Chapter 25: Caught

I made her sit on the swing and pushed the swing for her. Geraldine and I are somehow still kids deep in our hearts. We didn't have the amount of fun that normal kids had. We had to grow up fast because if we don't, we will never be able to survive the harsh environment inside the camp.

"I keep thinking about my dad these days," she professed.

"Me too."

I keep on thinking about my parents. Now that the end is near I can't help but think about them.

"And it's ironic when you think about it."

"What do you mean?" I asked and pushed the swing again.

"It's ironic that we all seem to be in love during this particular period of time. Why now when we had all the time before?"

She's right. Why now…

"It's like we're in a hurry. Like we're running out of time."

"What?" I grunted in surprise. Not because she's talking nonsense but because she said the realization I've always felt but couldn't put into words.

"It's like we're subconsciously making ourselves fall in love because when else will we be able to?"

As I pushed the swing, her wavy hair was flying prettily because of the wind.

"We won't die on our last mission. We managed to survive until this time. We will live." I declared, with a baseless determination.

"You don't get what the Chief's real plan is, do you?" What she said made me stop pushing the swing. She stared at me. "Do you think the people will let us live if we kill their king?"

"Isn't that what they want? They want Mirando gone," I retaliated, hoping for confirmation from her.

"But we can't eliminate the Battalion, can we?"

That made me shut up. If the Battalion can't save their king, then they will make sure we will pay for his death.

"Even if they won't execute us, we will rot in jail for murder. And I'd rather die than live in jail."

"The Chief will save us," I debated again, with a baseless assurance.

"Don't you get why the Chief is trying to send every Soldier of Maharlica abroad after the assassination? It's so he can save himself. So that no one will leave a trace. No one will be able to prove that it's him who founded and operated Soma. We're just mere pawns on his chessboard. He's willing to sacrifice us for his greater plan."

"What are you talking about? Are you doubting the Chief?"

"Rath, I'm not doubting him. I know, like me, you could see the bigger picture. Every soldier does, but we are just intentionally trying to overlook that because what's more important to us is getting revenge on His Majesty."

Geraldine is not as dense as I thought she is.

"We all know the welfare of the people is only second to what the Chief really wants. What he is really aiming for is to put the whole Maharlica under his hand. Whether he becomes the king, or he becomes the first president of a new republic. What he wants is not betterment, he wants power. Absolute power over Maharlica."

I know the Chief is trying to lead Maharlica. But I prefer him as our leader instead of Mirando. I don't want a ruthless monarch running our government.

"I don't care anymore," I stated with indifference. "I just want to avenge my parents. We will abandon this kingdom afterward, so who cares what happens to this country after we leave."

"I'm scared, Rath."

I touched her shoulder. "It's okay. You can get scared. I'll stay brave in your place."

I stopped pushing the swing and minced towards her front to face her. I made her stand up. A heavy conversation doesn't suit us. And I don't want to ruin this day by talking about Soma's blurry future.

We walked around the park just talking and talking about random things just like how we used to. I figured that the best way to enjoy this day is to do things that we normally do on a day-to-day basis, and that's talking to each other.

We took lots and lots of pictures. We ate from food stalls inside the park. We both have so much fun.

"I've been feeling this way ever since we left my apartment. I feel like I forgot to bring something but I can't remember what it is," I finally told her when I can no longer handle the frustration of thinking over and over again about what I forgot.

I really feel like I forgot something.

"I think I know," Geraldine blurted.

"You know?"

"The prince. You forgot to bring your boyfriend," she teased. "Is it really that agonizing to not see him even for a day, you naughty girl?"

I pinched her waist. "Stop teasing me, you brat."

Her phone suddenly rang. And she showed me the screen to let me know who is calling. And I rolled my eyes when I saw it was the captain.

When I saw her phone, I suddenly remembered what I forgot.

After listening to the other line she muttered, "On the way." When she put down the phone from her ear she looked at me. "I didn't notice it's already noon. The captain is already complaining about making him wait."

I chuckled. "Alright, go ahead. I'll go meet up with Isagani."

She narrowed her eyes on me. "Look at you. You have the prince on your other hand and Isagani on the other. Just how do you do it, girl?"

I laughed. "Crazy!"

She walked up to me and hugged me.

"Why are you acting like we're seeing each other for the last time?" I whined because she looked so sentimental.

"Kind of. We only have two weeks until the anniversary, and we won't be seeing each other until then."

Hearing that, I embraced her once more.

"Brat, can you call Isagani for me? Ask him where we should meet up."

"Call your guy, yourself."

I chuckled. "I forgot my phone."

Her mouth hung open. "You're unbelievable! How could you forget your phone!"

After she called Isagani, I knew where to go. And then we parted ways.

While I was riding a cab, breaking news was being broadcasted on the radio.

"Breaking news. Mr. Carlos Riganda, the owner of Riganda Bank, who was arrested for usury and tax evasion, has escaped from prison this morning. The police are still looking for him. If any of you have ever seen his whereabouts, the police are accepting tips."

I clenched my fist.

F--k! How did he escape? Are the police that incompetent that criminals in prison could escape?

I closed my eyes to calm myself. Today, I shouldn't worry about such things. Today, I'm just a normal citizen trying to have fun. After convincing myself to not think about the news I heard, the cab stopped at my destination.

I was surprised when I found out the place where Isagani and I are meeting. I stared up high at the huge cross of the building.

A church?

"Rath!"

I looked around to look for the voice that called my name. And there he was, looking so casually handsome, smiling, and walking, with his simple long sleeve shirt and tattered jeans that Geraldine got for him.

And I'm the one he's walking to.

