ED: Sometimes, I just want to hit our MC and tell her to just come out from her closet! That simple! Or I guess, I just don’t understand the complexities of l-o-v-e. Tss.
Chapter 51: Twisted
It was sure a stupid thing to do. But it felt like the right thing. They say stupidity is contiguous. I might really drag Gin down into this senseless downfall; but at that time, we didn"t care.
His proximity was overwhelming, too intoxicating for my own good. I can hear him moaning and that didn"t help me one bit. I was leaning on the wall while he"s towering over me.
"Gin," I tried to say. I pushed him lightly while he"s still trying to kissing me. "Someone"s coming."
"Ignore it." he groaned but I felt him stopped.
"Don"t be stupid."
I could feel someone walking down the stairs to the training room. Immediately, I got up fast and fixed my clothes. I shook my head; I didn"t notice that it has disheveled upward.
I can feel Gin smiling, his warm lips still pressed on my skin. There"s something about this skin to skin contact that made me lose any rationality left in my already clouded mind. It seems such situations created an electrical bond between me and Gin that can only be diffused by close contact.
"Fixed yourself. My G.o.d, Gin." I told him. But I smiled at his reaction. He seemed drunk. Drunk from everything that had happened; from recklessness turning into this.
“What? Can’t you admit it, Shia?”
"Admit what?" I tried to push him again. I heard the steps getting closer.
"That you feel the same way."
I was stunned at what he said. I swallowed and avoided his eyes. In the back of my mind, there was Lucas, smiling at me. But in front of me, here’s Gin. Smiling or more like grinning; his hair unruly because of my fingers running through them endlessly, his breathing ragged and deep.
They"re different, yet also the same. I would do everything for Lucas. And I might do everything for Gin, as well. But we"re in a different situation, a different stage. I wouldn’t trade the times I had with Lucas for anything. But the short time I had with Gin— the chaos, the fights, the sacrifices— everything dug deep within me. I don"t even know what he has seen in me.
I don’t know how to fight for something like this, especially when I know sooner or later everything may fall apart.
“What if I am, Gin?” I asked in an almost whisper. "Are you not afraid how will this end?"
“You’re afraid of something you want because you’re already thinking the ways you can lose it.”
"Because there are many ways to lose all of this, Gin. And I wouldn"t want that kind of h.e.l.l."
Gin stood properly and looked at me straight in the eyes. “Then I would gladly walk by your side through the abyss of h.e.l.l, Shia,” he said. “Because you will never lose me.”
—
I was so d.a.m.n thankful that we were able to fix ourselves when Miss Aura came inside the training room. She was wonderingly watching the two of us, Gin and I; asking a silent query what was I doing in this place.
I said that I have something to ask to Captain; which was really not a lie. It"s true that I was there to ask. But over the things that happened next, I had no control on them.
Miss Aura said that Gin was being called to the Headmaster"s Office. I noticed Gin froze after hearing that. He looked at me before saying goodbye to Miss Aura. When he got out, we were left inside the room.
I don"t know if it’s because of the steady look Miss Aura gave me that"s why I couldn"t move to leave even if I wanted to. I know what she"s thinking. She can"t let what happened simply be overlooked. But what she said was something far different from what I had expected.
"Shia, we want you all to come back safe. All of you."
I was stunned at what she said. "I know," I answered. I can"t help the wonder blooming on my face when I looked at her. I know she’s referring the Linus Cup, but why did she have to say these words now?
“This Game will not be easy for you.” She stared at me, worry evident in her gaze.” Just— just do your best to come back.”
I watched her as she walked out of the training room. What kind of message is that? Of course, I will do my best to come back. It"s what I"ve been waiting and preparing for since my arrival here.
I will do everything to return. I still have to fix a few things up and I have to keep my promise to Lucas. I will return and we will see each other.
But I can feel that there"s something off with Miss Aura"s statement.
She"s trying to tell me something. She knew something but she can"t tell it straight to me. What is it this time? Five days. Can my days before the Linus Cup get even worse?
—
I should have not said that.
Apparently, I had incurred that angel"s tongue¹. My remaining days definitely got worst and it got out of hand. It started four days before the Cup.
The official training of the group ended today. It felt like a graduation. It"s a relief that we won"t be expecting any body pain and no more getting up early in the morning after today.
But the real game will start from there. We began with strategies of the undistorted truth and procedures of the Game. Then, the true environment that the partic.i.p.ants were to face for the upcoming Cup was even shown fast.
People were now staring at us as if bidding their goodbyes in advance. No one could tell if we can really return and if so, can we return together with everyone. People were staring at us funny.
It suddenly felt like we’re some kind of prisoners ready for the chopping block. All the privileges and prestigious rights of being a member were all gone. And all we can feel was the pressure, the nervousness, the dread for the upcoming Game.
Four days before the Linus Cup, in the afternoon, I saw that person.
I was entering the castle when I saw him coming from inside. The Headmaster of Boran.
My first thought was what he was doing in t.i.tan Academy in this critical period of the game. But it looked like he won"t be staying long. He"s going back to the black and heavily tinted vehicle that was parked in the entrance when our eyes met.
