Blood Sucker [Completed, Editing/Revising]

Blood 20

Samantha grew up getting what she always wanted. She's a high-class vampire that only a handful of people knew. Itinago niya iyon dahil gusto niyang maranasan ang tratuhin ng pantay ng iba.

Both of her parents were part of the high-profiled officials. She's like a princess with a golden spoon on her mouth. Whatever she wanted, they would give it to her immediately. And being a princess, she needed to act like one ─ intelligent and elegant.

Maybe that's why they knew her as a prim and proper person who did nothing but read books.

Living inside the university almost changed everything. Natuto siya sa paraang maganda. Natuto siyang maghintay, lumaban, at makisalamuha sa iba. The school taught her how to be a leader and a responsible one at that.

Ngunit ano nga bang silbi ng mga kaya niyang ipagmalaki kung naupos na kandila ang pag-asa niya sa kaisa-isang taong nagustuhan?

"Wow. Kayo na talaga? Ang galing!" masayang sabi ni Rin.

Tumawa naman si Len. "May tumagal na sa attitude ni Adrienne!"

Napatikom si Len ng bibig nang tingnan siya ng masama no'ng huli. Si Elisse naman ay hinawakan lang sa kamay ang kasintahan na parang inaawat ito. Sam can't help but to avert her sight elsewhere.

It hurts.

Now she knew, it's really too late for her to do anything.

She buried her eyes on the book that she's currently reading. Hindi naman talaga siya nagbabasa, hindi siya nakatingin sa mga kasama pero naririnig niya ang lahat. Sometimes, she felt like wanting to rip off her ear so that she can stop hearing everything that hurts her. Bakit ba kasi malakas ang pandinig ng mga tulad nila?

The place was suffocating her but she couldn't stand to leave. She didn't want them to worry ─ especially Elisse ─ knowing that the girl knew her feelings. She's indeed a masochist for bearing this pain.

She remembered when she was a kid, her mother used to tell her about the first Chosen One ─ Sineiah ─ a very beautiful and strong vampire. She was told that there will be a time that a new savior will be born to save the vampires and humans again. Since then, she'd been admiring the Chosen One even though she didn't know yet who the person was going to be.

Ang makilala si Elisse ang isa sa pinakamagandang nangyari sa kanya, hindi niya pinagsisisihang mahulog dito, kahit na masakit.

She guessed she'll going to love her until she didn't know when. She just wished that Elisse would be happy with whatever she will choose in life. Sam was going to protect her as long as she could.

Because in reality, they were living between wars and they can all die anytime and anywhere. If saving her will cost her life, it'll be worth it. Alam niyang iyon din ang iniisip ng mga kaibigan nila.

"Kailan mo sinagot si Adrienne?" si Asha naman ang nagtanong.

Napatingin siya kay Elisse na kaagad namula habang nakangisi naman si Adrienne. Maybe something happened.

"Stop asking too many questions." Si Adrienne na ang sumagot nang hindi makapagsalita ang isa.

"Grabe, kakatanong ko lang!"

Nakita niya namang napangiti lang si Diamond sa pagiging isip bata ng asawa nito at hinalikan ang kabiyak sa tuktok ng ulo. Hanggang ngayon, parang nakakagulat pa rin na ikinasal na ang dalawa matapos ang maraming taon. They looked cute.

Sana maranasan niya rin ang maikasal. Pero imposible nang si Elisse ang makapares niya. Too bad.

She almost choked out of breath when Elisse looked at her. She never failed to make her system go crazy. Mukhang nag-aalala ito sa kanya kaya ngumiti na lang siya. Iyon lang ang magagawa niya. Tuloy ang buhay, ngiti lang.

Ang hindi niya inaasahan ay nang lumapit ito at hawakan ang kamay niya. Napatingin siya bigla kay Adrienne ngunit wala naman itong reaksyon sa kilos ng kasintahan nito.

"Elisse..."