He took my hand and I was about to protest but he looked at me with a scolding gaze and tightened his grip. "Just for today," he demanded.

I wanna protest but his slanted eyes are so penetrating that I couldn't complain and I just let him drag me inside. As we're entering the church while he's holding my hand, there's only one person on my mind. Neuron.

It's boggling me because I feel like I'm cheating on him.

"I didn't know you were this religious?" I admitted.

He just smiled while looking at the altar. "I thought hard about where to take you, and I decided to bring you to a place I wanna end up with, with you."

A place he wanna end up with me…

I looked at the altar. Does he mean--

I stared at him. It never crossed my mind. I never even imagined it. I buried my one-sided crush on him because I thought it would never be reciprocated. I never thought that he would really like me to this point where he wants to marry me.

"Since when, Isagani?"

He led me to one of the benches and made me sit down. Then he said, "Since the beginning."

"Beginning? When exactly is that?"

"When you first became an official trainee."

That's when I was thirteen! It's that long?!

"But why?"

"All the guys were talking about how pretty you are and I got curious. Then once, I became a watcher on one of your combat training exercises."

"I remember that! The girls went crazy! Everyone wanted to win their duel to look good in front of you. You caused a huge fuss back then."

He laughed. "I actually just went there to see the girl they were talking about."

"Are you serious? I was like thirteen! That can be considered child abuse."

"How's that child abuse when I was just sixteen? We're both just teens."

"But why, though? I don't really see myself that attractive."

"Then maybe you're blind," he murmured.

"What?"

"Nothing," he denied. "I don't know." He suddenly changed his answer.

But I heard what he said!

"Maybe because you were always alone."

That made me stop and stare at him.

"You always walk with shoulders dropped like you're carrying the whole world. You were always focused on your training even when everybody was slacking off. And you never smiled at me."

I laughed. "How could I, when you make me so nervous?"

"Still, you intrigued me."

We stared at each other for a moment. One thing is clear now. We liked each other. And he still likes me. But do I?

"Why didn't you say anything?" I complained. If he told me earlier, just a bit earlier, everything might've been different.

"Will anything change if I did tell you?"

"Yes! Everything would've been different! I wouldn't have been stuck with Neu--" I stopped. If I knew about his feelings, maybe I wouldn't fall for the prince.

If he told me, then I wouldn't be so torn in between loving Neuron and killing Mirando right now!

"You're wrong. You're bound to do your mission. Even if we did work, you still would've met the prince. And you would've still liked him. Then everything would've been more f--ked up than now."

"And how did you know that?" I bellowed in frustration.

"Because that's your destiny."

I sarcastically laughed. "Are you saying you believe in sh-ts like that? Destiny? You? When you're in Soma trying to decide what happens to your life, and not that sh-t they call destiny? Destiny isn't real, Isagani. What you choose becomes your destiny."

"And that's why I brought you here."

I got a bit confused.

"To tell you that I don't care what's happening with you and the prince. I don't care. Because I know you will come back to me. So take a good look at this church. Because this is where you and I will end up."

He touched the side of my face and stared at me so intently that I felt like he could make a hole in my face.

"I don't know romance and all that, but I really wanna put a ring on your finger and make you mine." He looked down on my hand with the ring Neuron gave me. "I'll make you take that ring off yourself."

I don't understand what I am feeling right now. Why can't I push him away? Why am I letting him touch me like this?

"Do you even know the meaning of a butterfly weed?"

I stared down at my ring. "Love and togetherness," I answered.

"You believe that sh-t?" He copied how I said it when he talked about destiny.

"Why? What does it mean?"

"It means 'leave me'. The person who gave this to you wants you to leave."

My mind went completely blank. I don't want to believe what he said. Neuron said it was a promise of love and togetherness.

No! No! I don't believe him! Neuron said it was love and togetherness…

Isagani cupped both sides of my face. "I feel so stupid that it took me this long to finally confess."

His eyes dropped on my lips. And very slowly he leaned closer to claim my mouth.

I don't know if it's because of the confusion I am feeling, or maybe it's because of the curious tingles I am feeling right now, or maybe because of the buried feelings I had for this man that suddenly resurfaced, but I closed my eyes and responded to the kiss.

He slid his hand at the back of my neck and he deepened our kiss. I got drunk on the sensation it gave me. It was mind-blowing and my mind went blank.

But I sobered up when I heard that familiar voice calling my name.

"Rathna.."

Like touched with a scorching fire, I pushed Isagani away and immediately stood up to face the one who called me.

"Neuron.." I called in dread.

He caught me kissing another guy! What to do? What should I do?!

I expected him to get angry or get confused or demand an explanation. But he just grabbed my arm and embraced me so tightly right there and then. Like he needed to feel that I'm breathing.

"Are you okay? Did anything happen? Why didn't you pick up your phone? Are you hurt?"

I couldn't understand where his unreasonable worrying came from. I could feel the loud beating from his heart, his muscles are trembling, and there's so much tension in his whole body.

"I was so d-mn worried. I thought something bad happened to you."

I pulled out from the hug to look at him. "What happened to you?" I asked.

"Riganda escaped from prison, and-- and.." He seems to be at a loss for words. "I got so worried. I thought he might come after you."

"Neuron, why would he come after me?"

He stopped moving but was still breathless. Like he just realized he was worrying for nothing.

"I don't know. When I heard the news, I could only think of nothing but you. I was so worried. I thought-- I thought--"

"Neuron, I'm fine. I'm fine." I reassured him to calm him down and convince him at the same time that I'm all at one piece.

He embraced me again like seeing me isn't enough to convince him I'm alive.

"Thank God you're safe."

After this, I don't know how I would explain to Neuron the situation I was in when he arrived. I'm scared.