Pursuing My Nemesis

Nineteen

Chapter 19

BUMALIK AKO SA loob.

Tang ina talaga! Ang hilig niyang magbitaw ng mga ganoong salita kapag paalis na ako. Ang hilig niya talaga mambitin!

"Bakit?" tanong ko. Nakita ko kung paano nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang makita ulit ako sa loob ng barracks.

"Bakit ka bumalik?" He looked so alarmed. Alam na niya siguro na narinig ko iyong huli niyang sinabi.

"Bakit mo nasabing masasaktan mo lang ako lalo kapag hinayaan mong maging magkaibigan tayo?" I asked Aniel instead.

I really don't like how good he was in avoiding this kind of conversation. Maraming beses na niya akong iniiwan sa ere na puro na lang katanungan ang nasa isip. This is the only way that I could think of para mapaamin ko si Aniel sa lahat ng mga tinatago niya sa akin.

He avoided my gaze. "Magpahinga ka na, Nemesis."

I clenched my fist, trying to stop myself from punching his annoying yet handsome face. Nakakabwisit!

"You don't have to tell me what to do, Aniel. I have my own mind and I can make my own decisions."

His jaw moved. "You're acting like a brat again, Salvacion—"

"And so are you! Hindi lang ako ang pasaway rito, Nathaniel. Ang tigas din ng ulo mo!" I yelled. "You opened things between us and I am so ready to help you work it out. But what are you doing now? You're trying to push me away!"

I felt my cheeks burning with frustration. My heart was beating so loud inside my chest and my throat was tightening, chocking me and making me breathe hardly. I felt the stinging of my eyes, tears were starting to form around the corner.

This was making me angry. He was making me angry and frustrated and sad. I hate him so much for making me feel things that I don't want to feel towards him anymore.

Aniel kept on staring at me like I will be vanished from his sight any moment. Huminga siya nang malalim at saka marahas na pinasadahan ng mga daliri ang buhok. He stood up, walked towards me, grabbed me from my waist which made me speechless, and tugged me towards his warm body for an embrace.

"I don't want to push you away," he whispered just above my ear. I shivered between his arms. "I want to pull you closer than this. I want to touch you, to feel you in my arms. Believe me, Nemesis. I don't want you to hate me anymore."

"But you're making me hate you for being so complicated," I said, resting my head on his chest. I heard his heart beating. It was rapid. It was syncing with my own heartbeat.

Aniel sighed. Naramdaman ko ang paghaplos ng palad niya sa likuran ko. "It's because my thoughts are complicated. I can't understand them."

"You just have to know what you really want," I said.

"I already know what I want," Aniel replied.

"Then why are you still conflicted about your thoughts?" Nag-angat ako ng tingin at saktong nagtama ang paningin naming dalawa.

Aniel looked at me. At this moment, I could really see that he's been having a hard time thinking and contemplating his own thoughts. Everyone knows Aniel as someone who was hard as a rock. He didn't like showing emotions. He's strict and reserved. He's quite and doesn't like hanging out with his workmates. At dahil mayroong gap between sa kanya at sa mga tao sa paligid niya, walang masyadong nakakakilala kung sino ba talaga siya. No one tried or attempted to know Aniel better. Kung sino ba talaga siya, kung paano siya mag-isip, at kung paano rin siya sa mga taong malapit sa kanya

No one ever tried, except for me.

I lifted my arms and wrapped them around his hips. I felt him stiffened with my touch. A loud sigh escaped from his chest as he tightened his hug around me.