CHAPTER 3

》THIRD PERSON P.O.V.《

"Pasensiya na kayo, dahil sakin, ganito tayo." Saad ni Aera.

"It's fine for me." Gabriel habang nakaharap kay Aera.

"Next time, gusto kong tayo lang dalawa. Ang sikip kapag nandyan yung isa d'yan." Calix.

Ang ending ng kanilang pwesto ay magkakatabi silang tatlo sa king-size bed ni Calix at pinag-gigitnaan nila si Aera dahil sa natatakot ito.

Sa ganitong paraan na may katabi siyang matulog ay mas kumakalma siya. Dahil naaalala niya na ganito ang buhay nila dati, magkakatabi sa banig ng kaniyang mga kapatid na lalaki.

“Never tell this to my brothers and Papa… I don’t want them to worry,” Aera whispered softly, her eyes already closed.

“Your father doesn’t care about you. Don’t worry,” Calix replied coldly, making Aera glare at him sharply.

It was only then that she noticed—both men beside her were watching her closely.

Gabriel gently covered Aera’s body with a blanket and adjusted it carefully.

“Go to sleep now,” he said sweetly, a soft smile playing on his lips..

Sa isip isip ni Aera ay hindi naman siguro masama na makatabi niya itong dalawang lalaki na ito.

"Wala naman siguro kayo gagawin sa'kin no?" Aera asked. And natawa naman ang dalawa at umiling ang dalawa.

Pagpikit ni Aera ay naramdaman niya ang pagyakap ni Calix sa bewang niya sa ilalim ng kumot. Alam niya sa sarili niya na naka-move on na siya sa nararamdaman niya kay Calix. Pero dahil sa pagiging clingy sa kaniya ni Calix, ay lagi pa ring bumabalik ang kiliti sa kaniya.

Napasinghap naman ng yumakap din si Gabriel.

"Ano ba kayo?" Naiinis na saad ni Aera at tinignan ang dalawang lalake na nakayakap sa kaniya. Iniisip niya para siyang may dalawang anak.

"So that, you feel safe, hindi ka na iiyak." Saad ni Gabriel.

Aera couldn’t help but smile. They were so sweet to her. She still couldn’t believe that two of the most popular guys had become her closest friends.

...

》AERA SUMMER P.O.V.《

"“Yeah, Georgia was found dead in their pool,” my classmates said as I glanced at my phone.

The news was all over our group chat—about Georgia. The girl who constantly bullied me.

The last time she messed with me, she poured a bucket of foul-smelling liquid over my head. She did it because she liked Gabriel.

But even then... I felt pity. No matter what she did to me, I never wished death to be her punishment.

“You must be happy, huh?” said one of Georgia’s circle of friends as they surrounded me.

“This is probably your doing, right? Witch!” another spat.

“You were the last person Georgia picked a fight with... So you’re a demon after all,” one girl sneered.

Bigla namang kumalat ang bulong bulungan at chismisan. Na ako ang may kagagawan ng pagpatay kay Georgia, kahit walang evidence ay paniwalang paniwala ang mga tao.

Hindi ko kaklase ngayun sila Gab at Calix dahil sa magkakaiba kami ng schedule at 4th year na sila.

"Y-You don't have any evidence." Nauutal kong saad.

"Well, we didn't need evidence that you are a witch. Sa pang-aakit mo pa nga lang sa dalawang campus boys natin, halata ka na. Eh isa ka lang naman mahirap." Saad nito.

"Wala ka pa nga sa talampakan nila eh, hindi talaga namin alam ba't baliw na baliw sila Gabriel at Calix sayo. Witch!" Sigaw pa ng isang babae.

Ngunit hindi ko na lamang sila ininda.

Pumunta na lamang ako sa locker ko at ako na naman ang laman ng chismisan dahil kay Georgia.

"Huy Aera!" Sigaw ng kaibigan ko—Clarisse.

Yes, kahit papaano hindi lang sila Gab at Calix ang naging kaibigan ko. Nagkaroon pa rin ako ng isang kaibigan na babae, dahil sa lagi rin siya nabubully and we have the same status in life. Hindi gaano yayamanin pero may kaya sa buhay.

"Uy, clarisse, ba't late ka?" Saad ko.

"Traffic, hirap makasakay ng jeep. Nabalitaan mo ba? Yung nagkakagusto sayo si Joshua, patay na." Kaagad naman ako napahigpit sa hawak hawak kong libro.

"She is literally witch, kawawa naman si Joshua."

"Huwag kang lumapit sa kaniya, baka ipakulam ka n'yan." Bulungan ng mga tao.

Binuksan ko naman ang Locker ko at aasahan ko na maraming laman ito ng basura dahil sa mga nang-bubully sa akin. Naging karaniwan na ito sa'kin.

Pero napadako ang tingin ko sa itim na bulaklak.

Ito na naman. May laman na sulat. Ngunit itatapon ko sana ng pigilan ako ni Clarisse.

"Oy wag, basahin muna natin." Saad niya at walang anu mang binuklat ito.

Clarisse whispered softly, “I will get rid of any man who dares stay in your sight.”

My body immediately trembled.

“I’m scared… I can’t handle this anymore,” I said quietly, and I saw the fear flash across Clarisse’s face too—as she realized the message was connected to Joshua.

...

Ilang araw lumipas ay sinubukan kong tawagan sila Gabriel at Calix. Pero parehas silang hindi sumasagot at hindi ko rin sila nakikita sa Campus.

