Not Strong Enough
One time, I heard the long-gone story of Icarus. There were few events in his life, but one thing struck my unbothered thoughts: it was his own fall. He loved the sun too much, only to be scorched back into the earthly soil. He wanted the heights of heaven only to see how human he was to be hurt. He dared to be more than what he was. Fools, it was a repeating history that those who wished to be more would find themselves hanging on a thin, loose thread, strangling their dreams. How could Icarus not feel the heat of the sun and how weightless his flight was? How could Icarus adore the sun, knowing his wings would melt? How could Icarus not fear gazing into death's eye? Much more than that, the real question was, how pathetic am I to be like Icarus after knowing his senseless death?
"Alannah?"
My eyes wavered. There was something in that voice. I looked at Dos.
"Hmm?" Iyon na lamang ang tangi kong nasabi. Pinanood ni Dos ang aking mukha habang ang kanyang gitara ay nakapatong sa kanyang hita. Pinagmasdan ko lamang siya.
"May problema ba?" Bakas ang sinseridad sa kanyang boses. Pinagmasdan ko ang hardin nina Dos. Nandito ako ngayon sa bahay nila.
Ilang araw na rin ang lumipas simula nang pinili kong huwag munang kausapin si lola. Hindi ito alam ni Dos. Nang ayain ako ni Dos na bumisita sa bahay nila upang higit pang makilala ang kanyang mga magulang ay hindi na ako nagdalawang isip na pumayag pa. Ipinaalam naman ako ni Dos kay lola.
"Wala," tugon ko at ngumiti. Higit pang lumapit si Dos sa akin.
"Weh?" aniya. Kumurap ang aking mga mata.
"Wala akong problema." Malamig ang aking boses.
"You're lying," he said in a way that it appeared to be a joke. My eyes sharpened.
"ANO BA! TUMAHIMIK KA NGA MUNA! SALITA KA NANG SALITA!" Malakas ang aking pagkakasabi kung kaya naman nanlaki ang kaanyang mga mata.
Maging ako ay nagulat sa aking inasal.
Now I've done it. I never spoke to him like this. I really... I really could not control myself. I did not know when I started to act like this. It's like... It's like I'm starting to hate everything. Maybe not him... but maybe.... sooner or later... I might come to hate him...
"Alannah-" Before he could speak another word, I stood up and decided to walk away. He grabbed my arm and gently forced me to face him. I feel like my eyes would bleed anytime soon.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Don't hate me! Don't hate me! Don't leave me! I will not do it again! Promise! I promise! I'll be gentler this time. I will not yell again!"
My repeating, almost choked-up words became a blur in my ears. It kept echoing, but it wasn't clear enough for me to hear how painful everything was. It wasn't loud enough for me to feel how scattered my thoughts were, how messy my feelings were, or how pathetic my crying face was.
Dos, with no hesitation, grabbed my elbow and removed my hands that were covering my face. He then held my face, placed a kiss on my forehead, and fixed my disheveled hair.
"Hush... hush... now, now, it's okay. Hindi ako galit, okay? Shhh. Tahan na."
BINABASA MO ANG
Just a Pain Reliever (Pinili Series #1)
Romance"Why does the candle lose its flame when the wind blows?" It was a question that neither Cupid nor the gods could answer. It was an abyss of bliss. A question that takes a lifetime to be answered. A question that only people who adore each other wo...
