•••••Raven's POV•••••

The smell of the air was so full of dread. Ghastly. The deafening silence could destroy your eardrums if you are not used to it. Even when you walk past a stray dog, it will not bark at you anymore. Instead, they will just stare. Observing you if ever you attack them in surprise.

The sound of owls whispered in my ears. I do not know if it was just an imagination but I think it sounded so true. No cars were passing by nor someone just wanted to stay outside. Everyone was staying inside their houses. Probably watching T.V and just minding their own business.

As I stared at the big house right in front of me, I could feel its sadness. It reached my body like it was calling me. The lights were on but I could only feel one presence inside.

Bigla kong naalala ang usapan namin ni Benedict kaninang umaga at kung paano ko iniwan si Maura sa bahay. I knew she was worried about me but Maura was drooling in her beauty sleep and I did not want her to wake up from that. Moreover, bumagabag rin sa isipan ko ang lahat ng sinabi sa akin ni Benedict tungkol sa plano nilang pagpatay kay Ethan.

The presence I felt from the inside belonged to him and that was supposed to be enough for me to know that he was still alive. Pero para talagang may nagtulak sa akin na pumasok sa loob ng bahay namin. I did not want to see him, however, I want to know something.

Dahan-dahan akong pumasok sa gate namin. Nagbuntong-hininga muna ako pagdating sa pintoan. It felt so different being here again. The last time I saw Ethan, it did not go well.

Ayoko rin namang mag-expect na may mangyayaring maganda kasi masakit iyon.

Dahan-dahan kong pinihit ang siradura ng pintoan at pagpasok ko ay isang napakapayapang kapaligiran ang sumalubong sa akin. The place was still the same as how I left it.

Still no housekeepers. No guards. No driver. Not even a dog running towards me. Just no one.

"Ethan?" I called out but no one answered.

I roamed around. Napakatahimik ng lugar but I know it was weird. Napatingin ulit ako sa pintoan, pagkatapos ay sa loob ng bahay. No guards were guarding outside but ang pinto hindi naka-lock? So weird.

Pumunta ako sa kusina kahit na alam kong wala naman talagang tao doon. It was even more outlandish when I saw a fresh orange juice on the table.

"Since when did he like orange juice?" tanong ko sa sarili ko.

Ethan's favorite is mango juice, not orange. My favorite is not orange, either, but Pineapple. Is he expecting someone else, perhaps?

Bumalik na lang ako sa sala. Wala pa rin akong makitang tao. Even if I wanted to go upstairs, I forced myself not to. Instead, tinitigan ko na lang ang mga paintings sa wall. Everything was abstract. Mahilig kasi si Ethan sa mga abstract kaya mostly yun ang style ng paintings namin.

"Raven?" I felt a presence behind my back. "You came back."

"Do not be happy. I am just here to pick something up," I said, keeping my attention to the paintings. "Where is Squishy, by the way?"

Alam kong galing siya sa itaas kaya narinig ko ang kanyang mga yapak sa hagdanan.

"Pinadala ko na lang muna siya sa States. Alam ko kasing mas safe siya dun lalong-lalo na sa init ng panahon ngayon sa Pilipinas," he said.

Safe, huh.

I turned to face him and he was there right in front of me, standing so perfectly. His hands were in his pockets and he was smiling at me.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Dahil masaya ako na bumalik ka."

"I did not come back for you, Ethan," I said and I did not care even if my voice was too cold. "You are seriously not thinking for me to come back after what you have done."

I sighed deeply. The moment was very awkward. I never liked this and I never wished for this to happen. Hindi ko naman talaga intensyon na bumalik dito. However, I made a promise with Benedict that I should give him Angeleeka Buenavista's necklace.

"Hindi ba natin pwedeng pag-usapan ito, Raven? I need you here, you know that."

"Kapag sasabihin mo na ang lahat ng mga sekretong tinatago mo sa akin, then, of course, we can talk and I can stay." I waited for his response but he averted his gaze on me. "See? You can not even look at me straight in the eye."

Lumakad ako papunta sa sofa at umupo. To be frank, I missed this place; this house. I grew up in here and this served as my one and only shelter when I kept on rejecting the outside world. But as I grew up, parang hindi ko na nararamdaman na nakatira talaga ako sa bahay na ito. It was like, it rejected me also.

"What is the deal with the orange juice?" He looked at me when I asked that. "A sudden change of flavor?"

"Yeah, sudden change of flavor," he said without any hint of lying in his eyes. He was way too confident. "How did you know about the orange juice?"

I cocked my head to the kitchen.

"I went to the kitchen and saw it. Made me think you were waiting for someone else."

"I see. Wala naman akong hinihintay. Hinanda ko 'yon para iinumin ko sana nang nakalimutan kong may mga paper works pa pala akong gagawin kaya naiwan ko na lang sa lamesa." He let out a chuckle after that.

Though, it was a broken, fake chuckle that I have never, ever heard from him before.

