When The Flower Withers (Fleur Series #1)

Chapter 23

"Happy Birthday, Vien..." Addiel showed up to my room, carrying a paper bag. That must be his gift for me.

Tumayo ako para yakapin siya. "Oy, gago! Buhay ka pa pala?" Kinuha ko ang inabot niyang paper bag matapos siyang yakapin.

"Oy, gagi... Ang liit mo pa rin?" balik na asar niya sa akin kaya hinampas ko sa kaniya ang hawak kong paper bag.

"Ang matured ng joke mo grabe." I rolled my eyes at him and sat on my bed as I was scanning his present to me, it was a customized guitar lamp. "Ang ganda nito!"

He didn't say anything and sat on the mauve boucle chair across my bed. "Ara and I had a misunderstanding..." He said later on.

I placed the lamp on my study table and sat on the bed again. "Why? What happened?" I asked, curiously.

He looked problematic as he clasped his hands together. "When she opened the door for me earlier, she didn't smile nor look back at me. Tinanggap niya naman 'yong dala kong scented candles para sa kaniya kaso... Wala siyang sinabi," he said instead of answering my question.

The gloom on his face explained the impact it did to him. Of course he would be sad. He's in love with Ara.

"Ano ba kasing nangyari? Kilala natin si Ara and she's beyond the word kind. Hindi siya basta-basta naiinis o nagagalit..." Huminga ako nang malalim. "Kahit siya pa nga ang nagagawan ng mali, siya pa ang hihingi ng sorry."

"We were together last week and she seemed so preoccupied, of course I got worried. Naka-ilang tanong ako kung ayos lang ba siya, she said she was but her eyes said otherwise... Sinubukan ko ulit siyang tanungin and I wasn't expecting she would shout at me. Nainis siguro siya sa kakatanong ko. I shouldn't have asked her repeatedly." He massaged the back of his neck and let out a deep and heavy sigh. "She did not talk to me after that even if I was reaching out to her."

It confused me. Ara isn't the type of person who would be irritated easily. Neither the person who would hold a grudge against someone or who would make a misunderstanding a little longer. As much as she could, she always lowers down her pride so she could fix a problem with someone right away.

"Wala siyang nake-kwento sa akin, Addiel. Ni hindi na nga rin siya nagsasabi sa akin ng mga problema niya kahit na lagi ko namang sinasabi na nandito ako... Every time I am sharing something to her about my life, nakikinig lang siya palagi. Kapag tinatanong ko naman siya, 'okay lang ako' 'yong palagi niyang sagot." I shook my head after, not knowing what to say next.

Of course I was worried about her! But the least thing I could do was to wait for her to vent. We're living under the same room and I wasn't that stupid nor numb to not notice the sudden changes in her personality. However, I'd rather wait for her and let her feel I am just here at all times instead of forcing her to share her problems to me.

"She wasn't cheerful as she was before, Vien. It worries and it bothers me a lot... She suddenly became so mysterious. Pakiramdam ko, may pader na sa pagitan namin." He rested his right temple on his right hand as he leaned against the chair, sobrang problemado pa rin ng mukha niya. "Kung alam ko lang na magagalit siya sa akin at hindi papansinin, hindi na sana ako paulit-ulit na nagtanong."

"You were just concern, Addiel. Do not feel bad about it. If I were in your position that time, tatanungin ko rin siya," pagpapagaan ko sa loob niya. "We can not force her if she doesn't want to talk about it. She might just close her door even more. Hayaan mo kapag naka-usap ko siya, ikaw kaagad ang babalitaan ko... Alam ko naman na mahal na mahal mo 'yon eh," I teased to lighten up the mood-one thing I've learned from Ash.

"Grabe, Vien..." Lumapit siya sa akin at naupo sa tabo ko bago inilagay ang palad sa noo ko. "Wala ka namang sakit. Ano'ng nangyari sa 'yo at bumabait ka? Mamamatay ka na ba?" walang hiyang tanong ni Addiel kaya siniko ko siya. Sapol sa sikmura.