Under His Sheets

Chapter 28

Nang makarating kami sa condo unit ko, padabog niyang isinarado ang pinto saka humarap sa akin.

"What is that guy doing there?!" bulyaw niya sa akin.

Humarap ako sa kan'ya at tiningnan siya nang deretso sa mga mata. "For my parents, he's a family. He needs to know what happened to them. They need him."

He took a deep breath. "Ako na ang nandito. Hindi ba p'wedeng sa akin na lang nila hingin ang mga kailangan nila? I can provide for everything!"

"But you can't provide the ten years that Leo had with them! He was a son for them, Hunter! He did things I couldn't do for them. He gave them comfort when things got tough! I couldn't give them that because I have been holding grudges against them! Si Leo lang ang nasa tabi nila kapag lumalayo ako dahil sa sama ng loob ko sa kanila!"

I looked away as my tears quickly dropped on my shirt. Mabilis ko 'yong pinunasan. Matagal siyang nanahimik matapos kong sabihin 'yon. It might not be the whole reason why I called Leo but that's the main one. He needed to know because my parents loved him like they're his own son.

"And what help did you ask him?" I looked at him once again. "He said you needed his help, that's why you called him there."

I gulped as I took a deep breath. "I asked him to sell my car to his friend who religiously buy used cars but at a good price."

He took a deep breath once again, running his fingers through his hair out of frustration. "And you think I couldn't do that?! Must you ask for someone else's help when I'm just right here?!" He held the both sides of my shoulders, slightly shaking me. "Palamuti lang ba ako sa buhay mo? Hindi ko ba kaya, Areeya? Ano bang tingin mo sa akin, ha?"

Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kan'ya, patuloy lang sa pag-agos ang mga luha ko.

"You're nothing to me. You're just a fuck buddy. You're a sex slave to me. You're never a friend, a suitor, or anything else. Aside from being a fuck buddy and a sex slave, you're just a boss to me that I will never, ever, ask for a help no matter what happens. You're just a person I need to keep beside me because you satisfy my needs, Hunter. That's just you to me."

I saw how his face softened, eyes started glistening like the stars. After I said that, I removed his hands on both of my shoulders and turned my back on him.

"Just leave. Ako na ang bahalang mag-prepare ng mga kailangan ko."

He took a deep breath. "I bought everything that you need because I thought you'd be alone there for so long. I came back immediately because I thought you'd be hungry and tired. I didn't know you'd be with him there."

I looked at him once again. "Get a fucking refund for all of those. Hindi ko kailangan ng mga bagong gamit sa pagbabantay sa tatay ko sa hospital. Just leave me alone, kaya ko nang pumunta do'n mag-isa."

He gulped, stayed silent the whole minute while staring at me. Ilang sandali pa, nagbuntonghininga siya bago nagsalita.

"You think you can drive in that state?"

Napakunot-noo ako sa sinabi niya. "What?"

"You're shaking. You're hands are trembling. You think I can leave you all alone just because I was fucking hurt with everything you told me?"

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. Tiningnan ko ang mga kamay kong nanginginig pareho. Even my arms are sore because it must've been shaking for a few minutes already. Napatingin ako kay Hunter nang marinig ko ang paghakbang niya papalapit. Ilang sandali pa, niyakap niya ako nang mahigpit.

"I'm sorry, Areeya. I'm sorry, I hurt you. I'm sorry, my love."

After hearing those from him, I burst into tears.