A Mess

Andrea's POV

Pilit siyang tumayo kahit nahihirapan na. A normal person would probably pity her condition right now, pero sa gitna kami ng laban. I don't care about my opponents in a middle of a fight. That's how I won battles 'till now. At hindi magbabago yun.

Tinaas niya ang kamay niya na may hawak na katana. At first it puzzled me, pero tumawa lang siya. I didn't expect her to be so tough. Umatake ako papunta sa kaniya, pero dahil sa mga natamo kong sugat, mas mahina ang mga galaw ko kumpara kanina. I did a roundhouse kick all of the sudden pero nahawakan niya ang paa ko but I turned myself in the air and gave her a punch. She let go of my foot at napaatras.

"Lalabanan kita Andy Andersone. I will make you use your ability and weapons." That's what she's doing though.

Aatake na sana ako pero bigla na naman siyang nawala. I looked around pero hindi ko siya nakita. I looked above me, at huli na para mailagan siya. She threw herself at me with her katana para isaksak sa akin ito. The ground broke underneath me while she pinned me down.

Nakaupo siya sa harapan ko with her katana above her. Binaba niya ng mabilis ang weapon niya, but I fortunately shifted my head to the right pero nagkaroon parin ng kaonting cut sa left cheek ko. Bumaon sa lupa ang katana niya but she didn't bother pulling it off. Sinuntok niy ako but again, ginalaw ko ang ulo ko sa gilid. She did again for how many times at hindi niya ako natamaan.

"You're persistent. Kailan mo gagamitin ang ability mo?!" Sigaw niya at hinawakan ang leeg ko ng dalawa niyang kamay.

She held my neck tighter every second. Pinipilit kong kinukuha ang kamay niya mula dito. But she won't let go! Namumula na ako. Hindi ako makahinga and I can't shake her off. Yung feeling na ang hangin nagtitipon na sa ulo mo and any second puputok ito. Sinuntok ko siya sa may mukha pero mahina ito, I can't keep my strength up anymore.

"What's with that normal punch? I'll kill you." She warned. I'm tired of hearing her warnings!

Sa sobrang hirap huminga, wala na akong magagawa. I summoned three daggers. One above her, the other from her left at ang isa ay sa kanan niya. She seemed surprised a bit pero wala siyang ginawa. I let the daggers go at tatamaan na sana siya pero mabilis niya lamang inilagan ang mga ito. In the end, tumalon na siya palikod.

I sat up coughing and panting. I let my daggers attack her for the meantime while I regain my energy. Nakakapagod. Napatayo na ako at timing namang hinugot niya ang katana niya sa tabi ko amd turned herself around para tamaan ako nito. My daggers quickly blocked off her katana. She can't attack me that easily now that I summoned my daggers. Compared to my limit, a hundred, three will never be enough.

"You finally summoned your weapons huh?" She said smirking. Kahit anong bilis niya sa pag-aatake ay ganoon parin na sinasangga ito ng nga daggers ko. I barely am even doing anything.

Alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako mabilis katulad niya. But I can pour my spiritual energy to my daggers and make them do all the work to keep up with her speed. Napaatras na naman siya nang marealise na hindi niya ako matatamaan.

"Giving up?" Asar kong tanong.

"In your dreams."

Tumalon siya sa may pader, nagulat akong makita na tumatayo siya dito. Walking like she's on the ground. Hindi ko alam kung paano niya nagagawa yan, pero hindi ko alam kung ano na naman ang balak niya.

"Ninjas are trained to be able to do this. We divert some of our energy to our feet so that we can stick to the walls and any objects like this." Wika niya as if bragging.

"Hindi ko tinanong."

"It was meant as a warning."

She bent down her knees a little again at pinasa-pasa ang katana niya sa kanan at kaliwa niyang kamay. She remained like that for several seconds at hindi naman ako makakaatake dahil sa itaas siya. Tapos ay bigla na naman siyang nawala. I turned around expecting her to be there pero wala siya dito.

I spread my daggers surrounding me. She's running through these walls at hindi ko siya makita dahil sa sobrang bilis niya. I can't pin down her location kaya hindi ko alam kung saan siya aatake.

I felt something cut through ny back and I bit my lower lip to prevent the pain. Then another cut went through my arm. Pero hindi pa diyan nagtatapos, may isang hiwa na naman sa paa ko. It became like that for several minutes and not even my daggers could protect me. Mas bumilis na naman siya. Just how fast is this girl?!

