Kissing the fire

Kabanata 25

Boyfriend

"Tangina talaga ng mga Vergara na 'yan!"

I stepped back as Dad threw the vase near him and its broken pieces scattered through the floor. 

"D-dad..."

"Isa sa mga supporter nila ang nag-fire ng gunshot doon! What if it hit you?!" Sigaw ni dad habang papalapit sa akin.

"It's their supporter but hindi naman sila ang nag-utos, dad," he then massaged his temples signifying that he's tired of my words.

"Samson..." Mommy estrella called him but dad ignored her and focused his angry eyes at me.

"Look at yourself!" Turo ni dad sa akin, "Nabalian ka na ng kamay pero heto ka at pinag-tatanggol mo pa rin sila! Tapatin mo nga ako, mahal mo ba ang putanginang iyon?!"

"Dad!" I shouted. Punong-puno na ako, I looked at him with all of my rage. Wala siyang karapatan na tawaging ganoon si Zone. Their family is innocent. Tahimik lang sila pero bakit pilit niya pa rin silang dinadamay?

I braced for myself as I prepare for his slap but,

"That's enough,Samson!" I was taken aback by mommy when he shouted to dad, "Are you sure it's one of their supporters? When in fact, It could be someone from the Bedonia's!"

"Stay yourself out of this, estrella. I'm disciplining my daughter..."

"I won't stay out of this when almost half of my stocks are sold to the Bedonia's..."

"Let's talk about this some other time." Dad was about to walk away when mom aggressively threw her Dior bag in the floor.

"Why are your stocks all gone?!"

"Estrella–"

"Because you lost to the Bedonia's! I told you many times not to play at their casino–"

"Sierra, go to your room!"

"No, she deserved to know, samson.  All your children deserve to know of your failure!" We stepped back of shock when dad pushed his office table down, causing his laptop, our picture frames to break and some of his things to scatter around the floor.

"Putangina, samson!" Mommy yelled, "It was not the Vergara's fault but it was yours why Sierra is hurt right now!"

"Mommy...." I glanced at her and her face are all puff right now. This is the first time, I saw her cry and defended me.

"Arturo Bedonia's gunman was there...I saw it in the CCTV," Mommy shook her head, "It serves as a warning for you,Samson. Minsan nang nakalaban ng mga Lopez ang pamilyang iyon at hindi maganda ang kinalabasan..."

"Mommy...w-what did dad do?" She glanced at me. Tingin pa lang niya alam kong mali na agad ang kung ano mang ginawa ni dad.

"Your dad...lost billions to the casino and sold stocks to the Bedonia's pero hindi pa rin sapat at ngayon...

She looked at me straight in the eye.

"Mukhang ikaw na ang kapalit,"

"Why are you there? May mga kasama ka bang body guards?" Ate asked. She videocalled me right away when I told her I'm going to the hospital for check-up. 

2 weeks na akong nasa Janiuay since the incident happened. I haven't been to the University since then, because 1 week sinarado yung school since the shooting incident for investigation and 1 week din akong nasa hospital para magpa-galing, naging 2 weeks lang dahil hindi pa ako pinapayagan ni dad na pumasok ng VCU.

But I can handle myself, kahit na may cast na yung kanang kamay ko.

"Ofcourse, ate. Sinamahan ako nina Kuya Junnie at Zong. I don't think na babarilin ako nila dito sa hospital," I said and chuckled but she remained serious so I stopped myself from laughing more.