Alejandro's Hombre

Ch. 24: when it's gone, it's gone

"Infidelity does not come from the lack of Love; it comes from the lack of Respect."

no one said anything in that house. they're all seated on the boca de lobo sofas, across each other. Xander is sitting next to Chandler, with the latter's parents. Carlos sits on the other one with their father, while Khairie just sits boredly on the single seater. hindi ito sumama sa Lola nito, tyahin at pinsan sa loob ng guest room kung nasaan si Amethyst---ang  babaeng hindi nya na alam kung ituturing pa ba nyang kasintahan. hindi nya na alam dahil sa totoo lang, wala syang nararamdaman. He's supposed to be mad, upset---but he felt nothing.

"Xander..."

He turn his head around to see who's calling him. It's Khairie.

"I'm sorry. for whatever will be the outcome of this, I'm sorry." he said, his voice is edgy as if he's going to cry. "I hope, w-we'll still be friends after this. sana, walang magbago."

kung kanina akala nya ay wala syang nararamdaman----he now felt multiple things at once: regret. pain. betrayal. loss.

looking at how sad Khairie is, Xander could see what will happen if he shut himself down after all of this. He'll lost the people who matters most to him, the people who has always been with him all along. and the people who never betrayed his trust.

He smiled, though weakly.

"walang magbabago, Khai." he assured him. "our friendship has got nothing to do with this. you and I will still be the bestfriends we have always been."

the little guy beamed at him and gave him a hug. Chandler looked at them happily and patted Khairie's back. Carlos on the other hand just scoffed and rolled his eyes at them, in which tinaasan lang ng kilay ni Chandler. kahit kailan talaga, napaka-inggitero ng isang 'to.

"do you have any idea what's going on, Hijo? we're waiting for Dr. Bautista for confirmation, but we all knew here, Doctors that we are---what just happened meant."

It's his Tito Santiago, Chandler's father and his father's younger brother. isa rin itong Doktor, a hematologist and hemapathologist, at ang medical chief ng Hematology Department at Blood Bank ng ospital nila.

"I don't want to answer that, Tito. I'm sorry po." he replied and didn't talked further. nakaka-unawa namang tumango ito at hindi na nag-usisa pa.

"it's highly obvious naman what just happened. and we all know that dahil doktor tayong lahat dito, for Pete's sake. It's clear as day that she's pregnant and I won't even be surprised if it turns out that I'm right." Carlos said cockily, looking at his older brother smugly. "shall I congratulate you in advance... Kuya?"

Xander knew that his moronic brother only said these things to spite him. but he knew better and won't let this attention seeking buffoon get into his nerves.

"how about you shut the fuck up for once and stop putting words into anyone's mouth, Carlos." he said icily, looking at the mongrel dead in the eye. He had enough of his bullshits. "shut the fuck up or I'll close that disrespectful mouth of yours with my fist."

Carlos just smirked. sinasadya talaga nitong pikunin sya. at yan marahil ang mangyayari kapag hindi ito titigil.

at tama nga sya. wala itong balak tumigil.

"what's wrong with what i said? ano naman ngayon if she's really pregnant? ayaw mo nun, Kuya? you're going to be a father soon. She's your Fiancé, I'm sure naman na pananagutan mo sya hindi ba?"
wika nito na mahihimigan sa tono ng boses ang sarkasmo at kawalang-respeto. dito na napigtas ang natitirang pasensya ni Xander para dito.

He stood up abruptly and is about to smack the hell out of the piece of shit that's his brother, but both Chandler and Khairie held him back. ang kanila namang ama, na isa pang walang silbi---nakatingin lang sa kanilang magkapatid na halos magpatayan na kung wala pang pumipigil sa kanila.