Bewitched

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT: Is there a potion for love?

Byron

Matagal na akong nakatitig sa pinto ng bahay. I can't still make myself come in. I rub the back of my neck and made a long sigh.

What did happen back there at the office?

What have I done?

I shook my head hoping to erase the memory then I went inside the house. Before going up I headed first to the kitchen to drink some water. I noticed a pot on the stove so I opened it. I am so hungry right now. I wasn't even able to eat anything during our meeting. Nagulat ako to see the content of the pot. It was sinigang. Yanny still made it for me. I smiled.

I went upstairs. Baka gising pa so Yanny. I could ask her to eat dinner again with me. I knock on her door. "Hey gising ka pa?" I said. She didn't reply. Tulog na ba sya? Suddenly I heard movements inside. I guess she is still awake.

"Gusto mo bang kumain ulit ng dinner? I'm starved. Malungkot kumain mag-isa." I said.

"Go away Byron!" Yanny shouted surprising me. Her voice sounds a little different as if she's crying.

"Okay ka lang ba? Are you crying?!" She shouted again then I heard her sobs. I'm starting to get a little worried. Yanny is upset and I have no idea why.

"Open the door Yanny. If you have a problem pwede mo naman sa aking sabihin. Just please open this door." I pleaded outside her door.

"Just leave me alone okay?!!!!"

Feeling hopeless I gave her the space she is asking. Siguro bukas makakausap ko na sya ng maayos.

The following day...

I am standing once again in front of Yanny's door. Kalahating araw na syang di lumalabas doon and I am terribly worried. Hindi pa sya kumakain ng kahit ano simula kaninang umaga. She shouted at me again when I called her to eat breakfast at isang malakas na STAY AWAY naman ang ibinato nya sa akin kaninang tanghali but now I have enough. She needs to come out now or else mababaliw na ako dito dahil sa pag-aalala.

I banged the door three times. "Yanica Therese Montecristo Arevalo open this damn door at once or else I will tore it apart!" I shouted.

"Go away!" She shouted back.

I let out a breath and tried to calm myself. "Ano bang problema mo? Galit ka ba sa akin? Kinain ko naman yung sinigang mo naubos ko pa nga." I said.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted again making me angry.

"Ang laki laki ng problema mo! Di na kita maintindihan! Ano na naman bang ginawa ko ngayon?!!! Puchang sinigang yan!"

The door suddenly flung wide open and Yanny came out. Her eyes were swollen due to crying and he looks at me with sad and angry eyes.

"Oo! Puchang sinigang na yan! Sana di ko na lang ginawa! Leave me alone!" She shouted at me.

All these rants dahil lang sa Sinigang na sinabi ko namang wag na lang nyang iluto?!!! Geesh!

"Dahil lang doon galit na galit ka na? Ang babaw mo naman!"

She started crying even more. I was taken aback by the degree of hurt I saw in her eyes. She started hammering my chest with her fists. I tried to stop her by holding her shoulders.

Yanny looks up with her sad eyes and tears kept on falling down from them.

"Ano bang ginawa ko Yanny? Please make me understand kasi hindi na kita maintindihan." I pleaded.

"I hate you." She said with a sad voice then she went inside her room again.

I just stood there outside the door for awhile. Why is she acting this way? Hindi ko sya maintindihan. I went downstairs and called Tirso. Maybe he knows what to do.

"Talaga? Baka naman depress ang kwago kaya ganyan. Maybe all she needs is a little girl bonding with her sisters or her bestfriend. Tinanong mo din ba if its that time in a month?"

I grunted. "Why on earth would I ask that to her?!" I exclaimed.

"Malay mo." Tirso said.

In the end I ended up calling her sisters and Aly to come over. Maybe Tirso is right. Siguro nga Yanny needs a little girl bonding time.

I hope after that she's going to be fine.

Yanny

If there is a song Cry Me A River what I am doing now is far much worst. I am crying an ocean just because I can't stop thinking about what I got myself into.

Even just by looking at Byron nasasaktan ako. I hug my knees as I lay on my bed. My pillow is already soaked in tears. The only time I stopped crying was when I fell asleep but as soon as my eyes opened this morning I instantly cried once again.

I heard successive knocks on my door then it was followed by the urgent calls of my sisters. I ran towards the door and open it. I was greeted with the worried faces of Ate Tere, Ate Clau and Aly. I hug my Ate Tere tightly and cried. She held me out at arms length and looks at my face.

"Ano bang nangyayari sayo Yanny? Byron called us to come over dahil nag-aalala na daw sya sayo. Ano bang problema?" Ate Tere asks me.

We all went inside my room again. I sat on my bed and wipe some tears away.

"Did that douche do something again?" Ate Tere asks her arms crossed. I shook my head.

"Then what's the matter? Bakit ka nagkukulong dito looking like a mess?" Ate Tere asks.

I started crying heavily again. "Everything is a mess." I said. "Ako naman ang nagpumilit na ituloy yung kasal because I was so sure of myself but now....." I stop. I can't seem to continue because there's a lump on my throat.

"But now?" It was Aly who asked.

I look desperately at them. "Hindi ko na alam. I feel so stupid. Ang tanga tanga ako. Why did I let myself fall in love with my husband?" I said then I started crying heavily again. I heard gasps inside the room.

"OMG Yans." Aly said then she sat beside me and gave me a tight hug.

"This is all my fault! Hindi ko namalayang nahuhulog na pala ako. I am so dumb to even made a deal with Byron Arevalo akala ko kasi I will never have feelings for him. I even said he can have an affair if he wants to but now nasasaktan ako to see him in the arms of another woman. How can I let myself fall in love with someone who can never love me?!"

Tears fall down like river on my face once again. Ate Clau sighed then she approaches me, cups my face and then she wipes my tears.

"Our baby bunso is in love Ate." She said with a faint smile to my Ate Tere then she looks back at me. "How sure are you na hindi ka kayang mahalin ng asawa mo? Malay mo naman."

Umling ako. I know Byron ever since he was a child. All that is important to him is good looks. If hindi kami magkakilala at nagkasalubong kami sa daan he would not even spare a look to someone like me and he has Helena. Ano namang laban ko sa babaeng maaaring mahal pa nya hanggang ngayon at bukod doon napakaganda pa? All I will ever be to my husband is his owl looking, mothball smelling, curtain wearing, tempory wife with addiction to ruffles.

"He can never love me not unless gayumahin ko sya. That's the only way." I said with a chuckle. It was a joke to make the atmosphere a little lighter.

Aly snaps her fingers then she looks excitedly to us. "That's right Yanny! We will make Byron fall in love with you using a love potion. I know someone who can make us one and she is good at it." Aly said.

"Nagpapatawa ka ba Alyssa?" Ate Tere said with a snort. "We all know that gayumas are not real."

"But this love potion is one hundred percent real and effective." Aly said with a huge smile then she looks at me again. "Bukas pupunta tayo sa kanya." She said.

Is there really a potion for love?