Clexion's POV

"Clex.."

Ngumiti ako ng alanganin. Sa totoo lang, hindi ito ang plan A namin ni Chase. I can almost imagine him glowering at me from his post. Sigurado, naghuhuramentado na naman ang isang yun.

"Um.. A-Anong ginagawa mo dito? H-Halika, pasok ka.."

Well, that was easy. I mentally praised myself. Lintek, Clex! Gumagana pa rin ang charms mo hanggang ngayon? Ibang klase talaga kapag inborn ang pagiging gwapo! I grinned and went inside. Kita ko ang pagkataranta ni Krisa. I scanned her fron head to toe at pinigilan ko ang sumipol.

Since when did she start wearing skinny jeans?

She sat across of me at hindi nakaligtas sa akin ang nagtataka niyang mga mata. She still had that innocent glint in her eyes and that somehow showered relief over me.

Hindi ko talaga inaasahang sa ganito pa kami magkikita ulit.

"So, Kri.. Tititigan mo na lang ba ako buong magdamag? Wala man lang bang hug or kiss or anything in between---"

PAK!

"ARAY!" Did she just throw a pillow at me?! Nakita kong napairap siya sa sinabi ko. I scratched my head. Hanggang ngayon, bayolente pa rin. Tsk.

"If you were expecting some those stuff, I hate to break it to you but you won't be getting any of that tonight. Ngayon, bakit ka nandito?"

Obviously, she recovered from her shock from seeing me again. Napabuntong-hininga ako. Think Clex.. Hindi mo naman pwede sabihing "Nandito ako para hulihin ka under Dark Roses' authority." Nope. Hindi yun swabe. Hahaha.. But then again, mali rin yatang sinagot ko ang pinakaunang bagay na pumasok sa isip ko..

"Nandito ako para makipagbalikan."

Kahit ako, hindi ko inaasahan ang sinabi ko. She looked taken aback by what I said. A dead silence engulfed us. Sabagay, hindi ko rin naman siya masisisi. It's been years since we last saw each other.

Krisa Fabian.

My high school sweetheart.

Hanggang ngayon, ay hindi ko pa rin talaga matanggap na siya si Black Bella. Magmula nang makita ko ang picture niya sa profile ng Deadly Circle, may mga tanong na bumabagabag sa utak ko. At siguro ang pinakamalaking tanong na naiisip ko sa mga oras na ito ay bakit?

"C-Clex..I---"

What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?

What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?

I'm falling to pieces

"Ahh.. I need to answer this. Excuse me." Nakita kong umiwas siya ng tingin. Dali-dali akong tumayo at lumabas ng unit niya. It was Chase calling, and I know I still need to hold my guard up against Krisa in case na mabuko niya ako.

"Hello?"

"You are an idiot, I'd give you that."

Napangiti ako. "Yun lang ba ang sasabihin mo, boss?"

"Ehem.. THE FREAKIN' PLAN WAS SO SIMPLE! ANG GAGAWIN MO LANG NAMAN AY IAACTIVATE ANG SLEEPING BOMB NA KINABIT NATIN SA KWARTO NIYA! HINDI MO NAMAN NA KAILANGAN PANG I-RAMPA ANG BAGO MONG LEATHER JACKET! TINAMAAN KA NAMAN NG---"

Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. Natawa ako kay Chase. This dude really can't get over my new jacket! And what can I say? Rebelde talaga ako.

"Chill, mahuhuli pa rin naman natin siya. Just leave it all to me."

"Oh, right. What are you gonna do, CC? Charm your way to catch her? Brilliant! Sa jacket pa lang, siguradong kusa na siyang sasama sa'yo!"

"Alam mo, may galit ka talaga sa jacket ko eh! Psh.. Chase, I can handle this."

"Give me a valid reason why I should let you off the hook, Clex.."

Sa tono ng boses ni Chase, alam kong seryoso na siya. Napabuntong-hininga ako. As much as I don't want to put the several years of training I got from the Black Empire, some part of me wanted to see Krisa again.

"Ex ko siya."

Natahimik si Chase. Then,

"You got thirty minutes, kid."

I smirked. "Ipusta ko pa ang jacket ko." At pinatay ko na ang tawag. I hurried back to where I left Krisa. Nang marating ko ang living room niya, I noticed a bowl of fresh fruits on the table. May red wine ring nakapatong dito.

She came in, a few seconds later. Napansin kong iniiwasan niya akong tingnan sa mga mata.

"Baka gutom ka."

Napangiti ako sabay upo sa sofa. "Lagi naman akong gutom, hahaha!"

She smiled weakly. "Alam ko."

