Dominika (Pale As Dead I) | COMPLETED

𝚏𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚢 - 𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

┗━━━━━━━ ｄｅｅ ━━━━━━━┓

𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟶, 𝚝𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝟼:𝟺𝟶 𝚙.𝚖.

I had not gone to school since I went home before class even started on Tuesday.

Mommy was mad at me at first kasi ayaw ko raw ayusin yung pag-aaral ko and she even spoke to Zach. Then she told me na sinabi ni Zach sa kanya na masama ang pakiramdam ko since Tuesday kaya umuwi ako. So she called the school and told them I was sick and would not be attending classes for the next few days kaya hindi rin affected yung attendance record ko.

I still had not decided nga lang kung papasok ako bukas kasi it was the last day of school na. Seventh of January pa ang balik namin. Literal na two weeks of vacation lang. And it was the Christmas ball na tomorrow night. Parang ang panget kasi kung ang sinabi namin sa school, may sakit ako, tapos pupunta ako dun to party. So baka hindi na lang din ako pumunta. Hindi ko rin naman ma-e-enjoy kasi wala akong kasama.

Kahit si Gwen, hindi ko kinakausap. Hindi ko rin alam kung okay na sila ni Helen. They never reached out to me, which was expected naman and I did not hope na sila ang lalapit sa akin kasi sila yung nasaktan ko at na-disappoint. The bottom line was wala lang talaga akong kasama dun sa ball kaya ayoko na ring pumunta.

I felt so fucking terrible.

Pinanood ko si Ate Julia from the living area na diligan yung plants sa garden. Madilim na rin. Ganitong oras nila dinidiligan yung plants sa gabi then isang beses ulit sa umaga kasi yun ang bilin ni Mommy.

Biglang ibinaba ni Ate Julia yung watering pot at naglakad siya papunta sa gate. Napasimangot ako kasi wala namang pwedeng pumunta sa bahay namin ng ganitong oras. Tumayo na rin ako at lumabas. Nasa veranda pa lang ako noong nakita kong pabalik na si Ate Julia and outside the gate, I saw a glimpse of a grey car.

"Sino yun, Ate?"

"Classmate niyo raw po, ma'am. Paris daw po ang pangalan."

A clammy feeling settled in my limbs. I already knew na siya yun when I saw the car but I hoped against hope na hindi siya. Not because I hated him or anything but because he was one of the people I had hurt. I ruined his relationship because of that one fucking thing na hindi ko na dapat sinabi.

"Papasukin ko po ba?"

"Ako na."

Naramdaman ko na naman ulit yung buzz na nararamdaman ko lang kapag nag-iinom ako. Para akong nahihilong naglakad papunta sa gate. Noong malapit na ako, nakita ko siya na nakaupo sa fronthood ng car habang nasa bulsa ng trousers niya yung isang kamay niya. Yung isa, may hawak na bouquet ng red tulips.

He did not even smile. And I respected that.

"Hi," I said as I stopped in front of him.

Tumayo siya at inabot sa akin yung flowers. "Hi."

"Thanks. Para saan 'to?"

Stupid question.

"Para sa'yo."

"Natandaan mo pala 'to?"

"Yeah." Umupo siya ulit. "Sabi mo, paborito mo 'yan."

I cleared my throat and broke eye contact. "Salamat. Anong meron?"

"Gusto lang kitang makita."

Yumuko ako.

"Saka gusto lang din kitang kumustahin. Ang tagal mo nang hindi napasok."