Versailles Series Book 3: The Nun [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 38

"I like you. I like you very much."

Napalunok si Nyx. She saw his lips move. She's not dreaming she knew. Pasimple niyang kinurot ang sarili at gising nga siya talaga. She shook her head. He's sick. Naturally, he'll mumble random things.

She just squeezed his hand to signal him she's leaving. He held her hand which made her stay seated.

"I like you very much, Nyx."

Her other hand flew to her mouth. Her heart was beating fast. 

Nakapikit pa rin ito at nang hilahin niya ang kamay ay pinakawalan naman nito. Looks like he was really back to sleep now.

Wala sa sarili siyang bumalik sa kubo niya. Naupo pa nga siya sa hagdan dahil tulala pa siya.

I like you very much, Nyx.

He likes her. Does he really? Gaano ba katiwa-tiwala ang salita ng isang tulog? It was so easy for her to dream and believe that he might really like her. She likes Azrael more than she liked any man in her life.

The tension was there when she was a nun and it was still there now that she isn't.

That night, she let sleep drift her away when she got tired.

Kinabukasan, nabalitaan niya kay Clyde na bumuti na ang pakiramdam ni Azrael. 

"Hinahanap ka niya Miss Nyx."

Namulsa siya. "Ahm...mamaya ko na lang siya daraanan. May kailangan pa kasi akong puntahan."

"Uhm...okay."

Mabilis siyang nagpaalam sa magulang na dadaan muna kina Laurie at sa gabi na siya makakabalik.

As she was driving away from the farm, she knew what she was doing. She was running away. She was buying herself time to digest everything and clear her mind.

She's on the verge of falling for someone again. Iba pala kapag pakiramdam mo na ikaw lang ang may gusto kumpara sa posibilidad na baka may gusto rin siya sa iyo.

She thought she's just over reacting but she's feeling scared. She liked Azrael so much it will crush her if what he said is not true.

Nagulat pa si Laurie nang makita siya sa pinto ng bahay nito.

"Kumusta na iyung paghahanda mo sa kasal mo?"

"Okay naman. Tinutulungan din naman ako ng mapapangasawa ko. Ikaw, bigla kang napadaan?"

"Gusto lang kitang kumustahin."

Tinitigan siya nito bago siya batukan. "Gaga. Hindi ka naman pupunta lang dito kung iyan lang. Pwede mo naman akong tawagan."

Napayuko siya. Maybe it's time to come clean. She's her best friend after all.

"Naalala mo ba na may sinabi ako sa iyo noon kaya umalis ako sa pagmamadre?"

"O?"

"Nagkita kasi kami ulit. Friend...gusto ko siya. Gustong-gusto ko talaga siya." Ikinuwento niya rito kung paano niya nakilala si Azrael hanggang ngayon na may proyekto silang dalawa. "Sabi niya kagabi na gusto niya ako. Sinabi niya iyung pangalan ko mismo. Pero nagdedeliryo siya noong sinabi niya iyon."

"Okay. So naguguluhan ka ngayon dahil sa sinabi niya. Sa lahat ng bagay na pinakita niya sa iyo bago niya sinabi ito, naisip mo bang may gusto siya sa iyo?"

Binalikan niya lahat ng nangyari sa kanilang dalawa. "Baka gentleman lang siya..." 

The more she thought about it, the more she realized how close he got to her. The sweet gestures and flirtations.

"Nyx, kung gusto mo siya, bakit hindi mo sabihin sa kanya?"

"Paano kung hindi niya ako gusto?"

"Friend, hindi ako ang makakasagot niyan. Alam mo kung paano mo malalaman? Sumakay ka, magmaneho ka pauwi at kausapin mo siya. Umalis ka sa pagmamadre, Nyx. Hindi mo lang siya gusto. Mahal mo na siya, friend."

Nang umalis siya sa bahay nila Laurie, nag-ikot pa siya sa Baguio bago umuwi sa bukid nila. She doesn't have a clear plan. She's not ready to initiate the conversation.

Magkukunwari na lang muna siya na parang walang nangyari.

She got back just past three. They were busy everywhere kaya walang nakapansin ng dating niya.

Dumiretso siya sa kubo niya nang mapatigil siya. Azrael was sitting on the steps. He was waiting for her. Fear consumed her.

He smiled at her. "Hey, I was looking for you."

When she didn't answer, he continued.

"I just wanted to say thank you for taking care of me."

"Ah...iyon lang ba, okay lang iyon. Siyempre, aalagaan ka namin dito."

She averted her eyes from him. Ayaw niyang mapansin nito ang gumugulo sa kanya.

"Are you okay? Sabi ni Clyde may pinuntahan ka. How did your trip go?"

"O-okay lang naman. Uneventful."

"Oh, okay. Buti hindi ka nagkasakit. Unlike me, I'm a weakling." He even chuckled. Napansin siguro nito ang pagkatahimik niya. "Is something bothering you, Nyx?"

Umalis ka sa pagmamadre, Nyx. Hindi mo lang siya gusto. Mahal mo na siya, friend.

"Kagabi noong pinainom kita ng gamot...may sinabi ka kasi." Tumikhim siya at yumuko. "Sabi mo gusto mo ako. Sabi mo you like me very much." She tried to laugh it off. "Pero baka nagdedeliryo ka lang-"

"I'm not."

She stopped. Everything stopped. The noise. Her heart. Everything.

"I didn't say that because I was delirious. I do like you, Nyx."

"Azrael, kung sinasabi mo lang iyan-"

"I was mustering my courage to tell you. F*ck! I had to be sick to just let it out." He scoffed at himself. "I like you, Nyx. More than I should. It seems like I love you more each day I spend with you."

Tinignan niya ito. His eyes were sparkling. Nakakalunod titigan.

"P-pero may babae kang gusto, sabi mo."

"Yeah. Who do you think it was?"

She opened her mouth but didn't say anything.

"It was you, Nyx. It has always been you. It started back in Versailles and now that I've met you again. My feelings did not falter. It prospered."

"Azrael..."

"I wanted to tell you but something was holding me back. I don't want to lose this...whatever this is that we have...if you don't want me around anymore. I can suffer being so close to you while hiding my feelings rather than losing you again." Namulsa ito. "I'm sorry if it came to you as a shock but, here we are."

Hindi pa nagsisink in sa kanya ang sinabi nito but she knows she's happy. The happiest since she could remember.

Tumikhim ito nang hindi siya nagsalita. "I take it you don't want any of this. I understand."

Lalagpas na sana ito nang pigilan niya ito. She held on to his shirt.

"Hindi ko pa nabibigay ang sagot ko sa iyo. Gusto kong pag-isipan ng mabuti ang sinabi mo. Gusto kong siguraduhin ang nararamdaman ko para sa iyo."

He held on her hand that was clutching his shirt.

"Take all the time that you need, Nyx. I waited for a year for you. I'm willing to wait until you're ready." Humarap ito sa kanya at tinignan siya. He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I love you."

CHAPTER 39 >>