Forgotten Heartstrings

Chapter 22

Imagine, nililigawan ni Eris pero hindi pa niya sinasagot, 'yun pala may ibang nilalandi.

Agad namuo ang luha sa mga mata ko. Tears blur my sight and I feel like I cannot contain it anymore. Lumalakas ang tibok ng puso ko at bumibigat ang pakiramdam ko.

Kahit 'yung photos namin ni Hugo sa loob ng kotse niya ay hindi nila pinaglagpas. Hindi ko na alam sino ang may pakana ng pagkuha ng photos namin at sirain ako hindi lang kay Eris kundi sa buong school.

"Don't worry, I'll do everything para malaman sino ang nasa likod ng post na 'to," saad ni Ender at hinaplos ang likod ko.

Hindi ko alam bakit mas nadala ako sa paghalpos niya sa likod ko at tumulo ang luhang kanina pa namumuo sa mga mata ko.

"Kilala kita, Gab. Alam kong walang katotohanan ang lahat ng pinagsasabi nila tungkol sa iyo," dagdap pa niya.

Napatingin ako sa kanya at nakita ko ang awa sa mga mata niya.

I blinked away the tears that brimmed on my eyes once again, forcing myself to look at the hateful comments and cruel memes plastered across the school's public group page. Each comment felt like a dagger to my heart.

"Flirting with Hugo and Ender while Eris is courting him? What a cheater."

"Does Gab have no shame?"

"Poor Eris, he deserves better."

My breath hitched, and I let out a choked sob. The photos were taken without my knowledge, capturing moments that, out of context, painted me as a betrayer.

The captions were merciless, and the comments were even worse. I felt my world collapsing around me.

The intense pain made me keep shaking my head, unable to comprehend what had happened. "How could they do this to me? How could Eris have allowed this to happen?" My voice trembled as feelings of betrayal and hurt overwhelmed me. I had invested my trust in Eris, hoping for a genuine connection between us. Now, it all seemed like a deceitful illusion.

Ender's compassionate gaze was filled with understanding and empathy as he spoke. "People are often too quick to pass judgment, especially when they are unaware of the full story. But you, Gab, know the truth. Those who genuinely care about you will see it as well."

"But my reputation... my life here... it's ruined." My voice was barely above a whisper, my words laced with despair.

Ender pulled me closer, letting my head rest on his shoulder. "We'll find a way to fix this. Right now, you need to take care of yourself. Let the storm pass."

I closed my eyes, trying to focus on Ender's words, trying to find some semblance of peace in the chaos. But the hurt was too raw, the betrayal too fresh. "I thought Eris cared about me. How could he let this happen?"

Ender sighed, his hand still gently rubbing my back. "Eris is not the man you expected to be, Gab. He doesn't deserve you."

I wanted to believe that, and wanted to cling to the hope that Eris wasn't part of this. But the doubt gnawed at me, each cruel comment a reminder of how easily trust could be shattered. I opened my eyes, staring at the ground, my tears soaking into the dusty path beneath my feet.

"Why do people hate so easily?" My voice was tinged with bitterness.

Ender had no easy answer for me. "Fear, jealousy, misunderstanding. People can be cruel when they don't understand something or someone. But that doesn't mean you have to face this alone."