When The Flower Withers (Fleur Series #1)

Chapter 36

Disappointed.

I was so disappointed at him. How could he promise and make his son wait? I'd understand if he texted me he couldn't make it last night but he did not, his phone was off. Ni isang text man lang kagabi wala akong na-receive sa kaniya.

I wasn't mad but I was really disappointed. Naaawa lang ako kay Niell kasi ilang oras niyang hinintay si Ash, nangako pa siya sa bata tapos hindi naman pala siya pupunta. Malungkot tuloy si baby kanina pagkagising, 'di ko alam ano sinabi sa kaniya ni Adam pero umalis silang dalawa.

"He shouldn't have promised, Ara, kung 'di siya pupunta. Pinaasa niya lang si Niell," sabi ko kay Ara, magka-FaceTime kami ngayon habang nag-iihaw ako ng barbeque.

"Maybe there was an emergency... but he should've texted you." Her eyes lit up after a few moments. "By the way, did Niell like my gifts?"

"No, he loves it. Pero ba't ang daming sapatos? 'Di naman centipede ang anak ko." Sumimangot siya sa sinabi ko.

"No, but seriously, did he love it?" she asked again.

"Oo nga! Umuwi ka kaya rito para mas malaman mo 'di ba?" I stared at her. "Ang puti mo na lalo. Mas maputi pa sa white, naaarawan ka pa ba riyan?"

She looked at her arms consciously. "Of course. Palagi akong nag-jo-jogging dito every morning..."

"Walang poging nakikitakbo sa 'yo?" She shook her head. "Kapag may nangharot sa 'yo, sabihin mo sa 'kin, ah?"

"That's not my priority right now..." Natigilan siya, akala ko nag-lag lang pero may itinuro siya sa likuran ko. "It's Ash," he mouthed...

Before I could turn my back at her, someone hugged me from behind. "Primrose..."

"Uh... Bye na, Vien. Talk to you later," Ara said awkwardly.

Kinuha ko ang last na iniihaw na barbeque at inilagay 'yon sa plato. I tried to remove his arms around my waist but he didn't budge, he tightened his hug instead.

"Ba't pumunta ka pa?" I tried not to look at him over my shoulder. "Kahapon ang birthday ni Niell, kahapon ka niya hinintay... Hindi ngayon."

"I know... I'm sorry. Nagka-emergency kasi kahapon," he said as he held my hand. "I wasn't able to call y—"

"'Wag ka sa 'kin mag-explain," I said coldly.

"Primrose nam—"

"Remove your hands around my waist, Ash. May gagawin pa ako..." I started cleaning my mess on the table but he was still hugging me from behind. Ang kulit! "Ash, ano ba—"

"Kailan mo kami balak pagsalitain, bro?!" a familiar voice cut me off.

Ash groaned and squeezed my hand first before he removed his arms around me. "Ba't ko pa kasi kayo sinama," parang nagsisising bulong niya.

I furrowed my brows and looked at them. Si Garette at si Aivanns. Gosh, sila na ba 'yan?! I almost didn't recognize them. Kagaya ni Ash, tumangkad pa sila lalo and they looked matured.

"Walang pinagbago, pangit pa rin," sabi Aivanns pagkalapit sa 'kin. He even wandered his eyes around my face and shook his head, disappointed. Nakaka-offend 'yon, ah?

"'Di counted ang opinyon kapag walang ambag sa Pilipinas," sagot ko at inirapan siya. Tiningnan ko si Garette, tinanguan niya lang ako tapos tumingin na ulit sa dagat. "Squidward, lalangoy ka mamaya? Turo ko sa 'yo kung saan banda 'yong Krusty Krab?" I offered but he just raised his middle finger.

"'Wag mong anuhin at badtrip 'yan. Pa'no habang nasa bangka kami kanina pinilit siyang patikimin ng bangkero no'ng octopus," sabi ni Aivanns na akala mo close kami.