Flickering Red
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"W-what? Why? What are y-you?"

Callum could only stare at her and feel her muscles tense inside her. Gusto ni Callum malaman ang totoo ngunit hindi sa paraan na ikalito ng dalaga. That's why for now, all he could do was smile.

"You saw it before your eyes what I was, Alde. I don't think I need to answer that."

Maingat niyang tinungo ang balustrade ng balkonahe nito at umupo doon. Aldeheid gasped and immediately held Callum from his arms, trying to stop him what he was about to do.

Tila'y isang yelo na nanigas si Callum sa mga kamay nito. Tumigil ang paghinga niya ng ilang sandali bago may isang mababang halinghing na lumabas mula sa dibdib niya. Aldeheid stepped back, hands still on Callum's shoulder, when Callum suddenly snapped his face towards hers.

"You do realize that what you're doing is more dangerous that what I was about to do?"

Their faces were inches apart. Ang pagpipigil ni Callum ay halos wala nang pagkakapitan sa katawan niya noong malanghap niya ang mabangong amoy nito. He knew it was something he should be avoiding but she was addicting, like a therapy that wiped off his exhaustion.

Gusto niyang langhapin ito buong maghapon ngunit hindi iyon pwede. Kaya naman ay mas mabilis pa sa kabayo na nawala siya sa paningin ng dalaga. He rushed towards the Malcolm's mansion and flumped onto the seat in front of the Alpha.

Magkahalong inis at gulat ang nasa mukha ng mag-asawa. At napatalon nalang sila nang bigla itong sumigaw.

"Call that fucking Rios! Nakulam na nga ata ako!" iyak ni Callum bago naman nasinghalan ni Harrison.

"Inuutusan mo ako?!"

Aldeheid for the second time, was left there, dumbfounded about everything Callum said. Ni hindi niya nga nakuha ang sagot na gusto niyang malaman at ngayon ay dinagdagan lamang ng binata.

Humugot siya na malakas na buntonghininga at napayuko nalang sa balustrade. Now that the only person she could ask things is gone, ano na ngayon ang gagawin niya? Especially that Callum only added beer in her mind.

She's getting crazy. At bago pa man iyon mangyare ay madali siyang pumasok sa silid at bumaba upang komprontahin mismo ang kapatid niya. Pero hindi pa nga siya nakababa ay nahinto ulit siya.

Paano kung iisipin nilang nababaliw na siya? She mean—no one would ever believe her unbelievable story. She could use the beta's name for facts ngunit natatakot siya dahil baka mas malala lang ang aabutin ng binata at baka maakusahan pa ito. He already spared her life twice, she must be considerate and keep the secret to herself as well.

Another morning came and as her usual routine, una siyang lumabas sa balkonahe upang abangan ang pagsikat ng araw. At laking gulat nalang niya na imbes araw ay isang pamilyar na bulto ang bumungad sa kaniya.

She almost squealed in her socks. Mabuti nalang at mabilis na lumingon ito kaya napasapo nalang siya sa kaniyang dibdib.

"That wasn't a good way to say good morning." she ridiculed, nanatiling maamo ang boses niya.

Callum chuckled playfully sat on the balustrade, one foot up while the other fell in front her. Masuyo itong ngumiti atsaka siya binati, "Hello, Alde..."

Nahiya siya doon at napaayos nalang sa kakagising niyang buhok, "Uh—hi, Callum..."

When Callum's grin widen, mas lalo lamang siyang nahiya. Aldeheid was never used to having another guy around aside from Crowick and Rexter, that's why she doesn't know how to communicate with Callum in a way that Callum likes.

"So, how was my little Alde's sleep?" ngayon ay dalawang binti nito ang nakaharap kay Aldeheid, at dalawang braso na nasa magkabilang gilid. He was wearing a playful smile and Aldeheid couldn't help but get baffled. Will she go with the flow or not? Hindi niya alam dahil ngayon lang siya nakaranas ng ganito, not to mention that it's from a guy in her age, kaya normal lang siguro na kiligin siya ng kaunti.

"Uhm...it was fine, I guess." kunot noong sambit niya sa binata at ramdam na ramdam ang init sa pisnge.

"That's great!" atsaka tumalon si Callum pababa.

Halos napatili si Aldeheid nang gawin niya ito. Mabilis siyang napayuko sa ibaba at nakita ang nakakaway na Callum sa ibaba.

"I'll be back at lunch! Good morning!"

It was the third time Callum left her but unlike the first and second, it was the first time she smiled despite being left behind.

Aldeheid was too pure to be lied at. Hinawakan niya talaga ang sinabi sa kaniya ni Callum. She was unsure if he'll keep what he said but she still waited, even after lunch, even when dinner came, and midnight struck.

Napakagat nalang siya ng labi nang masilayan ang orasan sa loob ng silid niya. She was a little disappointed but she knew it wasn't Callum's fault. Even if she doesn't know what beta means, alam niyang abala talaga ito sa trabaho. Kaya nakakapaghinayang lang na hindi niya ito ulit nasilayan sa araw na iyon.