I coughed blood at napaluhod habang nakahawak sa tiyan ko. I was stabbed at hindi ko manlang ito namalayan. Then I saw her land meters away from me.

"Surrender. You're strong. You can improve a lot. Don't make me kill off such talent." So she's a person who knows talents from efforts. Pero hindi ako susuko. I rather die than gave up!

"As if I'll let you kill me." I said barely standing up. Sa labang ito, ako ang may pinakaraming pasa at sugat while she only got broken bones. Pero hindi ako matatalo. Her next attack....it all depends on her next attack.

Umiba ang stance niya. She was holding her katana with two hands to her side. It was like an mtindication na matatapos na 'to in less than a second. If that is so, then let's see. Tatapusin ko narin 'to.

I saw her slowly stepped her right foot in front. I unsummoned my daggers to keep my remaining energy. Then I saw her...it was only a glimpse pero nakita ko siya. The next thing I know, I felt her blade went through my stomach kahit na hinahawakan ko na ito. Nagsimula nang tumulo ang mga dugo, pumapatak nadin ang dugo mula sa mga kamay ko dahil sa hinahawakan ko ng mahigpit ang blade niya.

She tried pulling it off, pero hindi niya nagawa. A blood drippied from my mouth. Darn...this really hurts a lot than that stab before. Natahimik na anman ang mga tao sa paligid. Even the host was silenced. Is this the end? I smirked.

Yes, it's the end.

I quickly summoned my daggers at sinaksak ito sa likuran niya. Each dug deeper through her body at napasuka siya ng dugo. Hindi siya nakaalis bago pa man siya tamaan dahil nakabaon parin sa akin ang katana niya. Her eyes were already tired. Her body is wobbly. Pinipilit niya nalang na tumayo. Because whoever falls first looses.

She pushed the katana deeper in my stomach. Napaluhod ang kaliwa kong paa as she did the same. Damn ang kulit niya. Why can't she just give up?! I summoned another dagger. Hindi niya ito inaasahan dahil akala niya tatlo lang ang kaya ko. It stabbed through her stomach and went through the other side and that dagger disappeared.

"H-ha..." she mumbled chukling to herself them a smile formed her lips. Tinaas niya ang kamay niya at pinatong ito sa balikat ko. Her head then fell to my other shoulder. "Y-you win this time....An-Andersone.." tapos ay natumba siya sa lupa. My eyes widened. She's unconscious. That means....

"We....we finally have a winner!" Sigaw ng host and the people around us roared in excitement and joy. I smiled. I did it. "Andy Andersone! She made a history everyone! Natapos niya ang laban sa loob ng one and half hour without using her ability!" I showed them....my strength.

Hinugot ko ang katana sa tiyan ko. Dumami pa ang tumutulong dugo. Ang sakit. Alam komg masakit. But I was too overjoyed to feel and understand the pain. I saw the medics running after us sa tabi. That was when my vision narrowed. I was also loosing my balance. Shit, I might just die from blood loss.

I felt my body numb from all over. Bago pa man ako matumba, naramdaman kong may sumalo sa akin. I looked up and saw his smile which reassured me. That smile of satisfaction...acknowledgement.

"Thomas..."

"I got you Andrea."

My heart's beating too fast again. I'm afraid he might hear it. Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya ng mahigpit. I don't want him to let me go.

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon ng may naramdaman akong humawak sa ulo ko. Hindi ko napansin na hinahawakan ko na pala ang kamay ni Thomas. Sa bigla ko ay agad ko itong binitawan.

"Sorry. Reflexes." Wika ko nakang at alam ko namang naiintindihan niya. He smiled.

Nilibot ko ang paligid at napagmataan na nasa isang clinic ako. It must be that clinic located underneath the arena. Sumasakit parin ang katawan ko which was a relief. Ayaw ko kasing magising at panaginip lang pala ang lahat. The last thing I remember was Thomas catching me....ngayong naaalala ko na ay bigla akong nahihiya.

Ako lang at si Thomas ang nandito sa kwartong ito. Darn thinking about it made my heart race. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin. It's been so long simula nang magsama kaming dalawa, and I doubt na may pakealam siya. He only sees me as that woman's daughter, nothing more. But why am I disappointed?

"Hindi ako makapaniwala. You used to come at me crying all the time..." sabi niya sabay upo sa may upuan sa tabi ng kamang hinihigaan ko.

"Stop remembering embarrassing memories. Bata pa ako nun." I said pretending to be mad. Pero ang totoo ay masaya ako na naaalala niya pa yun. Yup, whenever I feel disappointed, I'd run to him crying. He laughed watching my reaction.

