The Heiress

CHAPTER SIX

SA ILANG araw na nakasama ko si Archer, kabi-kabila ang rebelasyong nalalaman ko. Hindi ko inisip na ganito pala kalala ang sumpa sa mga pamilya namin. Archer and I sat next to each other. I have books in front of me laying on the table mostly about Datu Ramir but he has my attention.

"Wala akong mahanap na kahit na ano tungkol kay Magnolia."

Nagpangalumbaba si Archer upang matingnan ako nang mabuti. His eyes are weary. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba 'yon sa pagbabasa at pagbababad sa Library o dahil sa trabaho niya.

Come to think of it, I don't exactly know what he does for living. Mayaman sila dahil in-line sa business ang pamilya niya but I don't exactly know what kind of business.

"Wala ka talagang mahahanap dito tungkol sa kaniya. May nagnakaw sa mga librong patungkol sa kaniya."

Halos hindi ako maniwala sa sinasabi niya. Maraming mahahalagang bagay ang nasa loob ng Aklatan ng Magnolia. May mga relics na inaalagaan dito na orihinal na pagmamay-ari ng mga sinaunang tao rito. Kaya sigurado akong mahigpit ang seguridad nila.

"Sino naman ang makakapasok at maglalakas-loob na magnakaw dito? Alam naman ng lahat na maraming camera dito at isang iglap lang, matutunton sila ng mga awtoridad," paliwanag ko sa kaniya.

"Iyon na nga ang nakapagtataka," aniya na may ngisi pa. "Hanggang ngayon, wala pa silang makuhang impormasyong tungkol sa salarin."

"Kung kinuha nila 'yon, isa lang ang ibig sabihin, may itinatago sila sa pagkatao ni Magnolia." Pagtanto ko.

"Posible," maikli niyang sagot.

Kailangan kong malaman ang katotohanan tungkol kay Magnolia. At kung iisipin, isang tao ang makakasagot ng mga katanungan ko tungkol sa kaniya —si Datu Ramir.

"Natanong mo na ba si Datu Ramir tungkol kay Magnolia?"

Sandaling natahimik si Archer. "Hindi siya sumasagot kapag tinatanong ko siya tungkol sa asawa niya."

Tiyak na mahihirapan ako sa paghanap ng mga kasagutan sa mga tanong ko tungkol sa sumpa at kay Magnolia. Ngunit kahit gaano man kahirap, hindi ako titigil hangga't wala akong nalalaman.

"Maiba ako, ngayon nalaman mo na ang tungkol sa sumpa at kay Magnolia. Papayag ka na bang magpakasal sa'kin?" anito kasabay ang paglapit niya sa upuan ko. His eyes shows sadness but closer to weakness.

Bakit parang bigla na lang siyang nagmamadali ngayon gayong kahapon lang sabi niya hindi kami magpapakasal hangga’t hindi ko siya mahal. May nangyari na kaya sa kanya?

Kumabog ang dibdib ko lalo na nang halos magkadikit na ang mga mukha namin. Hindi ko maintindihan ang sarili ko. Dati-rati, kahit pa may lumapit sa'kin nang ganito ay wala naman akong problema. Hindi naman ako nag-iinit nang ganito. Pero bakit sa kaniya, kakaiba ang nararamdaman ko? 

"H-hindi... hindi ko pa alam." Sinadya kong ilayo ang upuan ko ngunit pilit pa rin siyang lumalapit.

"Ano bang pumipigil sa'yo? Matagal na tayong nakatakda para sa isa't isa." I felt his warm hand touches mine. Suddenly, his voice weakened. "Oo mo na lang ang hinihintay ng lahat."

"E-ewan... hindi ko alam."

Bahagya siyang tumahimik at binitiwan ang kamay ko't nawala ang magiliw niyang postura. "Iintindihin na lang kita." Tumayo siya at naglakad nang kaunti bago humarap muli sa mga libro upang doon magbuntong-hininga.

Alam ko isa rin siya sa mga taong dissapointed sa'kin. Nararamdaman ko, malungkot siya sa aking ginagawa.  "Wala naman akong ibang magagawa kung 'di maghintay, 'di ba?"

Humarap siya sa'kin na may namumuong luha sa kaniyang mga mata.

Hindi ba dapat, hindi umiiyak ang mga lalaki? Kahinaan ang pag-iyak para sa kanila, 'di ba? But why is he crying in front of me?

