Hidden Hearts and Summer Skies (Silent Secrets of Summer #1)

Chapter 26

I was now at my sofa, while Jiro was still on my bed, nag-aalangan magsalita pero diretso ang tingin sa'kin na para bang isang kisap ay mawawala ako sa paningin niya, I heaved a sigh, "What are you doing here?" Bumuntong hininga din siya, "I want to explain my side." I shrugged, letting him talk.

Umayos pa siya ng upo at diretsong tumingin sa'kin, "Tatiana and I cleared things up before  we even started what we had, I told her I don't want commitment and she agreed," huminto pa siya, na parang hinahanap sa isip niya ang mga salita na susunod niyang sasabihin, "2 months, we lasted 2 months and we both agreed to end it. After a week I've learned she already had someone and that's Kirby, I even wish her goodluck."

Matagal pa siyang tumitig sa'kin, pinag-iisipan kung sasabihin niya pa ba ang susunod na parte ng storya, "Last day namin nagkita nung enrollment, yun yung nag-away tayo," My breath hitched at the mention of that day, closure na pala nila yun, "Days, weeks, and months had passed, nag-lilo ako sa mga bar, inuman, at babae since I wanted to focus on the team and acads, but suddenly Tatiana came back crying. She told me Kirby broke up with her and I believed her."

Napayuko pa siya as if he's regretting all of his decisions, "Ilang beses siyang umiyak sa'kin with the same reason and it's all about Kirby, she told me she's trying to fix what they had but Kirby is too jealous, na ayaw niyang lumalapit si Tatiana sa kung sino-sino even if it's her friends and that made Tatiana mad,"

"I advised Tatiana to end things with Kirby and she agreed, sa'kin siya umiiyak at nagsasabi lahat ng problema nila ni Kirby na hinayaan ko lang kasi hindi naman naging pangit ang pagtapos namin sa kung anong meron kami."

He shake his head, as if he can't believe that everything he's telling me happened, "When Tatiana broke up with Kirby, that's when my name got dragged in, Tatiana told Kirby I was just helping her out, like comforting her and shit which he took badly. That's when. The rumors started."

He heaved a sigh, he look at me as if he's pouring his feelings on his story, "I didn't know na iba na pala ang balita na kumakalat about us, that I fucked Tatiana, while she's with someone and impregnate her, it made me mad because it came from Kirby. Someone who I don't even know personally."

I just nodded, signalling him to continue, "Hindi ko alam na ikaw na pala ang nilalapitan niya to get back at me, nalaman ko na ikaw na ang pinupuntirya niya, was when he started texting me, threatening me about spilling stories about how I fucked his girlfriend, how I told Tatiana I don't want commitment even after impregnating her," Mahina pa siyang natawa.

"And some people believed him. But I couldn't careless. Sa totoo lang wala naman akong pakialam even if they ruin my name at school, hindi naman habang buhay nandiyan ako."

He look at me directly, with gentle eyes, "I just lost it when I learned how he tried to pull you in with his shit. I told him to get back at me kung talagang sa'kin siya galit, but that motherfucker was just too selfish and egoistic for his own good."

Nagdadalawang isip pa siyang lumapit sa'kin and reached for my hands, he noticed how I flinched, but he still hold it, much gentler this time.

"I'm sorry kung hindi kita naprotektahan sakaniya. I'm sorry if I was too occupied of telling him not to pull you in with his shit than actually telling you not to get close to him."

My breath hitched when I saw him crying, nakayuko na rin siya, hindi ko na rin napigilan when I hold his hands tighter, no matter what, Jiro will always be my bestfriend and I can't afford seeing him so broken like this, "I understand Ji, thank you for clearing things up. Stop crying na."

Walang ano-ano ay nakaluhod siyang umupo sa harap ko at ipinulupot ang braso niya sa baywang ko, and there, he cried his eyes out, para siyang bata na humahagulgol ngayon dahil napagalitan ng nanay niya. I was just there silently comforting him, patting his back lightly.