Aphrodite (Complete)

Chapter Sixty Six

Chapter Sixty Six

Clueless

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The fire that Martin bragged seemed to be slow. Or was it just me, counting the time too slow. I feel so numb. Wala na akong nararamdaman marahil naiyak ko na lahat. I feel so useless. I feel to hopeless. My confidence was too high kaya sobrang baba din ng binagsak ko. Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko, feeling my senses getting sharp. I could smell the... putrid air and probably... defeat, the roughness of my fingers, taste the saltiness in my mouth, and I could hear the defeaning silence amongst us.

Binuka ko ang mga mata ko at tumingin kay ate. Gulat akong makitang nakatingin din siya sa'kin. Her tear-strained face shown bright. Kitang-kita ko ang paghihirap niya. All the bruises and cuts and pain, mas lalong lumalalim ang pagsisisi ko. Everything I promised was broken at this point. I promised...

"A-Ate, I'm very, very, very sorry." I croaked. Buong akala ko wala na akong luha pero biglang lumabo ang paningin ko hanggang sa naramdaman kong walang tigil na itong pumapatak. "Remember last time? You wanted me to take care of Celeste..."

I couldn't finish what I said. The tears were choking my words back. Nanatili pa rin nakatingin si Diana sa'kin. Her stare was blank. Not a single ounce of emotion was left. It was like a clean slate. Kinagat ko ang labi ko. This is it. This is what I deserve the most. I left someone special back home. I lost Celeste. I lost the battle that I never get to finish.

The last thing I wanted to have today is the disappointed face of my sister. I broke my promises.  I ruined everything.

"She..." I finally managed to speak. Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko at pilit inaalala ang nakangiting Celeste; those times she was unbothered, unscathed, untouched, safe, protected. Napaiyak ako sa alaala. "She was so much like you."

Diana wasn't even making any noise. Hindi ko nga alam kung nakikinig ba nga siya sa'kin. It was an awful feeling. So, so, awful. The silence was consuming me, like it was the one killing me slowly. "She's a bratinella; hindi siya titigil hangga't 'di niya nakukuha ang gusto." I started reminiscing. "Sa'yong-sa'yo talaga nagmana ate." I said.

I sniffled. My tears was continuously dropping, not a single ounce spared. "Recently, she was into fashion. Alam mo ba'ng sumali 'yon ng pageant? And she volunteered herself, thinking the crown was really meant for her. She proved her beauty, and she can also prove her brain. She is an amazing kid and I'm honored to be able to experience it for myself..." ngayon tumingin na ako ulit sakaniya. Her blank eyes were still staring at me, but tears were starting to form. "...pero ate, nangako ako sa'yo na kukunin kita, ililigtas kita. So that you can be a mother to her, so you can be free... and I'm so sorry. Nasaktan siya, kinuha pa siya... and we're going to die."

I was already sobbing. Nahihirapan na akong magsalita. Nahihirapan ako, pagod na ako.

"Ate... ayoko na. Hindi ko na kaya—"

"Bullshit, Venus." for the past hours, she started saying something again. She was glaring at me now, the hate evident in her eyes. Iniwas ko ang tingin ko sakaniya. This is all my fault. I am failing. Celeste is taken. Really, there a lot of ways Diana could hate me. A lot... "I do not know you. Who are you, huh? Go away!"

"A-Ate—"

"I want to see Venus. Hindi ito 'yong Venus na basta-basta nalang sumusuko. She knows that very damn well. I want to see the ever-so confident Venus. 'Yong hindi nagpapatalo. 'Yong nag-iisip ng paraan hindi siya matatalo because she never fucking lose," she said. I froze on the spot and slowly turned to see her again. Laking gulat ko na nakawala siya at may dala-dala siyang kutsilyo na ginamit niya para makatakas. "I want to see Venus, the sister who never backs down to a measly old man. This is not her, not the one I know. Niloloko mo 'ko at higit sa lahat, ayaw ko ng manloloko. Do you want me to kill you?"