I found myself standing eagerly, wanting to be close to him. I don't understand why but I could feel my heart beat like crazy. Humakbang ang paa ko patungo sa kaniya nang hindi ko namamalayaan. Tears fell carelessly on his soft looking cheeks and that is all I could see. I slowly lifted my hand and touched his trembling cheeks. "B-bakit sobrang sakit na makita kang umiyak?" I wiped his tears not realizing I was crying with him. "B-bakit nadudurog ang puso ko dahil malungkot ka?" He weakly held my hand, pressing it more onto his face.  "Huwag ka na umiyak," sambit ko nang may pagmamakaawa. But instead of stopping, he hugged me close and cried on my shoudlers. His heart was so weak that he could not even squeeze me. I felt the pain he was feeling but all I want was to console him. So I ran my arms around him. This is the least I could do for him. "Bakit ka ba umiiyak?" I kept my arms around him feeling his skin touches mine.

Alam kong gusto niyang pigilan ang pagluha niya pero nahihirapan siya. "I... I want to be with you for as long as I can." He said weakly.

Bakit ganito ang boses niya? Bakit pakiramdam ko, imposibleng mangyari ang sinasabi niya?

"Then be with me... forever." I could feel his body stiffened with my words.  Kumalas siya sa pagkakayakap sa'kin at tiningnan ako sa mga mata.

"I can't."

Tama ba ang narinig ko? 'Di ba kaya nga kami magpapakasal para mawala ang sumpa?

"Mga anak lang natin ang makakasama mo habang buhay... at hindi ako." I wanted to answer him but I was out of words. I felt like I fell into a deep hole and that there is no way out. Natauhan lang ako nang hawakan ni Archer ang kamay ko. This is yet, as far as I can remember, the first time we held hands. Mahirap maintindihan pero nakaramdam ako ng kuryente na dumaloy sa kamay ko patungo sa aking katawan. Something inside of me, somewhat pushed me to squeeze his hand lightly. 

"Archer..." he looked puzzled.

The way he looks at me was as if it was the first time for me. I don't know why or when did this started but I felt like my heart tells me that I belong to him.  My heart steadfast to what it wants, commanding my body to move strongly.  With one touch on his face, my mind tells me something I needed to do. I want to be his. I want him to be mine.

"H-hindi ko alam kung ano itong nararamdaman ko... I could feel your sadness... I hear your cry," gumapang ang kamay ko sa mga pisngi niya. Bakas pa rin sa kaniyang mga mata ang lungkot at mga luha dahil sa pamumugto ng mga ito. "And... and I want to ease that sadness."

I slowly pull his face closer to me. Alam kong labag sa prinsipyo ko ang ganitong gawain pero iba ang utos ng isip at puso ko. I felt a deep connection when I saw Archer cried, like I was the only one who can make those tears go. I slowly pulled him closer to my face. I wanted his lips on mine. Baka sakaling mabawasan ko man lang ang sakit na nararamdaman niya but he held my shoulders to stop me.

"If you'll continue to do this... I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from dragging you in my misery."

Bumilis hindi lang ang pagtibok ng puso ko maging ang aking paghinga. My mind and body screams his warmth passionately. "Misery? So be it!"

This foolishness of mine came over me like thunder. Sending signals all over my body. All of my frustration stopped as soon as Archer stepped close cupping my cheeks with his warm hands. His eyes shows misery and tranquil at the same time. My thoughts shut as he pulls me closer to his face, eating the spaces in between us. The bundle of nerves in our body, relaxed as we got closer. As if our body knew each other from a long time. Even Archer was awfully close, I could still see as he tilted his head sideward and feel him touching the back of my neck. That simple touch sends fire all over my body. Blood rushing through my head as his soft lips met mine, that is by the way, shaking. Though nervous, my mind was in heaven as our kiss deepen. I pulled his body closer, totally closing the so little space between us. My mind and body did not want him to stop. I didn't want him to stop. But as my hunger pushes like a lion who successfully hunted a prey for the first time. Archer pushed me casually, leaving me wanting more.

"Stop it, Avi."

I shook my head in dismay. "W-what am I doing?" I instantly covered my mouth with my hand. I am ashamed of myself. But what is this? Why is this happening to me? I cannot control myself.

"This is what I feared to happen."