Chapter 45: The Ring

Everything was fine. Hestia was safe. There was nothing to worry about. There was a huge difference between reality and what's just in your mind. I have no control over my mind, but I live in reality. There's no way I would let anything happen to anyone around me.

I was busy flipping the pages of the journal Hestia gifted to me. It was a compilation of the most remarkable events in our lives this era. May tuwa at pait na pakiramdam sa dibdib ko habang palipat ako nang palipat ng pahina.

As I flipped the pages of the journal, I realized how long I've stayed in this world. The journal also included some pictures of my past events with random people I've never met again.

Sa tagal kong nanatili rito ay wala man lang ni isa akong nakapagpalagayan ng loob. Maybe because I've never really encouraged the idea of expanding my circle beyond Hestia. It's always been contented to her.

There were times that being isolated from the rest saved me and my career. But there were also times when I looked back and realized I had wasted a lot of good friends. Just like Kathlysse.

I may have successfully embodied countless of identity and personalities, but I failed to leave my past behind. My past has always influenced my present. My past reminded me of how untrustworthy this world was. The fewer you trust, the safer you are.

I didn't realize that I was already at the end of the journal. May mga pahina pang kasunod pero blangko na ang mga 'yon at hindi na mapupunan pa.

Tumuwid ang tingin ko. Nakatingin sa akin si Hestia. Ngumiti siya nung mahuli ang tingin ko saka uminom ng alak.

"I didn't gift that journal for you to look back the entire night," she said sarcastically.

"Where's Kristan?"

We were alone at the kitchen. Masyado akong nalunod sa pagbabalik-tanaw na nakalimutan kong may mga kasama pala ako. Dapat ay magpa-party kami pero pagkakita ko sa journal ay napaupo ako agad para basahin.

"He brought Lilly into his room," Hestia shrugged. "Did you like my gift?"

I smiled. "You made my departure in this world more depressing."

She poured more wine into her glass. "Did you appreciate it?"

"Of course I did!"

She sipped on her wine while staring at me. Sa tingin ko ay nagtatampo pa rin ito na muntik ko nang masira ang gabing hinanda niya para sa akin.

I put the journal on the table and moved my seat closer to her. Kinuha ko ang alak sa kanyang kamay saka ko 'yon ininom. Naramdaman kong hinawi niya ang buhok ko papunta sa likod ng aking tainga.

"If I would be honest..." she whispered. "I hated this world. I still do hate it."

"I thought you also fell in love with it eventually?" I arched a brow.

"It doesn't matter anymore. We are leaving."

"We are..." Hinaplos ko ang kanyang mapulang pisngi. Napapikit siya sa ginawa ko. "Thank you, Hestia. Thank you for always being there for me."

"I have no choice..." she whispered, still eyes shut.

I smiled. She had so many options, but she still chose to be with me. That says a lot about how much she values our long history. I do, too.

"I cannot live without you..." Isang butil ng luha ang pumatak mula sa kanyang pisngi. Tumulo ito sa aking kamay na nakahawak sa kanyang pisngi.

"You don't have to. I am here."

She pulled me for a tight hug. Naramdaman kong nanginig ang kanyang katawan kasabay ng pagkawala ng isang mahinang hikbi sa kanyang bibig.

"You don't have to live without me, Hestia..." I said.

"I don't, and I won't. I promise that."

That was I think the longest time we shared a hug. Wala pa sanang balak na bumitiw si Hestia kung hindi ko lang binanggit ang tungkol kay Kristan.

"The party will be in a few hours. I have to tell Kristan to go as far away from here."

Hestia nodded. "You really have to."

"Are you good here? Aakyatin ko lang siya sa kwarto."

"Yeah. Of course." Suminghap siya saka nagsalin uli ng alak sa kanyang baso. "I'm good here. Go ahead and talk to him."

Wala si Kristan pagkaakyat ko sa kanyang kwarto. Ang nadatnan ko lang doon ay si Lilly na mahimbing ang tulog sa kama. Nagbaka sakali rin akong nasa kwarto ko siya pero wala rin.

I went out on the backyard. Naabutan ko siyang nakaupo sa gilid ng pool at tila malalim ang iniisip. Umupo ako sa tabi niya nang tila hindi niya namamalayan.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"I barely partook to your life," bulong niya habang mahinang ginagalaw ang binti na nakababad sa tubig. "You deserve a celebration without me."

