Sinclaire Academy: Untold Stories

Parallel Lines

Parallel Lines

Pale and almost lifeless, Camilla drags herself outside hoping to get some sunlight.

She was alone again but something struck her this time, maybe it was random motivation that happens to some people sometimes, she doesn't know. But the moment she woke up, gusto niyang lumabas.

Maganda ang panahon tuwing umaga. The sun grace their land with its presence and the chilly wind kissed her pale skin.

Camilla breathed.

Fresh air, she thought. I'm breathing fresh air.

After long episodes of pain ngayon nalang ulit siya lumabas. It was the worst week of her life. Para bang ilang beses siyang sinaksak ng kung ano sa likuran at mawawala nalang ito bigla as if it never happened. Kaya ngayon balot na balot siya because her scars are still fresh.

The Universe was so unfair to her. Kaya ngayon gusto niyang lumabas, with the little motivation she miraculously got, to remind herself the Universe wasn't so bad.

She's close to falling off the edge but she doesn't want to leave the most important person in her life.

Kaya bukod sa Mama, naghahanap siya ng iba't ibang rason para manatili dito sa mundo.

Camilla lifts her foot and slowly lowers it to the ground.

The sunlight hits her exposed skin like it was welcoming her.

Unti-unti siyang bumaba ng porch and the sun kisses her skin inch by inch, little by little, until it fully hugs her whole being.

"Good morning to you too, Sun." she rasped out, smiling slightly.

Inangat niya ang kanyang kamay na para bang inaabot niya ang binibigay ng araw sa kanya.

Since the random motivation is still in her, unti-unti na niyang tinawid ang distansya ng porch hanggang gate.

When the rusty metal gate creaks open, Camilla finally steps out of her comfort zone after a long time.

The feeling of longing suddenly hit her when she saw the road leading out of their village.

Gusto niya ulit mag aral but her body is preventing her from doing the things she wants.

She already lost friends because of her weird condition. Siguro nga akala ng mga tao dito sa kanila patay na siya.

Well, she does look dead.

Para siyang palaging kulang sa dugo dahil sa kulay niya but the doctors said she doesn't need a blood transfusion. She thinks otherwise but hey, hindi rin naman niya alam kung paano nagagawa ng mga doctor ang ginagawa nila.

Sana lang wag siyang mag collapse in the middle of walking because of the curse. It tends to randomly strike her all the time.

Camilla hugs herself while walking. She doesn't know where she's heading. As long as the sun's upon her and the wind meets her with delight, she doesn't care where she goes.

The neighborhood is always quiet. Which is a good thing for Camilla. No people around to look at her.

Nag lakad siya hanggang until she the wide land, half of it filled with sand and the other with grass.

The park.

Excitement hummed through her veins. She wanted to run and play like she was a little kid again but her body told her No.

Her warm breath escaped through her dry chapped lips. She smiled a little.

Even though her body said No, she still wants to enjoy this. It's been so long since she's been here.

Naalala niya rin kung bakit siya pumupunta dito noon bukod sa mag laro.

The swing creaks as Camilla sat. Hinawakan niya ang metal na kadena nito and just pushed herself back and fort in content.

She took her time looking around, familiarizing herself again with her surroundings.

The faded color of the slide. The almost rusty handles of the monkey bars. The swirly slide which probably still smelled like sweat on the inside. The lumps of sand on the other side that kids built sand castles from. The broken spring of the plastic horse...

And then there he is.

Rome La Costa.

The boy, Camilla knew at the back of her mind, she's waiting for.

She held her breath as she saw him emerge from the clump of trees - the trail he always takes when he jogs.

Hanggang ngayon dito parin siya dumadaan.

All these years, Rome never changed course.

At exactly this time of the day on weekends, he would jog from his neigborhood to Camilla's. And she would watch him everytime back then.

She knew Rome La Costa the moment he moved to Perses. At naging classmates din sila when she was well enough to attend school.

She used to watch his every move kaya alam niya na kung ano ang mangyayari ngayon. If Rome didn't change his trail the his routine didn't change too.

Everything around him fades whenever he puts his earphones on.

And everything around her fades whenever she sees him.

The way his body moves is so precise. He moves in a way Camilla can't.

Balita pa niya naka kuha ito ng scholarship sa isang exclusive private school for humans. She wasn't surprised because ever since then Rome did well in school kahit na hindi ito mahilig mag socialize. He was selective when it came to friends.

She doubts if he knows her.

They never had any interaction back then, not even accidental eye contact like those cliché stories.

Rome runs on his trail, never out of line and never falters speed.

Camilla watches him until he disappears.

She lets out the breath she was holding.

For seconds, it was only the two of them and nothing else but he never noticed her.

For like lines they were parallel.

Never to say hello or bid farewell.