Forbidden Relationship (Forbidden Series #3) (Completed)

Chapter 28

"Ihahatid ka ni Kuya Yhael?" tanong sa akin ni Sovie nang maihatid na niya si Daniel sa kwarto nito.

Kaming dalawa na lang ang natirang gising dahil tulog ng pareho si Yhael at Kuya Zhack habang nakasandig sa sofa.

"Hindi ko nga alam e. Sabi niya magpapahinga lang siya pero hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin gising," sagot ko habang pinagmamasdan si Yhael na tulog na tulog.

"Gisingin ko—"

"'Wag na. Magpapasundo na lang ako," putol ko sa sinasabi niya.

"Eh, baka hanapin ka niyan paggising niya," sinabi ni Sovie.

"Hindi—"

"Aphle." Sabay kaming napalingon kay Yhael nang marinig naming tinawag niya sa ako sa mahinang boses. Nakapikit siya pero nakakunot ang kaniyang noo.

When I looked at Sovie, her eyes were wide and she seemed to want to laugh. "Why?" I asked.

Umiling-iling siya habang natatawa. "Gisingin mo na nga 'yang si Kuya Yhael. Kung ano-ano nang napapanaginipan niya."

I grab Yhael’s arm and shake him gently. "Yhael," I say, trying to wake him up.

When he opens his eyes, they widen as he stares at me in disbelief. "Are you okay? Why is your face red?" I ask.

Ginulo niya ang kaniyang buhok bago umiling. "Wala 'to. Dahil lang sa alak," sagot niya.

Tumayo siya bago inayos ang uniform na suot. Tumingin siya kay Sovie bago nagsalitang muli; "Sov, ikaw na magsabi sa Kuya mo na umuwi ako. Ihahatid ko pa kasi si Aphle."

"Ihahatid mo pa ako?" tanong ko sa kaniya.

"Oo," sagot niya. "Nakapagpahinga na rin naman ako. Madali akong malasing pero madali ring matanggal ang tama ko."

Tumango-tango ako bago tumayo para kunin na ang bag ko. Yhael and I said goodbye to Sovie before we left there.

***

One and a half months have passed. Today is the first day of the quarterly examination for the first quarter.

I don’t talk to anyone in the room, even though, over the past few weeks, they’ve been paying more attention to me—both the girls and the boys. Sometimes, I even get included in their gossip about a teacher.

"Aphle, sama ka sa 'min!" sigaw ni Sovie na nakatayo sa pintuan ng room.

I raised the reviewer I reading to answer her invitation non-verbally. She shook her head at me before coming over and sitting next to me.

Our classmates were at the door, waiting for us. "Tara na. Tama na 'yang review mo. Wala nang binatbat sa 'yo si Rich."

Umiling ako. "Hindi ako pwede mag-failed. Ayokong maging failure sa mata ng mga magulang ko. Alam mo naman 'yon, 'di ba?" sinabi ko.

Bumuntong hininga siya bago tumango. "Sige, review ka na riyan." Sinabi niya bago tumayo at bumalik sa mga kaklase namin syaka sila umalis para pumuntang canteen.

When I can no longer see them or hear their laughter, I just hold my breath and stare at the reviewer on my armrest.

I want to join them and have fun—but I can’t. I know I’ll cry later because of what Mommy and Daddy will say when I fail this exam for choosing fun over studying.

"If you want to be happy, choose it. Don’t confine yourself to the words in your notebook," I hear Rich say. He’s second in the class.

I turn to him, giving him my full attention.
"You won’t be a failure if you don’t believe you are."