Mavis' POV
Habang naghihintay kami na matapos nina Friar, Lucas at Void ang pag-aayos ng pinaka-"arena" na pangyayarihan ng laban, nakaupo ako sa mahabang metal bench. Katabi ko si Flare na nagbabasa na naman ng libro.
Tahimik akong nagmamasid kina Friar nang bigla ko siyang marinig magsalita. "What is your opinion about the genre of this battle?" tanong niya. Hindi man lang siya lumingon ni isa sa akin. Nag-flip siya ng isang pahina ng librong hawak niya.
"Genre? Anong genre?" kunot-noo kong tanong.
"I forgot to tell you. The genre of the battle would be battling with weapons. Any weapons will do. Guns with bullets, katanas, pickaxes. You name it. Harmful objects are allowed. But there's a flaw to the genre." He stopped for a minute to turn a page on the book he was reading. "There's a rule of no killing."
"So, ang purpose lang ng mga weapon ay para mapuruhan ang kalaban. Pero wala namang sinabi kung gaano kalaki ang galos o sugat na matatamo niya, 'di ba?"
"Do you have a plan on decapitating Trixie's head?" Saka lang siya lumingon sa akin. "Or cut off her limbs? Or have a plan on struck a knife directly on her chest? I suggest you go with the part where the heart is. It is easy to kill your opponent that way."
Magandang ideya ang mga binibigay niya pero sa tingin ko, hindi ko 'yon magagawa since may rule nga na bawal pumatay. I guess I'll just took advantage of giving my opponent an awful "scratch".
"Well, I guess you can't do that, can you? What a waste of talent. I couldn't even see you assassinate someone in front of me. Shall I still be here?"
Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Ayun lang ba ang rason niya kung bakit pa siya naghihintay dito para panoorin ang laban? If 'yon lang naman pala ang rason niya, maybe he should just go and just watch a more interesting documentary or something.
Napabuntong-hininga ako. "Ikaw bahala kung manonood k--"
Naputol ang pagsasalita ko nang marinig ang malakas na pagbukas ng pintuan ng training room. Nasa bandang parte kami ng gym na ginagamit mostly for training kasi. Parehas kaming napatingin sa direksyon na 'yon.
May isang babaeng hipong-hapo na akala mo tumakbo sa isang marathon sa sobrang pawis na tumutulo sa mukha niya. Nakahawak ang pareho niyang kamay sa mga tuhod niya.
"Trixie," tawag ni Flare dito at saka siya tumayo, at lumapit sa babae.
Binigyan ko nang nagkukuwestiyong tingin si Flare. Trixie? Siya ang kalaban ko?
Nakita kong kinausap ng ilang minuto ni Flare ang babae saka ito inalalayan at pinaupo sa tabi ko. Payat siya at may mahabang buhok na naka-high ponytail. Mapupula ang kanyang mga labi at maamo ang kanyang mukha.
"Ikaw ba ang kalaban ko?" tanong ko. Wala naman masamang magtanong kahit alam ko nang siya ang kalaban ko. Para ma-double sure ko lang na siya talaga ang kalaban ko.
Natigil siya sa pagsasalita at ang baling niya ay napunta sa akin. Nawala ang kislap sa mata niya at ngiting pinapakita niya kanina kay Flare. Napalitan iyon ng nag-aapoy na mga mata at masamang tingin.
"So, ikaw pala ang kalaban ko," sabi niya. Ramdam ko ang bigat ng inis niya sa akin. "Mavis?"
"Ako nga," sabi ko sabay ngiti. Nilahad ko ang kamay ko sa kanya. "Nice meeting you."
Tinitigan niya ang kamay ko pero kapagkuwan, tinaboy iyon. "Hindi ko kailangan ng 'nice meeting you' mo. We're rivals. Don't think na makikipag peace making ako sa'yo rito bago ang laban natin."
Trixie is too accurate to the description na ibinigay ni Lucas. Even though, I still didn't see her style of fighting or her threatening strength and skills, she has passive aggression based on her personality.
"Huwag mo akong bigyan ng good attitude." Ngumisi siya. "Girl, give me your true self. 'Wag ka magpaka-plastik dahil nandito ang boyfriend mo." Binigyan niya ng tingin si Flare bago ulit bumaling ang tingin sa akin.
Ah. She's mistaken about that part.
