A Diamond Between Us

CHAPTER 38

"Zoe likes me?"

Is that how she expresses her feelings, hurting someone she likes?

"Yes, Jino. She likes you. She doesn't like boys, you know. She really hates men, but when she saw you, that's the time I saw her smile so genuine, staring at you in the hallway,"

"She gets triggered when she realizes she can't be with you because you already have someone, and that's Mark, so she commands me to scare you all. And that's when I started to follow Blare and Edric."

"She is crazy!" Napatingin ako kay Blare. Hindi pa rin nagbabago ang reaksyon niya.

"Remember the restroom incident?"

"Of course, I won't ever forget that." I said, in serious tone.

"That's the craziest thing she's done in her life. Just for your attention, she did that. I was so opposed to her idea at that time. That made us almost hurt each other. But she still insists on doing that... She is my sister. I just love her, so I don't have any choice but to tolerate her."

Nang marinig ko kay Chloe 'yun bigla akong kinabahan, baka mabanggit niya 'yung pinagawa nila kay Dom.

"That's the craziest thing we've ever done in our lives, and it's something we both regret in the end, especially Zoe. You almost died, and that was because of her being out of control."

Habang nagsasalita siya, binubulong ko sa isipan ko na sana hindi niya mabanggit si Dom. Kinakabahan ako, as much as possible ayaw ko madamay si Dom dito.

"We followed you guys to the hospital after the incident. You all thought that we escaped the scene, but we didn't. We just waited for you to go outside that house. Then, we followed you to the hospital to check on you, Jino."

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag, hindi niya nabanggit si Dom.

"Are you okay, Jino?"

Natauhan ako bigla nang mapatingin ako kay Chloe, nginitian ko lang siya ng tipid sabay tango.

"Yeah... I'm okay, continue." Umiwas ako ng tingin.

"But you still did that. What if Jino died? Where's your conscience while he's being tortured by your men?"

Napabuntong-hininga si Chloe.

"She's just hurt by what Jino said. Your word, Jino, hit her so badly, but I know she's still wrong, so that's why I'm in the state of my mind where I don't know what to do. Seeing Zoe crying is my weakness. She's been crying ever since we were young, and that's made me feel traumatized whenever I see Zoe crying. We were both not in a good state of mind, so I don't even know what we were doing."

"I'm not convinced,"

"I do understand, Blare. But I hope you still feel even a percentage of what I'm telling you was all true. I don't have time to make up a lie to manipulate the situation. I just want to talk to you and tell everything that really happened behind that."

"I don't know. I want to talk to Edric first about it."

"Where are you going?" I asked him, tumayo kasi siya sa kinauupuan niya.

"To my room,"

Sinundan ko siya ng tingin nang magsimula siyang maglakad paakyat sa k'warto niya. Rinig pa namin ang padabog na pagsara niya ng pinto ng k'warto niya.

"How can we help, Chloe?" bumalik ang atens'yon nila sa akin.

"I don't know yet, Jino. Maybe if you guys understand what's going on, you can help us. I have this feeling that you guys can do something to solve this problem and solve my mom's problem."