The Devil's Trap

Chapter 39: The Kingdom and the Queen

Chapter 39: The Kingdom and the Queen

Matapos bisitahin si Mama ay wala na akong ibang mapupuntahan. I can't go back to Landon's mansion. I can't even deal with my own emotions on the mention of his name.

Napagdesisyonan kong pumunta sa university. Maaari akong makitulog sa maintenance quarter. It's better than making Mama wonder why I have to spend the night in Saint Judes. Ayokong magalala siya.

Halos madilim na nang dumating ako sa university. Dala ko ang aking iilang mga gamit mula sa ilang beses na palipat lipat nang tahanan.

It's always been like this since the disaster with my father that wrecked our home, our family.

I never let myself own anything other than what I need. I never let myself get attached to things I could never take with me.

Because there's no permanency in my life. I either drop things out of emotional clumsiness or they will be taken away from me. So I burn bridges and drop baggages on my way.

But how could this freedom feels so lonely? Did I left behind my wings?

I thought I'm used to it, but after all these years, I realize I'm still scared to be left alone.

Habang naglalakad sa pathway, isang familiar na mukha ang aking nasalubong. Nagmamadali ito at mukhang kagagaling sa school library. Patungo siya sa parking lot dala ang ilang mga libro. Ngunit agad siyang tumigil sa paglalakad nang makita ako.

Elyse.

I wonder how she is. Sana okay lang siya. Sana hindi siya tulad ko na nahihirapan. I want to run into her, I want to cry with her, to tell her everything and how I'm aching.

But things are different now. Nagkaroon ng lamat ang pagkakaibigan namin na hindi na kailanman maibalik.

I tried to smile at her before proceeding to the building.

"Wait."

I turned my head and saw her staring at me, my things. I know she knew where I'm heading and maybe the whole reason of it. She is Elyse after all. My partner-in-crime. The sun to my moon.

"What-"

Hindi niya tinuloy ang sasabihin. Sa halip ay umiling siya saka kinuha ang isa sa mga bag na dala ko.

"I won't you sleep in that dingy place."

Nabigla ako sa ginawa niya. Wala akong nagawa kundi sundan siya sa parking lot papunta sa kanyang sasakyan.

"Elyse-"

Humarap siya sa akin. Tumigil ako sa paglalakad.

"I don't know what you're going through, but you're with me now and I won't let you sleep in that place alone."

It was almost the same sentence, the same words she told me years ago, when she offered me to live with her.

Namuo ang luha sa aking mga mata. I miss the old, carefree us. Where did they go?

Binuksan ni Elyse ang pintuan ng sasakyan at siniksik sa likod ang aking mga gamit.

"Let's go."

—

Elyse's condo is on the tenth floor of a newly furnished building in town. But it was mostly empty. The walls are bare, the floor is smooth and empty, and there are still stacks of unpacked boxes at the corner of the living room.

Binaba ko ang mga gamit. I was about to say something when Elyse went to the kitchen and pour herself a glass of water.

"Damn that Monaghan."