"In one condition..."
He didn't know how to react and what to tell. Heck, he just didn't know. He ran out of words. He...felt sick--after seeing Aireen's reaction after telling her his condition.
"Stop courting me, Aireen." He said without any hesitance.
The utter pain immediately crossed her eyes.
"Wha..what??"
"Stop courting me. Alam mo kung sino ang taong mahal--."
He didn't even finish talking when Aireen screamed the word "Stop!!" and ran out of his sight.
"Hey, hey, hey.. This is new. Nasaan si bebe Aireen natin? Himala atang hindi siya aaligid-aligid sa'yo?" Aki asks kiddingly while they are walking towards their university.
Jerome snarled at the comment. "Don't call her that!!!"
"Whoah! Easy pare."
He's getting pissed off without even knowing why. He's about to walk ahead when someone crossed his vision.
And I'm getting more pissed! Damn!
There is Aireen walking with Rafael--smiling and laughing candidly.
Aireen stopped her pace when she felt someone's gaze at her.
Jerome?? She shook her head when she couldn't really figure the image walking away from them. And he made it clear. I'm not the girl he loves.
Aireen's heart literally broke the moment Jerome gave his condition. It wasn't the first time he told her he loves someone else yet that time was really different--as if her heart snapped out and was really worn out after all the efforts she exerted.
She ran and ran, aiming to nowhere after hearing those words. She knew she's a strong girl yet as the saying goes, "Everyone has weakness."
She was crying all alone when someone held out a hankerchief to her.
"Kuya Zander..."
It never came to her that Zander would come in one of the most vulnerable moments in her life. Ayaw niya. She didn't want her brother to see her weak. Yet she was alone. She needed a shoulder to cry on.
"Kuya..."
"Shhhh... Just cry. Let's go inside the car." He said softly while guiding her to his car.
Zander knows his sister too well. He didn't start the engine yet. Pinapakiramdaman muna niya ang kapatid na tahimik na nakaupo sa kanyang tabi.
"Aireen..." Panimula niya.
"Just drive Zander. Gusto ko ng umuwi." She snapped coldly.
"Okay."But he didn't start the engine immediately instead he removed his jacket and put it on Aireen.
"Zand---"
"Wag ka nang umangal pa." He even put her seat belt then drives safely. Seeing the anguish in his sister's eye, only one man came to his mind. Marc!
Hindi alam ni Aireen kung anong oras na siya nakatulog kagabi. Nakatulugan na niya ang pag-iyak.
Akala ko kaya ko pa. She was used of those words yet... Muli siyang napahikbi.
"Knock knock." Agad niyang pinahid ang luhang akala niya'y nasaid na kagabi.
"Tuloy po." Bumungad ang kanyang ina na may dalang pagkain.
"Anak..."
"'My..."
"Kumain ka na muna. It's already 11 in the morning. Mamaya ka na magkwento." Her mother said while gently patting her head.
