This Love's Complicated

KABANATA 9 (Part 2): Ang Pagtatapat ng mga Masalimuot na Nakaraan

-Josh's POV-

Right after the rehearsal, I went to where Wilson was and suprisingly, I saw Erlyn with him. I decided to redirect and get my drinks first. Geez, I felt I was dehydrated because of the rehearsal. My sweats were still overflowing.

"Dude, may I?", I asked Wilson seeing him smiling towards Erlyn. My brows raised and my faced was puzzled because of disbelief.

He just nodded that he couldn't cut their conversation. I seated next to him putting my bottled water on the table. I paused for a while.

"Dude, did I miss something?", I asked to confirm what's on my mind. At last, he cut their conversation to speak.

"None. Nothing important dude."

"I think we need to talk seriously, dude. Tomorrow?"

"Yup. No problem."

I decided to stand. I felt I was aloft.

"Dude, my dad texted me to go home now", I lied. "Need a ride?"

"Nope. We're good dude. I need to pass by her house", he said while winking at me which I already knew what it was.

I went directly to where my car was parked. Just in time when I got inside the car that the rain fell hard. I started to maneuver.

Half way before I reached the main gate, I saw someone was walking under the heavy rain. She was just walking slowly as if walking under a sunny day.

I slowed down and opened the side windows.

"Are you okay?", I shouted so she can hear me.

She looked at me on her very wet face and so her KPop dress. Her hair was terribly positioned, Alex looked at me terribly. She was so helpless that she just nodded to answer me.

"Need a ride?", I offered again.

"I'm okay."

"Are you sure? I can take you home."

"NO NEED TO WORRY!", she yelled in her angry voice.

"Okay. If you insist."

I drove forward, leaving her behind, till I reached the main gate. When the vertical clearance opened, I had a second thought about her. I shouldn't leave her there. I made a fast u-turn drift going back to where she was.

I stopped the car as fast as I could - making her a little bit scared.

I opened the car's door for her.

"GET IN!", I shouted.

"ARE YOU DEAF?! I SAID, I WON'T GET INSIDE THAT DAMN CAR!", she shouted even louder.

She gave me no choice. I went outside the car and force her to get in.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?", she yelled while I grabbed her hand.

"Aren't you going in or I will carry you?"

"NO. YOU WO....AHHHHH!"

I carried her while she was trying to escape.

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAPPPPPPEEEEE!", she yelled.

"SUSH! STOP IT. Nobody can hear your scream." I put her down on the seat beside me and managed to lock the door. I made sure that she won't escape and run.

"BOBO ka ba?! What's wrong with you?", she shouted while trying to escape.

"Ikaw, what's wrong with you?! Papatayin mo ba ang sarili mo?", I yelled.

"Wala kang pakialam. Tanga ka ba? Diba, ayaw kong sumakay?"

"You're welcome ha. And besides, I'm not doing this for you. I'm just making sure na walang bad omen before my gig. SO, STOP BEING MAARTE AND SHUT UP!"

"Ibaba mo na nga lang ako."

"No! You sit there and tell me where your house is."

She kept quite and I started driving then. I can't explain her embarrassment towards me of forcing to take her home. I can't even explain her facial expression that moment.

While driving, I managed to open my luggage to get a clean towel. I gave it to her to make herself dry. She received it without saying anything.

"You know, saying thank you isn't that bad at walang bayad. So, you can use it for free", I said trying to annoy her.

She did not react and again, said nothing but showing her gesture of embarrassment.

"Hey, ano palang ginagawa mo doon?"

"Nung pakialam mo?", she murmured.

I smiled because of her response.

"Alam mo, lalo kang magiging pangit kapag nakasimangut ka."

She frowned and made some facial gestures of disagreement. Again, I just smiled.

"Ganyan ka ba talaga sa mga taong nagmamalasakit sayo? Ni ayaw mong pinapakitaan ka ng kabutihan. O, mas gusto mong inaaway ka tulad sa classroom?"

She looked at me as if she wanted devoured me alive.

"THOSE IDIOTS?!"

"Hey, your mouth is so rude."

"What do you want me to call them?! ANGELS?! They are nothing but a bunch of fools and damn idiots."

"Whatever. Hindi ko naman siguro mababago ang paniniwala mo sa buhay."

"I better died."

I laughed hard because I thought she just cracked a joke.

"That explains why you made yourself looked like a wet chick back there. Eh...hindi ka naman mamamatay dahil lang sa ulan. Hello?"

She gave me an evil looks. Maybe, I annoyed her that much.

"I mean, how about your parents. For sure, they'll be very worried to you."

"Hindi naman nila alam. And I think, wala silang pakialam. If they care for me, then they wouldn't have left me."

I was puzzled. Is this what Wilson told me before?

"What do you mean?" I curiously asked.

"They went to States for their job. They left me without realizing that I need them."

"You know what? You're still lucky to have them. Mabuti ka pa nga kasi makakausap mo pa sila. Mayayakap. And, you will have the chance to tell them how much you love them. Eh ako, wala na..."

She looked at me seriously. I paused for a while trying to content my lamentation inside.

"...they died in a car accident when I was 8. Since then, si Uncle Mark ko na ang nag-aruga at nagpalaki sa'kin. And since then, I promised to my parents that I will do everything to make them proud. Kaya nga siguro minsan, sa sobrang determined ko, hindi ko namamalayan na nagiging suplado na ako sa tingin ng ibang tao."

I smiled to ease my feelings. She did too. There was a sudden moment of silence that made the rain stopped for that very moment.

She finally talked again when she said, "Diyan na pala ang bahay namin."

I stopped the car in front of their gate. I managed to open the door for her.

"Gusto mo, sunduin na kita bukas. Dito din kasi ako dadaan."

"Sure. Salamat nga pala." She smiled at me and so with her eyes.

"Basta, huwag ka lang sisigaw ng RAPE bukas", I joked.

We both smiled and bade each other a sweet night.

* * *

[Keep on voting and leaving a comment.]

[Let me know what you're thinking. Thank you.]