Chapter 30
Burning Flowers
"Saang probinsya?" muling tanong ni Elexius habang naliligo kami, mukha siyang kuryoso sa bagay na iyon.
I smiled at him.
"Zamboanga."
He nodded and played with my fingers. Ngumuso ako at huminga ng malalim habang tinitingnan ang mga punong sumasayaw sa hampas ng hangin.
"Before this month ends, I'll be going back there..." mahinang boses na sambit ko.
Napahinto siya sa paglalaro sa aking mga daliri, tila agad naalarma sa aking sinabi.
"What does it fucking mean?" he said icily.
Hindi ako makatingin sa kanya, nanatiling iwas ang mga mata ko habang ramdam ko ang kanyang buong atensyon sa akin.
"You'll leave me again?" he asked again when I did not respond. He sounded so cold.
My heart is crumpling sadly and guiltily.
"El," I sighed. "I still have three remaining months for my punishment. I promised Abuela, I'll be back after my birth month."
"Why did you just tell this now?" he asked sedately.
"Nakalimutan ko lang..." mahinang sambit ko.
I'm fucking guilty! I just want to have a normal days with him for this month, I don't want to ruin our days. Gusto ko ay masaya lang muna kasi mas masaya akong makakaalis ulit noon.
His jaw clamped.
"Nakalimutan mo lang na iiwan mo ulit ako?" he said every word on sharp point.
Napapikit ako ng mariin at suminghap dahil doon.
"Hindi iyon, El." bumuntong hininga ako. "I just forgot about that because I'm just happy being with you for the past days."
"Tatlong buwan..." tumango siya na may inis ang ekspresyon. "Tatlong buwan kang mawawala ulit?"
Huminga ako ng malalim at tumango ng malungkot.
"Can't you take me with you?" he asked icily.
I gasped in shock.
"Mahirap doon, El. Wala ka namang kakilala para may matuluyan, hindi ka rin kilala ni Abuela kaya mahirap kung sa amin. Malabo." mahina kong sinabi.
Fuck. Sana saglit lang ang tatlong buwan. I don't want to leave for long months again. I don't want to leave Elexius like this, kung pwede lang ay talagang isasama ko siya roon kaso hindi naman madali iyon.
He gasped harshly and avoided my gaze.
"Mas mahirap ang maiwan mo." he uttered vigorously.
Napahugot ako ng malalim na hininga at nilapitan siya ng husto. My heart clobbered and crumpled at the same time. Yumakap ako sa kanyang baywang at hinalikan siya sa braso.
"Please, El. Tatlong buwan na lang iyon, tuluyan na akong makakabalik dito... sayo. I'll come back to you, we'll have months and years more than my punishment." pabulong kong sinabi.
My heart is crumpling, I don't know how to make him understand what I'm saying but I hope he will. Ang hirap kasing iwanan niya kung ganito ang kanyang lagay, galit at may tampo. Nadala na ako sa nangyari noong nakaraang hindi ako nagpaalam at nauwi sa hindi pagkakaintindihan.
Muling nag-igting ang panga niya habang tinitingnan ako. I looked at him sadly, I smiled at him.
"You were working with?" he asked suddenly.
