Querencia (Midnight #1)

Chapter 29

warning : sexual harassment

Twenty-nine
ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈✧༺♥༻∞

Napuno ng katahimikan ang paligid.

Tanging paghinga na lang naming dalawa ang dinig dahil sa katahimikang bumabalot sa aming dalawa. Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata at sinubukang bawiin ang kamay ko mula sa kanyang pagkakahawak, lumuwag lamang iyon ngunit hindi niya pinakawalan ang hawak sa akin.

It reflects on how our relationship goes now.

I tried to let myself go from him, but he didn't let go—the way he stared at me was evident that made me believe that he still holds me the way he holds me right now.

Ang kaninang pagkatuwa ko dahil sa narinig na wala ang binata sa kanilang silid-aralan ay nawala na parang bula.

I would rather wish seeing him there than seeing him here—this close that I can clearly hear how he breathes.

"Bitiwan mo 'ko," ani ko.

"No." Aniya sa matigas na tinig.

"Bitiwan mo 'ko." Muli kong sabi.

"I'll only do that when you let me hear and explain everything that happened that night, Harmony." Pagmamatigas niya.

My forehead knotted. "Maxeus, let's-"

"You called me Maxeus again. . ." he trailed off.

"What?" Tanong ko.

"When we were in The Beanery. . . you introduced me as Gavin. Tang ina, sino si Gavin, Harmony? You used to call me Maxeus. . . please, keep on calling me Maxeus. I love hearing that name on your lips," pagmamakaawa niya.

Parang humigpit ang puso ko nang marinig ko ang tono ng boses niya. Parang gusto ko siyang biglang sunggaban ng yakap.

I want to tell him how much I miss him, that I don't mean to offend him by calling his second name.

Nanatili akong tahimik at nakikinig lamang sa kanya, muli lamang kaming binalot ng katahimikan.

He cleared his throat. "Harmony. . ." aniya. "Please, hear me out. Hear me explaining everything, Harmony, please."

Tinitigan ko siya. "Maxeus, let's just. . . move on, let's just forget what happened."

Nagsalubong ang kilay niya. "Forget? Move on? Harmony, you haven't heard me explaining what happened that night yet, and now you want me to just move on and forget about it?" Halos isigaw niya ang mga iniwika niya ngunit pigil na pigil ang kanyang itsura.

I gritted my teeth. "There's. . . no reason for you to explain, Maxeus."

"There is." Pagpipilit niya.

"Walang tayo, Maxeus! Stop this and just move on!" I said, trying to calm myself down.

Kita ko ang pagpungay ng kanyang mata. "Tang ina, Harmony-"

"Minumura mo ba 'ko?"

His eyes widened. "No!" He panicked. "I would never do that. Wrong word of choice. . . fuck,"

Naalala kong naghihintay sa akin si Ma'am Jema at ang mga kaklase ko kaya naman ang binalot ng pag-aalala ang sistema ko.

"C-can you let go of my wrist now?" Nagmamadali kong tanong.

His jaw clenched. "Harmony, let me explain everything first, please. . ."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Don't you have classes?"