His Revenge

HR II - Chapter 14: Red's Venom

The moon was covered by a thin layer of cloud but it shone brightly nonetheless. A gentle breeze was blowing from the sea, billowing our clothes and ruffling our hair. The roar of the ocean chorused with the singing of the crickets. The night was calm, peaceful, and quiet.

I walked side by side with Red along the beach, the water skimmed our feet with every wave that hits the shore. He was holding my hand firmly and he was so close to me that I can already feel his warmth against my skin.

"Do you still remember when you invited Kuya Grey and me to Pangasinan?" Red asked while staring at the moon.

"Yep. Grey was literally jumping with joy when we arrived there," sagot ko naman.

Red laughed a bit. "Yeah. He really likes to travel. We also walked together by the beach, remember? Tinatanong kita noon kung ano ba talaga ang status niyong dalawa ni Cleid," he said.

I nodded. "That night was the night that you finally gave me the permission to court you."

Red smiled. He then stared at the sea, seemingly lost in the horizon. There was a strange, distant look in his eyes. His hand suddenly tightened around mine.

"That was also the night that I started to fall for you."

He said those words so directly that I had trouble comprehending it.

"W-What?" I asked him.

Red smiled faintly. "'Yun ang unang araw na nag-iba ang tibok ng puso ko sa 'yo. That day I became confused. Dati kasi kapag kinakausap kita, normal lang naman ang tibok ng puso ko. Normal din naman ang takbo ng utak ko. But that night, my mind was cluttered like hell and my heart was beating like mad. I didn't know what was happening to me back then. But now that I came to think of it, 'yun na pala ang araw na umalis ako sa pagkabata ko," paliwanag ni Red.

He suddenly breathed deep. "I tried to look for your flaws in hope that my feelings for you will fade. Well, I found some of your flaws but contrary to what I wanted to happen, I found myself being drawn to you instead. The more na mas nakikilala kita the more na mas napalapit ako sa 'yo," dagdag pa niya.

Napatitig na lang ako kay Red. He was literally telling me something that he hasn't told me before.

"And then… everything that followed just happened so quickly. Namalayan ko na lang na nandito na ulit ako, kasama ka. But I think I was a little bit too late now," sabi niya.

"A little bit too late for what?" I asked him.

He suddenly stopped walking. I was surprised to see tears flowing down his cheeks.

"If I wasn't broken like I am now, do you think you can still love me?" tanong niya bigla.

Natigilan ako. What?

Red glanced at me before wiping his tears away. "Sorry. It was so pathetic of me to ask that question. Of course you already have Bianca and you're happy with her. Finders keepers, losers weepers. I was just so unlucky to be in the losing side," he said.

"D-Do you still love me?" tanong ko bigla sa kanya.

Red smiled sadly. "I do. But Bianca is way better than me. Siya 'yung nakasama mo nung mga panahon na kailangan mo ng taong magpapasaya sa 'yo. Samantalang ako, hayun, sinusubukang buuin ang buhay ko," he said with a harsh laugh.

"I-I'm sorry," 'yun na lang ang nasabi ko.

"Don't be. It's fine. Hindi naman tayo pumunta rito para umiyak. We're here to have fun. And while were at it, let's swim!" sabi ni Red sabay tulak sa 'kin.

I screamed out of shock as I fell into the sea. Tumawa na lang si Red habang nakatitig sa 'kin.

"You caught me off-guard there," sabi ko sabay tayo. Basang-basa na ako.