree.

Agad akong nagtungo sa kwarto ko dahil wala na akong balak makinig pa sa kwentuhan. Hindi naman ako interesado sa topic nila dahil tiyak akong puro abubot sa katawan lang ang pinag uusapan nila.

Pagkarating sa kwarto ay kumuha lang ako ng libro na hindi ko pa natatapos at binasa ito para libangin ang sarili.

Habang nagbabasa ay biglang namatay ang ilaw sa aking lampshade. I got up immediately to check what happened. Nakasaksak pa din naman ang lamp pero hindi ito umiilaw. Imposible namang nasira na.

I flinched when there's a loud thud that came from the other side of my room. It was the door of my balcony. It is open so I went there to close it because it's freezing outside.

Nang isasara ko na sana ito ay may biglang anino akong nakita. It doesn't form anything, just a black shadow that seems to be dancing. I tried to reach for it with my hands as it moved in the direction in which I moved my hands.

Napalingon naman ako sa bedside table ko ng biglang kumislap kislap ang lampshade ko. Kumunot ang noo ko at nilapitan itong muli. Hindi siya sira.

"Gab?" I got back to my senses when someone knocked on my door. I opened it only to see Jade.

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. I think she wants to tell me something, a favour perhaps, but don't know how to put it in words.

"What?" I asked, medyo naiinip na.

"Pwede ka bukas?"

Nagtaka naman ako at napaisip. Wala naman akong ibang gagawin. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you could come with me tomorrow sa mall." She said with a pleasing eyes.

Seryoso ba siya? I mean, pwede naman ako kaso anong gagawin namin doon, magkaiba naman kami ng hilig. Ngunit hindi naman ako makatanggi dahil baka sermon na naman ni mama ang bumungad sakin sa umaga kaya pumayag na ako kahit na tinatamad.

Tumango ako. "Yey! Sige. Baba ka na daw pala sabi ni tita. Kakain na." Huli niyang sinabi bago ako iniwan at bumaba.

Nilingon ko muna ang loob ng kwarto ko at napatulala saglit. Hindi ko naman na pinansin ang nangyari kanina kaya bumaba na din ako para kumain.

Weird.