"You just keep on getting stronger and stronger everyday...hindi ko alam kung magiging masaya ba ako o hindi. Because the more you do so, the more we drift apart." My face softened.

Hindi ko alam na ganoon pala ang iniisip niya. In the first place, I wanted to be strong to keep up to him. But it was as if na bawat paghakbang ko, the more he moves away. The more our distance keeps growing. Ganoon din ang nararamdaman ko pagdating sa ina ko.

"Sigurado akong matutuwa nito si Headmistress. As her daughter—" I frowned. Yan na naman siya. Of all people, he's the one I most expect to understand what I feel. But he's just like everyone else. But I can't stop this feeling towards him.

"Thomas." I interrupted him. "Ilang oras ako tulog? What about the next match?" His eyes widened for a second when I changed the topic.

"Dalawang oras ka tulog. The second match ended five minutes ago. Teoff Alfreds laban kay Deil Montreo." Deil Montreo? Siya siguro ang isa sa tatlong wizards. This is an interesting fight. Sayang hindi ko ito nakita.

"How did it go?"

"Teoff Alfreds lost completely. Tumagal ang laban ng dalawang oras, pero walang laban ang
arrows niya kay Montreo with his magic enhancement magic. Sa simula palang, the match was already set." He sighed. "And I had to step in their battle to prevent unnecessary death."

"Anong nangyari kay Prover?"

"She was sent to the hospital with Alfreds. Malala ang naging sugat nila and they'll be there for days." So she isn't dead. Bilib din ako sa babaeng yun. Mahigpit ang kapit niya sa buhay. She gave me a hard time and made me almost use my ability.

"But Andrea, bakit hindi mo ginamit ang ability mo?" Seryoso niyang tanong. "If you weren't lucky—"

"It wasn't luck." Pagputol ko ulit sa sasabihin niya. I don't want anyone else saying it was a mere luck na natalo ko siya. "Hanggang maaari ay ayaw kong gamitin ang ability ko. I want to win in my own way Thomas." Not that he'd understand.

"I knew it. You still have conflicts wih your mother." Simula bata palang ako, alam niya naman na may issue kami sa pamilya namin. Doesn't mean things slightly changed okay na ulit ang lahat. "Malaki ka na Andrea, don't you think it's finally time to accept changes around you and settle your differences?" Easier said than done.

"I don't want you to interfere with this." Umaasa akong titigil na siya because this is a sensitive topic for me.

"I will interfere whenever I want to." Ang kulit niya. Iniinis niya ako.

"Kay sino ka ba kumakampi? To that woman or me?!" He always says me. I didn't even doubt it.

"Your mother, of course." Nagulat ako sa simabi niya. I didn't expect him to be so blunt. I clenched my fists in anger. Palagi niyang sinasabi na ako.....what caused that change? "Malaki ka na kaya kailangan mo nang malaman ang lugar mo." He continued saying stuffs as is he's lecturing me.

Bakit ba siya umaakto na magaling na siya sa lahat? He used to be a pathetic but hardworking guy...why does everything change if it concerns my mother? Thomas still wouldn't stop sa mga pinagsasasabi niya. It's annoying. Why did I fall for this guy in the first place? I thought he'd finally be satisfied. I thought he'd finally acknowledge me...pero walang ni isang tao na kayang gawin yan pagdating sa akin. Why would no one ever acknowledge me for being me? Argh I'm tired of this.

"Naiintindihan mo ba Andrea? Nakikinig ka—"

"Thomas!" Sigaw ko at bigla kong nasuntok ang pader sa tabi ko. The wall formed cracks hanggang sa umabot sa ceiling. Even my own actions surprised me.

Natahimik kaming dalawa ng ilang segundo. He looked straight at me pero umiwas ako ng tingin. I didn't mean to raise my voice like that. But I couldn't help it. He knows I have a short temper.

"Are you threatening me?" Tanong niya matapos ang katahimikan.

"I'm sorry." Sa simpleng salitang iyon ay napabuntong-hininga na lamang siya. Then he placed his hand on top of my head, shaking it.

"You're like a little sister to me Andrea," Little sister huh? I let out a bitter smile. Ang sakit. It hurts more than the pain I feel from my body. "It's just that, ayaw ko lang may mabuong galit diyan sa puso mo. I don't want you to live a messy life." He smiled then walked out of the room.

Silenced filled the room as if he were never here. Too late Thomas...too late. I'm already living a messy life. Too messy that I don't even know what to do anymore.