Ria's POV

"Art..." Nadatnan ko siyang kumakain ng cereal sa kusina.

Sinadya kong bumangon nang maaga para makausap siya tungkol sa nangyari kagabi. In other words, I want to apologize to her, personally, and whole-heartedly like how it should be.

I was at fault as well, because I had the nerve to run my mouth first before listening to her. Kahit hindi niya pa sabihin ang exact reason kung bakit nagawa niya 'yon, I'm a hundred percent sure she did it because she had good intentions. She would never do anything to make us feel bad.

Alam ko ito dahil kilala ko siya.

Pinagmasdan ko siyang kumakain ng breakfast niya. "Can I talk to you for a sec?" Umupo ako sa katapat niyang upuan.

I gave it a thought last night and, in the end, I felt bad. I was disappointed at myself. Marami akong nabitawan na mga salita na ako mismo, ayaw kong marinig. I was being reckless, at umabot ito sa puntong nagawa kong kalimutan na isa siya sa pinakamatalik kong kaibigan.

"Hmmm?" Inangat niya ang kanyang tingin sa'kin.

"I'm sorry." Diniretso ko na sa S-word.

Hindi siya sumagot at tinitigan niya lang ako kaya nag-isip ako ng pandagdag. "U-Umm... what I said last night, I didn't mean it. I swear to the Gods." I raised my hand and made a gesture of promising. "Alam mo naman kung ano ako magalit diba? Nawawala ako sa sarili ko-"

"Ria?"

Nabigla ako nang banggitin niya yung pangalan ko. "What?" mabilisan kong sagot.

"Hanggang ngayon nalilito pa rin ako kung ano yung favorite color mo."

"H-Huh?" My brows furrowed, clearly out of touch of what was happening.

"Red ba or orange?"

Did she really dismiss my apology like that?

"It's umm... red." mahina kong sabi. Umiling-iling ako pagkatapos. "Look Art, I'm really sorry for what I said to you. Nasaktan kita-"

"Hay!" Binaba niya ang hawak niyang kutsara. "Ria..." She tilted her head, giving me an exhausted look. "Okie dokie lang ako. Nangyari na yun. Atsaka..." Ngumuso siya bago yumuko. "Gusto ko ring mag-sorry sa'yo." she murmured, almost to a hush.

"Balak ko lang naman labhan yung uniform ih." pagpapaliwanag niya. "Nakalatag lang kasi sa kama mo kaya ayun..." Kumibit-balikat siya bago nagpatuloy sa pag-kain.

For a moment, napasimangot ako. "Did I really leave it on my bed?" I asked, obviously confused. I remember putting it inside its frame... or is my brain playing tricks on me?

"Shit." Sabay hampas ng palad sa noo ko. "Did I? Really? I'm sorry."

Sandali siyang huminto at suminghap. "Huwah. Sabi ko lang okie lang ih. Ria? H-Hindi mo na ba ako naririnig? Nabingi ka ba? Oh my Godsness! Dahil ba yun sa sigaw ko kagabi?"

A smile curled on my lips as I shook my head. "I didn't turn deaf, Art."

"Wait a minute!" Sumingkit ang kanyang mga mata. "Kung bingi ka nga, ih ba't nakasagot ka?"

"Kasi... hindi nga ako bingi." Natatawa kong sabi.

I literally practiced my apology last night, only for it to end up like this. But I guess mas mabuti na siguro ito kesa sa na-imagine ko kagabi na hindi niya ako papansinin.

Narinig namin ang pagbukas ng pinto kaya sabay kaming lumingon sa direksyon ng mga kwarto namin at nakita si Cal na kalalabas lang, halatang bagong gising.

I smirked after seeing his reaction upon knowing that I'm here alone with Art. "Ugh." I groaned. "Don't give me that look, Cal." Alam ko kung anong nasa utak niya. Those alert eyes, even when he's still half asleep. "Wala akong ginagawang masama. I'm actually here to apologize to her."

Baka akala niya aalipustahin ko na naman itong si Art.

An idea immediately popped up in my mind, dahilan na mapangisi ako.

A good time to mess with a devil.