"Sorry, pero 'di ko siya boyfriend," kaagad na tanggi ko. "And also, hindi ako nagpapaka-plastik. It's normal to be good at your opponents before the battle. Hindi naman sa nakikpagkaibigan ako sa'yo, I just want to greet with good intentions."
Tumawa siya. "Good intention, you say? Walang good intention sa gagawin natin ngayon at alam kong sa kaloob-looban mo, kinamumuhian mo na ako dahil alam mo ng matatalo kita."
She has a point that the battle has no good intention involved. However, I may want to file a complaint on the part na kinamumuhian ko raw siya. It seems like she already jumped to her own conclusion that she is the certified winner of this battle.
"Wala akong ginagawa sa'yo," sabi ko.
"You're a freak," sabi niya. "A war freak."
Now, she's spouting nonsense. I do not intend to have a useless argument with her. Sinusubukan niya akong manipulahin ng mga salita niya para ma-distract ako but unfortunately, it would not work.
"Hindi maganda na manghusga ka ng isang taong kakakilala mo lang. Kakakita mo lang din sa'kin ngayon. 'Wag mo akong tawagin na war freak."
"Bakit? Totoo naman ah. War freak ka. Kanina nga nilahad mo ang kamay mo sa akin eh at kinausap mo pa ako. Bakit? Binati mo ba ako para malayo ang atensyon ko sa boyfriend mo? Nagseselos ka, 'di ba?"
This conversation seems to be keeping going with the most random topic I had ever encountered. Uso yatang genre ng mga usapan ngayon ay panghuhusga eh.
Bumuntong-hininga ako. "Again, hindi ko siya boyfriend. Second, hindi ako nagseselos. Why should I be bothered on you talking to him?" Ngumiti ako. "Maybe, you just speculate something na 'Ay, magseselos ito' just because you talked to him a little? Your theory is completely inaccurate, unfortunately."
Napatingin ako kay Flare. Nakatingin siya sa akin at kitang-kita na naapektuhan siya sa sinabi ko. I muttered, "I'm sorry" at him.
The one with the feelings to the other experienced more pain than the one who does not requit their love. I guess truth hurts when someone make you feel that they don't love you.
"Talaga? So, kapag pala hinawakan ko ng ganito si Flare..." Hinaplos niya ang braso ni Flare nang may halong pagka-seduce. Napukol ang tingin ko sa kamay niyang nasa braso ni Flare. "...'di ka magre-react? At kapag hinaplos ko siya ng ganito..." Pababa ng pababa ang kamay niya sa dibdib ni Flare hanggang nasa taas na lang ng waistband ng pantalon ni Flare ang kamay niya. She smirked. "...'di ka parin magre-react?"
I could feel a sudden urge to punch someone. Ramdam ko ang pagkuyom ng kamao ko habang nakikita ang kamay ni Trixie na tinaas ang T-shirt ni Flare at nasa abdomen na ni Flare ang kamay ng babae.
And the fact Flare isn't reacting to the actions of hers makes me more pissed. Then, the next thing happened is a blur.
Flare's POV
I gulped when I saw Mavis' eyes turned sharp. Her fist clenched tightly on her side as she closed her lips into thin line.
I could feel her passive aggressiveness coming, and I think I should let Trixie run before anything gets worse. But before I could even react, Mavis plunged forward Trixie, who was dragged by the hair and slammed to the nearest wall, pushed, and choked as Mavis puts her hand on Trixie's neck.
"Don't you dare touch him..." She speaks like a growling lion. I heard Trixie choked even more as Mavis tightened her grip on Trixie's neck. Her opponent couldn't have time to have selfish reacts.
Trixie, unable to breath normally, puts her both hand to Mavis' wrist and tries to get out from the grasp. "L-Like hell..." she muttered.
Trixie's face is as white as paper now. Her lips turning purplish. Her hands on Mavis' wrist slightly loosened and her eyes were half-closed as if she was about to faint.
"Mavis!" I think she has gone too far on threatening her opponent. It's not even the real battle yet. She didn't hear my call. I tried again calling her name, but no response has been given. Her eyes were focused on the girl she's trying to death choke.
I have to do something.
I ran towards her and grabbed her by the shoulder. She looked at me, hissed and tried to grab my neck with her other hand but I grabbed her wrist, and leaned forward to look at her straight in the eye.
"Loosen your grip and let her breathe," I ordered.