"Okay, if you say so," I said as I leaned my back against the sofa. "Frankly, I came here to pick something up, like I said."

His expression went blank. I could not even predict what he was truly feeling inside. Everything was just so blank to him.

"I am going to get Angeleeka Buenavista's necklace."

"What?" His face finally made an expression and his eyes widened in surprise. "Hindi mo kayang kunin 'yon?"

Napakunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. "Why not?"

"That thing is dangerous, Raven. Alam mo 'yon. Binalaan na kita na huwag na huwag ka nang makealam sa gamit na 'yon," he said, giving me a hint of anger in his voice.

Napansin ko rin na nagsimula na siyang pagpawisan at alam ko namang hindi iyon dahil sa init kasi naka-on naman ang aircon sa loob ng bahay.

"Bakit ganyan ang reaction mo, Ethan?" I was very sure that I was not nervous pero nang may na-realized ako sa aking isipan, bigla na lang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Tumayo ako at hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko sa kanya. "Do not tell me pumasok ka sa kwarto ko?"

Hindi siya nakasagot sa tanong ko at mas lalo lang siyang pinagpawisan.

"Ethan, pinakealaman mo ba ang mga gamit ko sa kwarto nang lumayas ako?"

"Para lang 'yon sa ikabubuti mo, Raven."

"Fuck." Hindi ko mapigilang mapamura dahil naging tama ang hinala ko. For all my life, I told anyone not to enter in my room. Ayaw kong pinakealaman ang mga gamit ko lalong-lalo na si Ethan. Lumapit ako sa kanya at hinawakan siya sa magkabilang balikat. "Do not tell me you stole that necklace?"

Hindi siya sumagot sa tanong ko kaya alam kong tama ang sinabi ko. Anger immediately started flowing inside of me at hindi ko napigilan ang sarili kong sampalin si Ethan.

"You really are a retarded thief," I said as I felt my tears seeping down my face.

Bigla ko na lang naalala ang sinabi ni Benedict sa amin na may kinuhang isang napakamahalagang bagay si Ethan galing sa mga Kuroda─the main reason why they wanted him dead.

"Hindi ko naman kinuha 'yon para sa own advantage ko, Raven. I did what I had to do to protect you."

"Why do you keep on protecting me?" I asked between my cries. "You keep on telling that you are protecting me from something pero hindi mo sinasabi sa akin kung bakit at kung sino!"

My vision went blurry dahil sa mga luha ko pero hindi ko iyon ininda. I wiped my tears using the back of my hand and I knew he was also affected seeing me crying.

"I will give you a chance, Ethan. Bahala ka na sa buhay mo kung ayaw mo talagang sabihin sa akin ang totoo pero just this once, tapatin mo ako." I took a deep breath. This is why I hate crying. Nahihirapan akong huminga kapag umiiyak ako at alam kong nagmumukha na akong tanga sa harapan niya. "Did you steal something very important and confidential from the Kurodas?"

Kumunot ang noo niya pero pinagpawisan pa rin siya.

"Anong pinagsasabi mo, Raven? Paano nasali ang mga Kuroda sa usapan natin?" He threw consecutive questions at me. "At 'di ba sinabihan na kita na 'wag makealam sa mga royal bloods?"

"Why not? The person who attacked me and my team at Simon Reyes' concert told me about that, and something about you," I said. "Ayaw kong maniwala sa sinabi niya kaya gusto ko ikaw ang magsabi sa akin ng totoo."

"Motherfucking bitch." Mahina lang niyang sinabi iyon pero klarong-klaro sa taenga ko. "What else did that person tell you, Raven?"

"I did not permit you to ask, Ethan."

"Neither did I permit you to permit me." I was surprised by his very humorless response because he never responded to me that way ever. He may be serious at times, but not like this. "Where is he now? In Blandon High's underground prison?"

"I will not tell you that."

"Raven, tinatanong kita."

"At may tinanong rin ako sa iyo, Ethan. I am the one who asked you first. Baka nakalimutan mo?" Napansin ko na may halong pagbabanta ang tono niya kaya hindi ko maiwasang magulat. But even so, I did not let it affect me.

I noticed Ethan's aura has suddenly changed and I have never seen this side of him ever. I am not afraid and I did not blanch. Though, it makes me wonder that he must have been hiding this side of him the whole damn time in case the time will come when my head will become harder than normal.

"Raven, I'm warning you."

"Oh my God, are you threatening me? Bullshit." I scoffed. "So, sasagutin mo ako o sasagutin mo ako? Totoo ba na may ninakaw ka galing sa mga Kuroda? Yes or No lang ang sagot─"

"Stop this shit, Raven, dahil alam mong hindi natin kayang mapagkatiwalaan si Benedict!"

My eyes widened in surprise when for the very first time, he raised his voice at me. Even when I was always sarcastic and cold, he never yelled at me. Not even once. However, this time, he has finally done it. Pero hindi talaga iyon ang mas nakagulat sa akin.

