*Season's P.O.V.*
As usual, I watched the scenery go by as my brother drove us home, my mind pretty occupied by the matter at hand, literally. My fingers played around the amulet that Teodoro gave me last night, after our rather heartbreaking conversation. He said, this amulet is blessed and therefore has the power to ward off such mythical creatures, who as he said, as might be or not be of the devil. I don't want to judge really. I have no deep knowledge about religion nor is my faith strong, but I'm not an atheist either. I don't know what I am actually. Perhaps if I had a better foundation on religion, none of this would happen to me. Or so, mama and tita Corazon had suggested. But I guess I'm into the mess now and escaping it would be a challenge, for sure. So I took a deep breath and decided to set aside Teodoro's advise for later if my plan fails. I mean it's not much of a plan, it's just not enough for me to hear from another what would happen if I'd go on with this connection with my engkanto lover, I just need to hear it from him. Because why not? And that's the reason why I still didn't wear the amulet, lest I won't be able to connect with Kaloy again.
We finally reached my brother's house and Teodoro said his farewell as he rode off to theirs on his motorcycle. Eden was waiting for us when we arrived, relief evident on her face upon seeing that everything looks fine now. Except that that's not the case exactly. However, I don't want them to worry even more so, I just had to put up a tough facade. When I'm already alone in my room, I contemplated on what I'm going to say when Kaloy would show up because I know that he will soon and my eyes landed on the rose that he has given me. Surprisingly, it looked fresh out from picking and didn't even wither despite the fact that it has been a few days since I had placed it in that vase. Perhaps there's magic in it, I mean, it is from an engkanto after all. A bitter smile stretched on my lips upon remembering the memories that goes with that rose. I know I only met him for roughly a month and a half or two at the least but he really have that certain effect on me.
Who am I kidding? He's enchanted after all. However, some beautiful things holds a sad truth don't you think so? I mean, I realized this way back when I was young. I've always fancied the gracefulness of the martial arts that my master and my seniors possessed ever since I became acquainted with them, hence making me want to learn it as eagerly as a young soul could get. However, when I was placed in the middle of actually learning it, I saw how hard and challenging it truly is. I saw how one must really muscle up to be able to survive before they could achieve the full beauty, grace, and potential that the art can offer. It's a type of thing that make's one say, "It's worth all the struggles." And it is, once you'd be able to put it in good use. But it's sad because, although many admires this art the way I did, only a few actually indulged in it the way I did too.
And a part of me just wished that, whatever I feel for Kaloy or whatever we have would feel the same way. I mean, look, I was courageous enough to learn martial arts despite being told of the challenges coming my way. I did not think about saying no. But now? Now, I was stubbornly holding back my admiration for that guy and my desire to actually be with him even if I really want to. Hell, I want to be safe in his arms, but when I knew of the price to pay, which is my life, I didn't act the way I did with martial arts. Now I actually consider running away as the best solution. Cause I might admire romance the way I did with martial arts but this kind of romance just doesn't sit very well. It's funny how I'm more worried about my feelings more than my sanity right now. Perhaps I'm over that stage of questioning if this is real or not. I'm concerned with another reality that would really sound insane.
I have feelings for an engkanto and I'm willing to put an end on it now. Because, as I said last night to Teodoro, I'm not willing to leave everything behind. Although I don't have much, I have my brother, my master, and a few friends and that should be enough of a reason to keep living right?
"Hey..." My heart skipped a beat when a calloused hand caressed my shoulder and when I turned around to face the figure that came up behind me, I felt him brush his lips on my forehead. Gosh! What is he doing?
"Kaloy." I said, rather indifferently because of this turmoil that I'm feeling inside.
"Are you alright?" He asked as he held me at arm's length to inspect me and I just smiled. "Here." He said as he pulled out yet another red rose behind him. "I won't let you chase me this time cause I know you gotta rest. So don't think you're like any other girl now. You're different, always been very different." He even added when I didn't make a move to receive the rose.
Why would I receive it though? Why would I try to deepen our connection when I am not certain if I can afford its consequence? But of course, the traitorous beating of my heart made my hand inch closer to his until I eventually took a hold of it. "Thank you." I said and he graced me with a charming smile.
