It Was His (SELF-PUBLISHED)

Chapter 28

"I'm the one who raised them..."

Gusto kong pigilan sa pagsasalita si Adam dahil sinisira na naman niya ang reputasyon at mga plano ko, pati ang kambal.

"But I'm their biological father, right?" Apollo looked at me with his pleading eyes and expecting me to say 'Yes'. I slowly nod at him as a tear fell from my eyes. 

Tumulo rin ang kanyang luha at napatingin sa taas para siguro pigilan ito ngunit hindi kayang itago ng mga luha niya ang halo-halong nararamdaman niya. Pain and longing were visible on his eyes.

"Please forgive me for hiding it to you." I tried to hold his face and wipe his tears but he slapped it right away. I didn't feel hurt doing that because I anticipated it already. He won't forgive me this time but I know, sooner or later he'll understand why I did this to him.

"N-nathalie...please tell him that you're lying. I'm the father of your children, right?" 

Hinarap ko nang buong tapang ang lalakeng sumira sa amin noon at gumugulo na naman sa 'min. Lumapit ako sa kanya at pilit siyang pinatayo. At dahil nanghihina na ito sa mga suntok na binigay ni Apollo ay agad ko siyang naitayo. Tinitigan ko siya nang diretso at ganito rin siya sa 'kin. 

His face is now full of his own blood but I didn't feel scared of it. Pity is the only thing I can give him now. 

"Taman na, pwede? Mas lalo mo nang pinapahirapan ang sarili mo. Why can't you just make us happy?"

"Because I love you. Ikaw nalang at ang kambal ang natira sa 'kin at hindi ko hahayaang maagaw na naman kayo." Hindi ko lubos inaasahan nang makita ko ang tumakas na luha sa kanyang mga mata. Tama ba ang nasasaksihan ko? Is he really crying?

For the past years that I've known him, He's the type of person who will give you smirk like he's capable of doing bad things and that's really him. I have never seen him cry a single tear before even though I gave him countless of rejections. And now that he's crying, guilty approached me all of a sudden. 

"Alam kong nasabi ko noon na talagang wala na tayong pag-asa pero niloloko ko lang pala ang sarili ko. Nang makita kitang masaya dahil sa mga ginagawa ko sa inyong tatlo ay nagkaroon ako ng pag-asa na baka sakaling magustuhan mo ako pero bakit? Bakit kung kailan malapit nang mangyari 'yon ay tsaka pa dumating 'yang kapatid ko? Ang unang minahal mo na naging rason kung bakit hindi mo magawang tuluyang sumaya noon?"

"You never had a chance, Adam. I only treated you as a friend and you are the only reason why I didn't feel happy completely. You ruined us, remember that? I understand that you're doing all of these because of me but have you ever think of me or your own brother? The kind of love you have is selfishness. Wanna know a secret of yourself?" Lumapit ako sa kanya at bumulong.

"You don't really love me. You just treated me as a prize to win your own game."

Sa kwento pa lang sa 'kin noon ni kuya sa office niya ay napagtanto ko na lahat. The girl he loved before doesn't reciprocate his feelings that's why he came up with a ridiculous plan that ruined their friendship. And now? He did it again...but to his own brother. He wanted to resume the dirty game he played in the past that made him lose but unfortunately, he never succeeded. 

Nasaktan at nasira kami pero ito ang naging rason upang mas maging malakas pa kami ngayon.

"Even though you never give an apology to us, I already forgave you, Adam. You did a great job for making my kids happy." I managed to give him a genuine smile until I heard someone opened the gate and saw Kuya Nathan...

Binuhat ko si Adnah na ngayon ay umiiyak na sa balikat ko. 

"Hush, baby...everything will be alright, okay?" 

Saktong haharapin ko na si Apollo nang makita siyang humahakbang palayo sa 'min.

Oh God...not again.

Nakita kong sunod na lumabas sina mommy kaya agad akong tumakbo palapit sa kanya at inabot muna si Adnah.

"Go anak. Don't let him go this time," Mom told me with her pity eyes.

Hindi na ako sumagot sa kanya at dali-daling tumakbo sa kinaroroonan ni Apollo. Saktong bubuksan pa lang niya ang pinto ng sasakyan ay napigilan ko na siya sa braso niya.

"Don't leave please..." pagmamaka-awa ko sa kanya. Kung kinakailangan na lumuhod ako ngayon din sa harapan niya ay gagawin ko. Hindi ko na talaga kayang mawala siya. Ngayong handa na akong lumaban para sa amin ay ngayon pa nagkagulo ang lahat.

This is not the plan I wanted to happen...I'm thinking to surprise him on a date with the twins and tell him everything but maybe this isn't the plan from above.

"Give me enough space, Nath. I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Are you saying that you doubt your own kids, huh?"

I remove my hands on him and crossed my fingers hoping that I'm wrong.

"Masisisi mo ba ako?" 

I slapped him hard. Did I just heard it right? Kulang pa ba na halos mamana na lahat ng kambal ang kung ano man ang meron sa kanya pero hindi pa rin siya naniniwala? Akala ko ba, lalaban na siya para sa 'min? Mali lang ba ako ng akala?

"I'm tired. Please let me rest this time. No'ng umalis ka, walang araw na hindi ako pumupunta sa bahay niyo at nagbabakasaling nando'n ka pero wala. Ilang beses akong nagpunta sa lahat ng lugar na pinuntahan natin noon pero wala ka pa rin. I waited for so long to you, expecting that you will show yourself again to me and start a new beginning but you didn't. Nandito lang ako noon, Nathalie eh. I look so stupid waiting for you but I didn't know you're with my brother and your babies. I'm such a fool who was left behind by my world..."

Sunod-sunod na luha ang kumawala sa mga mata ko nang tuluyan na siyang pumasok sa loob ng kotse at iniwan na nga ako...

"APOLLO!" Despite the million knives that stabbed my heart, I tried my best to run and chase the car.

"PLEASE COME BACK TO ME!"

Wala na akong pake kung nakatingin na sa 'kin ang pamilya ko. 

Bakit ba ganito nalang lagi ang nangyayari? Ayaw ko na...

"NATHALIE!" May humila sa 'kin nang malakas at muntikan pa akong mapahiga sa semento nang maalalayan ako nang kung sino. Nanlalabo na ang paningin ko kaya hindi ko mawari kung sino ito.

"Bring back my man..."

"Give yourselves space, Nath."

But how?

Kulang pa ba 'yong ilang taon na nagkalayo kami at ang mga sikretong nabunyag para maging maayos na kami nang tuluyan? Why are we always receive this kind of punishment? 

"I won't give up even if my world turns his back on me. I can die now just to make him mine again..."