Behind This Name (UNEDITED)

38

CHAPTER 38 — THE METAHUMAN

"NAKATULOG ka nang maayos kagabi?"

I turned to Vienne when I heard her talk. I smiled and nodded to her question.

"Why wouldn't I? I'm thankful that the bed is so comfy. I got a good sleep," I answered. "How about you?"

"I had a bad dream." She sighed and boringly poked the pancake on her plate using the fork. "Akalain mo ba namang may gustong pumatay sa akin sa panaginip ko!"

I gasped. "You had a nightmare? You know what they say when people had bad dreams, as in super bad, they most likely not to wake up. So, you need to be thankful that your eyes opened."

"At hindi lang 'yon ha. I was having a lucid dream. Aware ako na panaginip lang 'yon."

"You experienced having lucid dreams? You know I experience that, too. Well, I don't know if my experiences include, but I did experience dreaming and that I'm aware that the whole thing is just a dream. You know sometimes lucid dream is terrifying."

Today is another day and for this whole day, I don't have classes. Vienne and I just continued talking while eating breakfast with the other people.

I had pancakes and bread in front of me. I was biting on the bread when my eyes caught Kai sitting on the other table. Sa tapat niya nakaupo si Arche. He was still wearing specs. Kahit may kalayuan ang pwesto namin, natatanaw ko mula rito 'yong cereal na kinakain niya. As if he felt my stares, he looked at me. He ignored the boy beside him who's currently talking to him. Well, I did the same thing with Vienne. I could still hear her voice beside me but I couldn't understand a thing.

I never actually met someone who has the same ability as mine. Weird, right? Or maybe I've walked past them but have no idea that they're like me. It's kind of irritating to think that there's someone who can do the things that I can do. Is it selfish to think that way? To think and to hope that you're the only person who can do those things?

Kai remained his stares on me, so I did the same. He would fill his spoon with cereal and would eat it, but still not taking his eyes off me. It's as if he's trying to get in to my deep thoughts.

Suddenly, the cereal he's eating turned into a thick blood. My lips formed a small smirk. Natigilan siya sa pagnguya at dahan-dahang binaba ang tingin papunta sa bowl. I could see the horror in his eyes.

Surprised. Terrified. But he said nothing.

He stared into the bowl, wide-eyed. I could sense his eagerness to puke the blood out of his mouth. But he knew, he knew very well, that it was just an illusion. And that in reality, the thing inside his mouth was still the cereal.

He lifted his face up and straightened his back, seriousness was all over his face. He looked at me, as if he knew I'm the culprit. His adams apple moved as he swallowed it. Halata sa mukha niya 'yong pandidiri kahit na pinipilit niyang magmukhang seryoso. Of course, although he's aware it's only an illusion, he could still taste and smell it as if it's a real blood.

I showed him a smile, a smile of triumph. And he replied by smiling, too. Only it's a fake smile. Pinigilan ko ang sarili ko na tumawa dahil sa itsura niya. Kakagat na ulit sana ako sa tinapay ko nang biglang may malaking braso ang pumulupot sa leeg ko at pilit akong hinihigit paalis sa upuan.

"Aahh!" I screamed so loud as I tried getting off from the grip. All the gifted people having breakfast with us looked at me with so much confusion.

I tightly held the table, pulling myself closer towards it, habang pilit pa rin akong hinihigit ng kung sino mang nagmamay-ari ng malaki at mabalahibong braso na ito. I saw the worry in Vienne's eyes as well as the other people on our table.