Secret Series #3 Beautiful Scars [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 34

I was on my way home when I noticed something on Fruit's street, looking for something to eat- a green fruit.
Bumaba ako sa Taxi at tinawid ang kabilang kalye para bumili ng unripe mangoes, keeping my excessive enthusiasm for it.

Pagkabili ko ay bumalik na rin ako sa Taxi saka kami umalis. Habang tumatakbo ang sasakyan, saya at pagkatakam ay naipinta sa aking labi. Isang pagkasabik ang aking naramdaman.

I want to eat sour fruit, and it craves me more than I'd expected.

Extending my fare, bumaba ako at dali-daling naglakad patungo sa aking unit. Nagbihis ako at agad na binalatan ang mga hilaw na mangga at saka ito pinaghihiwa.

"Ang bango," giit ko at kumuha na rin ng magiging sawsawan ko- bagoong at sinamak na suka. Hindi ko na alintana ang gutom dahil sa amoy ng maalat, maasim at maanghang na nagbigay pukaw sa aking pagkahumaling dito.

Tinungo ko ang living room para manood ng t.v at para kainin ang kanina ko pa gustong tikman.

"Goddamn," tugon ko at sarap na sarap sa bawat kagat na hatid mula rito.

Someone opens and enters the room. Hindi ko na ito binalingan at tuloy lamang ako sa aking pagkain.

"I've been calling and texting you pero hindi mo sinasagot," tugon nito at sunod na tinungo ang kusina. Maybe he will get something to eat or drink, but all I want to have is my bowl while watching the movie I loved.

I hadn't noticed him doing something until he went back, leaning and sat next to me.

"Anong oras na ba?"

"I believe it is seven thirty p.m."

"Kumain ka na ba ng hapunan?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Pero ang kumain ng maasim?" Agad ko siyang nilingon. Nakatitig ito sa akin ng masama.

"May problema ba sa pagkain ko ng maasim?"

"Wala akong problema, pero baka ikaw meron."

"What do you mean by that?" Inilapit niya ang kaniyang mukha sa akin, at nakatitig sa akin ng pagkatindi.

"Haven't you gone to your Ob?"

Umiling ako. "Why would I?"

Seryoso siyang nakatingin sa akin. Huminga pa siya ng malalim saka sinabing, "The last sex we had, ipinasok ko iyon lahat, Ash."

"Y-you do?" hindi makapaniwalang sambit ko.

"You need to go to your Ob by tomorrow for a better result." Iniwasan ko siya ng tingin. Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako sa kaniyang sinabi o maaasar.

"Don't worry," tugon niya at inangat aking baba. "No matter what, I will remain on your side."

"How can you be sure that I'm pregnant?"

"Im sure because I know. I meant it, Ash."

"That's weird," natatawang sabi ko at humawak sa kaniyang braso. Gusto kong pigilan ang kaniyang lalong paglapit sa akin.

"Having a kid with you isn't weird. It's real. And I want to build a family with you for the rest of my life, and you know it."

"Will you still love me even if I'm real pregnant?"

"Do I need to answer it?"

"I want to hear it from you. Yes."

"I don't want to give an answer, Ash."

"Why?"

"Because I want to prove it." Kinuha niya ang mangkok na hawak ko at inilagay sa mesa. Lalong tumatagal, kaniyang mga titig ay napalitan ng pagnanasa. Gustuhin ko man ang kumawala sa kaniyang bisig pero nakakulong na ako sa mga ito.

"H-hindi mo ito k-kailangang gawin, Rain," pautal-utal kong sambit.

"Why shouldn't I?" tugon niya na mas lalo pang ikinaba ng aking dibdib. "Are you afraid of me?"

"No," mabilis kong tugon.

"Then, what?"

"I . . . I'm just afraid that you will find someone better than me."
Sandali niya akong tiningnan at marahan na hinalikan sa aking noo.

"Changing our outlooks in life is far from the same feelings that we have had for so long. Mahal kita, Kamahalan. Mahal kita."

A beat passes. I smile and pull him in, planting a swift kiss on his lips. That simple kiss turned into a flame of sexual longing, making me so luscious to his temptations.

"You never fail me the way I want you, Ash," he said, tracing his finger across my chest.

"I don't want to fail you, Rain," I answered in a whispered voice. He stares at me intently but keeps on saying nothing, and I even understand how his eyes want to tell me.

***
Kasama ni Lindsay si River sa bahay ng S.G. The men were working at tanging sila lamang ang magkasama sa bahay. The young boy is fond of reading stories, watching cartoons, playing games, and loves to draw everything.

Tahimik itong nakaupo sa sopa hawak ang papel at matulis na lapis. Si Lindsay na nasa kusina, pasimple niyang pinagmamasdan ang bata at ang ginagawa nito sa hindi kalayuan. Ngumiti siya nang may maalala. Hindi niya maipagkakaila na ang mukha ng kaniyang pinsan ang siyang naging kopya ng bata, maging ang maugali nitong mga titig, ang malasarkastikong galaw at pati na rin ang pagsasalita.

Lin picked potato sticks out of the deep fryer and placed them in the ceramic bowl. She gets some ketchup and two glasses of iced tea for their snack.

As she carried them to the living room and placed them on the table, her gaze was drawn to him and the paper. She smiled again as she sat there. Her eyes remained on him.

"You're good at handwriting," she said. The boy turned to her and looked for a moment.

"This is calligraphy." Lin nodded her head.

"Beautiful."

"Do you think it's beautiful?"

"Did your mom teach you about this kind of writing?"

"No. No one taught me about this."

"Then how did you know that?"

"It's a form of art, Tita."

Lin said nothing, but she truly understood how the boy acted differently. Maybe he's a form of art, and surely she knows about hereditary transmission of genetic material that determines physical and mental characteristics from one generation to another.