When a person is on a sudden adrenaline rush of violence, their brain shut down and focuses on one main thing: to do something aggressive. And yet, there's a trigger to stop them.
She just stared at me and tried to pull her attacked hand on my grip, but I pulled it again causing her to wince.
"Mavis." I tried calling out her name again. There's a possibility that she could snap out of her violence trance if I called her on first name basis. She doesn't move and just stared again. "Mavis."
This time, there's a subtle movement of her eyes. Her eyes widen but with no confusion but like someone being able to regain their own consciousness.
"Loosen your grip and let her breathe," I ordered again.
She loosened her grip on Trixie's neck immediately and Trixie slides down holding her own neck as she coughed heavily.
"Bakit mo siya tinulungan?"
As I had predicted, this problem isn't on a period. I turned to look at Mavis whose violent eyes are focus on me. I couldn't deny she look beautiful when she's mad, but this isn't time for admiring someone looking like a mad dog. Yes, a dog. Not a puppy. She is cut but her attitude is beyond comparable to a puppy so I shall call her a dog.
"Tutulungan mo ba ulit siya?" tanong niya.
"I did only that for you not to kill your opponent for today's battle," I answered. "I did not help her because I like her or anything."
Why did I defend myself on this useless conversation? It's because she's misunderstood everything, and I shall perceive Mavis on ending this conversation in a peaceful manner.
She scoffed, obviously not buying off my reason. "Para 'di siya mamatay? I want her dead. Now!" Nanlilisik ang mga mata niyang nakatingin sa akin. "Ah. Alam ko na." There's a mischievous tone on her. "Nagustuhan mo siguro ang ginawa niya sa'yo kanina. The touch on the shoulders..." She steps forward. "...going down to your chest..." She steps forward again. "...hanggang sa malapit na niyang mahawak ang..." She leaned her face near me. I could feel her lips almost brushing through mine. "... crotch mo."
My heart is beating fast. I sighed, trying to control the emotions I'm feeling for this immature lady. "I did not," I said. "I did not like it."
"You did." She sure is insisting her claims. "Hindi ka man lang nag-react na tanggalin ang kamay niya. I thought you like me. Gusto mo ng pagkakahaplos ng kamay niya sa balat mo, 'di ba? Masarap ba? 'Yon ba ang gusto mong gawin sa'yo ng isang babae?"
I wouldn't say I have no fantasies since I'm not an abnormal person but to think Mavis ask me something like that is actually pretty hurtful. It's more painful to the fact she doesn't pretend to even make me her boyfriend a while ago.
"I don't."
"Then, bakit?!" she shouted. Well, that's unexpected. My lips widen in awe as I see her eyes have more hatred than before. "Bakit mo siyang hinayaang hawakan ka?! Bakit! Give me a f*cking answer! Para--" She paused her words and sighed heavily. I could see tears forming on the side of her eyes. "Para 'di ko na maramdaman ang 't*ng in**g nararamdaman ko na 'to!" She looked at me again in the eyes, but her tears are falling down her cheeks.
I couldn't feel but feel guilty, but I know in the back of my head that it is not my fault she's feeling this way. And half of my thoughts, I could say that I am the reason why she is acting like an immature crybaby in front of me right now.
I sighed and opened my arms wide at her. "Come here," I said.
I did not expect she will immediately oblige. She wrapped her arms around my torso and buried her face on my chest. I could hear her sniffled cries and feeling her tears wetting my shirt.
I wrapped one arm around her shoulder and the other arm around her head; hands caressing her head to try on calming her. I flinched slightly when I felt her punch on my chest.
"P*tang in* mo kasi," she cursed. She looked up at me with red and glassy eyes with vicious glare. "Nagphawak ka kasi." She insulted me again with her words, but it does not sting like before. Her brutal tone lessens in three-fourth percent.
"You don't have to be so brutal. Even someone touched me, I will still be loyal to you." I don't know if those words would comfort or calm her down, but I said it anyways.
"Hindi ako naniniwala." She doesn't pull away from the hug, but she is looking away from me while pouting.
I almost laugh by her cute gesture. "I don't want you to believe me though. Just give me your trust. Or perhaps, you've obtained the feeling called jealousy that's why you're avoiding accepting my loyalty."
I felt her flinched. I smirked. Gotcha.
"Are you jealous?" I asked her again.
