A Thousand Wounds

Wound 20

Wound 20

I know I have no right to tell her to back off, but my heart is screaming a big 'no'. Pinigil ko ang sariling sigawan siya at sabihing hindi pwede.

All I could do is stare at her with so much animosity and threat. I hope she can feel the warning I have with my stares.

"Suit yourself. After all, you're cheap, at ang mga galawang ganiyan, talagang cheap," I retorted back, and I know I hit a nerve with how her eyes blazed.

In the end, I was the one who ended up winning our argument. She stormed away without saying anything. However, compared to our previous fights, this one is making me conscious.

Because deep inside of me, natatakot ako na baka magkatotoo ang kaniyang sinabi. I'm afraid that I'd lose him.

I was in deep thoughts when someone hardly nudged me on the shoulders. With that, I was out of balance. Napapikit na lamang ako when I knew that I'd come face to face with the road.

Napasinghap ako nang pagmulat ko'y nabungaran ko ang mukha ni Cleyton. He had his sturdy hand holding me steady.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, and he smiled.

"I'm here for you," he responded.

Napakurap-kurap ako sa kaniyang tinuran bago mabilis na lumayo sa kaniyang pagkakahawak.

"You shouldn't have.." a small voice escaped my lips.

"We talked about this already, my queen. I'm here because I wanted to see you," he spoke in finality.

The determination in his eyes burned kaya naman napaiwas ako ng tingin. I just conceded and focused my gaze in front.

And just like the last time, katahimikan ang bumalot sa amin habang naglalakad kami patungo sa aming bahay. Once he's contented with seeing me entering our home, he waved goodbye, and I'd just stare at his moving back.

Tinatahak ko ang malawak na corridor patungo sa opisina ng The Voice of Linavio, while checking my phone's messages. Tipid akong napangiti nang mabasa ang bagong mensahe mula kay Mara.

Mara Bruha: We're done na sa meeting. Pasundo naman ho..

Hindi na ako nagtipa ng reply at dire-diretso nang tinungo ang opisina.

But my immediate steps halted, and the ghost smile on my lips wavered. Humakbang ang babae papalapit sa lalaki at humawak sa kaniyang braso. Dumako roon ang aking mga mata, at hindi ko mapigilang mapakagat-labi.

May sinabing nakakatawa ang dalaga kaya naman sabay silang napahalakhak. I cleared my throat and averted my gaze.

Sa aking muling paghakbang ay napalingon sa akin ang binata. The broad smile is still plastered on his lips when our eyes met. I saw how his eyes widened a fraction. Mas lalong lumawak ang kaniyang ngiti at gumuhit ang pananabik sa kaniyang mga mata.

"My queen!" he exclaimed eagerly, and I was shocked.

Maging ang babae sa kaniyang tabi ay tila nagulat rin sa kaniyang biglaang pagsigaw. Melanina raised her brow when I directed my gaze to her.

Cleyton took long strides to reach me. "Hey," pagbati niya habang hindi mapuknat ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi.

Hindi ko mapigilang muling mapakagat-labi. He's just so adorable.

Tumikhim si Mela sa aming gilid kaya naman napaharap kami sa kaniya.

"So what do you think, Cleyton?" she asked with her gentle voice.

"I'll just talk about it to our adviser. Wait for further updates na lang, Melanina," wika ng aking katabi.

"I told you just to call me Nina," she casually spoke.