Bouquet of Heartbreaks (Fitzmael 5)

17: Someone Else

"Chase? I... want to go home," I said, forcing myself not to cry.

"Okay. I'm on my way," he said. I heard some noises in his background. "Baby elements are already asleep. Need a drink?"

"Yes," I said, frowning. I smiled when I saw his car from afar. I waved my hand for him to see.

He stopped his car infront of me. Hindi ko alam na lalabas pa siya ng kotse niya saka ako pinagbuksan ng pinto.

"Should we go to Imil's club or sa bahay mo na lang?" he asked me.

"Sa bahay muna tayo ngayon. How about tomorrow, though? My cousins' coming over then maybe I'll invite them to Imil's club," I suggested while I put my seatbelt on.

He looked at me then winked. "Sure."

Nang makarating kami sa bahay ay nasa living room lang kaming dalawa ni Chase. Kagagaling niya lang sa kitchen at namili ng iinuming alak.

"Johnny Walker talaga?" I asked in disbelief.

He shrugged then smiled. "It looks like we really need this tonight."

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"I will go back to Italy maybe tomorrow or the next day," he said, sighing.

"Care to share what's the reason?" tanong ko habang nakataligid ako sa couch at nakatingin lang sa kanya.

"I want to talk to her. I mean, I don't want to have a relationship with her. It's now impossible. I just want to let it all out. This feeling, the guilt and pain... I need these to go away. I love her but I want to be happy," he uttered while looking at me.

I could feel his pain. Those eyes... I could easily read him.

He's in pain... and I know it has been years. I didn't know their story but no one deserves to love and be broken like this... for so long... and yet she wasn't even his to begin with.

It was a dead end. It was a lost cause.

"Chase..."

"Yes?"

"I will support you no matter what will happen. I got you..." I said then I winked. "You romanticize the sadness too much. Give yourself a break."

"Thanks," he said, forcing his smile. "Anyway, did you already tell him?"

I drank first before I shook my head. "Nope. You know what happened to them, right? That's why you helped them?"

"Will you be mad at me if I say yes?"

I pressed my lips then sighed. "No. I'm grateful you were there when no one else does."

"But it's neither your fault nor any of your siblings," he uttered.

I scoffed. "But he blames me... us... for not knowing. They couldn't even say it in our faces, why would they expect us to know the reason?" sabi ko. Napailing-iling na lang ako.

"People are very complicated," he whispered.

"I want to be excluded from that narrative," I said, smiling. Nagsalin ako ng alak sa aking baso at tumikhim. "Anyway, Elisha is in the hospital."

He stilled. "What? How is she?"

I shrugged. "Don't know. Ask my brother or Zius."

"Uuwi muna ako bukas sa unit nila. Is it okay?"

I nodded. "Why are you asking permission? I'm not your guardian," I said. I flinched after I drank the liquor. Ang pait kasi.

"Ayoko lang na may iba kang iisipin. May trust issues ka pa naman..." he said, chuckling.