Humiga siya habang ang mga binti ay nakalubog pa rin sa tubig. Ginawa niyang unan ang kanyang mga braso habang nakatingala sa kalangitan.

"Did I have a friend like Hestia in my past life?" he suddenly asked. "You know. Someone who really cared for me. Someone who really knew me. Someone... who was always there for me."

I just sighed as I really had no answer to that. Wala ako gaanong alam sa kanyang buhay dati. There were a few things I knew, but I don't think answering his question would help him.

"As I watch how Hestia looks at you, I cannot help but think about my past life. If I really had someone like her in my past, what did that someone feel when I suddenly disappeared? Did it make that someone sad? Or desperate enough to look for me?"

"How can you be sentimental about something you don't even remember?" I joked.

"I'm not being sentimental. Just wondering."

Inahon ko ang mga binti ko mula sa tubig saka niyakap ang tuhod ko. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang puwede kong irason para mapalayo lang siya sa lugar na 'to.

I just couldn't tell him to go away. That would make him suspicious. Mas lalong hindi lang siya aalis. Kailangan ay may matindi akong rason.

"It must be nice to have a friend. Nicer if it was also a vampire," he chuckled. "Imagine the adventures that last for centuries with that friend?"

He rested his hands on his chest, still staring at the dark sky. Napansin kong wala na sa kanyang daliri ang singsing na nakita ko dati.

"The thing is, it's rare to find a friend who will last like that," I said in a bitter tone. "Honestly speaking, I'm also not that kind of friend. Hestia is just really that consistent."

"I see it."

"What do you mean?" I glared at him. "Na hindi ako mabuting kaibigan?"

Humalakhak siya kaya napasimangot ako. Aminado naman ako sa parteng 'yon, pero nakakainsulto kapag sa iba mo narinig.

I'm a good friend. Not that good. But still.

"Why are you here, by the way?" tanong niya. "Where's Hestia?"

"She's drunk."

"Yeah. You are really intoxicating."

I could feel both of my cheeks blushing. That's so random of him.

"You are into roses, but you are more like an ivy. Your beauty doesn't get old."

That's it.

I couldn't contain my feelings, so I jumped into the water in my dress. I sunk my whole body on the bottom as I hoped the water would make sense, but it didn't. The water couldn't drown me the way my feelings could.

How could that be possible?

From the clear blue water and distorting bubbles around, someone jumped after me. I saw him diving with his hand reaching for me.

He looked so worried. Did he think I was drowning in water?

When I didn't reach for his hand as he hoped to, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to the surface. I just wished I had closed my eyes before he even found out that I was conscious.

"Are you okay?" he laid on the floor while the water on his hair was dripping on my face. Nakahawak siya sa braso ko na parang dinadama kung ayos lang ako. "Nathalia. Are you okay?"

I shook my head because I was not sure. Sigurado akong ayos lang ako, pero hindi ako sigurado kung ayos lang akong ganito siya kalapit sa akin pagkatapos ng mga sinabi niya.

The look of worry on his face intensified.

Everything was so overdramatic for no reason.

"Pupuntahan ko si Hestia—"

I pulled his hand and reached for the back of his neck to move his face closer to me. Saka ko pinagdikit ang mga labi namin. Sa una ay hindi siya gumalaw, pero lumipas ang ilang segundo at tumugon na rin siya.

While I was kissing him, I came up with another realization. I was more of a human than a vampire in this world. Kung magtatagal ako rito ay baka makalimutan kong hindi talaga ako tao. Baka makalimutan kong ang ginagawa ko ay hindi gawain ng isang bampira.

The time was ticking away. Ang natatanging dahilan na lang para pansamantalang mapalayo ko rito si Kristan ay iutos sa kanyang mauna na sa Hermison Island ni Hestia.

"What am I going to do there?" tanong niya.

Nasa tabi pa rin kami ng swimming pool. Nakahiga ako sa dibdib niya habang pinaglalaruan niya ang buhok ko.

"That's my gift for Hestia. May mga kailangan pang ayusin sa islang 'yon. I cannot go there myself. Baka sumama si Hestia. I want to surprise her."

