Dreaming in the Rain

Chapter 24

*Ivo's POV

"CEE-CEE..." I sighed and hugged her duffel bag.

It may sound or look pathetic but I still don't want to return this to her yet. Pakiramdam ko kasi siya ang niyayakap ko sa mga oras na ito. I could smell her sweet scent through her bag.

I know how much she hated getting manipulated. But I had no choice but to manipulate things so I could be with her and make her fall for me all over again. Nag-leave pa ako ng isang buwan sa trabaho ko para lamang dito.

Yup, kasabwat ko si Dad at si Tita Veronica, ang mga adoptive parents niya, para sa plano kong ito.

Noong una, ayaw na talaga ni Tita na lumapit ako kay Cee-cee dahil sa ginawa ko noon.

Oo, nagtagumpay ako na masaktan ang mga taong nais kong paghigantihan. Lalong-lalo na ang babaeng pinakamamahal ko.

Bumuntong-hininga ako. Naalala ko pa kung paano kami nagtalo ni Dad at kung paano akong nagmakaawa sa kanila nina Tita Veronica para pagbigyan ako sa nais ko.

"Where's my girlfriend?" I asked, gritting my teeth.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" balik-tanong sa akin ng asawa ni Dad.

"Again, where's Cee-cee, Dad?" Diniinan ko pa ang salitang "Dad."

"You're not ever going to see my daughter! How dare you hurt her? Pinaiyak mo ang anak ko!" lumuluhang wika ng asawa ni Dad.

I looked at her furiously. "I'm not talking to you, old woman!"

Biglang may sumuntok sa panga ko. Hindi agad nakahuma ko Napaupo ako sa sahig. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang lakas ng suntok na iyon na tumama sa akin dahilan para dumugo ang gilid ng labi ko. Pinalis ko iyon gamit ang kamay ko.

"Oo! Malaki ang kasalanan ko sa iyo at sa iyong ina! Pero huwag na huwag mong babastusin si Veronica!"

I smiled and laughed sarcastically. "We're just the same, are you not aware of that? Hindi ba't pambabastos rin naman ang ginawa mo kay Mommy noong iniwan mo kami para sa kanya, di ba? So what?!"

I stood up and gritted my teeth in so much rage I'm feeling right now as I could remember how we suffered, especially my dearest mother.

"Stop saying as if you know everything!" Dad shouted at me. He looked at me, disappointed.

Medyo natigilan ako sa sinabi niya pero hindi ko iyon ipinahalata sa kanya.

"I don't care! Just fucking tell me where she is!" I said impatiently.

"Hinding-hindi ako papayag na makita mo pa ang anak ko. She's really hurt because of what you did. We promised that we'll never let her get hurt like this but now what? Sinaktan mo siya. She have suffered enough already when she was young, physically and emotionally. I just can't believe she'll get hurt emotionally again. Just how could you, Ivo?" Veronica spoke calmly but I could feel her fury.

Nagpatuloy siya sa pagsasalita. "Matagal na naming alam na ikaw ang kasintahan niya. Alam din naming malaki ang galit mo sa amin iyong ama. But we never thought that you'd do something as terrible as this. Why? Because you're dad is a good person and so as your mom, Luisa, and we believed that you are as well. Kaya nagtiwala agad kami na magiging okay si Cee-cee bilang girlfriend mo kahit na nga hindi ka pa nagpapakilala sa amin personally."

Tumawa ako nang pagak. "My mother is a good person, yes. But him?" I turned to my father. "Really? I don't think so."

"Son, you don't know everything that happened before. Hindi mo alam kung anong nangyari noon na nagtulak sa akin para hiwalayan ang mommy mo," mahinang wika ni Dad.