"They are keeping their eyes on you so be careful..."

AVERY

Napapagod na pabagsak na humiga ako sa kama with my hands widely spread. Napatitig ako sa kisame. His room was elegantly designed. The silver chandeleir is huge and grand in the middle of the room. Hindi ko napapansing ginagamit niya ito o binubuksan. He's only using the small lampshade beside his bed. Maybe he was not really into luxury. I noticed that the carvings on the ceilings were medievally designed. It was surely according to the likings of an elf.

"You're getting too comfortable with my body," he said to interrupt my thoughts. I bit my lower lip when I heard his voice again. Kahit kalmado siya, ramdam ko pa rin ang pagkainis niya sa 'kin.

"That's my lips not yours," naiinis na dagdag pa niya. "Don't claim my body as yours," he added. Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. Suddenly, my lips formed into a naughty grin.

"Right. It's not my body," I agreed. "So when I bit your lips like this..." I said and bit his lips softly. "And if I pursed your lips like this..." I said and pursed his lips until I'm satisfied. "I'm already tasting your lips right?" nakangising pang-aasar ko sa kanya. "So if I touched your body..."

"Are you trying to be seductive?" naghahamong tanong niya sa 'kin.

I giggled. Marahang umiling ako. "No. Not really. Not when I'm inside your body. You know, I'm effortlessly seductive when I have my own body," malambing na saad ko sa kanya. He hissed and it's almost a sigh of resignation.

"Sorry but I don't have that damn hormones to be aroused by your words. I'm just a soul. You're too full of yourself. Too confident," he commented. I giggled once again. Hindi talaga ako nabo-bored kapag kausap ko siya.

"Because that confidence is the only thing I got now, excluding my soul," sagot ko at bahagyang napangiti. I didn't dare to touch his body. It doesn't feel right. "If I don't have that confidence, I will not have the courage to hope that you might hear me out, one day. Tiyak na panghihinaan ako ng loob lalo na't mukhang wala kang balak na tulungan ako," mahinang saad ko pa. Kailan ba siya mapipilitang umalis sa Alveria?

"If you're not that confident, you will not be separated from your own body. I'm not sure if you should blame your confidence now," he commented. "I really don't plan on leaving Alveria so I hope my lips satisfy you as a consolation. Does it taste good, Trouble?" he asked. Hindi ko alam kung inaasar niya ako o gusto lang talaga niyang pagaanin ang loob ko. But he sounded too sweet inside my head I can't tell which is which. I accidentally pursed his lips again. I really didn't intend to taste it again so I could feel his face as it heats up. I suddenly heard his chuckles. Damn! He's irritating!

"What if I tell you that it doesn't taste good?" nakangusong tanong ko sa kanya.

"You're lying. I can hear your thoughts. I know how you reacted when I asked you. At least, not being in control with my body doesn't really feel bad at all," he answered and chuckled again. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako ang naaasar sa halip na siya ang maasar.

"Shall I start your naked dance now?" nakangusong tanong ko sa kanya. "So you will feel bad," nakangising dagdag ko. He hissed again when I brought up that topic. "Give my body back," matigas na saad niya.

"Oh-oh! I don't want just your lips. I want to have your whole body as a consolation. Since you don't plan on leaving your homeland, shall I force you to go now?" natatawang tanong ko sa kanya. "Pwede ko nang simulan ang paglalakbay natin patungo sa Elfania."

"Fuck!" he cursed. Sunud-sunod ang pagmumura niya kaya medyo sumakit ang ulo ko. I angered him once again. He just realized that I'm capable of leaving now with his body. I grinned mischievously. Naramdaman ko ang kaluluwa niya na tila gustong agawin ang katawan niya mula sa 'kin. Unti-unti siyang lumalapit pero hindi niya alam kung paano ako pipigilan sa pagkontrol sa katawan niya. He didn't know how to take over and control his own body. He didn't know how to take my soul's place on his body. There was an invisible barrier that was stopping him. If only he got a stronger soul then he might be able to pass through that barrier. His eyes surely turned to green now. Ramdam na ramdam ko na malapit na talaga siya.

I sighed heavily. This inner battle between our souls was tiring. "Don't worry. I don't plan to do that. Hindi kita pipilitin kung ayaw mo talagang umalis sa lugar na ito. This is your body. I don't want to steal it from you," mahinang saad ko.

