Crown Of Dancing Starlight (Maite Katha #2) ✔️

ika-35

Ikatatlumpu't-lima

We are fools but we are in love

-

Nate visited like he promised. And that was when we got out of the villa for the first time because of my request to see Cecil kahit na hindi pa ako puedeng magpakita sa kapatid ko ng ganito. 

   He keeps every little promise. I have always proven that unfailingly. At nang pumaloob ang mga daliri ni Nate sa buhok ko sa sandaling nawala na kami roon at nasa isang tahimik at ligtas na lugar kami, pinabayaan niya ang sarili niyang lumaya at hagkan ako na tila hindi imahinasyon sa paningin ko ang nababasa kong pangungulila sa mga mata niya matitigan man lang niya ako. 

   My heart did a little patter. It was always that little something. Always that little something that always makes me swallow love again and again everyday even through pain and suffering. 

   I was hoping for something or I was hoping for nothing. 

-

Sophon. Sophon was her name.

   I got to know much that morning, with Kostya beside me facing the clear blue water.

   Bumaling siya sa'kin ng nakapamulsa at may pinapa-iral na kapayapaan sa ekspresyon. "This is the last time you'll ever see me in this kind of way for real, hm?"

   I smiled through the mist in my eyes. "Indeed."

   I didn't know what those tears meant. It was a little bit sad, and I don't want to think about anything else here with him. Pilit kong isinintabi muna ang alaala sa isipan ko tungkol sa amin ni Nate. Sa nangyari sa gabing iyon. Sa pinagsaluhan muli namin sa gabing iyon, kahit isang saglit lang. Gusto kong ipunin ang lahat ng hanging nasasamyo ko sa dagat. Because creatures were back living in my stomach at the very thought of him.

   “Ano ang inisip mo nang sinabi sa'yo ng Papa mo na ipagkakasundo ka niya sa isang kakilala?”

   Humugot si Kostya ng hininga. "It's not your fault, Maharlika."

   Dinala ko ang mga mata ko sa mahinahong tubig ng Punta Arena. "Wala rin akong laban sa kanya, kung nais mo iyong malaman."

   "I know that too. At kahit wala pang sinasabi si Dad sa'kin noon ay alam kong dito pa rin ako hahantong sa bagay na ito dahil pinanganak akong ganito. We still don't talk. I don't think we'll ever talk with agreeing points. He was impossible while I was adamant in my own beliefs and still am, and I even know that those were better than the ones he have. I started giving up because it's the best thing for me to do."

   He let the moment still before he added a note. "Nate could've been the better one to receive this kind of conversation with you, though."

   Hindi ako nagsalita. Hindi gustong umagos ang mga luha ko. Because it's too late. I think it is.

   Kahit na nangyari ang maliit na sandaling iyon para sa aming dalawa.

   "Sinaktan ka ba niya?"

   Sino? Dahil ang sa tingin ko ay ako naman ang nagdala ng kapaitang dinaramdam ko para sa sarili ko. "Nate?"

   "My father."

   Huminto ako para hanapin ang sapat na instrumentong makapagtatanggi n'on, subalit umiling lang ako na ikina-ngalisag ni Kostya.

   "Don't lie to me, Maharlika. I know what he did that day." Then why ask? "Alam mo ba na ako ang nag-kompronta sa kanya para umalis siya sa Manila at pinagbantaan na siyang ipatalsik sa posisyon na alam naming dalawa na kayang-kaya ko? That day I saw Nate, and he was pale. This would sound like a joke but he looked like he had been crying. At parang alam ko ang dahilan n'on, dahil hindi siya nagiging gano'n kahit na tungkol sa parents niya. I knew it was you. And then I found out Dad has planned to house you in another guest villa, and that made me roar with anger. Too much anger, honestly, dahil ang bestfriend ko at ikaw na ang inaagrabyado niya."