"Hey Art... Do you want to get ice cream?" Alok ko kay Art, nang hindi siya binabalingan ng tingin. Nakatutok lang kasi ako kay Cal, nag-aantay ng magiging reaksyon niya.

"Libre mo? Hihihi?" Narinig kong sagot ni Art.

"Of course." Tumayo ako.

"Amazing with a zee!" Pumapalakpak siya nang makalapit sa'kin.

"Tara." Kinuha ko ang kamay niya at hinila siya papalabas ng dorm. Umabot kami sa pinto, at hanggang doon lang dahil bago ko pa tuluyang matangay si Art, bigla siyang huminto.

"Someone's getting possessive." komento ko pagkatapos makita ang isa pang kamay ni Art na hawak-hawak ni Cal, one of the things I expected that he would do aside from killing me right on the spot.

"You're not bringing her anywhere." mariing sabi ng lalaking nakasimangot dahilan na matawa ako nang marahan.

"Bakit?" I blinked innocently. "Bibili lang naman kami ni Art ng ice cream ah, diba Art?"

"Sige na Cal! Ice cream lang naman ih!" She pouted. "Dalhan na rin kita para di ka magtampo hihihi..."

Cal looked at me, tightening his jaw. "No."

"Luh! Cal naman ih..."

Bago pa magmakaawa si Art, binitawan ko na siya. "That's okay." I sighed. "Ngayon ko lang naalala na may gagawin din pala ako." Nginitian ko si Cal. "Take her to the ice cream parlor for me, will you?"

Kaye and I have to meet today, pero mamaya pa. May klase pa kasi sila sa mga oras na'to. But come to think of it, why not pull her out of class para mamaya, makakapag-shopping ako kasama yung girls diba?

That should be a good idea.

"At dahil may lakad pa ako, una na'ko." Nag-salute ako sa kanila saka lumabas ng dorm.

Actually, matagal-tagal na rin akong hindi nakapagspa. Should I go there as well? Para mahimasmasan ako mula sa drama na nangyari kagabi at para makapag-isip din ako nang maayos for the upcoming war.

I chuckled lightly. Mabibilang nalang kasi ang natitirang araw na ibinigay ng council sa'min para hanapin yung blueprints.

But that certainly doesn't mean I can't make time for a day of relaxation.

I'm gonna die anyways.

Nasa punto na ako na wala na akong pakialam sa mangyayari sa'kin. Ang sa akin lang, matapos na'to para makapagmove-on na ang lahat. I want everything back to normal, sa panahon na missions lang ang pinag-aabalahan namin, at hindi digmaan.

Kaya kung mamamatay man kami, at least nakapagspa ako.

Napahinto ako nang makita si Kara sa hallway na papunta sa kinaroroonan ko.

Crap. I completely forgot. Supposed to be, magkasama kami ngayon para puntahan si Kaye.

"I was about to look for you." tugon niya.

"That's okay." Bahagya akong sumilip sa kanyang likuran, and it's safe to say na wala akong nakikitang Kaye. "So, where is she?" tanong ko.

"I went to her first class." aniya. "No one was there."

"Kailan ba magsisimula yung second subject niya?"

"Two minutes and eighteen seconds from now."

"Should we go there?" tugon ko na tinanguan niya.

• • •

Umaksyong kakatok sa pinto si Kara pero inunahan ko na siya at pumasok sa classroom nang hindi nagpapaalam. Dumiretso ako sa lalaking nakaupo sa likod ng teacher's table, hindi binibigyang-pansin ang mga estudyante na nakatingin sa'kin.

"May I excuse Kaye?"

"You should excuse yourself first for barging in during our long examination."

I let out a sigh. "Well then." Tumayo ako nang maayos at humarap sa Gamma students. "My apologies for disturbing you." I took a single bow before leaning towards the professor for the second time. "So yeah. We need to talk to Kaye."

"Unfortunately, she's been missing my subject for three days straight."

Nagtinginan kami ni Kara.

Don't tell me may nangyari na naman sa oracle na 'yon?

It didn't take us long before we stood in front of Kaye's dorm room. Ilang beses kaming kumatok bago bumungad sa'ming harapan si Gen, roommate ni Kaye.

