Paint Me, Violet (Sanford Series #6) [Completed]

CHAPTER 21

"Stop sulking already. You've been avoiding him for days, love."

Napasimagot siya nang marinig ang sinabi ni Cameron na masuyong hinahaplos ang buhok niyang humahaba na. It reached the upper part of her nape. Naroon siya sa bahay ng kanyang Kuya Red at nanonood ng TV . She could've done that to her parents' house but she knew Harrison would bug her until she talked to him. But she doesn't want to talk to him. Not now.

Kaninang umaga ay nagtungo na naman ito sa kanilang bahay ngunit hindi siya lumabas ng silid. Nang makaalis ito ay pumunta siya sa bahay ni Red at Cameron. Binilin pa niya sa dalawa na kung hahanapin siya ng binata roon ay itatangging naroon siya. She knew the couple would be convincing, they were lawyers after all.

"I'm not sulking, Ate. I don't feel like talking to him after what he did. He put me in a situation where I didn't know what to do or how to handle."

"Why? What exactly are you mad about?"

"Everything! How could he offer... marriage just like that in front of my family. He should've consulted me first. I don't know what my parents think about it, they may be thinking that something's happening with me and... Harrison."

"Bakit, wala ba?" Cameron asked casually without sarcasm or mockery.

"You already know the answer to that question," she replied in a matter-of-fact tone and sighed in defeat.

"You let him because you feel something for him." Tara nodded to confirm the statement coming from Cameron. "But your feelings aren't enough to accept his proposal, tama ba? At bakit mo naman itinatago ang relasyon niyo sa pamilya mo, sa amin?"

"I... I don't know about my feelings, I don't know if there are enough to keep him. I am afraid, Ate, paano kung hindi naman niya matagalan ang ugali ako, I'm a handful, I know that at mula pagkabata para na kaming aso't pusa. What if my family finds it weird if he and I will be together? Ano na lang ang sasabihin nila?"

"Did you talk to your family about it? Did you talk to Red? To Tyler?" She shook her head as an answer. "Your family is always there for you, Tara. They may find it weird, or they may not. But I can assure you one thing, we are always here for you no matter what decision you make." Cameron smiled at her assuringly, and it helped to lift her spirit. "Red and I talked about you and Harrison, you know? He didn't think that you and Harrison together were weird. He always knew that Harrison has feelings for you."

"He does?" she asked in surprise.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Sinundan niya ang tinitigan ni Cameron. Dumako ang kanyang mga mata sa pinto ng entertainment room. Nakasandal sa hamba ng nakabukas na pinto, nakahalukipkip at nakatingin sa kanila si Red. Kanina pa ba ito naroon?

Tuluyan itong humakbang papasok at lumapit sa kanila. Kapagkuwan ay umupo sa kanyang tabi at marahang tinapik-tapik ang kanyang ulo.

Yumakap siya rito kasabay nang paninikip ng lalamunan. Hindi siya iyakan ngunit gusto niyang umiyak sa mga sandaling iyon habang nasa mga bisig ng kapatid.

"You... you like him for me?" she asked after she pulled away from his embrace.

"I can't find a reason why I shouldn't," Red answered seriously.

"He had done... stupid things, and I let him," she said, trying to hide her grimace, she half-succeeded.

"We make stupid things for love, brat. I did," anito at tumigin sa asawang si Cameron na nakangiting nakatingin sa kanilang dalawang magkapatid. With sparks of love in his eyes. "I know Harrison, we grew up together, he won't do things and ran away from it. He won't commit himself to something he wasn't sure of, and he hadn't think about the result. He did what he did because of his affection towards you."