"How could an entire island be just a gift to someone?" tumawa siya. "Sure. She deserves that."

"I know. Please don't tell her."

"I won't."

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag. Mukhang hindi naman siya nakahalatang pinapaalis ko lang talaga siya. Nasabi ko na rin sa kanya na kailangan niyang umalis mamaya rin ng umaga.

Papasok na kami sa loob nung makasalubong namin si Hestia. The look on her face bothered me. May pinakita siya sa aming singsing.

"I found this in your room," ani Hestia kay Kristan. "Bakit may ganito kang singsing, Kristan? Sino ang nagbigay sa 'yo nito?"

Natutop sa kinatatayuan niya si Kristan. Hindi niya nagawang makapagsalita.

"What about that ring?" I asked.

"Why don't you ask him?" Hestia dared. "Come on, Kristan. Who gave you this ring? Tell her."

Kristan gulped. "Terrence."

Kumunot ang noo ko.

"Did he give you this voluntarily?" Hestia asked.

Kristan shook his head.

"Then, what?" patuloy pa rin sa pag-usisa si Hestia. "Did you ask for his help?"

"I did."

Hindi ako nakasunod sa usapan nila. Ibig bang sabihin nito ay si Terrence ang dahilan kaya nagawa ni Kristan na maka-survive nang ganito katagal? That just doesn't make sense. Why would Terrence help him?

"He once worked with Kathlysse while I also working for her. Hindi ako ang unang lumapit sa kanya. Una niya akong nilapitan para itanong kung ano ang ginagawa ko kasama si Kathlysse—"

"Then you asked for his help?" putol ko sa mahaba niyang kwento. "I get it. Pero ano ang kapalit?"

"Friendship..." he whispered.

"Are you fucking kidding us, Kristan?" Hestia blurted out. "Kinaibigan mo ang lalaking 'yon?"

"That was what he offered to me at first," sabi ni Kristan. "Binigyan niya ako ng singsing para makagalaw ako nang maayos. Binigyan ng dugo. He was really helpful."

"So you betrayed Nathalia in exchange for a temporary comfort?" Mapaklang tumawa si Hestia. "You had the nerve to talk to him but not admit that you were wrong for not choosing Nathalia that night. How dare you?"

"I admit it. Lagi rin kaming magkasama nung mga panahon na wala pa akong dahilan para bumalik kay Nathalia. I didn't want to, but I wanted to survive. If I didn't accept his help, I don't think I would still be here."

"Terrence wouldn't help you just for sake of being friends with him, Kristan," mahinahon kong sinabi. "Alam kong may malalim pang dahilan."

"No." He shook his head. "That's all, except the friendship he offered was just a façade to his real intention."

"And... what was that?" hamon ni Hestia.

"He tried to ruin Nathalia to me. Sinubukan niyang palayuin ang loob ko kay Nathalia. By telling me all these horrible things about her. He wanted me to hate her."

"What horrible things about me did he tell you?"

"Really, Nathalia? You are more worried about that?" Hestia rolled her eyes.

Napansin kong nag-alangan siya na sagutin ang tanong ko. "That you killed Bryson. Alam ko na bago mo pa sabihin sa akin Nathalia. Except that he told me that you only killed him because he found out that you were a vampire."

"Ano pa?" tanong ko.

Hestia frowned.

"He also showed me the video of you filming the scandal..." he bit his bottom lip. "That you also once had a romantic feeling for a woman. If he didn't just love you, he would despise you."

I nodded. "I see..."

"But I've always been faithful to you, Nathalia. No words or history about you would make me hate you. He failed to dishearten me."

"Okay..." sabi ko na lang.

"Fine. Gets ko na rin!" ani Hestia. "Pero dahil din sa ginawa mo ay pag-iinitan ka rin ng ulo no'n. You've be friended the wrong person, Kristan."

"I'm not scared of him."

Hindi ko na napakinggan ang ibang pinag-usapan nila dahil unti-unti na rin akong naglakad palayo. Pumasok ako sa kwarto ko.

I sat on my bed with a heavy feeling.

Out of all the revelations he unfolded to us, only one thing caught me by surprise. It's not the fact that he befriended the man I would die just to kill. Or because I felt betrayed by his decision.

It's the fact that he knew about that.

He was not supposed to know about that.