SEDUCING THE THORN °[KathNiel] ✓COMPLETE

CHAPTER 34

Dos

Malaki ang subdivision kung sa'n nakatayo ang malaking bahay ni Logan. And it even has its own park. That's the great thing about it. I intently woke up early to jog. While running, even with the loud rock music in my ears, I still cannot focus on what I'm doing. Habang tumatakbo ang mga paa ko, tumatakbo rin ang utak ko pabalik sa nangyari kahapon.

Damn it Dos. Can you just forgive her and move on? Hindi mo narin naman mahal 'yong tao so why bother planning to ruin her life? Bakit hindi? Let's be fair. She once ruined my life too.

Even when I am already at the airport, I still feel hesitant about my decision to leave for Cebu. Eventually, I got to convince myself by saying that I'll do this for Logan. Baka kasi gusto na no'ng magsettle down. Baka balak na niyang pakasalan ang babaeng ipapakilala niya. I was only sure with what I'm doing when I already boarded the plane.

"Excuse me." I heard a woman's voice say to the other passenger before me. Pamilyar na pamilyar ang boses. Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. Kaya mabilis na sumilip ako. Hoooo. Literally, I held my breath in disbelief. Nakaside-view lang siya pero hindi ako magkakamali. It's her. It's Brook.

Naupo siya malapit sa bintana kaya hindi ko siya makita-kita. Sa buong oras ng flight, iniisip ko lang kung ano ang gagawin ko. Kung nakita niya rin kaya ako. At kung bakit nagwawala na naman ang puso ko. Finally, the plane has landed. I got my butt glued to the seat because I am intently waiting for Brook to pass so I can see a full glimpse of her face. But when she did, she covered half of her face with a scarf. Mata niya lang ang nakikita ko. Walang nagbago. Iyon parin 'yong mga matang paborito kong titigan noon. What was worse was the sudden rush of my emotions. Bumalik 'yong sakit, 'yong galit na naramdaman ko noon.

"Don't be silly, Dos. It's already a decade."I scolded myself before standing up to get off of the plane.

"Hey! Excuse me!" Sigaw ni Brook na nagpatawag ng atensiyon ng karamihan sa mga pasahero. May kinalabit siyang lalaki na nakaheadphones. Hindi 'yon nakinig kaya hinablot niya ang headphone nito.

"What's your problem, lady?"

"What's your problem? Hindi mo nakita 'yong matandang binangga mo?" Galit na galit na singhal niya sa lalaki. "Ang gago mo!" Asik niya saka tinuhod sa gitna ang estranghero. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin. Nilapitan niya ang matandang babae at siya mismo ang bumuhat sa mga gamit no'n. Why does that old woman travel alone anyway?

'Yon 'yong nakakainis do'n eh. She still acts exactly the same as before. Siya parin 'yong thoughtful na si Brook, ang matapang na si Brook. She's still a thorn. She still has the power to hurt me. And I damn hate her for that.

Bakit nga ba siya umalis? Bakit niya ako iniwan no'n? Okay lang naman eh. Okay lang kung ang mga magulang niya ang dahilan. If that Jared was out of the picture, it's okay if she left me for her family. Pero iba e. Para niya akong ipinagpalit. And it hurts to think that after three years or so when she left, magkasama pa sila ni Jared sa Paris. Ano'ng gusto nilang isipin ko? Kasalanan ko bang makaramdam ng ganitong galit? I feel betrayed. I feel cheated on. At ang sakit parin. Ang sakit isiping iniwan niya ako at ipinagpalit sa iba.