The Legacy (COMPLETED)

XLVII. Tension

"I still have it though!"

Para akong batang sinabihan ng ina na bantayan yung ulam sa mesa pero biglang nawala. I feel so guilty for no reason. Well, maybe I have a reason.

Kinapa ko yung suot ko pero nalimutan kong naka-gown pala ako. Agad nanlaki yung mga mata ko nang mapagtantong naiwan ko sa boarding house. I can't go there! It's suicide! It's like entering a lion's den.

"Nawala mo?" tanong ni Noah na bakas ang sama ng loob mula sa boses niya. His eyes were fixated on the road kaya hindi ko alam kung ano yung mukha niya, pero sigurado akong hindi niya gusto itong nangyari.

"It's not like that! Naiwan ko lang sa boarding house na tinutuluyan ko," paliwanag ko na ikinailing niya.

"What made you wore it off? Change of hearts?"

Napalunok ako sa tanong niya. Change of hearts? Parang iba yung ibig niyang sabihin but I refuse to say the reason. I can't say that I took it off because I want to forget him and give Cato a chance. It would hurt his feelings! But then again, he broke me first. I should let him taste hell, right? Wrong. I'm not a bad guy.

"Just a change of style," sagot ko nalang saka ko hinawakan yung kwintas.

"Tsk. Fashion is nonsense," komento niya. "Saan yung boarding house na tinutuluyan mo? We'll get it."

Noah want to do what he wants to do so it's not impossible for him to be impulsive. Sadly, hindi niya magagawa yung gusto niya kapag nandito ako. I unfortunately have a reason.

"We can't," sagot ko.

"Why not?" bakas ang inis sa boses niya. "I told you not to take it off but you did! Alam mo naman na para yun sa kaligtasan mo!"

"I know!" I shouted back. "It did helped me and saved me from danger tons of times pero ngayon kaya ko nang protektahan yung sarili ko. At wala naman akong planong iwala yun kasi importante din yun sa akin. Hindi ko naman alam na mangyayari 'to ngayon. I want it by my side but things weren't going my way. Besides, we can't go back there. Dun tumira si Kenjie. We're not stupid to get nearer to the person who's chasing us, are we?"

I rolled my eyes heavenwards. Hay! Stress! Wala talagang araw na hindi ako naiistress. Everything happens so fast!

"You sounded like a couple," komento ni Cato.

Natahimik kami ni Noah saka ko siya nilingon. He was looking down, eyes were smiling sadly.

Cato...

"Because we are," sagot naman ni Noah.

Kahit hindi ko siya nakita ay alam kong nakangisi siya. How insensitive.

"Were not," I disagreed.

"But we kissed!" sagot niya na siyang ikinabigla ko.

"It does not count!"

"Mister," tawag ni Cato kay Noah. "Do you happen to be Noah Stein?"

I was taken aback by his question. Pakurap-kurap ko siyang tiningnan. Cato knows everything. Sakanya ko naibuhos yung sakit na nakuha ko kay Noah. He knows how much I loved Noah and how hard it was for me to move on and cope up with the heartbreak. Hanggang ngayon hindi ko pa rin alam kung nakamove on na ba ako. My heart flutters everytime I feel Noah's skin against mine. On the other hand, I get too excited every time I hear Cato's name. Kita niyo? Ang complicated!

"I don't know how you knew but yes. I am Noah Stein," sagot niya naman. "And you are?"

"Cato Gordon," sagot niya.

I waited for any of them to say something like 'nice to meet you' but nothing. Talagang ang tahimik nila matapos nun. Ibinaling ko nalang ulit yung atensyon ko kay Cato saka tiningnan yung mga pasang natamo niya.