The Warning

Elara’s POV

Hindi ko alam kung paano ako nakatulog kagabi. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him—nakasandal sa kotse, naninigarilyo, those sharp eyes locked on my window.

Damian Blackthorn.

The name alone was enough to make my stomach twist. Pero hindi lang takot ang nararamdaman ko—there was something else. Something I didn’t want to admit.

Umaga na. Pasado alas-otso, at late na naman ako for class. Kinuha ko ang bag ko, dumiretso sa gate para maglakad papasok sa campus. Normal morning, normal routine.

Until I opened my locker.

May papel na nakaipit sa loob, parang sulat. Walang pangalan, walang envelope. Just a folded, crumpled note.

My heartbeat skipped.

Dahan-dahan ko itong binuklat.

Stay away from him before it’s too late.

Nanlamig ang mga kamay ko.

Who wrote this?

Sino pa ba? Maya? Pero hindi ganito magsulat si Maya. Besides, she already gave me her warning.

So who else knows?

At bakit parang may ibang tao na nakatingin sa’kin…?

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All day, distracted ako. Sa klase, hindi ko maintindihan ang tinuturo. Sa canteen, halos hindi ko maubos ang pagkain ko. The words kept replaying in my head:

Stay away from him before it’s too late.

But how do you stay away from someone who’s already everywhere?

Pag-uwi ko, parang mas mabigat ang hangin. I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting na may susunod.

And then I saw it.

Sa gate ng bahay namin, may nakaparadang itim na sasakyan. Same one from last night.

My pulse spiked.

Siya.

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Damian’s POV

I saw the note before she did.

Ang mga tao sa paligid ko, akala nila hindi ko alam ang bawat galaw nila. But I do. Someone thought they were clever, slipping that little warning into her locker.

Stay away from him.

I almost laughed when I read it through the scope. Do they really think a piece of paper could undo what I’ve already begun?

Elara belongs to me. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Pero mas interesting ngayon: sino ang nagbigay ng warning?

An enemy? A rat from inside my circle? Or someone naive enough to think they can protect her from me?

Either way, they’ll regret it.

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That evening, I drove to her house. Hindi ako nagtatago. Hindi ako marunong magtago. If I wanted her to know I was there, I would show myself.

I leaned against the hood of my car, cigarette in hand. Waiting.

And just as I expected—lumabas siya ng gate. Eyes wide, face pale, clutching that crumpled paper in her hand.

Perfect.

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Elara’s POV

“Why are you here?” I blurted, too harsh, too fast.

Damian smirked, slowly crushing the cigarette beneath his shoe. “I told you, dove. You’ll see me when I want you to.”

“I don’t want this,” I said, though my voice betrayed me with a tremor. “I don’t want… you.”

His gaze darkened. “Funny. Your eyes say otherwise.”

I clenched my fists, forcing courage. “Someone warned me about you.”

That made him pause. Just a second. His jaw tightened, then relaxed, that dangerous calm settling back on his face.

“And did you listen?”

I hesitated. That was enough of an answer.

He stepped closer, his presence swallowing me whole. “Let me make this simple, Elara. The only warning you need is this—” His lips brushed close to my ear, his voice low, lethal. “Run from me, and I’ll chase. Hide from me, and I’ll find you. Stay near me… and you’ll be safe. Even from the ones who left you that pathetic note.”

I shivered, not from the night air, but from the way his words wrapped around me like chains.

He pulled back, eyes glinting. “Now tell me, dove. Do you really want to stay away?”

And in that moment, I realized the truth that terrified me most.

I didn’t know anymore.

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