Hurricane (Disaster Series #1)

Kabanata 34

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I clutched the mesh cover up I'm wearing unto my chest. Ang marahang ihip ng hingin na isinasayaw ang mga dahon ng puno ng niyog ang siyang dahilan kung bakit mas nanlamig ako.

Rinig na rinig ko pa ang unti-unting humihina na tilian at tawanan ng mga babaeng naglalaro ng volleyball sa may kalayuan.

"Hey slow down, Cara. What's wrong with you?"

Muntik na akong matalisod kung hindi lang nahawakan ni Kade ang siko ko.

"N-Nothing, just let me go. Babalik lang ako sa room ko. I'm sorry if I can't join you for dinner tonight..."

Magpapatuloy na sana ako sa paglalakad para makaalis na agad nang biglaang hinila ni Peter si Kade.

"Ano ba kasing ginawa mo sa kanya no'ng umalis ako?" Peter tapped Kade's shoulder aggressively, tila nanghahamon ng away.

I weakly looked at the two as they faced each other like they're ready for a physical fight. Kanina pa sila nagkakainitan. Akala ko ba humupa na ang inis nila sa sa isa't-isa?

I have no time for this. I need to go.

"Anong akala mo sa akin, gago? I care for Cara more than you do. I've known her longer kaya bakit ko siya sasaktan?" Kade squared his shoulders.

Napabuga ako ng hangin dahil sa magkahalong kaba, panghihina, at frustration.

"Kade, Peter, stop it. There's nothing wrong okay? I just want to be alone."

Pero parang hindi man lang nila narinig ang pakiusap ko dahil mas inilapit pa talaga nila ang sarili sa isa't-isa na para bang magsusuntukan na.

"What do you mean by that, bastard? Doesn't mean you've known Cara longer, you care for her more than I do. At oo, gago ka, kaya anong ginawa mo sa kanya?"

Kinuwelyuhan na ni Peter si Kade kaya nataranta na ako. But before I could come closer to hold Peter's arm to calm him down, a cold baritone interrupted us.

"Strictly no fighting here. Rather solve your... relationship problems in private." Lucius Alcuesta's familiar brooding eyes darted at me.

My breathing hitched. He's here, looking at me with his darkest pools of black. His eyes seemed to be condemning me for what I've done years ago. It told me that I shouldn't be here.

"Miss, if you have problems with your... boyfriends, please talk it out with them properly in private. We don't want to compromise the other customers," his voice sounded so indifferent and the way that his jaw clenched proved how mad he is at me.

Not having any second thoughts, kaagad akong tumalikod at naglakad ng mabilis para makaalis. At ang lakad na mabilis ay naging takbo na dahil sa nakakakabang tahip ng dibdib ko.

Kade and Peter both called out to me but I did not dare look back.

Hinihingal na sinarado ko ang pinto nang nakarating na sa kuwarto ko. I didn't even think about how I left Kade and Peter behind without saying anything!

Bumagsak ako sa may paanan ng kama dahil sa pangangatog ng mga tuhod. I burried my face on my knees and clutched my chest to feel the thumping of my heart that seems to pound out of my rib cage.

I clutched my chest harder when tears suddenly stung my eyes. Sinubukan kong pigilan pero naging sunod-sunod na ang pagbagsak ng mga luha ko pababa sa marmol na sahig ng kuwarto.

And then suddenly, the nightmares that I had years ago played on a loop inside my head. Ang mahinang paghikbi ko ay naging hagulhol.

I thought I've healed, I thought I've forgiven myself already, I was wrong...