Tamed: The 8th Hiñago (HS#01)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Disown

"Ang tigas ng ulo mo, Ton," Frian scolded me.

Inirapan ko lang siya. "Go home."

"Then what? You'll drive home and you'll get caught by the curfew and they're gonna sense that you are driving under the influence of alcohol?" umiling siya. "That's not gonna happen."

Hindi ako nakaimik. Hindi na siya nagsalita, para bang nakikiramdam lang siya sa akin.

"We're done..." simula ko.

Alam ko namang alam niya na. Mabilis kumalat ang balita. Kahit pa sabihin nating walang nakarinig sa amin ni Denise kanina, but he's Frian

"I know." He shrugged. Nilalayo niya sa akin ang baso pero kinukuha ko naman iyon ulit. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "And I personally think that you're crazy and dumb kahit wala naman yan sa genes natin..."

"I refuse to have a conversation with someone who lies by omission," sabi ko. Sinipat ko siya.

Alam kong may alam siya tuwing sa nawawala na lang bigla si Denise sa radar ko pero hindi niya ako sinasabihan, malay ko ba? Siguro bawal na naman sa batas nila.

"I'm not telling you anything because you wouldn't understand."

"Yan nanaman tayo sa understand-understand na yan... I scored high on the recent comprehension test! For Pete's sake! At least give me a more believable reason."

"You don't have a brave heart yet—Kahit ako aminado ako na wala pa akong brave heart katulad sa sinasabi ni Lolo. But you have to know, it takes a brave heart to understand something. He always said that."

I shrugged drunkenly. "I dunno... Sermon lang naririnig ko lagi."

"Understandable naman kung bakit sermon lang ang naririnig mo lagi..." inirapan niya ako. "Ikaw ang pinakamakulit."

I looked at him from head to toe. He can't say that. He was worse than me before he became a Levite.

I chuckled. "I wonder... kanino kaya ako nagmana?"

There was a long silence between us. Nakikinig lang ako sa musika ng lugar habang sunod-sunod ang tagay ng alak. My throat is getting dry.

"Having a love life is not easy for those who serve the altar..." sabi niya. "Those who serve the altar have a promise that they must keep until the day they die... And a compromised promise is as bad as a broken promise."

I burped and took another sip of alcohol. "And your point is?"

"Kung magkakaroon ng lovelife ang isang Levite... mako-compromise ang pangakong iyon."

"So I'm the reason that she's compromising, and failing?"

He just shrugged an answer. "Probably..."

That night, I drank and drank until I could no longer stand. I vow that is the final shot and I will never drink any alcohol anymore.

I'm thankful that Frian didn't try to stop me. That's the least he could do.

My head hit the headboard and that made me awake. I felt dizzy and so... so heavy. Parang minartilyo ang ulo ko sa sobrang sakit.

"Argh..." daing ko.

"Masakit ba ang ulo mo?'' That was Frian's voice... or si Rheese. I don't know, my head's too painful to even take a guess.

"Fvck hangover," patuloy na daing ko.

"Ironic isn't it?" he said sarcastically. "Kahit gaano kasakit ang ulo mo, hindi lumalambot... ang tigas pa rin."

Now I know who he is. This is Frian.

"Get out!" taboy ko.

"Anong get-out? Nasa sala ka, tanga."

My forehead creased and tried to open my eyes. I saw two identical people on both sides. Maya-maya natagpuan ko na naman ang sarili kong tulala. Tinatalakan ako ni Fri pero hindi ko pa rin talaga maproseso ang mga sinasabi niya dahil bagong gising pa lang ako

I managed to stand even though I'm still...wobbly.

"Asan ka nanaman pupunta, boi?" Rheese asked.

I didn't even care about what they were saying. My grandfather's probably somewhere that's why there's no one to give sermons.

Pupunta ako ng Palao. Baka naman pwede pa... Baka pwede pa naming ayusin. I can explain to her Uncle everything—then we'll be fine. I can still save it. I can still save our relationship.

I noticed our other car chasing after me as I drove past the rice plains. Base sa tulin at maingat na patakbo, I know they were the trained guards. There's a police car chasing too. Fvck. They're probably chasing me for overspeeding.

Hindi ko namalayan na sobrang bilis na nang patakbo ko.

I had no choice but to pull over. The police knocked on the window. Binaba ko iyon.

"Overspeeding ka sir," sabi ng may edad na pulis. "Lisensiya po?"

"Pasensya na po, nagmamadali lang," sagot ko habang bigay ang lisensiya.

"Hiñago pala kayo, sir. Alam niyo naman pong bawal ang mag-overspeed di ba?" tinaasan niya ako ng kilay.

Napahilot ako ng sintido. Fvck it. If they smell the alcohol in my mouth. I'm gonna be charged with DUI! But I'm not drunk anymore! Wala lang akong toothbrush!

"Kailangan naming i-check and sobriety niyo, sir..."

Before he could even took a test using the tool. Binaba na iyon ng isa pang kamay. I sighed in relief when I saw it was Oliver. Pinakita niya ang ID niya at biglang sumaludo ang pulis sa kanya.

"Kami na bahala, rito. We've been chasing him, all the way from Casa Hiñago."

Binayaran nila ang ticket ko. I got ticketed for overspeeding. Oliver drove my car and inilipat ako sa van. And got surrounded by our guards in a split second. And the next thing I knew, nasa Casa na ako.

"What were you thinking?!" bulyaw ni Lolo, Oliver reported everything to him. "Ano ba Damian Antonio? DUI?! Really?"

"Lo, I just got ticketed for overspeeding. Ayon lang. Not DUI!"

Marahas niyang pinalo ang tungkod sa binti ko. Dahilan ng pagdaing ko. "Ayon lang dahil hinabol ka nila Oliver at napigilan ang dapat mangyari!"

"But I was not charged for it! At hindi na ako lasing!"

"Por bida, you were hangover, and you reek alcohol! Bakit ba nagkakaganyan ka nanaman?"

Natahimik ako. I don't want to answer him. If he knew na naghiwalay na kami ni Den, he's gonna think that I'm a failure again.

"Nothing..." that's all I could mutter in the end.

"Naghiwalay na kayo ni Denise?" sipat niya.

Mabilis akong umiling. "No, of course not!"

"You're not a good liar as you think." He chuckled sarcastically.  "Hiwalay na kayo."

"Hindi nga, Lo!"

Ang sabi niya lang. We needed to stop if we wanted to grow. Hindi ibig sabihin na break na kami! I refuse to acknowledge it like that!

Umalis ako sa harapan ni Lolo. I need to pack my things, I feel like I know what's going to happen already.

"Where are you going? Hindi pa tayo tapos!" sigaw niya galing baba. "You never learn, Antonio!"

They said they are going to disown me if I break Denise's heart, I started packing my things. No need to disown anyone dahil lalayas ako.