STYGIAN | completed

81

ASTRIA (2020)

Hinigit ni Aegan ang braso ko para sumunod sa kanya and I don't have the strength to counter what he was doing since my emotions are still eating me up. Tuluy-tuloy pa rin na nagbabagsakan ang mga luha ko sa mga mata ko. Nagpatianod lang ako sa direksyon kung saan papunta si Aegan until we got to his car. He opened the front seat for me and I immediately sat on the shotgun seat. Wala na akong panahon pa magreklamo ngayon, because all I wanted to do right now is to get away from that mansion.

Silence filled our atmosphere. Walang nagsasalita sa amin so that made the air between us more awkward. He was just silently driving with his arms flexing onto the gear. He looked back at me kaya kaagad naman akong napaiwas ng tingin sa kanya, and just stared to the road. I held my chest and realized that my heart was beating wildy. Gosh, Astria! What the hell is happening to you right now? You rejected his feeling because you chose Stygian over him but why the heck is your heart beating that fast? Agh! I feel crazy talking with my self.

Hindi ko alam kung saan kami pupunta so I just let him drive to wherever he wants to go. I thought iuuwi niya ako sa bahay namin but when he took the way opposite our house, I know that we won't be heading there. I never tried to open up a topic so I just used the time to calm myself down, from all that had happened earlier. But I can't help to think of that! The silence makes me feel anxious that I started overthinking again. I need distraction! Right! I need something else to ease the boredom.

Just about when I was going to do something, Aegan stopped the car. My eyes wandered throughout the surroundings, until it got fixed on the hill. Hindi ko namalayan na bumaba na pala ng kotse si Aegan and he opened the door for me. Inalis ko ang seatbelt ko saka bumaba mula sa kotse then stared at him. But he wasn't staring at me. He was looking at somewhere else. Is he avoiding my gaze? Well, I think it's better now because I don't know if I can handle his gaze without my heart fluttering.

What now? What should I do? Should I just stand here by his car and watch the leaves falling one by one. I took a deep breath and mustered up enough courage to ask him. "H-hey..."

He suddenly walked towards the hill, kaya halos mapamura na lang ako ng baliwalain niya ang tawag ko. Tsk! He was obviously ignoring me and my presence. So, bakit niya pa ako dinala dito kung ganon na lang din naman? I wanted to go after him, dahil ayaw ko namang maiwan nang mag-isa and a part of me also wants to talk to him, pero kung ganito ang mangyayari? Then I think it's better if I stay here, right beside his car. The view is really nice here, although mas maganda ang view sa taas ng hill because it's an onlook of sceneries.

"Astria," Aegan called me coldly kaya halos mapatalon ako nang marinig ko ang boses niya. I looked at him, with confusion on my face. "Follow me."

He turned around and walked carefree with his hands in his pockets. Hah! He have the audacity to command me after all the ignoring he has done? Pero wala naman akong magagawa kung hindi sundin ang gusto niya.... for now. I swear, kapag ayos na kami, lagot talaga siya sa akin. Pero ngayon, we need to settle this first. Halos malimutan ko na ang problema ko kila Stygian at Astrid dahil sa kasabikan ko na makipag-ayos sa kanya. Gusto ko nang maayos ang lahat ng ito, and I want us to be back to normal, just like the old times.

He sat on the green grass on top of the hill kaya umupo na rin ako doon, a meter away from him. Silence ensued us again, that I had to watch the small frames of cars moving. Hindi naman kami ganito dati ah, but why are we like this now? Anong nangyari? Bakit ganito na

Hindi na ako nakatiis pa kaya binasag ko na ang katahimikan. "A-ang ganda ng paligid 'no?" I looked at him pero nagulat ako nang makita siyang nakatingin lang sa akin. Nilabanan ko rin ang titig niya.