CROWN'S ARDOR (FORBIDDEN LOVE)

Chapter 42

(Vien)

Standing here on the balcony of my room. It's 11:38 in the evening. Ate Angela is sleeping already, si Maricris nasa pool kasama si Ella.

Sina Keith, Angelo and the others ay nasa kubo nag-kukwentuhan. Angelo wants me there but I refused. Naroon din si Joaquin bago kong manliligaw, kaibigan ni Kuya Richard.

I didn't accept his courting. Basta na lang sya nag simulang gumawa ng efforts. I don't know if I would appreciate his efforts. I am in the middle of moving on. Natutulala at iba ang nasa isip kaya ang mga bagay na nasa harap ko ay wala lang. Hindi nya alam na nag-mo-move on ako, hindi ko naman sinasabi sa kanya. Likewise, I don't want to tell. Katulad ngayon kasama ko sya. Like duh, I'm getting sick of his attention! Ang sama ko lang no?

Kasing sama ng mga sinabi mo kay Gwen kanina. Really Vien? Did you really meant to say it? You hurt her.

I don't know. I know I hurt her. Sino ba hindi masasaktan sa sinabi ko? She's a human too. Nakakaramdam. At saka hindi ki man lang naisip na sensitive ang mga puso ng katulad nyang teenage. Madaling masaktan at mag damdam.

Idiot!

Natatandaan ko pa ang mga sinabi ko sa kanya. "Nakamove na ako kahit noong tayo pa" Ang sakit lang.

Kanina sa bonfire alam kong napansin nilang lahat ang puffy eyes and nose ni Gwen dahil sa kakaiyak, and that is because of me. Nadagdagan pa ng tanungin sya ni Ms. Carla about sa family.

She left us after. She felt embarrased that moment. Then nawala na sya, at hindi ko alam kung saan nag punta kasama si Ella, Alex at Sarah.

Wait, Ella and Alex are here na. They came back. Pero si Sarah and Gwen hindi sila bumalik. Nasaan sila?

I went out of the room and find her cousins. Nakita ko sila sa isang kubo. Wala si Gwen.

I sigh gaining some strength before walking towards them. Nakita ako kaagad ni Alex, she smile and greets.

"Hello Ms. Vien" Bati ni Alex. I smiled. Ginala ko ang mg mata ko to look for a tall teenage girl, but she's not here.

"Wala po sya dito" Zac answered. I quickly give him a smile. Ang laki kasi ng mata kaya halata agad na may hinahanap.

I open my mouth to say something but, Mike suddenly speaks. "Si ano, ano nga ulit name non?" He says while his eyes are screwed shut. I furrow my brows in confusion.

"Si Kuya Joaquin! Wala po sya dito" pag papatuloy nya.

What?

"No, no, no. Hindi sya ang hinahanap ko. Si Gwen." mabilis kong sabi sabay tingin muli sa kanila.

Lahat sila nag tinginan sa isa't-isa.

"Alex, si Gwen?" tanong kay Alex.

"A-Ano, wala po sya dito eh. Di ko po alam kung nasaan." she said avoiding my eyes. I creases my eyebrows.

"Kasama mo sya kanina di ba?" tanong ko.

"Si Sarah po yung chix nya ang kasama nya kanina. Hindi ako" she depends and look away.

May alam sya kung nasaan si Gwen pero ayaw nyang sabihin. Hindi ko sya mapapaamin, iba si Alex. Hindi katulad ni Ella.

Wait, tama! Si Ella na lang, she's with Alex kanina.

"Where's Ella—" I cut off after realizing that Ella is in the pool with Maricris. I clenched my eyes shut before turning around to look for Ella and Maricris.

Hindi pa ako nakakalayo sa kubo ng mga pinsan ni Gwen ng may marinig ako.

"Bakit kaya hinahanap ni Mam si Gwen?" I heard one of Gwen's cousin asked.