Breaking Mr. Rake (complete)

CHAPTER 52

He stared at the white ceiling until his vision blurred and his eyes teared up and began to ache. Then he blinked several times before shutting his eyes closed. Ngunit madamot pa rin ang tulog sa kaniya. Mukhang hindi lang ang alaala niya ang nagbalik pati na rin ang kaniyang insomnia. Mula nang umalis si Liwayway.

Tatlong araw na ang lumipas when he tried to get on with life and tried to live his normal life. He was succedding in some pero hindi na ang gabi-gabing pagka-clubbing at ang pambababae. Katulad ng tulog ay naging mailap ang babae at alak sa kaniya and it was not only by his choice pero tuluyan na siyang nawalan ng gana. Kung iinom man ay nagkukulong na lang siya sa loob ng kaniyang bahay.

It was almost three days mula nang ipaskil niya ang kaniyang acquisition ng property ng Steven's Peak and almost two days na rin ay wala pang kumokontak sa kaniya na mayroon pang ibang nagmamay-ari ng lupa. His dad and his brother's advised him to wait until seven days pero hindi pa natatapos ang pangatlong araw ay kinontak na niya si governor Balisacan na rerentahan niya ang bahay sa Catalina and he saw himself driving like a madman sa expressway.

Gusto na niyang masimulan ang kaniyang project, nasayang na ang ilang araw niya sa paghihintay. That's the only reason kung bakit gusto niyang magtungo sa Buenavista. Gusto na rin niyang magbalik sa Nabalitokan a Langit para na rin pasimulan ang ipinangako niyang pailaw. Sa loob ng dalawang araw ay kinausap na niya ang kaibigan na kontraktor na nagkakabil ng mga solora panels at batteries at nakahanda na ang lahat.

He just wanted to go back on top of the mountain to start with his project and to help the Agba's not because he wanted to check on Liway kung nakabalik ba ito ng ligtas sa kabundukan sa piling ng apong nito. Not because he wanted to see her beautiful face and not because he wanted to drown on those golden eyes of hers that whenever they made love ay nag-uumapaw sa pag-ibig ang tingin nito sa kaniya.

As if you can call it making love, ang sabi ng kaniyang isipan. He doubts that she loves him. Sigurado na ginawa lang nitong ibigay ang sarili sa kaniya para lang mapaikot siya nito. And he was a fool for falling into her charms, fool enough to fall into her innocence, her beauty, her sexiness, her smile, her laughter, her kisses, and her body. Fall enough to fall for her.

"Ugh," ang inis niyang sambit. His body sprung up and he threw the blanket off, away from his waist at saka siya dali-daling tumayo. And it was like his feet have their own mind when his feet took him outside the veranda and his eyes darted towards the direction of the mountain. At kahit madilim ang paligid ay alam ng kaniyang isipan at puso kung nasaan ang direksiyon ng tuktok ng bundok.

I don't believe that she loves me, and I doubted that I even love her, how can I be so sure when all she had fed his mind and heart were all lies? Paano niya mapapaniwalaan ang kaniyang nararamdaman?

"No...you don't love me...you used me." Ang galit niyang sambit. Kinagat niya ang kaniyang pang-ibabang labi dahil muling nanikip ang kaniyang dibdib at lalamunan when his chest swelled up with so much emotion. And his eyes teared up again.

"Fuck this...I hate you Liway for...making me feel vulnerable...for making me...cry." Ang inis niyang sambit. He tried to suppressed his tears from falling pero hindi niya magawa at sa hindi na niya mabilang na pagkakataon ay muling pumatak ang luha sa kaniyang mga mata.

Maybe that was also one of the reason kung bakit niya magtago sa kabundukan ng Buenavista para hindi makita ng pamilya na nahihirapan at nasasaktan siya.

***

Itinabi ni Rake ang kaniyang sasakyan sa gilid ng malubak na kalsada kung saan nagsisimula ang kaniyang nabiling property. He took his time sitting inside his car while his hands were gripping the steering wheel. He looked at his watched, it was nine in the morning. Sa tingin niya ay tama naman na ang oras nang kaniyang pagdalaw sa mga Agba. They are early risers naman hindi ba?