He hissed with annoyance. "Just give my body back," naiinis na saad niya. "If you really want to go to Elfania, find another body. I'll help you," naiinis na dagdag niya.

Mapait akong napangiti. "Hindi ganu'n kadali 'yon. You're the one to talk. Ni hindi ka nga marunong gumamit ng mahika," naiiling na sambit ko. He cursed again.

"Hey, Zirrius! Can we just talk like friends before I give your body back? Just stop being irritated. I want to know something about you. Let's chat for an hour," mahinang saad ko. Napapagod na rin ako. It's already quarter to three in the morning.

"You promise to give my body back after an hour?" nagdududang tanong niya sa 'kin. I nodded. "Promise."

"Are you sure?" nagdududa pa ring tanong niya.

"Yes. For an elf, a promise is more sacred and more important than life. If I break a promise then I better be gone," seryosong tugon ko sa kanya.

"You can't die. Not with my body," he kidded.

I chuckled. "That's why I already promised," natatawang saad ko. "How old are you?"

"Turning Twenty-three this month," he answered. Kumunot ang noo ko. "I thought you're twenty one?" takang tanong ko sa kanya.

"Why do you think so?" takang tanong niya sa 'kin.

"May nakikita akong announcements? About you turning twenty-one?" kunot-noong sagot ko sa kanya.

"That's two years ago," he answered and chuckled. "That's the age for me to rightfully claim the crown of power but as you can see, I didn't manage to get what is mine," he said. He sounded disappointed and sad at the same time. I already have an idea why so I didn't dare to ask.

"What day? I mean, your birthday," mahinang sambit ko.

"This Sunday," he answered.

"Oh? Sa araw ng pagtitipon?" kunot-noong tanong ko. Muli kong naalala ang ginagawang paghahanda ng mga tao sa kaharian. Apat na araw na lang ang nalalabi bago sumapit ang araw na 'yon.

"Yes," he answered.

"Kung ganu'n may magaganap na pagdiriwang para sa kaarawan mo?" nagbabaka sakaling tanong ko sa kanya.

"No. When my father died, I stopped celebrating my birthday. King Aulius doesn't care too. I'm sure he doesn't remember," seryosong saad niya. Malalim ang baritonong tinig niya. It was actually good inside my head.

"Oh. When did you start loving Liana?" pag-iiba ko ng tanong sa kanya.

"Why do you ask?" naghihinalang tanong niya sa 'kin.

"I told you, I want to know you," nakangusong saad ko.

"You're asking something personal," he said with discretion.

"That's what friends talk about," nakangising sambit ko. He sighed.

"When my father died. She's always there for me. She's always there to comfort me. Pakiramdam ko siya lang ang kakampi ko sa lugar na ito," he answered. Ramdam na ramdam ko na malalim talaga ang pinagsamahan nina Liana at Zirrius. Pakiramdam ko, ako ang kontrabida sa buhay nila. Zirrius chuckled because he heard my thoughts but he didn't voice out a comment.

"Paano kung lokohin ka niya? What if she betrayed you?" seryosong tanong ko sa kanya. Natahimik siya. Ilang minuto na bumalot ang katahimikan sa utak ko.

"What's the right answer for that?" mahinang tanong niya. His voice was uncertain. Ramdam ko ang pagkalito sa tinig niya. Ang magkahalong kalungkutan at galit dahil sa iniisip niya.

"Hindi rin ako sigurado. Ikaw lang ang makakasagot sa tanong na 'yan. What if she ask for your forgiveness? Will you forgive her?" muling tanong ko sa kanya.

"I can forgive her but the scars will always be there to remind me of what she did. But I want to forgive her," seryosong sagot niya. Natigilan ako. He's too brave to forgive.

"Shoot! Next question. How did your father die?" seryosong tanong ko sa kanya. Alam ko na masyado ng personal ang mga tanong ko pero gusto ko talagang malaman ang lahat-lahat. Natahimik siyang muli.

"Murder," he answered with a distant voice. I gasped with that revelation.

"Who killed him?" mahinang tanong ko.