This time, she glared at me more vicious than before. "Hindi," she replied quickly. "Naiinis akong may humahawak sa'yong ibang babae. 'Di ko alam kung bakit. Siyempre, pwede namang sina Friar 'yong ibang babae na High Reapers at ang mga pinsan mo. I just don't want you to be touched by some other f*cking girls na mukhang kulang na lang tutulo na ang mga laway sa ka-obsess-san sa'yo."
I decided to tease her for a little bit since she's being so stubbornly cute. "So, nagseselos ka nga?"
"Uulitin ko pa ba sagot ko? Sabi kong hindi nga."
" I could kiss other girls then. I could give them treatment the way I do to you. I could--"
My sentence is abruptly stopped when I felt pain rushed through me by my side. I groaned and looked at her with disbelief. Her right hand was clench into a fist as she looks at me with disgust.
"Eugh. Why did you--"
"Gusto mo pa ba ng isa? Hindi ako nagseselos pero hindi ibig sabihin pwede ka ng lumandi sa iba. You said you are loyal to me, so be one."
Well, she has a point there.
"Well, wala naman rin sa kamay ko kung gusto mo manlandi. You're a male after all. May pangangailangan ka."
She said that in a casual yet obvious, venom tone, but she still didn't try to let herself out of my hug. She just literally attacks me, but she's not actually too mad to push me away.
How odd really this girl is. Even her personality is quite interesting to observe.
I sighed. "Yeah. You have a point there. I am a male. I have needs. But the only one I need is only you. My eyes are focused on you, song thrush. Don't consider that as a lie."
"Dapat pumalag ka kanina. Kaya mo naman. Tch. 'Di ka pumalag kanina which means you enjoyed her touch."
Okay. Here we go again for version 2.0 of her rants about the previous event that happened just a while ago.
"Song thrush, please. Just lend me your ears and open it for me. Are you really still mad about it?"
She looked down. She pulled my shirt softly and her eyes could be read with an obvious expression--confused. She's confused.
"Hindi ko alam... Why do I give a damn when Trixie touched you? Why did I give a damn about it kahit na wala naman dapat ako ikainis sa ginawa niya? You are not my boyfriend. Manliligaw lang naman kita. I only snapped like that when something is sentimental to me and I didn't want them to be stolen by someone..."
As she speaks her last sentence, her eyes widened in realization. I felt my heartbeat fast and can't help but smile on what she says.
Sentimental, huh... I'm sentimental to her and she realized it just now.
Her cheeks turned red. She buried her face again to my chest and said, "Shut up."
I laughed and caressed her hair again. "Tell me, song thrush. What is inside that head of yours when you saw her touching me? I will not force you to say the truth though."
There's a silence between us. Not an awkward silence but a peaceful one. Then, she answered, "I wanted to kill her, slay her, separate her skin off her body and wanted to crush her bones until she can't walk, talk, run, nor speak."
"Wow, that's harsh." And I meant that as a compliment. Never thought a girl would want to kill for me, for real.
"I'm sure you will be satisfied if you saw me leading her gradually to death," she mumbled through my shirt.
"But you're a girl."
"Friar is a girl, Twilight is a girl, Liz is a girl, and there are many more mafia girls in your group. Paano mo masasabi na bawal akong mampatay ha?"
"I never said na bawal mong gawin 'yon."
"Yes, you never said but by the way you speak, you are too obvious to give me a reason to not kill her or skin her alive."
"Yes," I admitted.
"Tell me why did you not want to kill her, and I will decide if I will forgive you."
What did I do to receive such harsh words on her? Oh, well. I do not have a choice. She's the woman that hooked up my interest and I am gradually noticing that I'm somehow falling to her even though she's a little bratty.
"Because she's your enemy," I answered.
"That's it?"
"And I don't want you to kill someone inside the mansion as well," I added.
"So, kapag pinatay ko ba siya sa labas ng mansion, pwede?" She is smirking while asking that.
I guess that thought crossed her mind and there's many bloody scenes options on her brain right now on "How to Kill a Malanding Girl and Get Her Straight to Hell".
Or that's what I'm predicting on what is inside her head at the moment.
I heard her sighed. "Don't worry. Wala akong gagawin kay Trixie. Hindi ko siya papatayin." She looked at me and gave ma devilish smile. "Huwag kang mag-alala."
That's when I knew she will torture Trixie during the battle, and no one could stop her. Not even me nor the rest of the mafia group.
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