"How did you know that it was Benedict who told me?" Nagulat rin siya sa tanong ko at mas lalo pa siyang pinagpawisan. It looked like ngayon lang niya na-noticed ang sinabi niya. "Ethan, do you know Benedict?"

"I-I"

"Don't you fucking dare lie to me!" Naramdaman ko na naman ang pag-iba ng kulay ng mga mata ko.

At this moment, sadness and hatred have completely engulfed my system. Though, I tried my best to not let it take control over me.

"As far as I remember, wala akong sinabing pangalan sa iyo." I took a step back away from him. "Unless, kilala mo si Benedict."

Biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko habang rinig na rinig ko ang pagmura niya. Napasabunot siya sa kanyang buhok kaya alam kong na-upset siya.

"Raven, I'm sorry."

"For what, Ethan? Just what the hell did you steal from the Kuroda?"

"Raven, listen to me," He came closer to me and held me tight on both of my shoulders. His drop-dead-serious eyes looked directly into my magenta eyes. "huwag na huwag kang babalik dito hangga't maaari. Never text or call me. Act as if you don't know me anymore!"

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Basta sundin mo lang ang sinasabi ko. Magkakaroon na naman ng eclipse sa mga susunod na araw at kapag mangyari iyon, as much as possible ay huwag na huwag kang lalabas sa bahay nina Maura at papuntahin mo ang mga kaibigan mo sa bahay nila para may kasama ka."

Kaagad kong inalis ang mga kamay niya na nakahawak sa magkabilang balikat ko. I looked at him with utter perplexity and I could not fathom him anymore. All of this was just so crazy!

"Eclipse? Are you crazy? Tapos na ang eclipse, Ethan. It is impo─" I stopped. I swigged a large amount of my saliva when I realized something crazy again. "How did you know that I was living in Maura's house with her?"

"It doesn't matter. Basta─"

"Everything matters, Ethan! How did you─"

"Just fucking do as I say, Raven Saldoviana!"

Napatahimik ako. He was still sweating and he was catching his breath. It was the first time he uttered a curse at me. First time niya akong minurahan. Bigla na lang nagdilim ang paningin ko and from that moment, I knew that he was not the same old Ethan that I knew and grew up with. He changed. Completely.

"S-Sorry, I didn't me─"

"Say, Ethan," I cut him off. "did you know that someone is after your life?"

He flinched. He never averted his gaze on me, but I knew he was trying to formulate another lie again in his head.

I walked back and forth in front of him, trying to sink in everything he has said to me. I tried putting some of the pieces I gathered into place and I was hoping it was not all right. I hated this kind of scenario. I love finding out the truth and hate it at the same time.

"I remember us living in Misawa before. Nagmamadali sina Mommy at Daddy na umalis tayo papunta sa States. I asked all of you why but you never answered me." I stopped taking a pace. My heart went wilder. "I thought we were at peace when we were living in the States pero nung sinabi ko sa inyo na mag-aaral ako sa Blandon High paglaki ko, biglang nagbago ang expresyon ninyo nina Mom and Dad. Then, the next day they died on a business trip. The last time I saw them in the hospital, the last thing they said in their last breath was steal and─"

"Tori." I looked at him when we both pronounced the word. Then, I said, "Tori means bird in Japanese. So, why would they say that to me? Why would they say 'steal and bird'?"

I never averted my gaze at him but he could never look at me in the eye anymore. It was very obvious to me that he knew someone was after his life and that he was hiding something.

"I will ask you again, what did you steal from the Kuroda? May alam ba sina Mommy and Daddy nito?"

"Raven, listen, you have to keep on believing in me," he said.

"Ethan, how can I still believe in you when you keep on lying to me and you will not even tell me the truth?"

"Raven," Lumapit siya sa akin pero lumayo ako sa kanya. Ngunit, pinagpatuloy pa rin niya ang kanyang sinabi. "someday, you'll understand. Darating rin ang araw na sasabihin ko sa'yo lahat kapag handa ka na."

I suddenly felt dizzy. My vision started to blur at unti-unti akong napaluhod sa sahig. Ethan was just there, looking at me as I to my knees. May naramdaman akong isang bagay sa batok ko kaya kinuha ko iyon gamit ang natitira kong lakas. I tilted my head to look at Ethan when I realized it was a tranquilizer dart... with a symbol of a violet Raven bird.

I knew it was not Ethan who shot me with this. If it was not him, then who?

Napahiga ako sa sahig habang unti-unti na rin akong nawawalan ng malay. I could see Ethan walking towards me and I could barely hear the last words he uttered.

"You can't have Angel's necklace because it's already in my master's hands." 

*~*~*~*~*~*

UwU!! I'm so delighted dahil road to 100K na ang book na ito, and I couldn't have done it without you. Sobrang thankful ako sa inyo ang trust me, I love you so so much. Even if I only update when I'm in the mood, y'all helped me reach this book to 100K, and we'll celebrate it together. Stay with me until the end kahit sobrang lazy ng author niyo, okay? Be red, stay unique. God bless! Lab na lab ko kayo.