A Flower With Seven Thorns

CHAPTER 22: THE LONG NIGHT

Dedicated to: Reservior

***

Nagsukatan kami ng tingin ni Ren. Hanggang sya na ang unang humiwalay ng tingin.

He walked towards the sink.

"What do you want to know Aron?" umpisa nya.

"Between Czera and Landon." and silence is between us.

"Bakit? Si Czera dapat tanungin mo."

"You know I can't do that. Gawin mong basehan ang estado naming dalawa. Sa tingin mo magkwekwento sya kung alam nya namang sinusungitan ko sya?"

"Eh di sana umpisa pa lang hindi mo na sya sinungitan."

"Ren... all I want to know is the summary of their story. I don't need the other details. I just want to understand her."

"Why?"

Natihimik ako. Bakit nga ba?

Unconsciously I answered.

"Because I want to protect her from that guy."

Pareho kaming nagulat ni Ren sa sagot ko. Hindi ko inaasahan ang lumabas sa bibig ko.

"I mean-"

"Pinaasa ni Landon si Czera, Aron." naputol ako sa sinabi nya.

Napatingin ulit ako sa kanya. Seryoso syang nakatingin sa akin.

"Seeing movies together, having dinners, expensive gifts, pet namings, being sweet in public, being jealous pag may kasamang ibang lalaki si Czera. For you Aron... what are they for?"

"Something couples do? Or something someone does pag nanliligaw?"

"Exactly. And Czera thought the same thing too. But not Landon."

"What do you mean?"

"Landon initiates everything. Pero bestfriend lang pala ang tingin ni Landon kay Czera."

"You mean... they were bestfriends before?"

"By circumstances? No. Tanging si Landon lang ang nag-iisip nyan. Ang tanging alam ni Czera, ako lang ang bestfriend nya since we grew up togehter. She didn't even knew na ginawa na syang bestfriend ni Landon sa isipan nito. Let's just say, feeler si Landon. Bestfriend nya daw si Czera eh wala namang malay ang babaeng yun. So what do you expect if a guy moved that way? Syempre maiisip talaga ni Czera na they were having mutual understandings. Until she fell inlove. Yun lang napakasama ng timing. Coz the day na napag-isipan nyang sabihin kay Landon ang nararamdaman nya is the day na ipinakilala sa kanya ni Landon ang babaeng isang buwan na nyang nililigawan."