Perennial Blooms (Ciudad de Escalante #2)

Phase 25

Weekends came and I brought all of my reviewing materials. Kay Daddy ako nagpapaalam dahil papayagan niya ako panigurado.

"Sino bang kasama mo, Avi?" Daddy asked me. Nakahiga pa siya sa kama at si Guiliana na tulog pa dahil pagod na pagod sa trabaho.

"Si Cassiel po, Daddy..." I answered, and he nodded while smiling at me.

The wrinkles in his forehead are visible already. May katandaan na kasi siya habang si Guiliana naman ay halos singkwenta na. They have a ten years gap between them.

"What? Who's with you? Arissiel's brother, again?" pagpapagitna ni Gaviana na kakagising lang at mukhang hindi nagustuhan ang narinig.

"Let her, Gav. Your sister has a friend now and what's your problem with it? That Saldivar is nice boy," si Daddy at bumalik sa pagkakahiga para yakapin si Guiliana.

"You're letting her? Gaea is too young to date!" she hissed, and I rolled my eyes.

"Coming from you who has the audacity to date at fourteen years old. Great," I said sarcastically and stepped out from our parent's room.

"But he's a Saldivar. You can't like him! Wow, I can't believe you. You know it's not right! Remember? And what if --" she said hysterically while following me.

"Why can't I like him? Because he's a Saldivar and we did something stupid or I must say inhumane in their family? I know that, Gaviana! Hindi mo na kailangan pang ipamukha sa akin," iritado kong sabi at lalabas na sana ng hilahin niya ang kamay ko.

"Stop talking or hanging out with him. He can be your weakness in the future, and if that happens, you'll betray me! It will ruin our family, status, name, and everything we have, Gaviaja..." naiiyak niyang sabi sa kaba kaya napapikit ako.

"You should've thought about all the consequences before you slept with Arissiel, Gaviana. Kung nakuntento ka kay Axton, hindi lahat mangyayari ito," matigas kong pagpapaalala sa kanya bago tuluyang umalis sa bahay.

Kaya hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit ngayon sila pa rin ni Axton. Maybe, he has no idea about it until now. If she was only faithful, everything would be alright.

"Gaviaja, tapos na ako. Tingnan mo nga kung tama," Cassiel whispered beside me, and I blinked multiple times because his voice brought me to reality.

Oh, General Mathematics. Tinuturuan ko nga pala siya at hindi ko namalayan na linilipad na naman ako ng isip ko.

"Check the answer in the second. There's something wrong with the substitution," sambit ko ngunit nanatili siyang nakatingin sa akin.

"You're occupied. What is it?" tanong niya sa akin kaya napalunok ako.

Pinilig niya ang kanyang ulo habang hinihintay ang sasabihin ko.

I... I can't tell him. Gaviana is right. He's my possible weakness. I already hide it for almost seven years, and I can do it until my last breath. I don't want to ruin everything.

But choosing to be silent means betraying Cassiel.

"What if I made a mistake that made you mad to the point that you would loathe me? You'll still be going to understand why I did that?" I asked out of the blue.

Kumunot ang noo niya at binasa ang pang-ibabang labi. Nagsalita rin siya pagkatapos ng maikling pag-iisip.

"Yes, you won't do something without reason, so I'll understand you. I'll probably get mad, but it won't stay that long..."

My heart pounded because of his answer. If he knew it, he would never understand me. It's horrible. His thoughtfulness has limitations.

"No, Cassiel. Let's say you'll hate me for something I did. It's sinful and unacceptable. You'll still understand me?"