"You seem bothered. What's the matter?" He asked as we sat on the bed. What's the matter? This! Whatever we have is the freaking matter! But of course, I did not say that. I opted to say something more reasonable.
"Well yes. I just wonder why I always have encounters with such mythical creatures you know?" I started off. I mean, it isn't very normal that they seem to be fond of me.
"Maybe because you have something that interests them or in most cases, you're the one who brought yourself closer to them." Them?. As if that doesn't include you! But he does have a point. I bring myself closer to them when I came to the rescue of those that they victimized. You see, none of them was originally after me until I intervened. I always bring myself closer to them, like what I'm literally doing right the heck now.
I placed my head on his shoulder as I sighed. "But is it wrong to help when you know you can help? My martial arts teacher found me in that manner. He saved me and my brother from a criminal and because of that, I am who I am now. So, I won't really back out, not even from a mythical creature especially now that I can see that I have the littlest hope of saving them. I feel a certain kind of joy and pride everytime I obtain a scar by helping someone." I said honestly. It's not that I have no regard for my safety, it's just that, I'm willing to offer myself as a defense to others, not to the point of my own death though but that's inescapable most of the time.
"It's heart warming that you have that kind of mindset. You could pass as a superhero, you know?" He said with a chuckle.
"Nah, I'm not interested."
"Why? Because you'd rather have someone sweep you off your feet and carry you in their arms to safety?" He joked as he actually picked me up and spun me around.
"No! Hahahaha, put me down!" I protested and he actually did. "No, I don't want that either. I just want to have a normal life. Away from, you know..." I trailed off, and I know that he understands what I'm implying.
"I see." He said solemnly. And I took a deep breath.
"Yes. I reckon, I don't want to be bothered by paranormal beings anymore because not only do they harm me, they're also a threat to my family." I let out, and I saw his expression hardened.
"I offered you safety." He started.
"But it doesn't seem to be effective isn't it?" I pointed out. He looked away.
"Are you saying I failed you?" Uh-oh.
"No, you didn't. It's just that it isn't working very well." I tried to reason out.
"I am trying to make it work Season. I did everything that I could. I warned you, I saved you, what more do you want?" Now his tone is getting icier by every every word that he speaks.
"You're missing the point. I don't really want anything. And you have nothing to prove to me Kaloy. I-I want you to stop." I countered and his eyes widened.
"Stop? Are you nuts? I told you, you'll be safer with me."
"No! Did you not hear what I said? I don't want to encounter mythical creatures anymore and you're one of them!"
"I did nothing but keep you safe."
"Or is that really? Maybe you're just playing the hero so that you can deceive me into falling in love with you!"
"Do you think that lowly of me? You know that you'll be safer if you are with me. I didn't cause those troubles, I got you out of it."
"But I can't truly be safe with you." Not without those consequences.
"Why? Is it because you finally found a way to get rid of me? What did that albularyo tell you?" He stepped closer to me, towering over my smaller figure.
"The truth. The consequence of whatever we have! This can't go on!" I said, not intimidated by his action.
"Really? Is that what you want?" He asked as he circled me lika a predator and when he was behind me, he snaked his arms around me and whispered in my ear, "I thought otherwise. I thought you feel the same way that I do."
"And what do you feel exactly?" I managed to ask despite my ranging heart beat. As far as I can remember, he only expressed how he wanted to protect me, he didn't say anything else, right? Or does that indirect proclamation of love when he was jealous of Collin, count?
He came back infront of me and held my chin. "I love you. Mahal kita." Now what the hell? My heart almost leapt out of my chest at his statement, wanting to shout the same thing, but no! No!
I stepped out of his hold and against whatever that I feel, I replied, "I don't." As convincingly as I could though.
Pain flashed in his beautiful blue eyes and something stirred within me. "Do you really not?" He asked and this time, even if I had bitten my tongue hard enough, I just can't hide the truth, especially when he's looking at me like that.
"N-no... I mean, listen. You matter to me okay? It's just that, this whatever we have is too complicated and I-I am not willing to go further." I don't know how to reason out to him, because everything that I'm saying is going against what I'm feeling.
"Do you think you're the only one between the both of us who has to give up something for what you feel?" Did I think that way?
