SECRETLY LOVING YOU

CHAPTER 2

“YOU CAN USE the bathroom first,”Jack told Elise who was still staring at her bed, their bed, to be precise.“So, you could change and take a rest.”

“I still don’t get it,”Elise instead answered with confusion and irritation in her tone.“I’ve got my own room. Why do they have to move my things here? Why do we have to share a room?”

She let out a deep sigh before she responds,“Because Inay is right, Elise. We’re married now kaya dapat lang na—”

“We’re only married on paper, Jack.”Elise abruptly cut her off, full of disgust and annoyance. Even her eyes were filled with these emotions.“We don’t have to do this. This is not right. We are still siblings. All of this should not have happened in the first place!”

Pakiramdam niya naumid ang dila niya.

“This is all a mistake, Jack. Our marriage is a mistake! We don’t even love each other the way real lovers do. Paano mo ba nasisikmura ang lahat ng ito?”

Mas lalong naumid ang dila niya. Hindi siya makasagot. Even her poor heart was shattered again. Nakakatawa. How many times did Elise cause her pain without Elise’s knowledge? Hindi niya na mabilang. Ang sakit. Ang sakit-sakit na ng nararamdaman niya. When Elise didn’t hear anything from her, she turned her back on her with heavy legs and went straight to the bathroom.

Us? Siblings?

Jack snorted at the thought. They are not even blood related for pete’s sake! Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman ni Elise ang tungkol sa bagay na iyon kaya talagang naiirita siya sa tuwing ginigiit nitong magkapatid silang dalawa. At anong sabi nito sa kaniya? They don’t even love each other the way real lovers do? Pagak na natawa siya. Marahil ito, oo. But what about her? Mahinang napamura siya. She’s been romantically in love with her for years! She chuckled bitterly.

Yeah, right. Paano ko nga ba nasisikmura ang lahat ng sakit na idinudulot niya sa puso ko?

Nagpakawala siya ng malalim na buntong hininga. She can’t blame Elise, though. Pitong taong gulang pa lang siya habang ito naman ay limang taong gulang nang ipagkatiwala siya ng kaniyang mommy sa ina nito bago pumanaw ang kaniyang mommy. They became inseparable since then. Elise had always considered her as her sister. Nothing more, nothing less.

Iyon din naman ang akala niyang nararamdaman niya noon para kay Elise. Akala na isa palang maling akala when she had realized that she loves Elise more than just a sister. Napatunayan niya iyon sa sarili when she felt a sharp pang of jealousy for the very first time, at the very young age of ten. It was Valentine’s day. Tandang-tanda pa niya kung paano unang naramdaman ang sakit at kirot sa mura niyang puso dulot ng matinding selos noong araw na iyon.

JACK WAS HEADING her way back to the tree house with a huge smile plastered on her face. Ang tree house ay sadyang pinagawa pa para sa kaniya ng mommy niya noong nabubuhay pa ito. Iyon na rin ang naging playhouse nila ni Elise simula nang naging malapit sila sa isa’t-isa. Halos hindi na nga sila mapaghiwalay na dalawa dahil parating umiiyak si Elise mawala lang siya sandali sa tabi nito. They were that close.

She looked at the three long-stemmed white roses she was holding. It was Elise’s favorite flower. Siya pa ang pumitas ng mga iyon. Patunay na roon ang mga sugat na natamo niya sa mga kamay niya dahil sa mga tinik na mayroon ang tangkay ng rosas. Natitiyak niyang matutuwa si Elise kapag nakita nito ang paborito nitong bulaklak. Mas lalo pang lumawak ang ngiti sa mga labi niya. Binilisan din niya ang paglalakad. She almost running. Nasa ibaba na siya ng tree house nang natigil sa ere ang paghakbang niya.