Ravaged (CHURCH SIBLINGS 3)

CHAPTER 23

"Daddy please? Payagan mo na ako. Milan will be there tapos si Kuya Adi. Please? I promise I won't drink much."

Bukas na ng gabi ang party ni Kuya Abe pero nakatatlong paalam na ako kay daddy hindi pa rin niya ako pinapayagan. I found a good timing to ask again when mom texted me to go home for dinner— dad doesn't like the idea sa pupunta ng bar, papayag lang siya kapag may supervision. Nasabi ko na sa kanya last time sinong mga kasama but he seems not to be convinced.

"No, Cay. I know how wild that party could be. Kung kasama mo sana si Tabitha o ang ate mo papayagan kita—

I stomp my feet and pout my lips. Binitiwan ko ang kutsara na hawak para mahawakan sa braso si mommy na nasa tabi ko.

"Mommy please? May tiwala ka naman sa akin 'di ba? Convince dad please."

Mas lalo akong napanguso nang tignan ako ni mommy. She's a softy with me, minsan lang kasi ako kung humingi ng favor sa kanya. And I never break any of their rules.

"Huwag mong payagan mommy, she'll get drunk and end up making out with some stranger."

Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Nutty sa pagsali niya sa usapan. Nginisian niya lang ako at nagpatuloy sa pagkain. Palibhasa hindi siya mapagkatiwalaan sa ugali niyang pasaway kaya gusto niya akong idamay.

"Mommy please. Promise uuwi ako before midnight."

"Aside from Adi and Milan who else will go?" usisa ni mommy.

"Kuya Abraham, Kuya Apollo, Ascari will be there too. Tapos mga students sa University. Kuya Abe said exclusive lang naman sa kakilala niya sa University. There will be no outsiders. Kaya please, payagan niyo na ako?"

Nagkatinginan sila ni daddy na parang nag-uusap sa mata. Napabuntong hinga si daddy sabay tango, tiklop talaga siya pagdating kay mommy.

"I will talk to them. I will trust them with your safety," seryosong sabi ni daddy.

Dad talked with Kuya Apollo and Ascari, I don't know if he also talks with Kuya Abraham wala rin naman akong narinig sa lalaking 'yon. Ayaw pa rin niya akong kausapin kahit na napuyat ako para gawan siya ng cupcakes bilang peace offering sa existence ko na ayaw na niyang pansinin.

"You're going to Abraham's party later?"

Ralph invite me to have lunch with him when we coincidentally bump into each other at the mall. I was out with Andrea and Francine but they need to run back to their class kaya naiwan akong mag-isa. I wanted to go home nalang pero since Ralph was so consistent with asking me for lunch pumayag na ako. He just asked thirty minutes of my time. Sino ba naman ako para tumanggi? I don't have the heart to reject him when he begs me.

"Oo. Kuya Adi will be there, hindi ka pupunta?" I asked back digging in my food.

"I don't like noisy places pero since pupunta ka I'll go na rin. I heard Abraham organized the most wild parties. I need to make sure your safety."

Tinanguan ko lang siya. I don't want to be rude but Ralph seems to be obsessed with Kuya Abe. He always had to bring up the silent man in our every conversation.

"Cay, don't get this in the wrong way ha—" tinignan ko siya ng seryoso. He's looking at me like he is about to say something that will make things awkward for both of us. "Kahit kaonti ba gusto mo ako?"

"Ralph—

"Just be honest with me, Cay. I won't stop pursuing you unless you tell me na may iba kang gusto. I'm just asking para matimbang ko kung anong pwede kong gawin for you to have interest on me."

I suddenly feel so guilty. He's been courting me for months but I really couldn't feel the connection between the two of us. He is a good person— a good man. Ano pa bang hahanapin ko sa lalaki?