Bewitching the Tempter

Chapter 35: Betrayed

I didn't know what happened after that, the last memory I had was hugging Alaric. And it turned out that I passed out because of shock.

I woke up in a white room and I thought I was in the hospital but when I saw the other details of the room, I realized I'm not.

I looked at the picture frame beside the bed I'm lying at agad na nanikip ang dibdib ko.

It was Alaric and me at Ilocos and I was smiling so widely while his arm was draped over my shoulders. We looked young and that's before our lives fucked up.

Buhay ko nga lang pala, nadamay lang siya dahil minahal niya ako.

And he saved me again last night. Kung hindi siya dumating, hindi ko na alam kung ano ang mangyayari. I must've been dead by now.

Pero bakit nga ba nangyari iyon? Hindi ba enough ang lakas ng security namin? Masyado bang makapangyarihan ang kalaban?

Napadaing ako nang galawin ang binti. Damn, oo nga pala, may tama ako. Sa tingin ko ay daplis lang naman but it still hurts.

"Gising ka na pala."

Agad akong napatuwid ng upo nang marinig ang boses na iyon.

"Uh, yeah." I answered and looked away as soon as I felt his piercing gaze.

"How are you feeling? May masakit ba? Just tell me." He asked again.

I shook my head. "I...I'm okay."

I sighed. I'm not sure but I already have a feeling na alam na talaga niya ang totoo. But what's stopping him from confronting me?

"Are you sure?"

Tumango ako inilipat ang tingin sa picture frame.

"Siya ba ang kamukha ko?" I faked a laugh.

Nanatili ang kanyang madilim na ekspresyon at hindi sumagot.

I smiled. "Kamukha ko nga. At kaya mo ba ako niligtas kasi kamukha ko siya?"

He sighed and moved closer. "You like this, huh?" He uttered and gave me a mocking smile.

I did the same. "What are you talking about, Prosecutor Manjarrez?"

"Aren't you tired pretending to be another person?"

I raised a brow and moved closer hanggang sa mag lebel na ang tingin namin.

"Just pretend not to know me, Alaric. Madadamay ka lang. And besides, ibang tao na rin talaga ako. The Klio you've known was already dead a long time ago."

He smiled. An action I didn't see coming.

"She was never dead, Penelope. Buhay na buhay siya sa puso at isip ko." Diretso niyang sagot habang nakatitig sa mga mata ko. "Madamay man o hindi, choice ko na iyon, and I am choosing to get involved."

"Why get involved? You had a great life ahead, pero bakit mo tinapon 'yon para sa isang taong katulad niya? Why did you do that, Alaric? Why did you waste your life?"

Umiling siya. "I didn't waste my life. To wait for her is the greatest decision I've made. Hindi iyon sayang at hinding-hindi ko pagsisisihan."

"So you like this? Living a stupid life just because of me?" I laughed.

"Bakit hindi? Loving you is the only way I could continue living and it's not stupid."

Tanga ka na ba talaga Alaric?

"So it's okay kahit na sabihan ka ng ibang baliw, tanga, gago, manggagamit, at kung ano-ano pa?"

He smirked. "Nakalimutan mo na yatang sanay na ako sa mga salitang iyon. Those can't hurt me anymore. Alam mo kung anong mas nakasakit?"