Too Flawed To Fix

CHAPTER 10

"Si Papa ang ama ng anak mo?"

Hindi ko alam na may ilalakas pa ang kabog ng dibdib ko nang marinig iyon. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko kasabay ng pagkaka-estatwa sa puwesto nang marinig si Tristan mula sa likuran.

I couldn't move. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, down to my palms. Mas malakas ang kaba ko ngayon kaysa noong unang beses siyang nagdala ng babae rito.

"Ganiyan ka ba kalandi, Isla? Pati si Papa talaga?"

Nagsimulang manginig ang mga kamay ko nang harapin ang madilim na titig niya. He was by the doorway, blocking the passage, preventing any escape.

When did he come? Kanina pa ba siya riyan? Alam ba ni Krystal?

"Wait, you're misunderstanding something, Lawrence. She was raped!" Krystal spoke in between us.

Pinukol niya ng malamig na tingin si Krystal. "You think I'll believe that bullshit? My father isn't like that. Baka naman iniwan 'yan ng lalaki niya kaya naghahanap 'yan ng masisisi?"

"What the fuck?"

Inabot ko si Krystal para pigilan siya sa puwede pang sabihin saka ko hinarap si Tristan.

Mapait akong ngumiti. Of course, he looked up to him so much. That's one reason why I did not tell him. I didn't want him disappointed. I didn't want to break him more.

For sure, he'd rather have me pregnant by some stranger than to find out it's his father's. Mas madaling tanggapin iyon.

"I-I don't need you to believe me. Just please... hayaan mo na lang akong umalis." Naglakas-loob ako para hingin muli ang matagal ko nang hinihingi sa kaniya.

He scoffed and stared at me as if I was some sort of a laughingstock.

"The audacity. Para ano? Para mapuntahan mo na ang lalaki mo at maging masaya kayo? We're on this suffering together, Isla. You can't get away from this."

"The fuck, Lawrence?!" Krystal snapped. "Are you even thinking straight?!"

Kinagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi habang nilalabanan ang mapanghusgang mata ng lalaking nasa harap ko.

When will you forgive me, Tristan? Will I ever extinguish the fire inside you?

"Next time, don't call me for something unnecessary."

"Unnecessary?!" Krystal lost it but the man did not intend to listen to her any longer. Padabog niyang isinara ang pinto at umalis.

I bit my lower lip, sighed, then stared at Krystal.

She called him. Kahit pa alam niyang hindi ko gusto iyon, tinawagan niya pa rin. Kaya pala nandito si Tristan sa dapat ay oras ng trabaho niya.

She sensed my stare so she looked at me. Her eyes, which were guilty, were also silently apoligizing.

"I'm sorry, I had to. I never thought he's an asshole to this extent," bigong paliwanag niya.

Dismayado akong nag-iwas ng tingin sa kaniya at tahimik na tumungo sa kusina, inaabangan ang panibagong bugso ng mga luha.

Well, I wasn't expecting that. I thought he'd be shocked. I thought he'd get angry. All this time, I thought he'd take my side. At least. I thought when he finds out, the situation would flip.

But that's not what just happened. That's not what I just witnessed.

He's too close-minded for me. He was not ready to hear anything from me. Not even my explanations. Not even my side of the story.

I bet that's how great his anger was.

I couldn't afford to get mad at Krystal for what she did. She did so much for me. Kung wala siya, ilang beses na sanang naulit ang panghahalay ng papa ni Tristan sa akin.