What the Underworld

Melizabeth's Point of View

Dahan dahan kong iminulat ang mga mata ko nang makaramdam ng iba pang presensiya sa paligid ko. I could not remember the whole test of Apollo, but what I do remember is that I came from a non-existing world. A world destroyed by Olympians.

"Bumangon ka na," a sweet voice commanded. 

Napatingin naman ako kaagad doon and saw a beautiful lady with brown complexion. Her eyes were colored hazelnut, and her hair, white as snow. She's a goddess, I assumed. The way she carries herself is alike to Goddesses I have encountered, and her beauty as well looked like of a goddess.

"I am Circe, the Sorceress, and the Goddess of Magic," she said smirking at me. "Nasabi ko na kay Apollo na gagawin kitang apprentice ko, meaning you'll be learning magic. Sa mga rest days niyong mga morta, you will be training with me. Or if you're a good learner, I can just train you fast and give you the Sorcerer's book at-"

I cut her sentence off, "I beg your pardon, but why would I be your apprentice?" Hindi ko napigilan ang pagtaas ng aking kilay.

She laughed, "I am not in the position to tell you, but I am here because I am doing Thanatos, my dear, a favor." I scrunched my nose immediately when she sweetly said Thanatos, my dear. Pero kaagad ko rin namang binawi iyon dahil she might feel disrespected.

"Did he ask you to train me?" tanong ko. Umiling naman siya, "Nope, I asked him if I could. Para sakaniya rin naman 'tong ginagawa kong 'to e, not for you, silly." She even rolled her eyes at me!

Girlfriend kaya siya ni Thanatos? What if she is training me so Thanatos won't come to me anymore? Or kaya para mailayo ako sa kaniya? Maybe she's jealous of me kaya ayaw niya nang si Thanatos ang magtrain sa'kin?

"You know what, Meli. Be thankful nalang nga 'e! I am not just saving your life, but also Thantos'." sabi niya na agad ko namang ipinagtaka lalo. Why?

"I'll call Thanatos na nga, I'm nabobobo na here," maarteng sabi ni Circe at nagsummon ng isang eagle. "Tell Thanatos to go here."

We waited for a few moments until Thanatos came. He knocked on the door, and Circe immediately dashed to it. Nang mabuksan ang pinto, kaagad naman siyang yumakap kay Thanatos, at pakiramdam ko'y kusang gumugusumot ang aking mukha.

His eyes went on mine. Ngumisi siya. Thanatos! Hindi mo ako madadala sa ngisi na iyan. He looked at Circe and pushed her away. Hinawakan niya ito sa magkabilang balikat at kaagad namang nanlaki ang mata ko!

"Circe, can you leave us for a while? I'd like to talk about it privately," matamis na sabi ni Thanatos.

Tumango naman si Circe, "Sure babe. Just don't be so bobo." Babe... Babe?!?!?! My mouth gaped open at shock when Circe kissed Thanatos' cheek. WTU!!! (What the underworld) Hindi iyon nakita ni Circe dahil kaagad siyang umalis.

I closed my mouth and I couldn't help myself from pouting. So is kissing normal to him? Parang kung sino sino nalang humahalik sa kaniya ah.

"How are you, my angel?" He asked as he sits in the chair close to where I'm lying. Naiinis ako dahil may kandila tapos naha-highlight 'yung cheeks niyang hinalikan ni Circe.

"I'm okay," kaswal na sagot ko at iniwas ang tingin sa kaniya. I glared at him and asked, "Bakit mo pa pinalabas si Circe? Mukhang alam naman niya ang pag-uusapan natin ah."

He smirked, and a hint of his unnoticeable dimples showed. Hell. "Hm, why? Akala ko kasi nabo-bother ka sa presensiya niya. You're comfortable with only me, right? Or not?"

Umirap ako, "It does not bother me naman. I mean if she is your girlfriend, it only means she's like my big sister or something?"

"What? Why?" Sabi niya at bahagya pang nagsalubong ang dalawa niyang kilay, making him look a lot darker.

"Basically, you're my big brother? Since you treated me as your little sister? And you were the one to raise me? Hello, Daddy," I jokingly said.

Umigting ang panga niya at bahagyang tumagilid ang ulo. He rested his back on the chair, and clasped his hands together. Luh, model ka ghorl?

"Since when did I treat you as my sister, hmm?" tanong niya na ikinagulat ko naman.

"Ewan ko sa'yo!"

He chuckled, "Do you want to make Circe your ate?"

Mas lalong sumama ang tingin ko, "Ikaw bahala."

"Then we'll make her your ate...," sabi pa niya.