Nawalan ako bigla ng connection sa kanila.

Iniiwasan na ba nila ako dahil sa mga creepy na nangyayare sa akin?

Nandito ako ngayun sa playground malapit sa apartment ko.

Ayokong pumasok sa apartment ko dahil natatakot pa rin ako.

"Pumunta ka sa meet up place natin." Text bigla sa akin ni Gab.

Meet up place namin ay ang Abandoned building sa di kalayuan. Minsan doon kami tumatambay tatlo.

Kaagad naman akong tumakbo at pumunta ron.

Hindi ko alam pero ramdam ko ay may mangyayare. Hindi ko mapigilan ang bilis nang tibok nang puso ko.

Pumunta ako sa 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor ay wala sila kaya dumiretso ako sa Rooftop.

Napangiti ako ng makita ko ang pigura nilang dalawa.

Napayakap ako sa sarili ko ng dumampi ang malamig na hangin.

"Gabi na at madilim bakit kayo nandito? Tinatawagan ko kayo, hindi ko kayo macontact. May nangyare ba?" Saad ko sa kanila ngunit hindi sila sumasagot.

Lumapit naman ako sa kanilang dalawa. Magkaharap silang dalawa sa isa't isa.

Nang pagkalapit ko ay nagulat ako ng may mga pasa sila sa mga mukha nila.

"A-Anong nangyare sa inyo? Nakipag-away ba kayo? May naka-away ba kayo?" Sunod sunod kong tanong at lumapit naman ako sa mukha ni Gab ng mas marami ang pasa niya.

Ngunit ni-isa sa kanila ay walang sumagot.

Just now, I noticed that the usual smiling eyes of Gab were now filled with rage and darkness.

I followed his gaze—and he was staring at Calix, who was glaring right back at him.

“D-Did you two fight?” I asked softly.

But silence was the only answer I received.

“Choose, Aera. Who would you choose between the two of us? Him or me?” Gab asked, his voice dead serious.

I laughed nervously, trying to dissolve the tension between the three of us.

“Why would I need to choose? You’re both important to me,” I replied.

“Choose one,” Calix said flatly, but there was an undeniable threat laced in his tone.

“Why?” I asked, confused.

They broke eye contact for a moment—then Calix stepped closer to me.

“I know you liked me, Aera. Tell me… you loved me, didn’t you?” he asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

T-Teka paano niya nalaman na may nararamdaman ako sa kaniya dati.

"A-Anong pinagsasabi mo? W-Wala." Nauutal kong saad at tumalikod sa kaniya. Hindi ko kayang harapin ang mga mata nya.

“I felt it, Aera. Don’t deny it. I loved you…” Those words made my heart skip a beat.

“Why are you forcing it, bro? She already said no, didn’t she? We’ve loved each other since we were kids—and that hasn’t changed.”

I turned toward Gabriel, stunned by what he just said.

"A-Anong pinagsasabi mo?" Taka kong tanong sa kaniya.

“My parents are against us, Aera—but I’m willing to turn my back on them for you. You know that. I know you still love me,” he said, his voice laced with desperation.

"Dati pa 'yon Gab, b-ba't mo binabalikan?"

"Ano bang nangyayare sa inyo? Hindi ko na kayo maintindihan, kaibigan lang ang turing ko sa inyong dalawa, wala ng lalagpas pa ron." Saad ko sa kanilang dalawa ngunit parang wala silang naririnig sa mga sinasabi ko.

Kung titignan ko sila, may mga pasa sa mukha at katawan, at parang wala sa sarili.

"Kailangan pa kayo mag-umpisa maging ganito? Nag-aaway ba kayo dahil sa'kin?"

I was caught off guard when Gabriel suddenly grabbed both sides of my face with brutal force—and before I could react, he crushed his lips against mine in a hard, punishing kiss.

There was desperation in the way he kissed me. Wild and forceful.

I struggled immediately, panic surging through me, but his trembling hands gripped my cheeks and nape with vicious desperation—refusing to let go.

“F*ck you, asshole,” Calix snarled as he tore Gabriel away from me, delivering a punch on the his face.

Kaagad akong napalayo at kaagad pinunas ang halik ni Gab sa labi ko. Ramdam ko pa rin ang sakit sa labi ko dahil sa mariin na halik niya.

Unang beses ko pa lang mahalikan ngunit bakit ganito pa?

Bakit ba sila nagkaka-ganito?

“I love you, Aera. I love you. Please, accept my proposal. I’ll be good—I swear. I’ll do anything, anything for you,” begged the man I once called my best friend.

His grip on my hands tightened, trembling with desperation.

But before I could speak, another voice cut through the moment like a blade. “No. Don’t listen to him, Aera.”

I turned just in time as he pulled my other hand toward him—Calix Devraux, the man I once loved but never dared claim.

Dalawa na silang nakahawak sa kamay ko.

“I’ll give you everything, anything—just say you’ll be mine. I’ll protect you, I’ll worship you. I’ll spend every moment proving that no one could ever love you like I do. Please... don’t walk away from me. Not now. Not when I’ve already built my world around you.” Ang boses na puno ng pagmamakaawa at lambing.

Nanigas ang buong katawan ko.

At dito nag-simula ang lahat ng mga sikretong lumantad na matagal nilang tinatago.

All my miserable things are now happening.