Played Without Rules

57. Sugar to Blood

If someday I'll be gone. Plant a flower for me.

-Lex
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Liam Ford Fortalejo

"Where have you been this whole summer?" I demanded an answer from her. Papasok pa lang siya ng bahay dala-dala ang maliit niyang maleta.

"States. I was needed there," she plainly replied.

"States? Ni hindi mo man lang naisip na sabihin sa'kin? After the ball, the next day you just vanished?" galit kong tanong. I was really disappointed. I woke up the day after with only a note saying: I'll be gone for two months.

Great isn't it?

"Ano bang kinagagalit mo?" she said. She seem not to feel my frustration. Maging ako ay 'di rin alam kung bakit ako nagagalit. Maybe because she just left. Buti sana kung may tawag for those past months pero wala. No news from her. And even Dad don't know and that angered me so bad.

"I'm your husband. Dapat alam ko kung saang lupalot ka man ng mundo nagpupunta. Naiintindihan mo?" I told her. I tried to hold back pero kusa ng lumalabas iyon sa mga labi ko.

"Liam! Stop this nonsense. We both know that we are only married because of a d*mn agreement okey?" she replied.

Napatahimik ako. Bakit ansakit 'yon marinig. I cared and this is all I get. I chose to shut up and leave her there. Pumasok na ako sa kwarto at ipinikit na lang ang mga mata.

I tried to sleep again but I can't. Bukod sa alas dyes na ng umaga e paulit-ulit ring bumabalik sa isip ko ang sinabi niya.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit masakit. But dmn it! It really hurt. The words seems to go straight to my heart and leave a burden there.

Pinilit kong matulog pero paulit-ulit kong naririnig ang boses niya sa utak ko. Sa dalawang buwan na nawala siya,'yon lang ang sasabihin niya?

Maya-maya pa'y narinig ko ang mahinang pagbukas ng pinto at pagg-galaw ng higaan ko.

"Lif?"

I heard her cold voice sweetly calling my name. I could feel the chill inside my veins. Darn it! Na-miss ko lang siguro siya.

I didn't answer.

"Lif come on, talk to me please?"

Why is it that even on such emotionless state, it still sounds so  sweet?

I felt her hands holding my arm and gently masagging it.

"Lif, I just got here. I didn't mean what I said. Sorry okey? I'm just tired," she started to explain.

At dahil sa hindi  ko naman siya matiis, minulat ko ang mga mata.

"You just said something terrible." I stared at her as if I was really hurt. Malay mo,gumana sa kanya at mas lalo pa siyang makonsensya.

"Hindi ko nga iyon sinasadya. Don't be mad. You're acting really weird you know."

"So now I'm weird? Ganyan mo ba talaga tratuhin ang mga taong nag-aalala sa'yo?" ang sabi ko. Binigyan lang niya ako nang titig saka nagkibit-balikat. Geez! This girl is complicated! Minsan nasobrahan sa common sense, minsan naman kinukulang.

"How do I make amends?" she asked gently. Napangiti naman ako nang sinabi niya iyon. I grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to me making her face on the same level as mine.

"How about a kiss?" I asked teasingly. She glared at me ready to punch  anytime I'll do something not good for her .

"Okey," she simply replied. Oh? 'Di nga?