I Knew I Loved You

Chapter 18

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"Is there something you want to tell me, Ada?" Rich inquired as we entered the house.
"Wala. Pagod lang ako. Mauuna na akong magpahinga," usal ko.
Buong biyahe ay hindi ako kumibo kanina. He didn't ask me anything when I suddenly hugged him until we arrived home.
"I've heard you're doing well in school. Your Dean assured me that if you continue to do what you're doing, you will undoubtedly graduate."
"So nagre-report pala sa 'yo si Dean?" I said with sarcasm. Tuloy pa rin akong mabagal na naglakad patungong silid ko.
"Yeah. Kinausap ko siya para mabantayan ka. And your Dean also told me about this person named Thorn Reid Weston..."
I turned my head to face him.
"He has a positive influence on you. If you want to be with him, I won't stop you."
Nagsara ang mga kamao ko. "O-Okay," I just said at dumiretso na sa loob ng kuwarto ko.
Ibinalibag ko sa kama ang lahat ng mga gamit ko at saka pabagsak na umupo roon. I massaged my temples and closed my eyes. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang iisipin ko.
Nagmulat ako and checked my phone. No messages, no calls. So, wala ngang plano si Thorn na balikan ako. He's just pretending to be nice with me. The Dean ordered him too, or probably it's his own will, kasi nga he wanted something from me. The hell, Ada! Nakuha ka na nga niya, 'di ba? What else does he want?
Napatingin ako sa folder kung saan nakasulat ang pinakamataas na grado na puwede kong makuha sa isang project. Tinulungan ako ni Thorn para makuha ang gradong iyon. Bakit? Can't I do it myself?
Matalino ka naman, Ada. He might be thinking na napakalaki ng naitulong niya sa 'yo! Kasi nga, iyon ang utos ng School Dean. Kaya nga pati si Mrs. Madrid, inutusan pa siya na samahan ka, hindi ba?
I took out the report paper and opened it. I looked straight to the end, where Thorn was the one who completed the task. And I was dismayed by what I read. The most recent restaurant I interviewed was not affiliated with Weston's. Tito Mauro was not the owner's name. And, yes, he was the Manager of that place.
What the heck is going on? Does this prove that Chary was telling the truth all this time? And Thorn was even the one who wrote all this!
Without thinking, I tapped on my cell phone. I launched my Facebook. I haven't opened my Social Media Accounts for quite some time now. But now I feel compelled to do it.
Thorn Reid Weston. His profile picture was him with Tita Ofelia. Nanginginig ang kamay kong binuksan iyon. I couldn't view everything from it dahil hindi naman kami friends. But there were many tags about him so I read some. Then a thread of messages captured my attention.
Dude, suwerte mo. Matilda Rhyce? Tindi mo!
Lucky me. That was Thorn's reply.
Kaya pala hindi mo na ibinalik ang BMW ni Brando. Hahaha!
Okay lang pare. At least maiiwan sa kotse ko ang bango ni Ada. Gago ka Thorn, pa-gas-an mo iyon pagsauli mo sa 'kin!
Hindi ko na itinuloy basahin ang iba pang nakasulat. Dahil may tumusok sa dibdib kong hindi ko maintindihan kung ano. Damn, Ada! So it's all a lie.
From Tita Ofelia, to Tito Mauro, the big house, the famous restaurant, the car, the report, the fuck!
Nagulat ako nang biglang may kumatok.
"Mam Ada?" Boses iyon ni Manang.
"Manang, nagpapahinga na po ako," mabilis kong sagot.
"Nasa sala po si Thorn."
Shit!
Nakalimutan ko na nakuha na rin niya ang loob ni Manang, ng mga guwardiya rito... Sino pa? Pati si Kuya!
Iniawang ko ang pinto. "Manang, pakisabing natutulog na 'ko."
"I just want us to talk, Ada."
The hell! Nasa likuran lang pala siya ni Manang? Akala ko ba nasa sala?
"Gabi na Thorn. Go home," I said without looking at him.
Isasara ko na sana ang pinto nang iharang niya ang kamay niya.
"Five minutes. Just give me five minutes, Ada." He sounded so desperate. Nakita kong iniwanan na kami ni Manang. Bakit ba pati ang mga kasambahay namin ay agad nagtiwala sa kanya?
"Umalis ka na, Thorn. Wala tayong dapat pag-usapan."
"H-Hindi kita nabalikan agad kasi..."
"Shut up, Thorn!" napalakas na sabi ko.
Noon ko lamang iniangat ang ulo ko para tingnan siya. Haggard, worried eyes... pero madali lang naman gawin iyon 'di ba? Ang magkunwaring nasasaktan ka? Na hindi niya sinasadyang niloko ka niya?
Nakita kong nabigla siya sa pagsigaw ko. "Umuwi ka na."
"Ada?" There was a voice from behind him. Nakita ni Rich si Thorn kaya agad niya akong nilapitan.
"Who the hell are you?" Hinarang ni Rich ang katawan sa akin kaya hindi ko naiwasang bigyan siya ng espasyo. "Ada, get inside!" utos niya.
"Rich, this is my problem..." Hinawakan ko ang braso ng kapatid ko. Ayokong makagawa siya ng hindi tama. "He's my classmate and he's leaving." Matalim ang titig na ipinukol ko kay Thorn. "Go away. At ibalik mo na kay Brando ang kotse niya!"
Kitang-kita ang gulat sa mukha niya. Halos mamutla siya sa harapan namin.
"Narinig mo si Ada. Get out whoever you are." Inakbayan ako ni Rich.
I saw Thorn balled his hand into fist. Saka siya mabilis na tumalikod. Nakita ko pa si Manang na takang napasunod ng tingin sa kanya.
"Who's that man, Ada? I thought you're with Zedrick?"
"Rich, I told you there's nothing between me and Zed. We're not even dating." Umalis ako sa akbay niya.
"So, sino itong lalaking nasa labas ng kuwarto mo?" He crossed his arms.
"That's Thorn."
"Thorn? That's him?" gulat niyang tanong. "I didn't even get to thank him!"