Answered Prayer

CHAPTER 9

APOLLO'S POV.

I know I fucked up, I definitely did. Ara has nothing to do with my messed up life and decisions. It was me who decided to help her that day, I mean... it's the only right thing to do, and she has been nothing but a kind soul, showing how grateful she was but I was an asshole. I regret lashing out to her like that, and so instead of going to the deans office for my redemption,  I immediately made a u-turn and went straight to find Arabelle to apologize for my barbaric actions.

I checked every possible class she could be attending pero wala siya don at imposible naman tumambay lang siya kung saan man sa campus ngayong malakas ang ulan. So, I concluded that she might have went home.

Waisting no time, agad akong pumara ng tricycle papuntang Tondo. It was still raining cats and dogs when I reached my destination. But I don't care kahit mabasa ako, I can not let Ara feel like it was her fault. Alam kong gago ako pero she doesn't deserve that kind of treatment.

Mabait siyang tao, she has a pure and kind soul. She deserves to be respected.

Mga isang kanto pa ang dapat kong lakarin gayong nasa looban ang bahay nila pero hindi ko alintana 'yun pati na ang malakas na buhos ng ulan. There was almost no one outside, maliban sa mga batang nagtatakbuhan at naliligo sa ulan.

I was about to enter the alleyway that leads direct to their house when I caught sight of a girl in a corner. Her back was facing me and it's as if she was trying her to make herself smaller para magkasya sa silong at hindi mabasa.

If it was just a random kid I would definitely just live them alone. I don't give a fuck, mabasa siya kung gusto niya.

But the little hunch that I have is keeping me from going back to my original route.

The girls stance feels oddly familiar...

And so, I took a step near her and tapped her shoulder.

"Arabella?" I asked in confusion.

The moment she faced me, with tears falling down her checks, pakiramdam ko pinagbagsakan ako ng langit at lupa.

Guilt immediately seeped throughout my system.

I'm a fucking asshole.

She was sitting there... Hunched in the corner, trying her best not to be soaked in the rain if she already wasn't.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit nauwi siya sa ganitong sitwasyon. I thought she went home. Pero kung ano man ang magyari sigurado ako, it was partly my fault.

I should't have snapped at her like that, everyone of us has different stories outside school, I may had a rough day or week pero that was still not a reason. Hindi ko alam ang istorya niya, ang mga problemang hinaharap niya. And it seems like I made her situation worst.

All of that being said, alam 'kong wala narin akong magagawa hindi ko na mababawi lahat ng nasabi at nagawa ko kanina. All I can do know is to make ammends with her. Kailangan kong bumawi, I need to make sure she doesn't get sick.

With that in mind, I shook my head as I try to bring my focus back to the girl in front of me. It's still raining hard and I need to dry her up asap.

Still not knowing what to do as she was still crying and just looking at me.  Agad kong kinuha ang extrang hoodie sa loob ng bag ko at maingat na inilagay iyun sa ulo niya as I tried to ask her softy.

"A-Ara are you okay? Anong nangyari?"

As I ask the question, hinanda ko na ang sarili ko na masisi sa kinahinatnan niya, kasalanan ko naman talaga. Kaya okay lang na sumbatan niya ako, hampasin, duruin o ano man.