Living With My Future-Ex °[KathNiel] ✓COMPLETE

Chapter 7: Worth

Rylai

Nagpahangin muna ako sa labas bago ako bumalik ng kwarto. Papasok na sana ako nang marinig ko ang maingay na si Milo.

"Angel, are you free tonight?"he asked from the other room. Ulo lang niya ang inilabas niya sa pinto.

"Huh?"

"Kain tayo sa labas. Treat ko."nakangiting sagot niya.

"Next time nalang siguro."nahihiyang tanggi ko sa kanya.

"Next time. Ok. I'll ask you again tomorrow and the following days to come."

Napatawa ako sa tinuran niya. Pumasok ako ng kwarto at nagbrowse online. Sinubukan kong i-stalk ang social media accounts ni Blaze pero hindi ko makita. He blocked me, that's for sure. Sinubukan kong i-stalk si Crystal pero kahit siya, walang lumalabas sa search result. They both blocked me. Fine. Mas mabuti narin sigurong wala akong alam. Masasaktan lang din ako kung sakali mang may makita o mabasa ako.

When I saw that Blaze is leaving earlier that afternoon, I secretly followed him and I found out he went to Crystal's place to fetch her. Inalalayan niya itong lumabas ngunit natuon ang atensiyon ko sa batang kasama nila. I wasted no time and called Hailey.

"Ry. Ano 'tong narinig kong nasa bahay ka nila ngayon nakatira? What are you doing to yourself—"

"You knew it all, Hailey. You knew everything even before I got here. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Rylai—"

"Ano 'to? Si Crystal ang bestfriend mo? Siya ang pinili mong maging masaya kaysa sa'kin?"umiiyak na sumbat ko sa kanya sa phone.

"Sinubukan kong sabihin sa'yo. Ilang ulit kitang pinigilan na 'wag pumunta rito! Ilang ulit kitang sinabihang niloloko ka ng boyfriend mo pero hindi ka naniniwala o baka sadyang nagbubulag-bulagan ka lang."

"Oo ginawa mo nga 'yan! I asked you a proof and you were vague in telling me anything! Iyon pala kasi may pinoprotektahan ka! Why did you betray me Hailey?"

"I'm sorry. Hindi ko nasabi lahat-lahat kasi... kapatid ni Gabriel si Crystal."

What? Ang buong akala ko ay matalik silang magkaibigan ni Crystal kaya kasama nila ngayon ang anak ni Hailey at Gabriel. Why haven't I thought of the possibility?

"I'm sorry Hailey."I muttered and ended the call.

Buong araw na nakabuntot ako sa kanila na parang napapraning lang. Ang saya-saya ni Blaze habang naglalaro silang tatlo sa kids'play area ng mall. Parang silang isang masaya at buong pamilya.

"We had eight years and he chose to leave me. Alam ko, he will leave you too, one day. And when it happens, I'll do everything to take him back."I whispered to the wind while I freed the tears I've been holding back earlier.

Before I break down, I decided to just leave and go home. My vision was blurry because of the tears welling from my eyes. What I found next is myself running down the busy road like a deranged woman. I only stopped when I stumbled down and hurt my knees. I squatted on my heels down the road while I cried my heart out. Everyone passing me by threw me their judging looks and I just can't care anymore.

With its noise filling the dusky road, I can tell that a bigbike was coming. I was right. It's just that it stopped right in front of me. It was Ashton.

"Damn. Rylai!"

Nang lapitan niya ako, yumakap agad ako sa kanya at humagulhol sa balikat niya. He held me up without letting go of me. He even hugged me tighter when we both have stood up.

"Rylai. Enough, please."he whispered in a pleading voice. "You're breaking my heart."

After a few minutes of giving me comfort, I calmed down. Panay ang pagpunas niya ng pisngi ko at minsan pang hindi niya hinahayaan ang luha kong pumatak pa. He carefully shoved away the tears in my eyes with his hand.

"Let me take you somewhere, okay?"

I saw myself nodding and after that, he carefully put on a helmet on my head. He made sure I am comfortable as I rode his bike before turning the engine on.

"Hold tight, Lai."he said as our eyes met through the side mirror of the bike.

He drove the bike with expertise so I didn't really feel scared while I rode with him. Isa pa, hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na umangkas ako sa bike niya. As we passed through a number of overpass, I learned to appreciate the city lights and it somehow gave me a good feeling.

"Humawak ka ng maayos."wika niya habang naghihintay kami sa traffic light na magbago ng kulay.

Dahil tumango lang ako, kinuha niya ang mga kamay ko't ipinulupot sa kanya. Basically, I am hugging him closely right now.

"Don't get used to my scent. Baka ma-miss mo 'ko."pang-aasar niya.

"You're crazy."

"Wow. My line worked. Akala ko hindi ka na magsasalita eh."

"I hate you."I muttered and pouted.

"Well, I'd be more than priveleged to change that."

When the traffic light turned red, he sped up faster than the speed he used to maintain an hour back. Napipilitan akong humawak sa kanya ng mahigpit. Kahit mata lang ni Ash ang nakikita ko dahil naka-helmet siya, alam kong tinawanan niya ako.

We are about to get on a very elevated flyover so I prepared myself for him to speed up. However, to my surprise, we stopped when we reached the top.

"Ashton, what are we doing? This is an offense and we could get jailed for this."natatarantang wika ko.

The jerk just took off the helmet and grinned at me.

"Ash, this is dangerous! We can't stop here."

Tuluyan na akong nainis sa kanya sa sobrang takot at pag-aalala habang nagsisidaanan ang mga kotse at iba-ibang sasakyan. Ashton faced me and gave me an assuring look.

"Penguin, trust me, okay?"

Hindi ko alam kung bakit nakikita ko nalang ang sarili kong tumatango sa kanya. Inalalayan niya akong bumaba. I then went close to the corner in fear na baka masagasaan ako. But when I looked down and watched the hundred tail lights of the cars stopping in traffic, I smiled.

"Nasa baba si Blaze... in one of those cars. Tell him what you really want to tell him."

Kahit alam kong imposibleng maging tama ang sinabi niya at dahil alam kong sa sobrang taas ng kinaroroonan namin ay hindi naman talaga ako maririnig ng kahit kanino sa baba, tumango ako.

"But here's the rule. You can curse him if you want... or you could even beg. But you can't cry."

That's impossible. Sa sobrang sakit na nararamdaman ko ng dahil sa kanya, imposibleng hindi ako pipiyok at iiyak.

"Can't you see yourself right now? You're on top. He can't drag your hopes down now, Lai. Come on, penguin... Shout your heart out."

After nodding to him, I heaved a deep breath and then looked down.

"Hoy grumpy!!! Bakit hindi mo tinutupad ang mga pangako mo??? Sabi mo sa'kin ako lang!!! Bakit siya ngayon ang kasama mo? Bakit siya ang hinahayaan mong magpasaya sa'yo??? Grumpy, nandito na ako..."nagsimula akong pumiyok but I tried to blink back the tears. "Sabi mo diba? Papakasalan mo ako kapag nagkasama na tayo? I'm here now, grumpy. I'm her—"

Out of the void, Ashton pulled me to his chest and let me cry. Sa sobrang higpit ng yakap niya, hindi ko maawat ang sarili ko sa pag-iyak.

"Believe me penguin, you will realize your worth, one day. You are worth the world."he whispered making me hug him back. 

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AUTHOR'S CORNER:
Akoý kinikilig... Charooooot! Hahahaha. Scorer, ano na ang points? Hahaha. Para maka-relate, basahin ang comments sa last chapter. :D