"I... Maybe. But I can't give up my life to be with you." There you go, I said it. There's no other way of saying it you know? I only have two choices now. Be with him where I'll be safe from the other paranormals in the arms of another paranormal with my human body as the price; or be without him and any other paranormal being with of course, my feelings thrown as a sacrifice.
"I promised to wait for you."
"No matter how long you wait, my answer is no. No."
He closed his eyes tightly for a moment and he opened them, I saw a storm rumbling in them. "Season. I had never wanted anyone like this before I met you. There was no engkantada and no other human that caught my attention the way that you did." Now that is scarier than his 'I love you' earlier. "So, I'm not giving you up."
Oops. There we go. The look that he is giving me right now just sent chills down my spine. And I panicked when he gradually disappeared in thin air. "Kaloy?" I called out. Then I heard a knock on my door.
"Season?" It's my brother. I looked around my room once again and hurriedly open the door. "Are you talking with someone?" He asked. He must've heard me.
"N-no." I stuttered. Then a heavy presence surrounded me, making the hairs at the back of my neck rise. I saw Sean's lips move as if he's saying something but I can't seem to hear him. A cold breeze blew my way and that heavy feeling suddenly transfered inside of me to the point that I'm almost numb. As if I can't tap to my senses anymore. Then I heard a rather odd and gruff voice saying,
"She belongs to me. She's mine! MINE!" I don't understand where that came from but from my blurry vision, I saw my brother's eyes widen and he seems to be panicking. What is going on?
I begged to have control of my system again as I'm fighting an invisible force inside of me and I felt really weak, until I felt nothing at all.
"You're mine!" That voice! Who is that? I can't see anything, nor do I feel anything at all but I'm hearing that voice which is not trying to pull me out of this abyss, instead it's pulling me deeper, wanting to drown me.
"Who are you?" I asked only in my mind as I'm trying to go against its pull.
"I'm yours and you're mine. You're mine!" He had spoken it a little softer that's why I am able to get the familiarity of his voice and I shuddered in horror.
"K-kaloy? What are you doing?" I screamed in my mind as I tried to surface. To somehow get away from this abyss. To wake up from this unconscious state that I'm in. I mean, my brain is awake but it is not really cooperating very well with my body.
"I can't loose you. So I'm taking you with me." That force that's pulling me under seems to grow stronger so I toughened my resistance, hoping that something or someone from the outside world would wake me up from this.
"Stop Kaloy! Stop!" I struggled to get up even more and this time I can actually hear incoherent mixtures of voices and something restraining my limbs when I try to move them. "STOP!"
"Season?" "Season!" Those voices! I have got to keep connecting with them cause I know that I'm almost in the surface by now. But there's a traitorous call that somehow echoed right below me to that pit of darkness that I've been earlier and it broke my heart.
"Season, I love you. I love you." But his statement sounds more haunting at this state and I knew, I knew I just have to get out of here. And I guess, I managed to do so. I managed to open my eyes feeling sweat trickling down my face and the rapid beating of my heart. I saw a number of faces and when I tried to reach out to my brother, I felt restrained. That's because I really am restrained and a I guess a priest is doing a ritual to somehow get me back to my senses. Thank goodness!
"Sean? Sean..." I called out weakly so that to perhaps test out if they can already hear me. And my brother actually responded.
"She's back!" He said and the people around me stopped whatever they're doing and checked on me. When they're sure that I'm not anymore possessed as they said I was, they uncuffed my limbs and led us out of the special room in the chapel where they brought me.
"Are you sure you're fine now dear? That spirit that possessed you was quite strong." The priest asked as I've learned it took them about an hour to get me back to my senses and now, my brother himself placed the amulet Teodoro gave me around my neck.
"Yes father. Thank you so much." I said, still pretty much shaken up by what happened. It's only now that I noticed that Teodoro is actually here too and he only gave me a reassuring smile.
"Season, I think we need to get you out of here." Sean suggested as we walked our way back home. Apparently that chapel was just two blocks away from his house.
"Just don't send me back to Tennessee." I partially agreed because even the only mythical creature who I previously thought wouldn't do me harm just gave me an experience worth a nightmare.