Weather the Storm (LOTUS SERIES 1)

CHAPTER 35

"Be careful, Davi. Your arms." Si Brian habang naka-antabay ro'n. 

I know. I'm holding it. 

Inabot niya ang seatbelt at siya na rin ang nagkabit no'n. Nang matapos, nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin. Ilang sandali siyang nakatingin lang sa akin hanggang sa iangat niya ang kamay niya. 

My body's automatic reaction was to shut my eyes tight and avoid him. 

Ilang sandali ulit bago ko naramdaman ang palad niya sa pisngi ko, marahang pinupunasan ang aking mga luha. Lalo lang no'n pinasagana ang mga luha ko. 

I've never felt this gentleness from him. It somehow makes me feel pitiful and scares me at the same time. 

"I'm sorry…" he says almost in a whisper. 

I don't respond. I don't know how or what to respond. My body is stiff when he pulls me to his chest. It's not tight, but it feels like it's crushing me rather than comforting me. I burst out crying even more because of it. 

"Gusto ko nang umuwi…" 

Hindi ko alam kung naintindihan o narinig niya man lang ang sinabi ko dahil sa hina no'n. I can't even speak properly. But I think he did. Because he let go of me and brought his car to life. Sinubukan pa kaming habulin ng Mama niya ngunit wala namang magagawa ang pagsigaw niya sa labas at ang pagtanaw niya sa amin mula sa labas ng gate nila. 

Mas lalong lumala ang sakit ng braso ko. Hindi pa siya magaling kanina tapos nadagdagan na naman ng panibago. Huminto si Brian sa drugstore at pagbalik ay may mga dala nang pang first aid. As if what he bought could make the pain I feel inside vanish. 

We head straight to my tower. I immediately turn him down when he offers to take care of my injury upstairs. 

There is no way I'm letting him in my unit again. 

Hindi na siya nagpumilit at laking ginhawa ko ro'n. Ngunit nag insist siyang lunasan ang braso ko. Pinalitan niya ang benda no'n para ma-immobilize. Hinayaan ko lang siya kahit pa ayaw ko ng hawak niya. Ayaw kong nagtatama ang balat naming dalawa. 

I'm afraid that if I refuse him again, he'll hurt me. I have an exam tomorrow. 

"You shouldn't have done that back there." He says. 

I know.  

Hindi ako sumagot. Pinanood ko lang siya sa ginagawa at nang matapos, agad kong tinanggal ang seatbelt ko. Pababa na sana ako nang hawakan niya sa kamay. Agad ko iyong tinabig. 

He looks sorry as he stares at my bandaged arm. 

"You're the first person to ever receive the beating for me. Not even my mother had ever done that." 

Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin sa kaniya. I don't feel any pity for the bruises on his face from his father's hands, I want to think that he deserves it. 

"Thank you. For doing it. Despite all the things I've done to you-" 

"Have you deleted the video?" Tanong ko.

Nahinto siya at napatitig sa akin nang ilang sandali bago kumurap at tumango. I know he's lying, but my heart feels relieved.

"Why'd you ask?" 

Umiling ako at hinawakan na ang buksanan ng ssakyan nang hawakan niya ako sa balikat. I'm automatically on the defensive when I feel his touch, but he just hugs me. Not tight. 

"I don't know why I failed to notice you when you were so close to me. If I had known about your feelings earlier…" 

Hinintay ko ang kasunod ng sasabihin niya ngunit walang dumating.