Cold as Ice

K A B A N A T A 24 //

Not Anymore

Binuksan ni Kuya Ezekiel ang pintuan pero laking gulat ko na lang na hindi sina Mommy iyon. Instead, it was Aeron de la Fuente at the door. He was wearing an all black ensemble and his usual cold expression. To my confusion, binati siya ni Kuya na parang isang kaibigan at pinapasok pa sa kwarto. The hell? They're close again? Noong huli ay galit pati si Kuya sa kanya dahil sa mga ginawa niyang panloloko. How come friends na ulit sila?

"Ate Sera," Ngumiti si Aeron. Ngunit naglaho din ang ngiting iyon noong magtama ang mga mata namin. His grim expression worsened when he spotted Raph's arm around my waist, holding me close. "I'm Aeron de la Fuente, a friend."

"I'm Raphael, Erin's fiance." Naglahad ng kamay si Raph na tinanggap naman ni Aeron kahit na mukhang napilitan lang ito. "Erin you never told me about him."

"Ah, I guess nakalimutan ko lang." I reasoned pero hindi nakatakas sa akin ang pag-iiwas ng tingin ni Aeron. Damn.

Awkward na pinapanood lamang kami nina Kuya Zeke at Ate Sera, buti na lang at hindi na sila nagsalita pa. As much as possible ay ayoko nang malaman ni Raph ang nangyari noon. He's too overprotective. I'm sure kapag nalaman niya kung gaano ako nasaktan, he will get back at Aeron. Ayoko na ng away.

"Buti na lang at nagkita tayo dito." Aeron said. "I need to talk to you for a minute. In private."

Tumango si Raph at sumenyas na mananatili lang muna siya sa room. Sumunod naman ako kay Aeron palabas. Matapos isara ang pinto ay hinarap ko siya. Halos hindi ko na marinig ang ingay ng paligid dahil sa malakas na pagtibok ng puso ko. I've never felt this nervous before. Bakit nga ba? Maybe because it's Aeron in front of me. How am I supposed to react to him? Paano ko dapat tanggapin ang lahat ng sinabi niya sa akin kahapon?

"Sa wedding ni Jules, magiging magka-partner tayo." He said. "It seems like hindi makakarating yung original partner mo so they asked me to replace him."

"Oh." Di ko inaasahan na 'yon lan pala ang sasabihin niya. "Uhm, that's okay. I'm... looking forward to it."

"I don't think they know about Raphael yet kaya ako ang naisip nila. But if you want him to be your partner then, I won't mind."

May kung ano sa mata niya na hindi ko maipaliwanag. It's like he's trying to tell me something pero hindi ko ito mahulaan. No matter what I do, hirap pa rin akong intindihin si Aeron. I was about to go back sa room pero natigilan ako dahil nagsalita ulit si Aeron.

"Raph seems like a good man."

I turned back and saw his usual cold glare.

"He is. He took care of me." I smiled. "Sana ay makilala mo pa siya lalo. Gusto ko sanang ikwento sa kanya ang lahat pero ayokong magkaroon ka ng negative na image sa kanya."

"I don't think that's the reason, Erin." Mariin niyang sabi.

"Pardon?"

"I think hindi mo kayang ikwento dahil ayaw mong maalala. You think you're over me but you're not. Ours is a complicated love. It's something that you can't simply forget. And you know what happens when you can't forget? The memories haunt you."