Nevermore

Chapter 4: Broken doll house

"Dad I-"

"I don't want to hear it." Dad didn't even let me finish speaking he's that mad.

"But-"

"Achila..." Bumuntong hininga ako sa pag suko bago humalukipkip at sumandal sa malamig na bintana ng sasakyan.

My father is really bent on giving me the cold shoulder dahil sa ginawa namin ng mga kaibigan ko at ang mas lalo pang nakakatakot, my dad is eeriely calm which is very out of character for him since he had this quick flare temper na namana ko. I can handle my dad when he is going ballistic but this version of my father is just so frustrating.

Kalmado lang ang aking ama at naka concentrate ng maigi sa kalsada simula ng sunduin nila kami mula sa property nila Don Gustave, may dalang hiwalay na sasakyan si Tito Erik at Tito Damon kaya nag kawatak-watak kaming tatlo. Sinadya siguro iyon ng aming mga ama para mainterrogate kami ng hiwa-hiwalay dahil malimit kaming mag kampihan at mag saluhan.

"I'm sorry." Bulong ko ng ipark ni dad ang sasakyan sa aming driveway

"You don't mean it." He replied coolly bago ako iwan sa loob ng sasakyan. Dali dali ko syang sinundan sa loob but when he entered his office ay sumuko narin ako, his office is his haven and when he is inside that means he's super mad and would rather occupy himself with work.

I suddenly feel like crying. Dad used to be warmer and more forgiving before but after mom tried to abandon us to be with her new lover several years ago, Dad became detached at ang pinakamasakit pa nyan tinaggap ulit ni dad si mom after everything she did. Kung hindi pa naaksidente at namatay ang kabit nya malamang ay hindi nya na kami binalikan. She's a full pledged cheater but dad still loves her and I witnessed first hand how that love almost ruined my him.

"She looks just like her mom wouldn't you agree, Caleb?"

Naalala ko ang sinabi ni Don Gustave at bigla akong napasulyap sa repleksyon ko sa sliding glass doors ng home office ni dad. A girl with tight curls the color of coal and a seemingly innocent face stared back at me. I loathed that face. Hindi ko lubos maisip ang pakiramdam ni dad sa tuwing nakikita nya ako- I remind him of her, but I swear to God and all that is holy na hindi ako kagaya ng nanay ko.

"Indeed, but she had her father's eyes."

Another bit of the conversation back at Don Gustave's place floated in my memory. I do have my father's bottle green eyes but the rest of me resembles mom.

"I'm sorry, Dad." I mumbled to no one in particular bago ako umalis sa kinatatayuan para pumunta sa aking kwarto ng hindi kumakain ng hapunan.

"Achila..."

"Anong kaylangan mo?" Tanong ko ng hindi sya nililingon.

"I heard what happened." She said gently bago sya tuluyang pumasok sa kwarto ko

"So, ano? Nandito ka para pagalitan ako?" Tumawa ako ng mapakla bago ko sya harapin. I should have felt victorious when she flinched but no...I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt pero nilunok ko kaagad ang pakiramdam na iyon dahil huli na ang lahat para magpaka nanay sya sakin

"Gusto ko lang namang makatulong," Tinitigan ko sya at nakita ko ang babaeng nang iwan sa akin at sa tatay ko pero bukod don nakita ko din ang babaeng hinahangaan ko noon ang taong palagi kong gustong iimpress but most of all I saw the woman that everyone claims to be my spitting image at hindi ko nagustuhan ang nakikita ko.

"Iwan mo na ako...please." Tuluyan ko na syang tinalikuran just so she won't see my tears

"Ipapahatid ko nalang ang hapunan mo dito." Isang malalim na buntong hininga  ang pinakawalan nya at ng makaalis na sya agad kong nilock ang pintuan.

I slept that night with weird dreams of a scary forest and a little boy with large gray eyes.