Tulala ako sa loob ng kwarto ko, nag-iisip ng mga posibleng mangyari ngayon. It's been days since I talked to Dad about it and days without seeing Hezekiah.
Hindi ko pinaunlakan ang gusto niya akong makita at makausap. Natatakot akong kausapin at makipagkita sa kanya. Baka kalimutan ko ang lahat at sumama nang tuluyan sa kanya. I don't want to be martyr.
Pabalik-balik siya rito sa bahay and thank goodness Kuya is here to entertain him. Hindi kasi ako makalabas dahil lagi siyang nandiyan. Sa tuwing umuuwi lamang siya saka lamang ako lumalabas upang kumain o kaya ay makipaglaro kay Gedalyn kapag walang pasok.
I still go to school but I kept on avoiding Hezekiah. Lagi siyang nakaabang sa gate sa tuwing papasok at pauwi na ako pero kahit gano'n ang ginagawa niya, gumagawa ako ng paraan para hindi niya ako makita.
I felt guilty doing all that but I have no choice. I can't be with him now and I don't think I can still be with him soon. Kaya kong kalimutan ang nararamdaman ko sa kanya maibaon ko lamang ang mga bangungot na iyon. Good thing he doesn't have something to hold onto me.
Obvious naman siguro sa kanya na gusto ko nang kumawala. Hindi dahil sa ayaw ko na sa kanya kundi ayaw kong bumalik sa bangungot ng buhay ko na kahit sa hukay ay madadala ko.
"Have you thought of my proposal now, Caprice?"
Nakuha lamang iyon ang atensyon ko. Bumaling ako kay Dad na nakapasok na pala ng kwarto ko. I was busy thinking of everything that I didn't even feel his presence.
I looked at him with a blank expression. I don't know anymore. Wala na ba talagang ibang paraan para matakasan ko sila? Kailangan ko ba talagang pakasalan ang lalaking iyon? He has a girlfriend and she's a Salvatore. Talaga bang pumayag siyang pakasalan ako anytime?
"I don't know yet, Dad. I feel like I didn't want to be tied with anyone. Can I just stay by your side, Dad? I don't want to get married..." binulong ko ang huling sinabi ko.
Kahit sabihin pang mas kaya akong protektahan ng mga Roman, can't Dad do it? Can't he protect me more than them? Ayaw kong magpakasal dahil una pa lang, kilala ko na kung sino ang gusto kong pakasalan na kahit kailan ay hindi mangyayari. I felt stupid for still wanting to marry him.
Ayos na sana noong una, e. Siya na sana ang pakakasalan ko but after knowing the danger he will brought to my life, biglang nagbago ang lahat. Well, that's life.
Dad sighed and walked towards me. Umupo siya sa gilid ng kama ko at marahang akong tinitigan. "I don't want this to happen too but I can't let that happen again. I don't have the power to fully protect you because even my wife is a Salvatore. This won't stay forever, Sweetie. After this, you can file an annulment. I just have to plan for this thoroughly and imprison those bastards."
Nag-iwas ako ng tingin nang makita kung paano umigting ang panga niya. I never saw this side of him because I never knew him fully. Ang alam ko lang ay Tatay ko siyang walang pakialam sa'kin. Na pinansyal lang ang kaya niyang ibigay sa akin. But now, I felt his fatherly love for me.
Gusto kong maiyak dahil sa wakas ay naramdaman ko rin ito sa kanya pero hindi ko magawa. Pagod na akong umiyak. I just want to be calm and rest. Good thing it's Saturday.
Nanginginig ang mga kamay ko kaya pinagsiklop ko ang mga ito para pigilan sa panginginig. I want to be honest this time even just for my father.
"I'm s-scared, Dad..." Kinagat ko ang ibabang labi ko dahil nagsimula na ring manginig ito. Fuck, I hate this feeling.
Ayaw ko nito.
Dad pulled me to him and hugged me tightly. "It's okay, Sweetie. I'm here, I'm sorry this happened to you... I'm s-sorry, anak."
BINABASA MO ANG
SALVATORE #2: Womanizer's Little Girl
Romance"He's way older than me, but he never cared. He's my brother's cousin, the reason why our relationship was hidden." - Caprice Ishii Villaceran Salvatore Series #2 Matured content ahead. You have been warned.
