Heartless Benevolent

12

"Is she really a picky eater?" Ate Chel asked after we entered our room. "No. She's not, Ate."

Umuwi din agad kami pagkatapos naming kumain. Since, we have to start packing. Uuwi na din kase kami mamayang hapon. And tomorrow—or should I say this week, is another tiring week. Especially for me.

"Then why did she act like that a while ago?" That's the question that I also don't know what the answer is. Bakit nga ba?

"I—" I got interrupted again.

"Can you guys just stop talking about it?" Gilbert is the one who stopped us.
Ate Rachel didn't uttered a word but she rolled her eyes at him. That made his eyes widen.

"Did you just rolled your eyes at me, Ate?" Gilbert nervously asked. "Yeah, she did." Sabat ni William na mas lalong ikinalaki ng mata niya.

"Don't piss her off, bro. You know the consequences." William warned and smirk at him.

Gilbert raised both hands up, like he was surrendering. Like he's announcing defeat.

Wait. Consequences? What does it means?

"Ate." Gilbert softly stated to get her attention, but Ate Rachel didn't respond. He sighed and just sat at the edge of the bed where she was lying.

No one spoke after. No one dared to speak. Tanging ingay lang galing sa aircon ang tangi naming naririnig. I was about to reach for my phone when I heard Ate Chel spoke.

"Can you guys get out first? Except you, Gilbert."

"Ok."

Before we got out, I glanced at Gilbert first. Medyo naaawa ako sa kaniya. Ano kaya yung consequence na sinasabi ni William?

He signaled me to enter a room. Akala ko kwarto pero yun pala library. My eyes twinkled after seeing a lot of books. Ito na siguro yung pinaka-favorite spot ko dito, aside from our room and the balcony. Kung saan mo pwedeng tanawin yung beautiful scenery.

I was scanning the books when I felt that he was following me. Ipinagsawalang bahala ko nalang 'yun. Tsaka malawak naman tong library dito.

I stop when I saw a familiar book. 'It Ends With Us'. That's the title of the book by Colleen Hoover. Nakikita ko na 'to sa facebook when I'm scrolling through my feed. I never searched it either. But I was planning to buy one.

"Will—" I was about to ask him if I could borrow some of the books here, but he isn't at my back, following me anymore. Akala ko nakasunod parin siya sa'kin pero nagkamali ako.

"William?" No response.

Lumabas na ba siya? Did he left me here alone? I guess, he already left. Hawak-hawak ko parin ang librong kinuha ko kanina habang naglakad na palabas.

But then I tripped. I prepared myself to hit the cold floor, but I landed on top of William instead, with his arms protectively wrapped around my waist and my hand on top of his chest. And as we landed on the floor, the door suddenly opened. My eyes widened because of that.

Ate Rachel, Gilbert, Lucas, Kuya Xavier, and---Audrey saw us in that position. I quickly stand up because of shocked at sa hiyang nararamdaman. Nakakahiya! Baka mamaya anong isipin nila dahil sa naabutan nila at ganun pa talaga ang posisyon namin. Ugh!

Parang nawalan ako ng lakas dahil muntik na naman akong matumba kung hindi lang dahil sa braso niya na nakahawak sa bewang ko. At siguro dahil na din sa mga titig nila.

They're looking at us as if they're... disgusted or something like that. Hindi ko alam. They looked at us with their judging eyes. Pero may nakikita akong iba sa kanilang mga mata, hindi ko lang maconfirm kung ito nga ba o hindi.

Again, no one dared to say anything. But what shocked me the most was that Audrey was smiling while looking at us. Hindi ko alam kung totoong nakangiti nga siya ng walang halong kaplastikan o sadyang pinaplastik niya lang ito. I couldn't clearly understand what that smile was for pero isa lang ang sigurado ako.

Sadness and pain are visible in her eyes. Damn! I caused her pain, disappointment, and pain again.

"Audrey, I—" Before I could approach her, William immediately stop me. Naramdaman ko ding medyo humigpit ang pagkakakapit ng braso niya sa bewang ko.

"Why?" I was confused. I looked up at him, waiting for him to answer, but he didn't respond.

Hindi nga siya sumagot pero iginaya niya ako palabas ng library. Hindi ako nag-angat ng tingin hanggat hindi namin nalalagpasan ang mga taong nakakita dahil nga ayokong magtagpo ang mga mata at baka kung ano pa ang makita ko dun.

Hanggang sa nakalabas kami ay tsaka lang ako nakahinga. Pero hindi pa ganu kaluwag.

"Breath, love." Hindi ko narealize na nagpipigil na pala ako ng hininga. Nakatuon parin kase ang atensyon ko sa mga mukha nila at hindi ko masyadong naintindihan ang ibinulong niya.

Bumagal na din ang paghakbang ko kaya napahinto ako ng huminto siya.

"Why did you stop?" Tanong ko sa mahinang boses habang nakatingin sa kaniya. Nang hindi ako nakarinig ng sagot ulit ay tumalikod na ako at akmang maglalakad na nang bigla niya akong hatakin pabalik at binuhat na parang bagong kasal.

"Put me down, William. I can walk on my own." I protested, but he didn't oblige and just kept on walking.

"I said put me—"

"Are you going to stay still and let me carry you, or do I have to kiss you first for you to let me carry you?" Seriousness is visible in his voice as he asks that question that made me stop.

I shut my mouth after, that made him sigh.

"I know what you're thinking. So, just lean your head on me and close your eyes. Just stop thinking about what their face was saying a while ago. Forget about it for the meantime. Please, love."

I just hope you won't fall for his tricks, Althea. Just please, don't!