"Usap tayo?" Bakas ang pag-aalangan sa boses ni Elisse pero nagawa pa rin nitong ngumiti sa kanya ng matamis.

Tumango na lang siya at nagpaalam na mag-uusap lang sila. Habang naglalakad ay napapatingin si Sam sa magkahawak nilang kamay. Her warmth always reminded her of Elisse's humanity. She felt bad because soon, this human warmth will fade away.

But she knew, even without that warm skin and beautiful heartbeats, Elisse's soul would stay fiery ─ kind, gentle, and sweet.

Nakarating sila sa bench, sa may hardin kung saan siya unang nagtapat sa dalaga. Umupo sila at pinagmasdan ang paligid.

"Congrats nga pala," sabi niya rito nang nakangiti. Masaya si Sam na masaya ito, kahit na nasasaktan na hindi siya ang rason kung bakit ito maligaya.

Elisse looked at her sadly, but somehow felt comforted that she could see that the woman she really liked didn't pity her. "I'm sorry."

Tumingala siya. Ayaw niyang tingnan ito. Ayaw niya na makitang malungkot ito dahil sa kanya. Alam niya kung bakit ito nagso-sorry, pero bakit parang mas masakit 'yon? Wala naman siyang pinanghahawakan, ang nararamdaman niya lang ang meron siya. The only thing which made them connected was that she's her friend and guardian and nothing more. Kahit kailan ─ alam niya ─ hindi masusuklian ni Elisse ang nararamdaman.

Sam sighed audibly as she looked at her. Elisse was kind and beautiful, inside and outside. Samantha caressed her hair, leaned forward, and planted a kiss on her forehead. She refused to cry, she didn't want to be seen crying and she wanted it to stay that way.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I do love you, too," ang sagot ni Elisse. Alam niyang may karugtong 'yon pero ayaw na niyang marinig.

Tumayo kaagad siya kaya napasunod na lang ito ng tingin. Sam smiled at her. "May gagawin lang ako."

Naglakad na siya bago pa ito makasagot.

Alam niya naman. Elisse loved her ─ but only as a friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

--

Sa buong oras na lumipas ay naririnig ni Adrienne ang pinag-uusapan ng dalawa. She can sense the pain in Sam's voice even if she's remarkably trying her best to hide it.

Nang makaalis ito ay kaagad siyang lumapit kay Elisse na nakatulala lang sa mga bulaklak. She then finally looked at Adrienne. "Narinig mo?"

She nodded. Umupo siya sa tabi nito at ipinalibot ang kamay sa baywang ng dalaga. "Matagal ko na ring alam."

She's not dense to not notice everything. Sa paraan pa lang nang pagtingin nito kay Elisse, alam niya nang may nararamdaman ito. She could see the interest in Samantha's eyes, how this person she's admiring as well piqued her interest. Everyone was caught in Elisse's beauty.

Elisse leaned her head on Adrienne's shoulder and intertwined their fingers. "I feel sad for her."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

Her girl just sighed. Adrienne held her chin and the latter stared at her. She kissed Elisse's pinkish lips, her human kissing her back with a soft gasp. Lumayo siya para tingnan ang dalaga.

"We fall to anyone without restrictions. Hindi natin pinipili yung taong mamahalin natin but then, things happen. Things always happen. Hindi naman namin naisip na magkakainteres kami sa parehas na tao, 'di ba?"

Elisse nodded. "Pero sana makahanap din siya ng tao na mamahalin niya at mamahalin din siya."

"Or bampira." she humored. Elisse just chuckled and pinched her cheeks. Ginagawa siyang bata ng huli.

"Minsan ka lang magbiro pero ─"

"Ano?" Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay.

"W-wala." Umiling lang ito at hinawakan siya sa magkabilang pisngi at hinalikan sa labi. Ngayon lang ulit ito nagkusa ng halik.

Adrienne closed her eyes and kissed her back, her arms pulling Elisse closer. That's more like it.

_____