"Ikaw nga bahala, Kuya!!!"

Ngayon naman ay tumawa na siya nang malakas, nilapit niya ang upuan niya sa kama and his elbows rested on his knees making us closer na natatakot na ako at baka marinig niya ang tibok ng puso ko.

I pouted and turned my gaze at my hands.

"What's with the attitude, angel?" Amporkchop! Ikaw nga ma-attitude d'yan e. Hindi nalang ako sumagot at hinayaan siyang nakatingin sa'kin kahit medyo naiilang na.

"Why are you calling me Kuya, baby?" Tanong pa niya kaya napatingin na ako sa kaniya.

"See! You called me baby! So ang tingin mo sa'kin ay bata, kapatid! Hmp!" bulyaw ko.

His lips formed a small pout, "Ano ba ang dapat kong itawag sa'yo? Babe?"

"Eh, babe tawagan niyo ni Circe! You're incest! You're cheating, oh my Gods, Thanatos!" I exclaimed pero mas lalo lang siyang tumawa. Why is he even laughing?

"Circe is not my girlfriend or fling. Not even the slightest bit. Kung meron man sainyong dalawa na kapatid ko, it would be her, silly," sabi pa niya habang hindi nawawala ang ngiti.

Huh? "E ba't babe?"

"It's her endearment for me. Kahit naman ano ang tawag niya sa'kin. She's just playful, angel," pagpapaliwanag niya.

Inirapan ko lang siya. Bakit ba siya nagpapaliwanag?

"You jealous?" Tanong niya na kinabigla ko. I couldn't look at him straight.

"No, kuya!" I faked a laugh. "Why would I be jealous? Alam mo, support lang naman ako kung sino man maging girlfriend mo."

He smirked at mas lalo pang lumapit sa akin. His stormy eyes are deadly now. Pakiramdam ko hihimatayin na ako if this conversation gets any longer and deeper...

"Bakit bigla bigla mo nalang akong tinatawag na kuya ngayon, hm?" tanong niya.

"Because you seem like a brotherly figure to me," sabi ko at medyo lumayo. Kaso nagulat ako nang bigla niyang istretch ang kaniyang kamay papunta sa kabilang side ko.

"Really, Melizabeth? Bakit hinayaan kitang halikan ako kung ganoon?" Tanong niya.

"Hinayaan mo rin si Circe na halikan ka! And you said you see her as a sister," sagot ko naman.

"That was on the cheeks-,"

"Kahit pa!" Bigla ko namang sigaw. At kahit ako nabigla rin.

"Okay," he said. "I won't let her next time."

"Ikaw bahala," sabi ko at nagiwas na nang tingin. "Anyways, I'm sorry for kissing you. I did it to win, hindi naman para makahalik talaga..."

"Pinagsisisihan mo ba?" Dumilim na ngayon ang ekspresyon niya. Kaya't tila pinawisan ako.

"H-huh? Ano... Hindi- Oo? Hindi ko alam," hindi ko siya masagot nang ayos dahil sa kaba. Baka mamaya mali ang maisagot ko at mas lalo siyang magalit. Oh no.

"But you're sorry?" Sabi pa niya at nailang ako nang mapatingin din siya sa labi ko. I unconciously bit my lip and slowly nodded.

Tumingin siya sa mata ko bago siya ngumisi nang nakakaloko. Lumapit siya sa'kin at ikinulong ako sa dalawa niyang kamay,

"Apology not accepted, my angel," sabi niya bago inilapat ang kaniyang labi sa'kin. Nanlaki ang mata ko sa gulat ngunit nang maramdaman kong mas lumalim ang halik niya, ay napapikit na ako.

He supported my back as I answered his kisses. The carress of his lips was softer than I have imagined since the first. And this was far from when I have kissed him. 

He parted his lips from me, at parehas kaming hiningal. Nagtama ang mata ko sa mapupungay niyang mata, at bigla naman siyang ngumiti nang matamis.

"I'm not sorry for that," sabi niya at tuluyan nang lumayo sa akin. He rested his back on the chair at napatingin sa taas bago ko narinig ang mahihina niyang mga mura.

I felt an awkward atmosphere around, kaya't hindi na ako nagsalita. Why is he cursing? Ayaw niya ba?

Umayos na siya nang upo at tumingin sa'kin uli. Ngayon, hindi ko na siya matingnan kagaya ng sa noon pa. Nalulunod na ako sa bawat tingin niya, at pakiramdam ko nga ay nanghihina pa ako lalo.

"I'll stop this brotherly figure, and try to be the husband material now, angel. What do you think?" Tanong niya ngunit hindi naman ako nakasagot.

What the underworld.