Broken

Broken: Chapter 2

Lowl. Walang Forever.

***

7 years prior

"Lliane! Dalian mo iiwan ka na ng school bus!"

"Opo ma, wait lang" nagmamadali akong bumaba ng hagdan. Nagmamadali kong binitbit ang bag ko and bolted out of my room. I gave my mum a kiss and run straight for the door, towards the waiting bus.

"Hi Lliane! Tabi tayo!!" masayang bati ni Rossi habang inuusog ang bag nya mula sa katabi nyang upuan. "Ikaw dito sa bintana" tumango ako at tumabi sa kanya.

Habang binabaybay amin ang daan, padagdag nang padagdag ang ingay. First day kasi namin as grade 5, at after the long summer holiday ay maligalig ang iba kong kaklase na magkita-kita. Nang huminto ang bus sa harap ng school namin ay excited pa rin kami at nagtatalon pang bumaba ng bus.

"Thank you po" sabi ko sa driver na sya naman nyang nginitian.

"Wow Lliane, ang cute cute mo talaga. Akala ko pagkauwi mo galing sa palawan mangingitim or at least mag tatan ang balat mo, pero ang kinis kinis at ang puti puti mo pa rin. Kaasar ka" Nakangusong sabi ni Rossi habang hinahaplos ang braso ko. "Kaya ang daming nagkakagusto sa'yong kaklase natin. Nabalitaan ko rin na kilala ka sa public school dun sa kanto. Mag-ingat ka ah?"

"Eto naman. Hayaan mo sila. "

Ilang sandali lang ay nag bell na signaling the start of our day. It's fun to be back at school again, namiss ko sila Rossi kahit makulit sila.

"Ibigay mo na kasi!"

"Ayoko nga"

Napansin kong nagbubulungan si Rossi at Sai. Nang mapansin nilang nakatingin ako ay tinulak bigla ni Rossi si Sai papalapit sa akin uwian na, hinihintay na lang ako ni Rossi na mag pack up ng mga gamit ko. Kinakabahan si Sai habang tumitingin sa akin, I also noticed that he was carrying something behind his back. Masaya namang sumunod sa kanya si Rossi. "Yes?"

"Er..Ano"

"Ayusin mo Sai ibabalibag kita!" banta sa kanya ni Rossi.

"Eto na nga oh" bulong nya pabalik. He turned to me and heaved a sigh. "Ano kasi, yung tita ko umuwi galing Europe, tas nakita ko 'tong chocolate. Di ba gusto mo 'to?" he timidly handed me the bar of chocolate. Medyo nanginginig pa nga ang kamay. "Okay lang k—"

"Thanks!" Masaya kong inaccept yung chocolate at nginitian sya. He got a tan skin tone but I can see how flushed he looks. Hinila na ako ni Rossi palabas nang school and together we walked towards the bus.

"Llian dikit ka lang sa akin lagi ah bahahahaha." Natatawang sabi ni Rossi while she took a piece of my chocolate. "Sarap asarin ni Sai bahaha. Akalain mo yun nagkulay maroon bahahahahaahahahahah"

"Maroon?"

"Oo, di naman pwedeng mamula yun. MUAHAHAHAH"

"Salbahe ka" sabi ko at binawi ang chocolate. "I think it's cute that he knows my favourite food. It's also flattering to know na naisip nyang ibigay ito sa akin."

"Le gasp! So gusto mo din sya!! Susumbong kita kay Kuya Drix!!! Lagot ka!!" Natigilan ako sa pagnguya.

"Shhh! Wag kang maingay!" nilahad nya ang kamay nya as a sign na nanghihingi sya ng bribe. I rolled my eyes heavenwards and gave her 3 more blocks of chocolate which she happily put in her mouth all at once. Nang huminto ang bus sa harap ng bahay ko, I heard her manically laughing.

"It's nice working with you bahahahahahah" she said as I decended down the bus.

***

While eating what's left of the chocolate, I happily opened the door.

