The Bastard I Hate

Chapter Nine

"Leauria?" A familiar voice. And there can only be one man who call her that.

"Angelo?" she called. Tumingin agad siya sa paligid. Baka may makakitang Cards sa kanya ng Lucky Nine at magsumbong.

"That scared?" he teased.

"Umiiwas lang ako sa gulo," dahilan niya.

"Ako naman ang mapapahamak pag nagkagulo eh," natatawang saad nito. Napakamalumanay pa rin gaya ng dati. "I texted you, hindi mo man lang ako sinundo sa airport. The only person I want to see and she's not there," may hinanakit sa tinig nito.

"I have a contest to attend," she reasoned out and she replies to him coldly.

"You're not thrilled to see me. It means that he shared the news to you. Or that he's telling you everything," he guessed.

"What do you want?" she asked with so much wrath she can taste it.

"You," he exclaimed.

"We're done. And if you try to hurt him again--"

"So you're protecting him now without having my side?" he cut-off. "And you're really throwing our friendship and love because of him?" he asked as if he's not believing it.

"What is your side?" she asked.

"Come with me. I'll tell you everything," he said. She looked at him, sighed and looked at him with so much doubt.

Pinipilit niyang umiwas sa gulo. Pero parang kasama 'to sa mundo ni Spade. At kilala niya si Angelo. Hindi siya sasaktan nito. Hindi rin siya pwedeng humusga ng hindi naririnig ang side nito. Gusto niyang malaman ang totoo.

"You think I'll hurt you?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Angelo. Dahan-dahan siyang umiling.

"Let's go then," aya nito. She sighed, heavily, as if talking to her friend is cheating on Spade.

Malayo ang pinag-parking-an ni Angelo at pinilit niyang lagyan ng distansya ang pagitan nilang dalawa habang naglalakad.

Pinagbuksan siya nito ng pinto. Agad naman siyang sumakay. He started the engine and they started to talk.

"It only took me one year. Another year and I'm not going to survive it. Tapos pag-uwi ko wala na kayo sa bahay niyo. Si Nanay Lin pa ang ang nagsabi na umalis na kayo. Sya ang nagsabi na nagtransfer ka. And when I tried enrolling here, I was in Fairsleigh admission office when I heard him declaring you as his Ace of Heart. Sabi na nga ba, hindi ka talaga dapat pinakakawalan kasi madali kang makakuha ng atensyon," natatawang kwento nito.

"Why are you here?" she asked, not sharing his humor.

"I don't want to be a doctor. How am I suppose to save lives if I can't survive alone. If I can't survive without you," he answered frankly.

She's feeling her heart beats triple time. Hindi sya makapagsalita.

Anong sasabihin ko? Anong gagawin ni Spade pag nalaman niyang sumama ako kay Angelo?

"Don't be this harsh, Dreis. You can pretend that you're not thinking about him," he commented. Doon lang nakuha ni Angelo ang atensyon niya.

He smiled bitterly.

"I... Angelo," she swallowed. "You're my bestfriend. And trust me, I love you. I just, I don't think it's the same. When you left me, I--"

"You never love me that much, do you? You were just blinded by our friendship. And the fact that you never really entertained anyone. You didn't agree for a long distance relationship. It's as if you just lost a friend when I left you. You moved on easily, you--"