Wicked Her

Kabanata 75

"Bumangon ka dyan Ara! Hindi mo naman sinabi may lakad pala kayo ni Nealle!" Mabilis na namulat ang mata ko sa narinig.

Mabilis akong bumangon at naligo. He can't see me like this. Hell no!

Mabilis akong nagayos ng sarili. Ano ba kasing kailangan nya? Ang aga-agad nangungulo.

Nang nakuntento ako sa sarili ko ay lumabas na ako.

Dahan-dahan akong bumaba sa hagdan na puno ng kaba sa dibdib. Tahol ni Check ang bumati sa tenga ko.

Napalunok ako ng makita si Nealle sa sofa. May hawak syang isang tangkay na bulaklak. Kaharap nya si mommy na may hawak na isang boquet. Napataas ang kilay ko. Galing ba kay Nealle iyon.

Katabi ni mommy si daddy na may maliit na ngiti sa labi.

Tumaas ang kilay ko.

"What are you doing here?" Taas kilay na tanong ko.

"Umaakyat ng ligaw." Nakangiting saad ni Nealle. Napairap ako.

"Pumayag ba ako?" Tanong ko.

"Ikaw ba liligawan ko?" Natigil ako.

"Eh anong ginagawa mo rito?" Tanong ko. Ngumisi sya at humarap kila Mommy.

"Sanay na po ako sa ugali nyang yan." Nakangiting saad ni Nealle. Kumunot noo ako.

Is he here to insult me infront of my parents?

"Pasensya ka na hijo, spoiled nung bata eh." Saad ni daddy.

"Dad!" Bawal ko sa kanya. Nagtawanan lang sila.

"Okay lang po, handa naman po akong i-spoil pa sya." Saad ni Nealle. Namula naman ang mukha ko. Darn your sweet words Nealle.

"Sit besides Nealle hija." Umirap ako at sumunod kay daddy.

"Here." Inabot nya sa akin yung rose. Wala sa sariling napatingin ako kay mommy at sa hawak nya bulaklak.

"Galing ba sayo yon?" Turo ko sa boquer ni mommy.

"Oo." Bulong nya.

Umirap ako.

"Bakit boquet sa kanya tapos sa akin isang pirasong rose?" Tanong ko.

"Im trying to court your parents, not you." Napairap ako.

You're getting into my nerves Nealle!

Nawala ng atensyon ko kay Nealle ng tumalon sa hita ko si Check at umupo rito. Napangiti ako at hinaplos ito.

"Are you really going to marry this brat?" Natigil ako at napatingin kay dad. "I want to witness her wedding bago ako mawala sa mundo."

"Dad!" Nanlingid ang luha sa mata ko. Hinawakan ni mommy ang kamay ni daddy.

"Wag po kayong magsalita ng ganyan. Makikita nyo pa po ang mga apo nyo."

"Nealle!" Biglang tumigil ang pagtulo ng luha ko ng marinig ang sinabi ni Nealle.

How can he joke like that infront of my parents? Damn his guts.

"What? Your dad will see his grandchild grow up." Paliwanag ni Nealle.

"Kaya dapat ay magpakasal na kayo." Hindi ko kung bakit ang dali akong ipamigay ng magulang ko.

"As soon as possible po." Wala sa sariling napatingin ako kay Nealle.

He's crazy.

This man.. I never thought I'll like a person this much. I liked him when I was a child.. I was very young then and I believe that love with fade on its own time.. but look at me, giving into him. He's here after all my mistakes as a child, his love overcome his anger on me.

I looked away when his phone made me come back to reality.

"Excuse me, I have to answer this po." Hr said politely.

"Sure." Mom said and cling on dad's arms.

Nealle look at me. I nodded at him. He went putside.

"Sabi ko sayo dapat kumain ka na!" My eyes drifred back to my parents.

Love did jot fade after all. It's just there waiting for you to accept it.

Nealle maybe like my mother. They both give in in their love and forget the mistakes.

I'm just lucky to have them both.

I smiled.

Nealle's heavy stomps made me look at him.

"What's the matter?" I asked when he looked problematic.

"Chad is nowhere to find." He said. I don't know if I'll laugh or what. "Surely he went to Manila."

Chad doesn't enjoy anything on the campaigne.

"How about the election?" Dad asked. He shook his head and sit besides me.

"Let's not mind that."