"A servant. And as a punishment, he was put to death. Pinugutan siya ng ulo. Hindi ko nakausap ang pumatay sa ama ko. Masyado akong nabigla. Masyadong mabilis ang pangyayari na hindi ko alam kung maniniwala ba ako na pinatay niya talaga ang ama ko. Basta kinaumagahan, hinatulan na siya ng kamatayan. Gusto pa niya akong kausapin pero hindi na niya nagawa," seryosong sagot niya. My heart started to beat fast. Biglang lumalim ang paghinga ko. Bumigat ang pakiramdam ko. I'm not sure if it's just my imagination but there's something off.

"Next question. Have you seen your mother's portrait? I know you can't remember her face but a portrait must be existing somewhere," nagbabaka sakaling sabi ko.

"Yes. Her portrait was on my father's room," sagot ni Zirrius.

"She's an elf?" kunot-noong tanong ko sa kanya.

"What?" he asked and laughed. "She's human," natatawang sagot niya. Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko.

"Can I see the portrait?" naguguluhang tanong ko sa kanya.

"It depends. If you give my body back, I'll show you later," pang-aasar niya sa 'kin. "How old are you, Avery?" he asked suddenly.

"Ako lang dapat ang magtanong," nakasimangot na sagot ko. He laughed. "We should talk like friends so I should ask you back. Tell me," he demanded.

"When I left my body, I was eighteen. Pero hindi ko alam kung ilang taon akong nawala sa katawan ko kaya hindi kita mabibigyan ng eksaktong sagot," nakangusong sagot ko sa kanya.

"You're still young. Why did you leave your body?" takang tanong niya sa 'kin. I gasped. I'm not sure if I should tell him. Mapagkakatiwalaan ba siya?

"Trust me," mahinang sambit niya sa 'kin.

"How can I? Sinabi mo na ang sikreto ko kina Lolo Zark. I don't want to answer you," nakasimangot na sagot ko. I heard him sigh.

"Have you already experience love?" he asked because he surely would not get an answer from me. I'm glad he understood.

"No," nakasimangot na sagot ko. He chuckled. "I see," he commented.

"How about your parents? Where are they? Tiyak na nag-aalala na sila sa 'yo," mahinang sabi niya. Natigilan ako nang maalala ang mga magulang ko. Naramdaman ko ang unti-unting pagkabasa ng mga mata ko. I tried not to cry so I shut my eyes tightly. This was the first time that I really felt the heaviness of losing them. I never had the chance to grieve until now. Natahimik si Zirrius dahil alam kong alam na niya ang sagot ko. Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagpatak ng luha ko. Ramdam ko ang malaking bikig sa lalamunan ko. Naninikip ang dibdib ko. My throat is burning because I was suppressing my cries.

"They died. Someone murdered them," nahihirapang sagot ko sa kanya. Hindi na siya nagsalita. Hinayaan lang niya ako. Naiinis ako dahil sa nararamdaman ko ngayon. I was too hurt and I don't want to feel this. I suddenly hate the feeling of having a body while grieving. Wala na akong nagawa kundi ang ibalik kay Zirrius ang katawan niya. Malapit na rin namang mag-isang oras kaya ayos lang.

Iminulat ni Zirrius ang mga mata. He sighed heavily. Marahan niyang pinunasan ang luha sa pisngi niya. He didn't say anything. He's trying to be considerate of my feelings.

"Don't try to control my body again," seryoso at mahinang sambit niya. Hindi ako nagsalita. Inayos niya ang paghiga sa kama niya. At mariing ipinikit ang mga mata. Maraming sumasagi sa utak niya. Napansin ko na medyo naaawa siya sa 'kin. My soul frowned.

"Hindi mo ko kailangang kaawaan," naiinis na sambit ko. He smiled a bit. "I'll be sleeping for a while. I'll deal with you once I wake up. Don't expect that I will still talk to you as your friend. You need to be punished, Trouble," mahinang sambit niya bago tuluyang natulog.

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TO BE CONTINUED...

You know me. This is how I write. Halo-halong emosyon sa isang chapter. Magulo lang talaga ako at baliw. Hahaha! Thanks sa comments, votes at reads. Alam kong konti lang ang readers nito pero gusto ko talagang isulat ang story kaya nag-aupdate ako nang mabilisan <3 Pero soon, I'll stop lalo na kapag nasa gitna na. Mahirap na kasi ang part na 'yon hahaha. At tamad ako.