Just The Benefits (PUBLISHED)

Kabanata 28

#JustTheBenefits

Kabanata 28 

Ilang minuto pa akong naghintay sa loob ng cabinet bago ako nagkaroon ng lakas na lumabas. Parang mayroon pa ring karera sa loob ng dibdib ko sa sobrang kaba. That girl was insane! Nagawa niyang saktan si Parker! If she could hurt him, I wouldn't be surprised if she would hurt me, too.

Ito ba ang dahilan kung bakit ako itinatago ni Parker?

God! My head was aching from all these shits! Questions after questions! Hindi ko alam kung kailan ako matatapos sa mga tanong na ito. Ngayon, nakilala ko na kung sino si Bianca pero hindi ko naman kilala kung sino si Bea. The questions were killing me. Gusto kong malaman pero natatakot ako. I didn't know what to do anymore. It's like wherever I would wind up, I'd get hurt. There was no better choice.

I wanted to go out and run for my life but was too afraid to do so. Iniisip ko pa lang na possible na nasa labas lang si Bianca ay kumakabog na ang dibdib ko. Kaya naman dahan-dahan akong sumilip sa labas at laking gaan ng dibdib ko nung makita ko na wala ng tao sa unit ni Parker bukod sa akin.

Quickly, I gathered all my things and rushed out of his unit. Pagdating ko sa harap ng elevator, muntik na akong atakihin sa puso dahil kay Quin. He looked as worried as I was—maybe even twice.

Before he even said a thing, hinawakan niya ako sa braso ko at saka tinignan ang bawat sulok ng katawan ko, probably checking for any cuts or abrasions. "Are you okay?" he asked me, finally.

I nodded, though I was pretty shaken up. "Si Parker?" I asked. This was the most pressing matter. Where the hell was Parker?! At ano ang ginawa sa kanya ni Bianca?! Just the mere thought of that girl was sending creeps up my spine!

"He's fine," sabi ni Quin pero hindi ako naniwala. I needed to see him. I needed to prove that he's fine.

"Nasan siya? I want to see him," I asked.

"I'll take you later," sabi niya sa akin.

"I want to see him now..." I didn't want to fight Quin with this one. Pagod na ako. Naubos na ang lakas ko kanina nung nakita ko si Bianca. Hindi ko alam kung gusto ko pa siyang makita ulit. We didn't even have direct interaction yet she managed to drain the shit out of me.

Quin looked at me as if he was pitying me. Alam ko naman na nakakaawa ang sitwasyon ko pero hindi ko kailangan ng awa niya ngayon. Ang kailangan ko ay ang makita si Parker. I needed to know that he's fine... and I needed answers to my questions. Isang araw pa na hindi nasasagot ang mga tanong ko, pakiramdam ko ay tatakasan na ako ng bait.

"He's in a hospital," he said and that made me gasp. I felt murderous just by the thought of Bianca hurting Parker. Paano niya nagawa na saktan si Parker?! If she claimed that she wants him, how could she afford to hurt him?! Baliw nga talaga siya! "And Bianca's there."

Doon pa lang, alam ko na hindi na talaga pwede. I was the secret in Parker's life... nobody in his family knew about my existence. It felt demeaning and it hurt...

So I kept my mum and stepped inside the elevator—refusing to take anymore shit today. Pumasok si Quin at saka pinindot niya iyong papunta sa basement. I was silent the whole time. Pagdating namin doon, naalala ko na may naghihintay nga pala na driver sa akin. I was about to go out when Quin stopped me.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"May taxi na naghihintay sa akin sa labas." And I should probably text Shiloah.

"Are you serious?" he said na para bang hindi siya makapaniwala sa narinig niya mula sa akin. Hindi na ako nagsalita pa dahil pagod na talaga ako. Sobrang haba na ng araw na 'to. Gusto ko na lang magpahinga. Gusto kong matulog. Gusto kong kalimutan na nangyari ang araw na 'to.