Capricorn: Still Bound to You ( COMPLETE)

Fourteen

Kay Dark at Georgina umikot ang bakasyon ko. I could say that this is the most enjoyable vacation I've ever experienced. Walang katumbas maging sa mga out of country ko noong mga nakaraang bakasyon ko. On weekdays, I would go to Georgina's part time job to pass time and support her, and on the evenings, Dark would pick me up and we would eat dinner together in his condo before he drops me back to my house. It was easy for me to spend my day out because my parents are still out of the country. Minsan din ay tumatakas ako sa gabi para doon matulog sa unit ni Dark tapos babalik ng madaling araw para hindi ako mahuli.

I did nothing but mischief for the whole vacation. It feels illegal but I enjoyed it a lot. I discovered a new persona in me that enjoys reckless acts and finds thrill with forbidden things.

Katulad na lang ng lihim namin na relasyon ni Dark. Although it was not hidden on his side of the family.

"Hija, you're back! I missed you!"

Natawa ako nang higitin ako ni Tita palayo sa anak niyang sumimangot sa ginawa niya.

"Hello po, Tita Carmela!" I kisses her cheek tenderly. "I missed you, too!"

She giggled like a teenager, making me chuckle. Ikinapit niya ang kamay niya sa braso ko at magana akong giniya patungo sa dining room. Naiwan naman sa receiving area si Dark na mukhang pinagkaitan ng tadhana ang itsura.

"Mom, stop stealing my girlfriend." Ungot nito.

Nakarinig kami ng yabag pababa ng hagdanan. "You're so damot, Kuya! You should bring Ate Natalie here often so we can bond, you know!"

Lavender, his younger sister, rolled her eyes and flip her hair sassily to her brother, before occupying the space on my left. Kaya naman ngayon ay napagigitnaan na ako ng mag-ina. Dahil do'n ay mas naging kapansin pansin ang ilang pagkakaiba nila.

Lavender was Tita Carmela's adopted daughter. She was the daughter of Tita's sister who died fighting off cancer, while her father is unknown. She was adopted with the will of Tita's sister, at napamahal na din ng sobra si Tita kaya naman willing niya itong inadopt. Lavender was aware of that and she was grateful. Hindi siya tinrato na iba sa pamilya kaya hindi rin big deal sa kanya na adopted lang siya.

"Ang tagal mong hindi bumisita, Natalie." Ani ni Tita Carmela habang hinahainan ako ng luto niyang afritada.

I heard Dark's low grunt beside me. Nag-agawan pa sila ni Lavender sa upuan sa tabi ko at nagwagi si Dark sa maduming paraan. He played dirty by carrying his sister's seat and pulling another vacant seat to place beside me. Kaya tuloy siya pinanlilisikan ng tingin ng kapatid niyang nasa harap namin.

"It's been only one week, Mom. It wasn't that long."

"Para sa'yo, of course it wasn't long!" Lavender intruded. "Kasama mo kasi si Ate Nat every day."

"Well." Mayabang na ngumisi si Dark. Napailing na lang ako sa pang-aasar niya kay Lavender.

Nagsimula na kaming kumain. Nandito kami ngayon sa bahay nila dahil muli akong inimbita ni Tita Carmela, Dark's mother, to have lunch with them. This is the third time we gathered since the first time we met. It was only last month since Dark introduced me to his family pero ngayon ay tila isa na ako sa pamilya nila.

I even find their family enjoyable than mine. Palagi akong masaya kasama sila. There are no dull moments with them and I love everything that Tita Carmela makes for me. Nang malaman niya kasi na hindi ako basta basta pinapayagan ng magulang kong kumain ng food na unfamiliar sa kanila, she cooked for me. She introduced me to a lot of filipino dish. Kaya ngayon pakiramdam ko hindi na kumpleto ang araw ko ng walang pagkaing Pinoy!

"I like it here. How I wish I could stay here longer." Malungkot na bulong ko pagpasok namin sa kwarto niya.