"Lliane! Nandito sila tita Carlie mo! Dito daw sila magdidinner. Si kuya Drix at ate Cindy mo nasa kusina na ata"

I dropped my bag near the door and scrambled for a place where to hide my chocolate. Lagot ako kay Kuya Drix nito, he specifically said na wag akong tatanggap ng chocolate kahit kanino. Kasalanan ko ba na yung exactly favourite chocolate ang binigay sa akin? Dahan-dahan pa akong naglakad papunta sa hagdan itatago ito sa kwarto ko. Better yet, sa ilalim ng kama ni mommy, hinding hindi nya makikita yun dun.

"Love?" I nearly jumped out my socks and slowly pivoted around to find Kuya Drix staring at my left hand. The chocolate bar specifically. "San mo nakuha yan love?"

He always have this light aura whenever I'm around him. But this time it's different, he always have light brown eyes but now they look obsidian and dangerous. He also have his hand on his head, clutching his hair as if trying to control himself.

"S-s-sa kaklase ko" well I'm not wrong. Right?

"Uh huh" He stepped closer. Sa sobrang taranta ko ay umakyat ako nang hagdan 3 steps up. 3 years lang ang agwat namin pero hanggang balikat nya lang ako, ngayong nakatungtong ako sa hagdan I felt less (a little) intimidated. I'm not sure why he's staring at me this way over a bar of chocolate and I don't get why I'm feeling guilty either. "Kanina..." he trailed off. "Hinintay kita sa labas ng school nyo"

I gulped. Imposible naman na nakita nyang binigyan ako ni Sai nang chocolate. Tsaka ano naman ngayon sa kanya??

"Nililigawan ka ba ni Sai?"

"hahahahahaha...hahah...ha...ha", I awkwardly laugh trying to ease the tension between us. "Paano mo naman nasabi?? Tsaka friendly lang naman siguro sya. Ikaw kuya ah, porket high school ka na!"

"Di ba sinabi ko sa'yo wag kang tatanggap?" He advanced one step up the stairs. Pareho na kaming nasa hagdanan nakatungtong. Kahit nasa third step ako ay magkasing tangkad na kami. "Di ka pa nadala sa nangyari sa'yo. May peklat ka na nga sa noo"

I unconciously touched my forehead. Nakuha ko ito a little over a year ago. Anemic ako, unluckily I passed out sa bathroom at humampas yung ulo ko sa sink.

"Eh hindi naman dahil sa chocolate yun eh!"

He didn't say anything. The hand that was once clutching his hair swiped the chocolate out of my hand. I tried to have it back, but he stretched his arms above his head. "Mamili ka, yung chocolate o dadagdagan mo yang bangas mo sa mukha?"

I pouted and ungracefully sat on the step. I crossed my arms and looked away. Alam kong di nya natitiis itong tactic na 'to. Mga ilang sandali pa ay naramdaman kong binaba nya ang kamay nyang nakataas sa ere. I can feel he' staring pero di ko sya tinitignan.

"Really love? Really?"

"Yes. Really" sabi ko sabay irap. I heard him sigh and slowly sat next to me. Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas ay di ko sya kinikibo. Di ko talaga sya hinaharap. Chocolate wag kang mag alala, mapupunta ka rin sa akin.

"You have no idea how horrified I am nung nakita kita sa banyo. Passed out and covered in blood", he trailed off. "I'm just trying to look out for you" he heaved a sigh and stood up. "Magpalit ka na dun. Ang baho mo na" ginulo nya ang buhok ko at nagsimula ng bumaba.

Naiirita kong inayos ang buhok ko. "Ikaw kaya ang mabaho" I mumbled, but a sudden realisation hit me. "Oi yung Choco—"

He looked back with a smirk playing on his lips. Tinanggal nya yung natitirang chocolate, 6 blocks pa yun, the size of my fist. I watch as he ate it in one bite. He winked at me, "Kakain na. Dalian mo" and proceeded to the kitchen, leaving me flabbergasted and furious at the same time.

***

A/N

Torn between creating my  own ending or waiting till December to see what's going to happen. Lowl.