Still Into You

You can cry, Leanne

Chapter 8

"Ganda lang pala 'yan eh, ang sama naman ng ugali!!"

"Walang modo, ano ba 'yan."

"Masyado palang eskandalosa 'yang Leanne na 'yan. Hindi na nahiya!"

Todo pigil si Leanne sa emosyon niya. What a hypocrite society!

"Let's all calm down, okay? Hindi maayos 'to kung pare-pareho tayong galit," Sam tried his best to be calm and he succeeded. Dapat naman talaga ay labas na ang manager ng Chainstream dito pero dahil hindi natuloy ang band practice nila ngayong gabi, napagpasyahan na nitong manatili. Saka isa pa, kaibigan na rin ang turing niya kay Leanne saka sa mga alaga niya.

"Paano ako kakalma? Eh nabaligtad 'yong storya!" bulalas ni Geraldine. Masyado kasimg kumulo ang dugo nito nang malaman nila na nabaligtad ang storya at ang lumabas na masama ay si Leanne.

Leanne looked down and for a while hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin niya. She excused herself at agad na tumungo sa banyo. Nanginginig niyang kinuha ang phone sa bulsa ng pantalon na suot niya. She bit her lower lips to prevent herself from weeping. When she saw the article, she was angry of course but when she read the comment, bigla siyang nanlumo. Sinabi niya sa sarili niya na ayos lang kahit makatanggap siya ng mga masasakit na salita, because she knows the truth, na wala naman talaga siyang kasalanan. Pero masakit din pala... Unti-unting namumuo ang luha sa mga mata ni Leanne, akala niya kapag freelancer siya maiiwasan niya 'yong mga ganitong issue but shit happened, nakilala siya lalo dahil sa tv series niya with Theodore. Nagsimula na rin siyang humikbi, she thought she'll never cry especially if it is an issue in show business, but those words that the people threw were daggers and it slowly kills her.

"Leanne? Ayos ka lang ba?" she heard a voice outside, she knew it was Albert.

She sniffed. "Yes, I am."

Pero isang hikbi ang lumabas sa bibig niya, she just hope that Albert didn't heard it. Minutes had passed pero hindi na siya nakarinig ng tugon mula kay Albert, maybe he decided to leave. Leanne fixed herself bago siya lumabas ng banyo, laking gulat niya nang makita niya si Albert sa may pintuan.

"M-magbabanyo ka ba?"

Umiling ito. "I wanted to talk to you."

〰〰〰

"Give me your phone," Albert told her. Pumunta silang dalawa sa terrace ng condo ni Leanne, it was almost night kaya tanaw na nila ang naggagandahang city lights.

Leanne looked at him confusedly while handing her phone to her friend. "Why?"

"Basta," tinanggap naman ng kaibigan amg phone niya at inilagay sa bulsa niya. "You're grounded for three days. Bawal mong gamitin ang phone mo."

"What?! You can't do this to me!" giit niya.

"1 week."

"What?! Stop doing this to me!"

"I won't," sagot ni Albert.

Leanne heaved a sigh. Kanina pa napapansin ni Leanne na ang seryoso ng aura ng kaibigan niya. She can't even identify if he's angry or not. At natatakot siya roon. She knew Albert as an optimistic man and he's just being serious seldomly. For the meantime, she wanted to cry while the cool wind was caressing her body. Her lips were trembling, she bit it to prevent herself from crying but then, she tried to smile. Even she knew that it was just a facade.

"Do you believe in the article, Al?" tanong niya sa kaibigan.

"No. Why would I? It is very evident on your face, imbecile."

Leanne looked intently in the city lights. "I was shocked when Samantha came in the event. I don't even know what to do. I wanted to hurt her so she'll feel what she did years ago. Like—" napahinto siya nang maramdaman niyang namumuo na naman ang mga luha niya. "Al, I badly want to punch her face when she suddenly came. Where did she get her guts to come in my event? Shit, she ruined something again!"

Tumingin si kanya si Al pero tuloy pa rin siya sa pagtitig sa city lights. "And she even hit me with a book. Then recently, an article came in the picture and accused me for public shaming and going against human rights? Let's add those people who has a booby brain who keeps on telling that I am the witch and Samantha is a damsel? This is too much for me to absorb.  What the hell."

She formed her hand into a fist to prevent herself from bursting out. Then suddenly the latter pulled her for a hug.

"You can cry, Leanne."

And she did what she was told. She did weep.