Bagsak ang mga balikat niyang bumalik sa loob at natulog. She slept while hoping she'd see him as soon as she woke up.

At naging totoo nga ang dasal niya nang magmulat siya at ang mukha ni Callum ang bumungad sa kaniya. She couldn't scream because her mouth might smell like anyone else's mouth when they woke up.

Dahan-dahan siyang umupo, habang ang isang kamay nasa dibdib ni Callum. It affected Callum so much but he remained his smiles. "Good morning, Alde..."

Lumunok si Aldeheid at naiilang na ngumiti, "Good morning, Callum...b-but how did you get inside?" atsaka niya binaling ang nakabukas na pintuan sa balkonahe. She swear she locked it last night.

Callum shrugged, "Don't worry. It's not broken." tukoy niya sa pintuang tinitigan ni Aldeheid.

He jumped to stand and cheerfully glanced at Aldeheid who was in her usual wear. White lacy dress with puffed long sleeves and a pair of white socks. Biglang na turn-on si Callum doon at napalabi nalang.

Sumandal siya sa isang malaking bintana sa gilid ng higaan ni Aldeheid at kapagkuwan ay patalikod na umupo sa maliit na upuan doon. "So, how was my little Alde's sleep?"

Napakurap si Aldeheid sa narinig. Then she remembered what happened yesterday. Hindi niya napigilan ang mga salitang lumabas sa bibig niya, "Are you also gonna tell me that you'll come back at lunch and let me wait for hours until I realize that you're not really coming?"

Walang bahid na galit o dismaya iyon, it was purely a question of an innocent woman who wants to be certain about things she hasn't really had any experience. At alam agad iyon ni Callum nang mabasa niya ang isipan nito. Just by that, guilt surfaced in his body.

Napalunok siya at tumungo, "I'm...I was busy...so I forgot about going back." tanging nasambit niya dahil hindi niya masabi ang totoong nangyare.

Aldeheid innocently nodded, "It's okay. Have you had your breakfast?"

Callum's lips parted, unsure whether he'll lie or tell the truth. "Why, are you gonna let me join you?" pangungutya sa dalaga.

Aldeheid bit her lips from embarrassment but still nodded, "Do you want to join me?"

Napatanga nalang si Callum nang tanungin niya iyon. Guilt consumed him, again. Hindi nga tamang magsinungaling siya sa babaeng walang kamuwang-muwang sa kakayahan niya. It was unfair for Aldeheid, lalo pa't madali lang ni Callum na mabasa ang isipan nito.

Callum reluctantly dropped his head down, "I'm...I can't, I'm sorry..."

Aldeheid saw the disappointment in Callum's face. Hindi siya sigurado kung bakit pero may duda siyang nahihiya itong tanggihan ang pag-aanyaya niya. She giggled a bit and nodded, "No, it's okay. I understand but...perhaps you can do something else for me?"

Bigla namang kinabahan si Callum at mabilis na umikot sa isipan niya ang iba't-ibang bagay, but all was just his delusions when he heard Aldeheid ask the same thing she asked last time.

"Can you at least tell me what you did to me?"

Napaawang labi nalang ang binata at kalaunan ay napakamot sa batok. Neither the two of them really knows what happened. Callum was really trying hard to put each piece together but something just won't fit. Kaya kahit pa man ay sasagutin niya 'yon ay mahuhulog lang sa kasinungalingan.

"I never did anything to you..." tanging nasambit niya bago napalabi.

Aldeheid could only stare at the guy in front her. She doesn't know why she felt like he was saying the truth. That she only needs to trust whatever he says because something inside her tells so.

"Okay...you can go. Thank you." aniya bago umatras para padaanin si Callum. "Do you want to go out from my door or...?" they both look at the balcony.

Tipid na ngumiti lang si Callum, "I don't want you to get in trouble, so I'd like to go out through your balcony."

Natawa nalang sila pareho bago sumunod sa binata. When Callum was about to jump down, tumingin muna ulit siya sa dalaga. He was barely gripping on her balustrade when the wind suddenly blew. Napapikit si Aldeheid nang pumitik ang iilang hibla sa mukha niya at sa pagkakataong iyon ay malaya namang nakatitig si Callum sa dalaga.

She's not a witch. And he was sure about it. Her human scent is faint to others, but is very strong in his nose. Hindi niya alam kung paano nangyare iyon pero kung mayroon mang dapat pagdudahan, siya lang, si Aldeheid, at ang magnanakaw ang nakakaalam.

And then a bulb lighted inside his head.

That's right! Paano siya hindi nakaisip sa taong iyon? That town thief was there before him, sigurado siyang mayroon itong masamang ginawa sa dalaga bago pa man siya makarating.

Pagkamulat ng dalaga ay nagtama ang mga mata nila. The last time he checked, her eyes was caramel colored and not flickering red. Halos napabitaw siya nang masaksihan 'yon. Kaya naman ay ang dating plano ay nagbago. He's really going to mess up big time but he can't disappoint this woman again.

"When I get back, I promise to bring you something. Take care, my little Alde." he said before he jumped off the balcony, heading himself towards a different path.

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nyariina