Kabanata 36
anger
Naestatuwa ako at natulala lamang sa luhaang mukha ni Ate. Gulong-gulo ako sa maraming dahilan. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang unang iisipin ko. Ate is here infront of me, frustratedly crying. She is saying that I should break up with Gabriel because... because, because Mommy will ruin him.
Realization hit me like a damn truck.
Mommy will... ruin his life once I don't break up with him? Bakit? Bakit 'yun gagawin ni Mommy? Is it because of Gabriel's social status? Dahil ba mahirap lang siya at mayaman ako? Dahil ba hindi kami nababagay sa isa't-isa?
Pero bakit? I'm sure Mommy is not petty to do it because of that petty reason. Kilala ko si Mommy. Alam kong hindi siya gagawa ng hakbang kung hindi siya napupuno. She waits for the perfect time to strike and when that happens, she makes sure that your life will be ruined completely.
Kaya hindi ko alam kung bakit pinagbantaan ako ni Ate ng gano'n. I'm sure Gabriel has done nothing wrong to her for Mommy to make his life a living hell. I know it. I can feel that Gabriel is innocent. Hindi ko kailngan ng ebidensya para mapatunayang inosente siya.
Umawang ang mga labi ko at suminghap habang sapo ang noo. I don't know what to do. Ang tanging alam ko lang ay hindi ko siya hihiwalayan kahit anong mangyari.
"I-I... I won't b-break up him, Ate." Umiling ako.
She clenched her jaw and shook her head languidly, as if she already knew that that would be my answer. Marahas niyang pinawi ang mga luha niya at pagak na ngumisi. She sighed massively before turning to me.
"Bahala ka, Hera. I already warned you. Now don't cry and sulk tomorrow once something happens, do you hear me?" Mariing sabi ni Ate bago niya ako iniwan do'n.
Hindi ako nakatulog ng matiwasay sa gabing 'yun. I was very troubled that I wasn't able to sleep even though I already feel the exhaustion in my system. The next morning was although surprising, I remained occupied with the words that had left out of Ate's mouth last night.
They prepared a lovely breakfast for me and greeted me with a happy birthday, but I wasn't able to enjoy it. I remained stuck staring at Mommy the whole time.
"What's with the look, Hera?" She said without glancing at me.
Nakita ko kung paano natigil sa pagkain si Ate na nasa harapan ko lamang. I blinked and parted my lips to talk but nothing came out of my mouth. I was so distracted that I wasn't able to think clearly.
Kumunot ang noo ni Daddy.
"You seem so off today, Hera. It's your birthday..." kumagat si Daddy sa toasted bread niya, hindi matanggal ang tingin sa akin.
Lumunok ako at napalingon sa kanya. I wonder why he suddenly wanted Gabriel to be with us tonight. Isa ba siya sa dahilan kung bakit galit na galit si Ate kagabi? Did he say something awful that triggered Ate? And above all, what is his intention in inviting Gabriel over?
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