Bizarre Connection

Chapter 17

I jumped and closed my eyes, waiting for myself to fall but it didn't happen. Instead, I felt a hand holding my arm, pulling me back to place.

He was unbelievably strong and fast, and before I realized what just happened, I found myself wrapped in his arms.

"Fuck! Bakit mo 'yon ginawa?" He hugged me tight, ramdam ko ang panginginig ng katawan niya.

"Bakit..." he repeatedly said and seconds later, I felt something on my hair.

He's crying.

At hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin tuluyang pumapasok sa isip ko na buhay pa ako...that Priam pulled me back and he's now crying while hugging me.

I never thought things would turn out this way.

"Please...don't do that again..." his voice cracked.

I was at loss for words while hearing him cry. I couldn't believe that someone, other than Shin, was crying for me.

"Don't leave me...please...don't leave us." he added and tightened his hug.

Muling nanubig ang mata ko at tumingala.

I can't believe that he's this afraid to lose me. I can't believe that he likes me this way.

"Why would you care about me like this?" I asked, despite my shaking voice.

He didn't answer at sa halip ay ibinaon ang mukha niya sa leeg ko.

"I don't deserve you." I added and closed my eyes.

Humiwalay siya sa akin at tiningnan ako ng diretso sa mata, his tears still falling from his eyes. This is the first time I saw him this close, at ngayon pang umiiyak siya.

Inangat niya ang kamay niya papunta sa mukha ko at marahang pinahid ang tumutulo kong luha.

"I'm the one who doesn't deserve you, Nisha."

Napatigil ako dahil sa sinabi niya.

"I'm too weak...I'm too coward...for you." dagdag pa niya na hindi ko maintindihan. Dahil ano ba ang ibig sabihin niya?

"I liked you but I was too cowardly to tell you...and now, I almost lost you because I gave up easily. I was too weak for a strong person like you."

Umiling ako. I've never thought of that.

"And my background is not that good, either. I have a messy family, Nisha. My family's so fucked up."

I don't know what to say. Nanatili siyang nakaluhod sa harapan ko habang nakaupo ako't nakatingin sa kanya.

"My mom died a year ago, and it's not even a month since she died when father remarried with his mistress na bestfriend pa ni mom. It was a mess and my sister couldn't accept the set-up, lalo na't kamamatay lang ni mom. Kahit ako, ayaw ko rin, ayaw na ayaw ko rin. But my father seemed like a blind person, at mukhang nakalimutan na rin niya kaming mga anak niya. I ran away from home because of that. I am a bad son and a bad brother. Marami akong pagkukulang at maling nagawa. I am a coward."

He stopped and looked away.

"But I know...my problem might be just nothing compared to yours. Pero gusto ko lang malaman mo na lahat ng tao ay hindi perpekto ang pagkatao. We're not saints and there's no such thing as flawless background."

Umiling ako. I know he's just trying to console me, pero alam ko...

"I don't want to taint your name, you don't deserve a girl like me."

Alam kong walang taong perpekto but I know that he deserve someone better at hindi ako 'yon.

"Hindi ako 'yon, I'm too messy for you, I'll be just a huge burden."