A Far-fetched Love ✓

AFL 34 ✓

"Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito?" tanong ko nang makalapit ako sa kanya.

Instead of answering my query, he rather knitted his brows and asked, "What happened to your face? Who did that to you?" Concern was evident on his consoling voice and worried face, as if coursing me with a letting go line days ago didn't leave an excruciating mark on me. 

"That's no longer a matter of concern for you, Mr. Salazar. So if you have nothing more to say, though I'd give no damn if ever you still have, you're free to leave." 

I hurriedly locked the padlock of my gate and trotted back inside my den but I don't think he understood me, for I could still see his reflection by the window. Kaya napatigil ako at humarap ulit sa kanya. 

"Umalis ka na," utos ko.

But he didn't move a foot. He even thriftly stretched his lips, causing the distance of my brows to shorten. "Was the few days without me enough for you to believe that I'm all cooled down, and that I'm ready to iron out our distort?" he asked.

"Ano'ng pinagsasasabi mo?" tanong ko sa medyo mataas na boses. "I no longer had plans of talking to you. Tapos na tayo. But, if you're here to ask me to settle this matter to your father, I'd do that the soonest I free myself from my handful of loads at work and Masters. Hindi ko lang talaga maharap nitong mga nakaraang araw."

I honestly didn't have any plans of settling the matter on hand with his father, for I don't think he'd agree with my withdrawal from the contract. That was why I doubted when Kael told me that he'd be the one to disclose it to his father, knowing that he'd certainly disapprove. So it was a wonder for me if he really told him or if it was just some kind of a sugar coat to relieve me from the burden. Or a consolation for the pain that he inflicted on me. 

"Didn't you tell me that we'd settle things out when I'm all cooled down?" he asked. "I am now."

I let out a bitter laugh, before saying, "So dapat ok na rin ako ngayon? Dapat kakausapin na rin kita ngayon kasi okay ka na?" 

"That's not what I meant."

"But that's how it arrived to me. So, no. Umuwi ka na." I turned my back on him again. I was about to tilt the knob when he spoke a line that caused my temper to shoot up.

"Nakauwi na 'ko, 'cause I'm moving in with you." Napalingon ulit ako sa kanya. He was looking intently at me, with his mesmerizing eyes filled with emotions as he curled his lips for a light, hurting smile. "I know I have told you words that weren't acceptable for you to hear, and I've got no firm excuse to hand you with to fend for myself. Though believe me, Shimon, that was a spur of the moment line and an unpremeditated behavior of jealousy. I was just too naive to be misled by the picture of you and him kissing. Not that it's an image worth to stir a painful memory of your brother's infidelity to me, it was rather a wounding view, and just a wounding view alone. Nothing more than that."

I let out a bitter laugh. Hindi ko alam kung maniniwala ba ako o hindi. Of all things that happened to me all throughout my existence, ang hirap na lang talagang magtiwala. Ang tanga ko lang na binigay ko 'yon kaagad sa kanya, kaya nauwi ako sa ganitong sitwasyon. 

"Sa tingin mo maniniwala pa 'ko sa 'yo?" mapanuyang tanong ko. Ni hindi ko man lang siya nakitaan ng pagkadismaya sa tono ng pananalita ko. Ngumiti pa nga siya bago sumagot.

"I'm not asking you to believe me, anyway. Neither would I force you to do so. All I'm wanting is for you to give me a chance to prove your beliefs wrong." 

"Just leave, because you and your words weigh nothing to me now," I said but he didn't budge. 

Instead, he smiled again before saying, "But you and your words weigh too much to me. So I'm staying." I was surprised when he turned his back on me as he settled himself to sit at the gutter in front of my house.