Bad Habit

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Mina. Kanina ka pang tulala." Puna ni tita Niña. Siya kasi ang kaharap ko ngayon. Nasa tabi ko si mama, na kaharap ni Venice.

Humabol sina kuya Christian at Hazeam sa amin. Umupo si Hazeam sa tabi ko, na inireserba ko para sa kanya. Si kuya Christian naman ay nasa tabi ni Venice.

Ipinaupo rin namin sina Salazar, manong Antonio, at yung dalawa pang bodyguards na kasama nina Hazeam kanina. Pero kahit nakaupo'y tensyonado sila, sapagkat maraming napapatingin sa amin.

Or rather, sa mga Dumuerte.

Of course they are known. Tito is running for president. Tita Sheera is the city mayor. And they have beautiful and handsome children and siblings.

Hindi ko naman pinagkunan ng selos ang pagiging sikat ni Hazeam. He is known for his looks. At madalas ay maraming nagcha-chat sa kanya sa kanyang Facebook--since tumanggi siya sa ideya na pag-alis ng public account niya.

And in school, nagbibingi-bingihan nalang ako sa mga naririnig ko sa mga babaeng schoolmates ko. Because does it even matter? I know that he is mine. And he is loyal.

Kahit na sabihin nating hindi pa yun sigurado sapagkat mga bata pa kami, somehow, I believe in him.

Kung dumating man ang panahon na maging gago siya tulad nung ibang mga lalaki sa school, if ever he finds someone prettier, sexier, smarter, I know that I still can't be replaced. Dahil alam kong isa lang ako sa mundong ito. I am unique. And he can never find another girl like me in this earth.

If he wants to be free, then I'll set him free, the way that I did when we broke up before. But this time, if he comes back again, I will not accept him. Why? Dahil tanga na nga yung pagbibigay ng ikalawang pagkakataon, paano na kaya kung ikatlo na? What will that make me?

Pero ngayon, I will not doubt him.

Iginapang ko ang kamay ko sa kanyang kamay, at ipinagsalikop ang aming mga daliri. Kanina pa pala siyang nakatingin sa akin, while I was busy looking at the girls looking at him.

Umiling ako kay tita Niña.

"Ah, wala po tita. Nasasarapan lang ako sa sisig." Sabi ko at tiningnan ang plato ko.

Unintentionally, my eyes swept the table, at nagtagpo ang mga mata namin ni Salazar. I immediately looked away. I feel guilty.

Tulala ako kanina sapagkat kanina ko pang iniisip na maaaring traydor siya. Binabagabag ng presensya niya ang aking loob-looban, kahit wala naman siyang ginagawa.

Or rather, kahit wala 'pa' siyang ginagawa.

This is not possible right? I don't know what's the relationship of the Dumuerte's to Salazar. But I assumed that they are close, base sa pagiging responsive ni Hazeam sa kanila nina Francine.

Maybe they are close friends. And I'm just messing with my head right now.

But I can't help it! My heart races whenever our eyes meet, and it's different compared to the way my heart raced before. At least now I know na hindi ko talaga siya gusto.

Inubos ko ang pagkain ko. I can't talk to Hazeam about this. Kawawa naman si Salazar. It will cost him his job. At mae-expose pa siya. And what about the trust? Kailanma'y hindi na maibibalik ang tiwala.

But then again, why is Salazar working for tito? Looking at him, I think he is living a decent life, enough to go to school at masustentuhan ang mga pangangailangan.

This, again, leads me to a thousand arrays of accusations against the guy.

"Oh, Salazar, kain pa. Sana dinala mo si Francine." Ani tita Niña kay Salazar.