Twenty Nine Wills

Brewing Rivalry

(Guys, yung sa part na may nakalagay na, 13u, it's 1(lessthansymbol)3u. So parang yun yung text version ng heart. I dunno what's wrong with wattpad pero hindi siya madetect. Sayang yung effect ng equation. Hay)

IRIS

I cant even bring myself to speak.

What. Just what.

Hindi ba... Hindi ba dapat wala akong pakialam? Dapat hindi ako maniwala?

Pero bakit parang natutuwa ako?

That's bullshit, Iris! You'd encounter those words for almost a thousand times, and none of it were proved true! Kung maniniwala man ako, parang ako mismo ang nagbigay ng paraan para saktan ako.

At hindi ko hahayaan yon.

"Iris..."

"Really, Gabriel?" I tried to stop my whimpers, but it wouldnt, "Or are you just saying that just to keep me? Because Im your baggage and Im your reponsibility?"

"It's not that--" he started

"No, shut up." I swiveled around to face him, "I love you? It has eight letters, so does bullshit."

"Hindi--"

"Ang buong akala ko Gabriel, ikaw yung mapagkakatiwalaan ko. Pero mali ako. You turned the game to your vantage because you know that those words, those very words, made me fall apart." Sinubukan kong ayusin ang sarili ko pero nanginginig ang boses ko, "Good job, Gabriel. I didnt see that coming"

"Ano bang dapat kong gawin para maniwala ka?" He held both my hands while I looked away, "Tell me."

Tinanggal ko ang kamay ko galing sa pagkakahawak niya, "Wala kang dapat gawin dahil wala akong balak maniwala--"

And the next thing came like a lightning bolt.

I can feel his hands on my waist as he parted his lips against mine. I stood there like a log but I kept on responding to his kisses while crying. Butterflies were churning in my gut. I got weak on my knees. I am under a trance. His trance.

It took me long before my weakness flashed before my eyes. You're giving him a free ticket to hurt you, Iris.

I pushed him using all the energy left in me. Tinungo ko ang ulo ko at napaupo. My sobbing never came to a halt

"I-Im sorry." he came near me and locked me in his arms, "Im sorry..." The way he brushed my hair calmed me somehow.

Naguguluhan ako. Siya ang dahilan kung bakit ako nalilito. Pero siya din ang sagot sa marami kong tanong.

Gabriel, what are you doing to me?
--

GABRIEL

It took Iris 2 days before she fully recovered (from the fever), but I dont think she forgot about the kiss.

Ilagan. Iwasan. Yan ang gawain namin ngayon. Pero kahit di kami nagpapansinan, inaasikaso ko parin siya. But she insists on doing things herself. Kapag lalapit ako para pakainin siya, kukunin niya yun at kakain magisa kahiy na nilalagnat parin siya. Siya narin ang kumukuha ng gamot at iinom. Hinahayaan ko nalang para hindi na lumalala ang misunderstanding namin.

Ngayong magaling na siya, babalik na kami sa pagtuturo. Inantay ko siya sa upuan sa baba ng kubo. Kasabay ng pagbaba niya ang pagbalik ni Manang Lelay sa kubo. Dirediretso lang si Iris na di manlang ako nilingon.

Napatigil sa pagakyat si Manang ng makita ang nangyari at bumaba ng hagdan, "May tampuhan kayo ng asawa mo, 'nong?"

Napangiti ako ng pilit at napayuko, "Eh, opo manang."