Perfect Fake Lovers

Chapter 34

#NewClassicPFL

Chapter 34
Deserve

I was completely in shock the moment I fell on the hot asphalt. My butt hurt from the fall because of the heavy impact. My leg was also scraped and I could feel the wound stinging a bit. Hindi ko nga lang 'yon pinansin dahil abala pa rin ako sa pagpoproseso ng mga nangyari. Lalo ring nawala roon ang aking atensyon nang mabilis akong tinulungan ni Sic upang makatayo.

From his mother, my attention was shifted to him. He was wearing a tight expression while he looked at my leg. His lips were pressed together and his jaw was clenching repeatedly. When his eyes moved up to my face, they became melancholic and filled with guilt.

"Si-Sic..." His mother stuttered while speaking his name.

Without saying anything, Sic went to my car. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin at kinuha roon ang aking body bag. He opened it and pulled my handkerchief out. Alam niyang kahit hindi ako madalas gumamit ng panyo ay lagi pa rin akong may dala.

"Sic... Anak..." patuloy na pagtawag sa kanya ng kanyang ina.

"Saglit lang po, Ma..." he softly said, then squatted in front of me. He carefully wrapped the handkerchief on my leg to cover the bleeding scrape.

Hindi ko alam pero sumikip ang dibdib ko habang pinapanood siyang ginagawa 'yon. I should be acting like a lovesick teenager and looked at him with a dreamy gaze while he was tending to my wound, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Although his caring and thoughtful actions were warm, it brought cold to my heart.

"Anak..." His mother was still calling him, the tone of her voice told me she was feeling very anxious. "Anak, halika na dito sa 'kin..."

Mabilis na tinapos ni Sic ang pagtali ng panyo sa aking binti. Just like what his mother wanted him to do, he quickly returned to her side. He didn't even bother asking if I was okay. It seemed like he was resisting himself from showing too much affection in front of her.

"Paalisin mo na 'yan... Huwag kang sasama sa kanya..." natatakot na sabi ng mama niya at kita kong napakahigpit ng kapit niya kay Sic.

"Ma..."

"Pumasok na tayo..." Pilit niyang hinahatak si Sic pabalik sa loob. "Halika na sa bahay. Sumama ka sa 'kin... Huwag mo 'kong iiwan."

Mariing pumikit saglit si Sic bago tumango-tango at tipid na ngumiti. "Hindi po ako aalis," marahan niyang sabi. "May sasabihin lang po ako kay Lavi."

His mother's eyes widened. She hugged her son tightly. "Huwag! Huwag kang sasama sa kanya!"

"Ma, hindi po kita iiwan... Dito lang ako. Hindi..." Napalunok siya nang malalim bago nagpatuloy. "Hindi po ako sasama sa kanya."

I knew he was only trying to calm his mother, but his words stabbed me in the heart like a knife. Unti-unti akong binabalot ng takot. It felt like I was barely holding onto him and he was about to slip away.

"Lavi."

Ang malalim na baritonong boses niya ay pinutol ang aking pag-iisip. I stared at him straight in the eyes while he couldn't even look at me properly. Bahagya pa ring nakalingon ang kanyang mukha sa kanyang ina. Para bang isang malaking kasalanan ang tingnan niya ako pabalik.

"You should go now and get your wound treated," he said.

My eyes widened as we had an important matter to settle. "But—"

"We'll talk later," he cut me off and turned his back along with his mother.

Words hung in my lips while I watched them go. Only a soft sigh escaped from my mouth. His mother was still holding him close. I didn't know how long I stood there dumbfounded. I was hoping he'd come out again after bringing his mother inside but the heat was scorching hot that afternoon. I decided to go back to the condo and trust that he'd come home to me, even after hearing those words.