"She's off to buy some herbs." pagbibigay-alam niya. "She said she's not feeling well." Pagkatapos, inimbitahan niya kaming tumuloy sa loob. Pinaupo niya rin kami sa cushioned chairs na nakapalibot sa coffee table nila.

"Nakapag-almusal na ba kayo?" Gen asked while opening cupboards. "Or how about coffee?" Nginitian niya kami. "I'm sure you need it right now."

"Anything's fine." Ginantihan ko rin siya ng isang ngiti.

Malaya kong inilibot ang aking paningin sa kabuuan ng kwarto habang naghihintay na matapos si Gen sa paghahanda ng snacks.

Their room, although obviously way smaller than ours', has enough space for a kitchen and a living space. Just meters away from us are two single beds on parallel with each other. Along with it, they both had their own study tables and wardrobes on their side of the room. The two of them also share the same comfort room, which I guess, is acceptable since their both females.

To be honest, I'm a bit jealous. Gusto ko rin kasing magkaroon ng roommate. Yung tipong nakakausap ko just before I close my eyes to sleep kasi magkatapat lang yung mga higaan namin. And how fun it would be to actually argue on which one of us should use the bathroom first.

But who am I to ask for less when I already have more?

A familiar wave of sadness took over me.

Kasalanan ba talaga 'yon? Ang humangad na bawas-bawasan ang meron ako kasi gusto ko ring maranasan yung nararanasan ng iba?

"Thanks Gen." Nagpasalamat ako sa kanya nang ilapag niya sa mesa ang isang plato ng clubhouse sandwiches.

Kumuha ako at nagsimulang kumain.

"I just brewed it this morning." Then, she gave each of us a cup of Greek coffee, the coffee that's always made and served in the Academy. 

In the middle of sipping mine, my eyes drifted towards one of the beds because on it, was a flat object partially hidden under the sheets.

Is it there because it's just there? Or is it there in an attempt of being hidden? Who knows?

"How is your class preparing for the big event?" tanong ni Kara kay Gen.

"We were asked to specify creatures arriving, including their body count." sagot niya. "Dinamihan rin namin ang daily offerings natin sa deities, especially to the goddess Nike. The keepers of her altar are even drawing blood from their own hands to keep her incense burning."

"That sounds rough." puna ko.

Tumango si Gen. "The things we do to win a war."

"The things we do to win a war..." Inulit ko ang sinabi niya. "Nakakapanibago nga naman."

"But isn't it exciting though?" Nakangiti niyang sambit. "It's the first time in history that we get to fight along each other. Sa school pa natin."

"Sasama ka?" Sa pagkakaalam ko, voluntary ang pagsali dahil may ibang students na hindi pa handang sumabak sa totoong labanan, at yung iba naman, takot na mamatay nang maaga.

"Of course. I wouldn't want to miss out on action." Her eyes gleamed with courage, and for a moment, I felt nothing but relief. Something I haven't felt for the last few weeks.

Sa sumunod na mga minuto, nag-usap lang kami tungkol sa mga pangyayari. It became evident that Kaye wasn't arriving sooner kaya napagdesisyunan naming umalis na.

"Thank you for the breakfast." Tumayo si Kara. "But we should get going now."

"Tulungan na kita." Tumayo na rin ako at tinulungan si Gen sa pagligpit. Ginagawa ko ito habang sinusulyapan si Kara na nawala na sa kinaroroonan niya.

"Just put it in the sink." ani Gen. "Tapos ako na bahala."

"Let's go, Ria." Nakita ko si Kara na nakatayo sa tabi ng nakabukas na pinto.

Tumango ako at lumabas ng room kasama siya.

Naglalakad kami sa hallway pabalik sa dorm nang may inilabas siya mula sa pagkakatago sa kanyang likuran.

"You're fast." Kinuha ko ito mula sa kamay niya. "I wonder why she hid it." Binuklat ko ito and as expected, wala pa rin itong laman.

"It's a possibility that she knows more than what we know. She's an oracle, afterall."

"You're right." My fingers ran over its leather cover. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yeah."

Then we're definitely keeping it.