Midnight Angels: The War

Chapter 45

'Van Saint'

"Which promise are you here for?" Nakangiting tanong ni Lucas sa kanya habang pinapakita ang isang maliit ng singsing. The golden ring that he gave her that day. Zia looked at it and smiled.

"The second one. I'm healthy now." Sagot niya. Mahinang natawa si Lucas at tsaka yumuko.

"Much better." Sagot nito at tinapon na ang singsing sa kung saan-saan. Zia looked at the direction where he threw it. It shined due to the reflection of the moon and then vanished into the flower field.

Umupo si Lucas kaya dahan-dahan namang lumapit si Zia sa kanya at umupo sa tabi niya.

"You see, ayaw ko na sanang maalala 'yun." Saglit na natigilan si Lucas dahil sa sinabi ni Zia.

"Because when I do, I'm afraid I might get your hopes up again. Baka isipin mo na mababago ng alaalang 'yun ang kung ano mang meron ngayon. Luca, that was in the past. I already have my heart fixed to someone." Mahinang sabi ni Zia at tiningnan si Lucas na diretso lang nakatingin sa kanya.

Silence covered them for a while hanggang sa bigla nalang ngumiti si Lucas sa kanya.

"Hmm, you became aware of my feelings for you now, huh?" Tanong ni Lucas na hindi magawang sagutin ni Zia. Nakinig lang ito sa kanya.

"Wala naman akong ibang hinihiling. I don't even really care if you remember that stupid memory or not. Your safety is all that matters to us kaya kampante na ako. As long as I get to see you and your stupid smile, it's fine." Nakangiting sabi ni Lucas at tsaka ginulo ang buhok ni Zia.

Zia just blinked for a couple of times and then looked at him.

"Hey, stop calling me stupid." Reklamo ni Zia na mas nagpatawa lang kay Lucas.

"In your dreams, stupid cat." Lucas teased at wala nang nagawa si Zia at natawa narin. "Kapag ako nakahanap ng ipapangalan sa 'yo, you'll beg me to stop calling you that. I'm warning you." Natatawang sabi ni Zia sa kanya.

"Huh! Good luck on that." Lucas said and then his face turned soft all of a sudden, making Zia wonder what he was thinking.

"I knew that nothing would really change even if you remember what happened that night or not." Mahinahong sabi ni Lucas at niyakap naman ni Zia ang mga tuhod niya at inihilig ang ulo rito at tiningnan si Lucas na nakatingin lang sa isang puting bulaklak na nasa harap nila.

"No, something changed." Ani Zia kaya agad na tumingin si Lucas sa kanya.

"I care about you more now. You're my greatest friend, Luca." Agad na natawa si Lucas sa tinawag ni Zia sa kanya at pinitas ang puting bulaklak tsaka tiningnan si Zia. "Even if we already got engaged twelve years ago?" Natatawang tanong ni Lucas.

Zia burst out laughing too, knowing how silly it was for the two of them to even say those words at such a young age.

"Akalain mo, napakamahiyain mo pala noon? And then when you showed up at Diamond Hill, dun, ang sungit mo dun." Sabi ni Zia habang may hindi matanggal na ngiti sa labi niya. Lucas bit his lip and shrugged his shoulder.

"I should've stayed in Diamond Hill. Kinukuha na kasi ni Reed ang spotlight sa UHT." Natatawang sabi ni Lucas at tuluyan nang humiga sa flower field at tiningnan ang buwan. Zia looked at him. "Hey, thank you for worrying about Blu while I was away." Zia said.

Lucas frowned.

"As much as I want to break his face, he's my friend too." Sagot ni Lucas at pinikit na ang mga mata.