In Love with the Beast [ABWC Spin-Off]

Chapter 52

[Honey]

She couldn't believe what she just heard from Ali. She waited for him to say it was only a joke, but no words like that came from his mouth as he remained silent too while staring straight into her eyes.

"Hon... "

Pinanghinaan kaagad siya ng mga tuhod sa simpleng pagtawag lang na iyon.  Pinilit niyang panatilihin ang tuwid na ekspresyon sa kanyang mukha habang nananatili pa rin si Ali na nakaluhod. Tumayo si Honey at kuyom ang mga kamao na lumapit dito.

"Get up," utos niya pero hindi ito kumilos. Sa inis niya ay sinipa niya ito, "ano ba?! Sinabi ko nang tumayo ka riyan, eh!"

Sapilitan niyang hinatak si Ali patayo kahit hindi naman ito matinag sa pamimisikal niya. Ano ba naman kasing panama ng lakas niya sa bigat ng katawan ng lalaking ito? Pero sa huli ay sumunod din si Ali dahil sa pag-aalala nito sa ginagawang pamumwersa niya sa sarili. She's still pregnant after all.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear anything." Tumalikod siya pero mabilis na hinuli ni Ali ang palapulsuan niya para pigilan.

"I meant what I said."

"Stop it." Tinanggal niya ang pagkakahawak nito sa kanya. "Tinatablan ka lang marahil ng konsensya mo kaya mo nasasabi 'yan. Pero gaya ng sinabi ko, you have nothing to worry about dahil hindi kita inoobliga. I am the mother of this child and this is my decision."

"What about mine, then?" Nabato siya sa kinatatayuan niya dahil hindi niya inaasahan ang sinabi nito. "Akin din ang batang dinadala mo. You're not the sole parent of that child, Honey. I am too... I am the father."

"Shut up! Akala ko ba nagkakaintindihan na tayo? You told me you'll let me decide—"

"I want to keep it if you're going to consider my decision too."

"Fuck—no!" she screamed. "Stop pretending like you care for this child!"

"Stop pretending too that you don't care about that child." His voice became colder. "I know. you can't drop it either."

"Wala kang alam, so don't act like you know what's going on in my mind. Tigilan mo ang pakikialam mo sa gusto kong gawin and move on with your life." 

As if she never came by to taint it.

"Honey, I just want us to avoid doing something we'll both regret in the future."

"I won't! I won't regret it!" she lied because the moment she said those words, her heart felt a sharp pain inside her chest.

"Honey."

She faked a smile. "Hindi ba't nagsisisi ka naman talaga na nakilala mo 'ko? You regret meeting me, the moment you knew about your past kaya 'wag mo nang subukan kunin ang loob ko dahil hindi ako tanga para maniwala pa sa 'yo."

"That kid is innocent."

"I know! That's why I don't want to drag it into this mess! Why would you want to keep the result of your mistake?"

"Because it has nothing to do with my past. Just like what you said, the kid is innocent. Let's not involve it in whatever mess we have."

"And then what? Shall we raise it like any other child out there who was deprived of having a complete family and thus grows up to hate the world?"

"Our child's life is different from others," he contested. 

She laughed sarcastically. "What's the difference if they both end up having broken families?"

"That's what we'll try to make work as parents, Honey." He tried to reach her but she stepped back to avoid him. Kung ayaw nitong magpatalo, pwes hindi rin siya magpapatalo.