I stood there, staring at him. I looked straight into his eyes that were also watching me. I saw a flicker in them, a recognition. He knows me. That"s also his reaction when I saw him the first time at Princ.i.p.al Bins" birthday party.
I didn"t look away from him. Who are you? Why do you know me? His face was stone hard, without any expression. But I can see a hint of apprehension in the way he moved. As if he"s uneasy as I stared at him.
He looked away and continued walking towards the vehicle. He reached the handle of the door before the driver could reach his side to open it. He"s as though hurrying to leave my sight.
And then I saw it.
Something like a black thing was on his hand. Like a tattoo. It"s written on his wrist; it"s a unique letter. I couldn"t see it before because his wrist was always covered with the cuff of his formal suit. But as he reached for the handle of the car"s door, it slid.
The vehicle left but I stayed outside. They have disappeared from my sight but I still stood there looking at the tracks they"ve pa.s.sed. There"s only one thing on my mind at that time.
I know that sign.
I"ve seen it before.
It was like the letter W written in a cursive and complicated way. I have seen that hand before, quite close in front of my face, while the tattoo was facing me.
I"ve seen it before. I"m sure of it. But, where?
—
I wasn"t able to concentrate well after seeing that. It"s happening again. The same thing I felt at the house of the Stanford was happening to me again in t.i.tan Academy.
But it"s milder. No more nauseous feeling. But the voices, the images, that irritating noise; came back again. And there’s something else this time. It was the sound of something heavy being dropped into the water. And then silence; everything suddenly went completely silent.
That evening I couldn"t sleep. Something was bothering me but can"t tell what.
This is bad. This is worse. What is happening to me?
—
“Mom, they are here.”
“Who, sweetie?”
“Mom, we should hide.”
“Jane, what’s wrong?”
“They are coming, Mom.”
—
I woke up in jitters. I sat on the bed with heavy breathings and sweat dripping. I looked around at the dark surrounding while calming my shaking hands.
I breathed deeply. I"m still here. I’m still in this G.o.dforsaken place. I kept calming myself. I stayed on the bed, taking deep breaths.
I daubed my hands on my face. Then looked at the holographic clock. It"s three in the morning, still at dawn. I wanted to scream in frustration. Why? Why do I need to see those things now? I have forgotten what I saw in the Stanford"s mansion, right? d.a.m.n it!
I tried to lie down again and close my eyes but to no effect. I sat back up again on the bed but it"s no longer comfortable for me. I went down to the floor and sat there. I felt its cold surface on my skin. I leaned on the side of the bed and dazedly put my head on my knee. I closed my eyes.
I could sleep anywhere before. Even if I was in the middle of the forest or in the dark and cold cave, I could doze. My body wasn"t picky. Sometimes, it"s even raining or insects were surrounding us.
I was born in the town. I"m sure of that. I was used to hardship. I could manage myself even if I don"t eat for a few days. I was raised learning useful things like handling daggers and knives. I grew up together with Lucas.
But what am I seeing? What are these nightmares?
I feel like ever since I stepped into t.i.tan Academy, everything about me has been slowly being changed. I hardly could tell if I still have somewhere left to return to.
—
Three days before the Cup, in the Breakfast Hall; some of us were eating, or probably better to say, were simply staring at our food. Even the likes of Victoria, Cain, and Luna, that were expected to have long prepared for the Cup, were also seen to be nervous.
No one was speaking. All of us were visibly thinking things to ourselves seriously.
Luna mentioned yesterday that her father came here in t.i.tan Academy. Today should be the last day of visiting. Tomorrow we"ll need to prepare to set out because the remaining two days left before the Cup should be the traveling time towards the arena.
"They said that the Headmaster of Boran was here yesterday."
I raised my eyes when I heard Luna. She also got the attention of Victoria and Cain.
"Ah, yes. There seems to be a problem." Cain said.
My attention suddenly heightened. “Problem about what?” I asked.
Cain seemed to be trying to remember the things he heard. "I heard the other day when Sir Apollo and Miss Aura were talking. From what I learned, there"s problem with one of their member."
"Oh? What do we have to do with that?" Victoria commented.
Cain shrigged. "I don"t know." His brow knitted. "They said, looking at the records, that member"s family is from Boran, but that member grew up here in Hesperia."
"Is that true?" Luna said in disbelief. "They imported someone from Hesperia? Is that even possible?"
"That"s what they talked about yesterday." Cain muttered. "That member has a civil record in Boran as someone who was born there. That"s why, it"s pretty messy."
They were still talking about it but I could no longer listen. Something"s going haywire inside me. It"s like an immense warning shooting through my system. I know someone—a certain someone from Hesperia with a bloodline from Boran.
My hands were shaking and I needed to let go of the spoon and fork that I was holding before they fell on the floor.
This can’t be happening.
Or am I just overthinking?
I needed to calm down.
He"s not the only one whose family came from the town of Boran, right? I should stop a.s.suming things.
I watched my companions talking seriously. I could only quietly swear.
Please. I hope what I was thinking was wrong.
——-
1Angel"s tongue - a direct translation of a Filipino idiom which means that someone had spoken something that came true. Sometimes, it"s also said as a sarcastic remark.