Burning Desire (Alejandrino Trilogy 1)

11

After paying for the bills, I decided to call a friend of mine in States. I opened my IG account and saw him online. I tapped the call button.

"Hey, man!" bungad niya.

"Hey, how are you?" tanong ko.

"Fine, what made you call?"

"I need you to investigate on something, Bruce,"

"Okay, what is it?"

Bruce is a friend of mine. Sa kaniya ako hihingi ng tulong sa paghahanap sa ina ni Delancy.

"I need you to find someone named Delilah Smith."

Narinig ko ang mahinang pagtawa niya mula sa kabilang linya. "Is she your woman?" tanong niya.

"Motherfvcker, she's the mom of my girl
"

"Finally settled down, eh?" biro niya.

Kung alam lang ng gagong 'to na si Delancy ang tinutukoy ko matutuwa siya.

"Just tell me if you can do something about it."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do. Do you have other information about her? It's hard to do my job when I only have her name."

"A'ight, I'll send you her former address. As of now, that's all I can give you."

"You need to treat me to a good drink when you get back here. I'm not doing this for free you know?"

"She's Delancy's mom, they haven't seen each other for years,"

"Delancy, you mean, your best friend?" tanong niya.

"Yes, her."

"She's your girl?"

"Not quite yet. I'm still courting her."

Natawa siya sa kabilang linya.

"I can't believe it's possible to use 'Kasper' and 'courting' in a sentence."

"Shut up, I need to go."

"A'ight, bye."

Ibinaba ko na ang tawag pagkatapos n'on. Maingat akong pumasok sa kuwarto kung nasaan si Kass.

Narinig ko ang pag-uusap nila ni Delancy.

"Is it true? Hindi ka pa rin nakakapag-asawa dahil sa nangyari noon?" tanong ni Delancy kay Kassandra.

Nanatili akong tahimik, hindi ako pumasok at namatiling nakatago sa gilid.

"I'm fine now," sagot ni Kass.

"So it's true, hindi ka pa rin nakaka-move on."

Napabuntong-hininga si Kass bago sumagot.

"I already moved on from what happened, Lance but..."

"But?"

"But I'm already traumatized from it. Nakakatakot masaktan at madurog ulit," sagot niya.

Years already passed since that happened but it still hurts me knowing that it caused this much trauma to my sister.

"It's a part of life, Kassandra."

"And I almost lost mine. I almost died, Delancy. You can't blame me for not wanting to love again."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to invalidate your feelings," saad ni Delancy.

"It's okay, I'm okay na. He's in jail na, ' di ba?" Kass said pertaining to her ex-boyfriend.

"I'm sorry for what my half-brother did."

Nagulat ako sa sinabi ni Delancy, doon ko naalala ang mga sinabi niya kanina sa akin.

So her convicted brother is my sister's ex. What a small world. Kaya rin siguro sila nagkakilala at close ni Kassandra. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, bigla akong nakaramdam ng galit at inis kay Delancy. Tumuloy na ako sa pagpasok at nakuha ko ang atensiyon nilang dalawa.

"Kass, the doctor said you should rest na. I'll be back here later or Jackson will, kapag uuwi ka na. Don't worry and don't stress yourself too much, okay? I'll be going na," I said.

I sat beside her bed, not minding Delancy.

"I'll be fine, Kasper. Take care, ingat ka rin sa pagda-drive,"

I leaned towards her and kissed her forehead before leaving.

Naramdaman ko ang pagsunod sa akin ni Delancy. Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin.

"Kasper," tawag niya sa akin nang makarating kami sa parking area.

I opened the car door for her.

Tahimik akong nag-drive papunta sa apartment niya.

Tumitingin-tingin siya sa akin habang nagda-drive ako.

"May problema ba, Kasper?" tanong niya.

Hindi ako nagsalita at nagdrive hanggang sa makarating nga kami sa apartment niya.

"Kasper," tawag niya ulit sa'kin.

"Oh, ano?"

"Bakit hindi mo ako pinapansin?"

"Pinansin na kita,"

"Can you tell me what's wrong? Hindi 'yong para kang gagong nagsusungit?" inis na tanong niya.

"All this time, you knew your brother is my sister's ex. Ni hindi mo man lang sinabi sa akin," saad ko habang pilit kinakalma ang sarili ko.

"Sorry."

"Kaya siguro alam mo kung nasaan sila nagtanan dati, you told me you saw them by accident, such a liar."

"Ano bang kinakagalit mo?" tanong niya.

"Delancy, please, get out."

"Kasper, tell me, why are you mad at me?"

"Damn it, Delancy! Get out! Ayokong may masabi akong masama sa'yo!"

Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagtaas ng boses ko.

"Sorry," bulong niya at bumaba.

Mabilis akong nagmaneho pabalik sa bahay ko. Hindi pa rin ako mapakali, I quickly changed clothes and went to my mini-gym at doon inilabas lahat ng galit ko. I went back to my room and my phone was already bombarded with Delancy's messages.

I called her.

"I'm calm now, I'm sorry about how I acted a while ago," sabi ko sa kaniya.

"Why though? Bakit nagkaganon ka kanina?"

Matagal akong hindi nakasagot. I needed a little courage to tell her.

"Kasi inisip ko na may kinalaman ka sa pagtatanan ni Kassandra at ng kapatid mo." Hindi siya sumagot. "It was wrong of me to think na may kinalaman ka. But I'm curious, Delancy, why did you lie? Ang sabi mo aksidente mo lang silang nakita,"

"It's true, alam kong may kapatid ako at siya ang boyfriend ni Kassandra. Totoo ring nakita ko sila by accident, I knew he's my brother and I saw them by accident. Kasper, I would never lie to you."

"Sorry, I'm sorry for doubting you,"

"Are you still mad at me?"

"No, I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at your brother."

"He's already in jail, Kasper," sagot niya

"And my sister is still suffering from the trauma he gave her."

Natahimik siya sa kabilang linya.

"Forgive me for not telling you, akala ko kasi okay lang kasi matagal naman nang nangyari 'yon. I should've know you'd be upset about it, I'm really sorry Kasper."

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. "Wala ka namang kasalanan, Delancy. But forgive me if I can't forgive your brother. I can never forgive someone who did my sister wrong. I will never forgive him," madiin kong sambit.

"I understand, bye na, Kasper."