GETTING TO KNOW MS. ANGER | MaColet

33 ARGUMENTS

YVES

Ang sarap ng tulog ko kagabi—walang gulo, walang iniisip. Kaya naman, maganda rin ang gising ko ngayong umaga.

Hopefully, nothing would ruin it.

I check the time and it's already 8 AM. Not too early, but not late enough to cause concern. After a quick stretch, I made my way to the bathroom and took a hot shower, the warm water easing any lingering tension in my muscles.

Pagkatapos ng isang mabilis na shower, I left my room, already thinking of making breakfast. Maybe eggs and toast, or something simple. Pero pagkakita ko pa lang kung sino ang nasa mahabang dining table namin, parang biglang naglaho ang lahat ng ganda ng umaga ko.

He’s sitting there, looking at me with that cold, familiar stare.

I hesitated, my hand gripping the doorframe. I could feel his eyes on me even though I refused to meet his gaze. I was about to turn around, hoping to avoid any confrontation this early in the morning, pero bago pa ako makalabas ng kusina ay nagsalita siya.

"You left Maki yesterday. And what time did you come home last night?"

I didn’t answer. Instead, I pretended I hadn’t heard him at naglakad na ako palayo, pero hindi pa man ako nakakalayo. Naramdaman ko na ang isang malamig na kamay na mahigpit na kumapit sa braso ko at agresibo akong hinarap.

"Wag mo akong tatalikuran kapag kinakausap kita." he shout, halos nagliliyab ang mga mata niya habang nakatingin sa akin.

Napatingin ako sa kamay niya na nakahawak sa braso ko at marahas kong tinabig iyon mula sa braso ko.

"I-I told you na may lakad ako with my friends, diba?" I said, my voice shaking.

"Pero anong ginawa mo? Pinilit mo pa rin na sundin ko ang gusto mo." this time hindi ko na napigilang tumaas ang boses.

“Friends? Friends nga ba talaga?!” he spat the word like it was something dirty. “Or are you talking about this new friend of yours, huh?” Inemphasize niya ang bawat salita lalo na yung huling binanggit. Ramdam ko ang panghuhusga sa tono ng boses niya.

"Maki told me everything. He said you left him for this… new friend." Dad continued, his voice rising with each word.

Of course, magsusumbong siya.

Biglang nawala ang lahat ng lakas sa boses ko. Naramdaman ko ang unang patak ng luha na pumunit sa mata ko. But I refused to cry in front of him. Not now.

"Your fiancé, Yves. You’re choosing that person over your own fiancé."

“Putcha naman, he’s not my fiancé!” I shouted, my voice breaking as I finally let the anger boil over. "At wala kang karapatan na diktahan kung sino ang makakasama ko!" I was shaking now, my fists clenched at my sides.

My dad’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing like a storm brewing in his expression. “Don’t you dare curse at me, young lady. Ako pa rin ang nagpapakain sayo. And when I say you’re going to marry Maki, you will marry him. No arguments.”

"Mapilit ka rin naman, bakit hindi na lang ikaw ang magpakasal sa kanya, ha?" I shouted once again.

The words were bitter on my tongue, but they felt like the only thing I had left. I couldn’t let him control me anymore.

His jaw tightened, kita ko ang galit sa pagkibot ng mga ugat sa kanyang mukha. Napapikit pa siya saglit, tila nagpipigil. “Is this what that person has done to you?” bulyaw niya, his voice rising with each word.