LOWKEY | Mikha Lim

14

Cray Mendez's Point of View

I marched into the house, my parents trailing right behind me, still caught up in the lingering formalities of the ceremony that had just ended. Pero wala na akong oras para dito. My mind was already set. I was getting out of here and heading straight back to Quezon City.

"You've been living the life you wanted, Cray Adrianna. You can't just back out of this major decision now," Dad’s voice came in hard and unyielding, like a judge handing down a sentence.

I clenched my fists so tightly I could feel my nails digging into my palms. The weight of everything was crashing down on me, suffocating me. "If I had known the mess my decisions would make, I would've done anything to rewind time, to let you have your way with my life!" My voice was raw with frustration.

"Adrianna, watch your tone! That's your father you're talking to!" Mom’s voice cut through the air, a mixture of authority and something that sounded almost like fear.

I whipped around to face her, tears blurring my vision. "Mom, you agreed to this? You’re really okay with marrying me off to someone I don’t even love?"

She hesitated, but then she sighed, as if accepting some unavoidable truth. "I thought you and Felix were close. He's a good boy, Cray, and he would be a perfect husband."

Putangina.

My anger flared up even hotter, pushing me to the edge. "You only say that because you guys married out of love! Was this your plan all along? To give me the freedom I wanted as a child, just to trap me later on? This is worse than sending a pig to slaughter!"

My voice echoed through the house, filled with pain. Hindi ko na inintay na makapagsalita pa sila ulit, I grabbed my things, every movement fueled by adrenaline and a desperate need to escape.

I stormed out, pero bago pa man ako makapasok sa kotse ko, Gov blocked my way.

"Cray, where are you going?" he demanded, grabbing my arm to stop me.

Hinawi ko ang kamay niya using every ounce of strength I had. "You knew all about it, didn't you?"

Natahimik siya at napaiwas ng tingin, that silence told me everything I needed to know. I knew it.

"Is this why, out of all the students in school, you jumped through all those hoops just to get me under your authority? To get close to me? You really think that’s going to work? Huh, Miller?"

His expression darkened. "You’re too fucking dense, Cray. I’ve liked you since you were 10. I tried so hard to get your attention. Why can’t you fucking see that?!"

My heart pounded in my chest, not out of affection, but anger. "Because I don’t like you! I thought you were my friend. You were just playing with me all along. You and your dirty little tricks."

His face fell, but I didn’t care. I was done. I turned my back on him, got in my car, and drove off without looking back, leaving him standing there with nothing but the truth to deal with.

.

Mikha Lim's Point of View

I've been calling Cray for like a hundred times already, literally.

"Mikhs, kanina ka pa sa phone mo..." Aiah approached me on the corner of the room.

"Tawag na ba tayo?" Tanong ko while still dialling Cray's number.

Kahapon pa si Cray hindi nagrereply sa mga message ko. I'm starting to get worried. It's already Sunday morning at mayroon pa kaming dance practice but I manage trying to call Cray from time to time in case na sumagot siya.