Sweetest Mistake

Chapter 12

I immediately bent my knees upon seeing the broken glass frame, but I had to stop midway because of the sudden leg discomfort.

My face crumpled as I acknowledged the bad feeling. Aidon was quick to assist me.

"Okay lang a-"

Nakagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi para tumigil sa pagsasalita. Tinapunan kasi ako ng matalim na tingin ng kasama. I remained silent, fearful that he would get even angrier with me.

He escorted me into my room and sat me down on my bed.

"Saan ang masakit?" his voice was so cold.

I swallowed hard before responding. "Sa baba ng tuhod banda."

"Let it rest on the bed. I will get an ice pack downstairs."

Aidon gently lifted my leg up and positioned it vertically on the bed. He left for a while and returned with an ice pack on his hand. He applied it onto my leg until I decided to resume the conversation.

"Sorry, nabasag ko yung frame."

"It's my fault, I forgot to tell you not to meddle with my things."

Agad akong tinamaan ng hiya. Para na rin niya akong sinabihan ng pakialamera.

"I – I should not have touch anything without your permission in the first place."

"Right."

Namilog ang mata ko sa pagsang-ayon niya sa sinabi ko. Ginawa niya naman iyon dahil tama nga ang sinabi ko, pero hindi ko maiwasang mainis.

Bakit kailangan niya pang sabihin iyong "right." Alam ko naman na tama nga yung sinabi ko. Tama ba namang ipagduldulan pa sa aking pasaway nga ako?

I was silent the whole time he was nursing my leg. Kahit pa noong lumabas siya at nagpulot ng bubog doon ay tahimik ako. Itinulog ko ang nalalabing oras sa hapon nang mahimasmasan at talagang kasalanan ko naman.

I woke up past eight in the evening. I reached for my phone under my pillows and checked my notifications.

Nang mabasa ang pangalan ni Aidon ay parang bulang naglaho sa paningin ko ang mga mensaheng galing sa ibang tao.

Aidon Ruiz:

Your dinner's in the fridge. Just reheat it before eating.

Padabog kong inilapag ang phone sa tabi ko.

How much longer are we going to be like this? He's within my grasp, but we've always been this way. We live in the same house, yet he doesn't talk to me at all.

Muli na naman akong binisita ng pagsisisi sa ginawang kalokohan, pero bago pa manuot iyon sa akin, mabilis akong tumayo at nagpasyang kumain na lang.

I resumed my slow walk. The light was turned off all across the floor, just like it was in the room. Even in Aidon's room.

Kita mo iyan? Didn't even consider waking me up to eat? Hinayaan na lang akong malipasan ng gutom. Paano ko ba nagustuhan ang isang iyon?

I clutched the stair railing with a mixture of fear of falling and becoming injured again, and irritation at Aidon.

Ramdam na ramdam ko ang lukot ng mukha sa sama ng loob, pero kahit anong gawin kong pag-ayos ay hindi ko magawa. Natapos ko ang hapunan ng nakabusangot pa rin. Para mahimasmasan kahit papaano, minabuti kong magpatugtog na lang. Pero bago pa ako makapag-play ng isang kanta, dumulas mula sa kamay ko ang phone ko.

Iritado kong pinanood kung paano iyon unang tumama sa kahoy na lamesa bago bumagsak sa marmol na sahig. Kahit masakit sa paa ay hindi ko na rin inisip at dali-daling yumuko para kunin ang phone na hindi naman nabasag.