It's time for Tita Carmela's nap, so we get to Dark's room to rest as well. Gusto ko sanang dito na lang matulog sa kanila pero hindi pa ako hinahayaan makipag-overnight sa ngayon. Humiga ako sa kama at gumulong para ipaikot ang kumot sa katawan ko. Then I heard a chuckle somewhere. Paglingon ko ay nakita ko si Dark na nakahalukipkip sa may pintuan. Nanonood.

"Wanna live here?" He smiled teasingly. "We can share the bed. I'm sure Mom won't mind."

Ngumuso ako. "Bawal." Nanghihinayang kong bulong.

Umayos siya ng tayo at tumungo sa akin. Ulo ko lang ang tanging nakikita sa kumot. Iyon tuloy ang napagdiskitahan niya. Napasinghap ako nang hilahin niya ang pagkakatali ng buhok ko at ginulo iyon. I shriek when he ruffles my hair until I look like a witch–based on his closet mirror.

"Nexis Dark! You–"

I glare at him when he kissed me just to shut me up. Tawa siya ng tawa dahil sa gulo gulo kong buhok. Kaya naman sinubukan kong kumawala sa kumot na agad niyang napigilan sa pamamagitan ng pagyakap sa akin. I keep struggling to get out until one of my hand managed to escape. Then I grab him by the back of his neck which he finds irresistibly ticklish. I laughed so hard when he screamed and scuffed away from me.

"Aw, damn it." He groaned when his knee bumped at the corner of his bed.

"You deserve it."

Kumawala ako sa kumot na tumatawa pa rin. Kitang kita ko ang itsura ko sa salamin na malapit. I'm wearing a cute romper but my hair is a mess. But it didn't hide the huge smile in my lips and my twinkling eyes because of happiness.

Hanggang sa pag-uwi ko ay bitbit ko ang ngiti at kumikislap na mga mata. But I didn't expect that the happiness that I thought last long, will be gone in a snap of a finger.

"What is this, Natalie?!"

Hinawakan ko ang masakit na pisngi. Hindi ako makakilos sa sobrang gulat. I entered the house without knowing what was waiting for me inside. Nasa tanggapan pa lang ako nang pumilig ang ulo ko dahil sa lakas ng sampal na natamo.

"You ungrateful child! How dare you to disgrace our family like this? I didn't raise you to be a whore!"

My ears were ringing. Hindi pa ako nakakabawi sa unang sampal nang muli ko iyon maramdaman sa kabilang pisngi ko. But I wasn't slapped by a hand on the second one. Isang kumpol ng mga litrato ang isinampal sa akin ni Daddy. The pictures dropped and my heart followed suit.

Where did they get this pictures of me, being intimate with Dark?

Nagsimulang manginig ang katawan ko. Para akong nauubusan ng hangin habang tumatagal ang titig ko sa mga litrato. There are pictures where I was wearing nothing but a towel in my body while Dark was hugging me from behind. There's also a picture of us in Tagaytay, and a picture of us on the balcony of his condo. Just by seeing these, people will automatically conclude that we were involved with each other sexually.

Pero paanong may mga ganitong litrato? Saan galing 'to?!

Napasabunot ako ng buhok ko. I was dragged and locked up here in my room. Mommy was furious and Daddy looks so disappointed at me. I can hear them breaking things and fighting with each other.

"This is all your fault! Nagmana 'yang anak mo sa'yo, malandi ka!"

"Fuck you, Leon! Don't you dare blame this on me! You were the one who started having a mistress. Gumanti lang ako! It was your fault why our daughter grew up like this!"

"You damn whore. You have no right to blame me! Hah! My daughter? Is she even mine? You've been with multiple men, how are you sure she's mine?"

"You mother fucker!—"

Tinakpan ko ang tenga ko at umupo sa kasulok-sulukan ng kwarto. My tears fell like a falls on my painful cheeks. Tinitigan ko ang basag basag kong cellphone at laptop sa sahig kung saan iyon tinapon ni Daddy bago niya ikandado ang kwarto ko. I was left alone here in my cold and dark room.

"Dark..." I called him, hoping that this is all just a nightmare. That when I open my eyes, his sweet smile will greet me like a sunrise. "Dark..."

But it wasn't. Nagising ako sa humihilab na sikmura. I ran towards the bathroom only to vomit nothing but foamy saliva.

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