Three Steps To You ✔︎

Chapter 25

AGONY

“Where am I?” bulong ko sa sarili. Pagdilat ng mata ko ibang lugar ang nakita ko. Madilim sa buong kuwarto kaya hindi ko alam kung nasaan talaga ako.

May makapal na kumot na nakabalot sa katawan ko pero nilalamig pa rin ako. Ang sama ng pakiramdam ko, sumasakit ang ulo ko at ang katawan ko ay nanghihina. Anong nangyari sa akin?

Bahagya kong pinikit ang mata nang may nangilid na luha rito. Bakit ako naluluha?

In the middle of silence in the whole room, I felt warm and broad arms wrapped on my body. I can feel him sobbing while he buried his head in my shoulder and heard him say, “I shouldʼve never left you alone.”

“Jo... hann...” I muttered. Alam kong siya iyon kahit nakapikit ang mata ko... Alam kong siya ʼyon.

He was obviously apologizing for bringing me home and left me there. He thinks that he shouldʼve come with me until my conversation with Papa ends.

“Iʼm sorry, Iʼm sorry, Iʼm sorry.” he shook his head while sobbing in my shoulder. It hurts me to the bone to hear him apologize repeatedly.

I donʼt even know why Iʼm hurting just because of an apology.

I tried to push him away but it seems like my body weakened. I couldnʼt move him. I couldnʼt set my self free from his arms. I was caught up between his arms.

“Johann, let me g-go.” nanghihina ako. Hindi ko man lang malakasan ang boses ko.

“No, I wonʼt let you go.”

“P-Please...! L-Let me go!”

I started panting. Iʼm losing my breath again. Hinampas ko ang dibdib niya at tinulak ng paulit-ulit pero hindi ko talaga kayang makawala sa yakap niya. Napakahigpit nito at mabigat siya.

“I h-hate you, L-Leonardo!” I hit him again but now, itʼs for him to realize what heʼs done to me. “I did nothing wrong with you for you to treat me like a cheap toy!”

“I will never treat you like a toy. I like you so bad—I will never do that!” kusa siyang napabitaw sa akin. Inangat niya ang katawan pero naiwan ang dalawa niyang palad na nakadikit sa kama. Nanatili siya sa ganoong posisyon.

Tumama ang palad ko sa mukha niya. Hindi ko inaasahan na magagawa ko ʼyon! Siguro dahil na rin sa hindi ko na mapigilan ʼyung galit ko. “Ganoʼn ka na ata kadesperado na makuha ako ʼno? Kaya nga pati ʼyung halaga ko bilang tao, nabili mo.” saad ko. “I will talk to your father so get the hell off me!”

“Listen to me first...” he begged.

“Listen?” I tilted my head slightly and looked at him madly. “Pati rin ba atensyon ko bibilhin mo rin? Ganʼyan siguro ʼyung pamilya niyo ʼno? Kahit anong problema, kahit anong gusto—kahit tao—dinadaan sa pera para lang makuha niyo ang gusto niyo?” I lost my cool.

I pushed him hardly and I was grateful that Iʼve succeeded. He fell to the floor. Lumabas ako sa kuwarto na iyon. Doon ko lang napagtanto na nandito ako ngayon sa mansion ng mga Scottsdale.

I was running unconsciously and now I felt so lost. This mansion has some sort of magic that trapped me inside. Sa laki ng mansion, hindi ko na alam kung saan ako pupunta. Tumingin ako sa bawat bintana para malaman ko kung nasaang parte na ako ng mansion. I started running again when Iʼve realized Iʼm near the staircase.

And there I bumped into someone tall and has hard abs. “Bliss.” the deepness in his voice felt familiar.

I looked up at him and saw it was Calvin! I bowed my face instantly to hide my swollen face that my sobbing caused me. My heartbeat raced with my breath. I was panting—for shitʼs sake.