Alluring Innocence (Seven Deadly Sinners #2)

Chapter 38

UNIQUE

"AYOS LANG talaga sa'yo?" Paninigurado ko ulit at rinig ko ang marahas niyang pagbuntong-hininga na parang nauubusan ng pasensya dahil sa pangungulit ko.

"Isa pang tanong mo niyan, sa bahay kita iuuwi." Banta niya nang sulyapan ako kaya napanguso na lang ako.

"Naninigurado lang." Bulong ko pa.

"Unique, you know how I am always proud of you. You don't have to achieve anything just to make me proud. You did great and that's more than enough." She explained while driving that made me sigh.

Pauwi na kasi kami papuntang mansyon. Iniwan niya pala 'yung kotse niya sa university para maihatid ako pagkauwi namin. 'Eto naman akong panay ang tanong sa kanya kanina pa kaya sino na namang hindi mauubusan ng pasensya?

The contest went well. Halos lahat ng sumali sa amin ay nanalo. I also did, but I'm not the first. I'm in the second place. Napapaisip na lang din ako na kung hindi talaga masakit ang kamay ko no'n ay baka sakaling nanguna pa ako. I'm kinda disappointed to myself.

Nakakapanghinayang, and at the same time, it's sad. Insecurity is eating me alive. I feel pressured especially that I'm with Parixia. Ilang beses niya na rin sinabi sa akin na ayos lang, pero hindi ako nakikinig. I feel bothered about it. Feels like there's more that I can do, but I am not able to do it.

I'm really scared of disappointment.

"Amore mio, look at me." Pagtawag niya kaya mula sa pagkakayuko ay nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kanya.

Pero sana ay hindi ko na lang ginawa dahil biglang bumaba ang paningin ko sa makinis at maputi niyang leeg na parang inaakit na naman ako. I gulped and bit my lower lip in embarrassment as I remembered what I did. May pulang marka siya sa leeg! Kanina ko pa talaga napapansin 'yon pero parang wala lang sa kanya.

I did that.

"You did such a great thing, okay? You painted even with the condition of your hand. You managed to get the second place." Marahang paliwanag niya pa pero hindi na ako nakapagsalita.

"Pero hindi first.." Bulong ko ulit.

Hindi ba't gano'n naman 'yon? That's why we trained because I have to get the first. It is for the university and as well as for them. Nasanay din kasi ako na kahit anong makuha ko, basta hindi ang pinakamataas, they'll be disappointed on me. No matter what achievement it is, as long as it's not the highest, that's not something I should be proud of.

That, what I did isn't always enough.

"Being second doesn't make you less of a person. What you did and achieved is more than enough." May tono ng pagpapaintindi na sabi niya sa akin kaya napatango na lang ako.

Napatingin na lang ako sa labas ng bintana at huminga nang malalim. I suddenly remembered that someone in the hotel. Those eyes of that person is really familiar. No, it's not familiar, I really know who has that eyes. It's a woman. Just, why? What did I do to her?

I can't accept that. Nakakapanlumo.

"By the way, amore mio. I'll be going to Greece. Pinapatawag ako ng organisasyon. I'll stay there for two days." Paalam niya sa akin kaya binaling ko sa kanya ang paningin ko.