I did not even reach my fifth step away from him when he held my left arm and stood in front of me.
"Did I say something wrong, Primrose?" He looked at me inquisitively.
I heaved a sigh and bit my lower lip. Iiiwas ko sana ang tingin ko sa kaniya nang hawakan niya ang baba ko. "You didn't," I answered.
"Kung gano'n... Bakit ka aalis?" naguguluhang tanong niya.
The wind blew strongly, thus, he tucked my hair behind my left ear. Sinubukan kong umiwas pero mas hinigpitan niya lang ang hawak sa braso ko. But it remained gentle.
"We should stop this now, Dashiall. In fact, this shouldn't be happening." I tapped his right arm. "You're a great man. Makakahanap ka pa ng babaeng papantay sa 'yo at... Hindi ako 'yon," sabi ko habang umiiling.
"Hindi ko kailangan ng babaeng papantay sa 'kin, Primrose. You're beyond the best and you were the reason why I was able to do these things with a woman... With you." Itinuro niya 'yong p'westo namin kanina.
Inalis ko ang pagkakahawak niya sa braso ko at tiningnan ang mga abot-tanaw na bundok. I raked my hand over my hair before I answered, "hindi mo naiintindihan."
"Ang alin?" Hindi ko siya sinagot. "Alin ang hindi ko naiintindihan, Primrose?"
"I can't like you back, Ash. I don't want you to get hurt because of me," sagot ko at tiningnan siya.
"Did I even ask you to like me back? It's not a requirement when liking someone, Primrose. Ano naman ngayon kung hindi mo 'ko magugustuhan pabalik?" Nililipad na rin ng hangin 'yong buhok niya pero hindi siya nag-abalang ayusin 'yon.
"You clearly don't understand it, Ash. Pinapalayo na kita ngayon pa lang, hangga't hindi pa malalim 'yang nararamdaman mo sa akin. Hangga't gusto mo pa lang ako kasi ayaw kong saktan ka," sagot ko sa kaniya. "I do not want to give you false hopes anymore."
He sauntered towards me and held both of my cheeks. "I am not asking you for anything in return. I just want to this with you. Gusto ko 'tong gawin kasi..." Tumigil siya at pumikit.
"Kasi?" I asked but he didn't answer. "Sige nga, Ash. Bakit gusto mo 'tong gawin?"
He opened his eyes. Punong-puno 'yon ng mga emosyon na ang hirap pangalanan. No one looked at me the way he does. Sa tingin pa lang niya, ramdam mo na importante at mahalaga ka.
"Gusto kitang alagaan, Primrose. I want to make you happy," he answered.
"I can take care of myself and I can make myself happy without anyone, Ash. I don't need to depend those things on other people, especially on you," sabi ko sa kaniya.
"You can fool anyone but not yourself, Primrose. I know there's loneliness behind your strong facade. You just don't want to admit it to other people," he said, confidently.
As if he really knew me well.
"Why would I admit it to other people? Bakit kung makapagsalita ka parang alam mo na ang lahat sa buhay ko, Ash? Think twice before you let out those kind of words in front of my face again." Lumapit ako sa kaniya. "Tandaan mo, hindi lahat ng tingin at akala mo ay totoo. Wala kang alam."
'Yon lang ang huli kong sinabi bago siya iniwan do'n.
"Ano?! Napaka-attitude mo talagang gaga ka. Ginto na, naging bato pa! Napaka-boba mo! Lahat na yata ng katangahan sinalo mo na!"
"Tangina mo kung maka-trashtalk ka feeling mo nasa among us ka." Inirapan ko si Nica at inubos nang inom 'yong natitirang soju sa bote.
"Ewan ko ba sa 'yong gaga ka! Maganda ka nga, tanga naman." He heaved a sigh. "Hays, no one is really perfect talaga."
YOU ARE READING
When The Flower Withers (Fleur Series #1)
Romance"Love is like a game. You have to learn how to play carefully so you won't lose and the game won't be over for you." After Evienne got cheated on twice, she never believed in love again. From then on, she became the woman she never thought she would...