Namayani na naman ang katahimikan sa paligid at ang tanging tunog na maririnig ay ang pag-ngata ko sa isang mansanas. This feels so fuckin' awkward. From the corner of my eye, I saw her fidget. Para siyang kinakabahan na ewan.

"Clex.."

"Hm?"

"About what you said earlier.."

Muntik na akong mabulunan. Mabuti na lang talaga ang expert na ako sa mga ganitong scenario at nakaya kong lunukin ang malaking tipak ng mansanas na nasa bibig ko. I stared at her, wide-eye.

"It's been years after we separated, Clexion and we both know it wasn't pretty. Things..changed."

If only you knew.

"What do you mean?"

Binigyan niya ako ng makahulugang tingin at saka sumagot, "I'm a killer now, Clex. Don't want a bad girl to be your girlfriend again, right?"

Pinilit kong umirap sa sinabi niya. Obviously, she had no idea that I already know who she is. But still, a part of me wanted her to say otherwise. May mali talaga kapag siya ang naging masama. It doesn't seem right at all.

"Clexion, ako si Black Bella."

Iniyuko ko ang ulo ko. I don't know why, but hearing her say these words are too irritating to endure. "Kailan pa?" Yan lang ang tanging natanong ko. She sighed heavily na tila ba nahihirapan siyang ipaliwanag ang lahat, "From the moment you broke my innocent heart."

I jerked my head to met her eyes.

Dumilim ng bahagya ang mga mata niya as she took another sip from her wine glass.

"Kri.."

"Don't call me that. Anyway, now that you know who I am, I can't just let you get away with my little secret, honey."

Bigla akong kinabahan. Her aura seemed to be a tad bit darker than usual, too. Naalerto ako nang gumuhit ang isang ngisi sa mga labi niya. She slowly placed the wineglass on the coffee table and in a swift motion, may dinukot siya sa pinakailalim ng fruit bowl.

Mabilis ang mga pangyayari.

Moments later, we were standing up. Her gun pointed dangerously at my forehead. But instead of panicking, I stayed calm. She frowned.

I really know how to annoy this girl.

"Game on."

Sinipa ko ang lamesa sa pagitan namin at napaatras siya sa gulat. Tumalon siya para makaiwas pero agad ko siyang binato ng mansanas kong hawak. The apple hit her hand holding the gun at ilang sandali lang, ay sumugod kami ng may mga hawak na pocket knives. Metals clashed at ilang sentimetro na lang ang layo ng mga mukha namin sa isa't isa.

"Let me guess, you're a gangster now, CC? How surprising!"

Mabilis kong inilagan ang paparating niyang suntok at pilit na inagaw ang patalim na hawak niya.

"Yeah.. Amazing right? Me and you.. What do you say about relationship goals, Kri?"

Tumalim ang mga mata niya sa akin.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

And with one quick motion, pinatid niya ako mula sa ilalim at dinampot ang baril na kaninang nalaglag sa sahig. She was glaring at me with those mixed emotions in her eyes. For a moment, akala ko iiyak na siya.

Tinutok niya sa akin ang baril at kinasa ito.

"You were sent to kill me, right? Tell me, kaya mo bang gawin yun, Clex?" Her voice broke at the end.

Tinitigan ko ang mga mata niya. So that's why she's acting like this.. Naaalala ko na. In our second year, she kept on muttering about how she was so bipolar to the point na hindi na niya nakikilala ang sarili niya. And I made the biggest mistake of ignoring that symptom.

At ngayon, hindi ko na alam kong sino ang kaharap ko. Si Krisa ba, o si Bella?

CC, natry mo na bang magmahal?

Biglang bumalik sa akin ang tanong noon ni Ate Jasmine. Hindi ko lang inamin sa kanya, pero ang unang pumasok sa utak ko noon ay si Krisa. It has always been her. Kahit na, hindi eksaktong relasyon ang mayroon kami dati, I knew she managed to carved her name on my heart. Kahit gaano man ka-korning pakinggan. Kahit na "it's complicated" lang naman ang status namin dahil ayaw sa akin ng parents niya. Kahit na may pagka-gago ako noon.

It has always been this girl with the gun.

"I can't..and I won't kill you." Seryoso akong nakatingin sa kanya.

Biglang nanginig ang kamay niyang mahigpit na nakakapit sa baril. She was staring down at me with questioning eyes.

"W-Why..?"

I took this as an advantage. Mabilis akong tumayo at pinilipit ang braso niya sa likod, dahilan para mabitiwan niya uli ang baril. I pressed her body to the wall at bumulong sa tainga niya as tears started forming in her once innocent eyes,

"Because I still feel the same about you, Black Bella.."

***