Sweet Disposition

Chapter 14 - It was Max

Nicole's POV

I waited for Belle na bumalik galing restroom. There is something going on here. I know it.

Inantay ko siyang makaupo.

"Do you have something to tell me?"

Tinignan niya ako. Kilalang kilala ko si Belle. Alam ko kapag may tinatago siya sa akin. And this time sigurado ako na meron.

"It's about Max"

Hindi ko alam pero bigla akong kinabahan. Hindi ako nagsalita. Gusto kong ituloy niya kung ano man ang sasabihin niya.

"Nikki"

She reached for my hand. Hinawakan ko naman agad ang kamay niya.

"It was Max"

I'm confused. What does she mean na it was Max?

"What do you mean?" tanong ko.

"Si Max yung ex ko"

And she started crying. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to feel. Ni hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong isipin.

"How... I don't... I don't understand"

Sinusubukan kong kalmahin yung sarili ko. Iprocess yung sinabi niya. I need to calm down para maintindihan ko kung anong nangyayari.

Nilayo ko kay Belle yung kamay ko. At tumingin siya sa akin. Nagsimula akong kumalma.

"I want to know everything"

"Not here please" sagot ni Belle.

Pumunta kami sa bahay namin. Sure akong wala pa si Max dun because I asked her kung nasaan siya. She is with her friend and she told me na doon muna siya mag-sstay.

Bumili ako ng beer nung papunta kami dito. I badly needed it. Hanggang ngayon di pa rin pumapasok sa utak ko yung sinabi ni Belle.

"Nikki we don't have to do this right now" sabi ni Belle.

"Why?"

"Because you need to calm down" sagot niya.

"I am calm"

"No you are not"

Tama siya. Kanina ko pa pinipilit maging kalmado pero wala.

"I just want to know everything. As in lahat lahat. Kung paano nangyari ang lahat"

"And I will tell you everything. I just need you to calm down first"

Umupo ako sa sofa. Inisip ko si Rain. Kailangan kong kumalma and the thought of her makes me calm.

Hinintay ako ni Belle na maging okay.

"Okay. Start from the beginning. I don't want you to skip any detail. Sabihin mo sa akin lahat"

"I don't know kung paano ikwento. Just ask questions and I will honestly answer all of it"

"Fine. How did it start?" tanong ko.

"Remember when I went to New York for a year?"

Tumango lang ako.

"Sumunod si Ethan diba?"

I can see na naiiyak na naman ulit si Belle. I can see the pain in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Sobrang hirap lang balikan yung mga nangyari. Kinalimutan ko na lahat yun. But I want you to know the truth, Nikki"

Umupo si Belle sa harap ko.

"When Ethan followed me in New York it was okay at first. We were okay. But one day, bigla siyang nag-iba. Ang bilis na niyang magalit. Lagi na rin siyang umaga umuuwi. Sometimes hindi siya umuuwi at all. One night, umuwi siyang lasing na lasing. Hindi ko napigilan na sumbatan siya. Sobrang nagbago siya, Nikki. Napuno na ako sa mga ginagawa niya. Sobrang nag-away kami. Hanggang sa nasampal niya ako"

Hindi ko alam kung paano magrereact. Tinitignan ko lang si Belle. Umiiyak sa harap ko.

"I never thought na magagawa niya yun. Kinabukasan sobrang nagmakaawa siya sa akin. Nagawa lang daw niya yun dahil lasing siya. I forgave him. It was the first time he did it. And I know na hindi niya sinasadya. Pero mali pala ako. After a week, while I was at his apartment, I found drugs on his pants. I confronted him about it. We got into another fight. Hanggang sa naramdaman ko na lang yung sakit sa tyan ko. He punched me. I was laying on the floor. Shouting at him. Pero sinuntok niya ulit ako. I tasted blood on my mouth. He was a monster that night. It was a totally different Ethan. He grabbed my hair. Hinila niya ako papunta ng kwarto. I don't know how pero nagawa kong pumiglas sa kanya at itulak siya palayo sa akin. I ran Nikki. I ran like I've never ran before"

Niyakap ko kaagad si Belle. Bakit nagawa ni Ethan yun? Pareho kaming umiiyak ngayon. I can't believe na nangyari sa kanya to. At kapatid ko ang may gawa.

"Max was there"

"She saw what happened?" tanong ko.

"Hindi. She was at the lobby. Pagkalabas ko ng elevator andun siya. Nakita niya yung itsura ko. Nagtanong siya pero hindi ko na sinagot. Sinabi ko na lang na kailangan niya ako tulungan na makaalis dun. And she did"

"High ba si Ethan nung gabing yun?" tanong ko.

"Oo. Sobrang ibang Ethan yung nakita ko nung gabing yun. Hindi ko alam kung anong mangyayari sa akin noon kung wala si Max dun. I didn't have my phone. Wala rin akong pera. And I was so embarrassed to ask for help. I was really glad she was there, Nikki"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I know how much you adore him. You really look up to him, Nikki. At alam kong sobrang masasaktan ka kapag nalaman mong nagawa yun ni Ethan. Ayokong mag-iba ang tingin mo sa kanya. He is still your brother"

Knowing all this makes me think kung paano ko pa mahaharap si Ethan. I can't believe he was capable of hurting anyone, especially Belle. 

"So, hindi ka nag-cheat?" tanong ko.

"No. After what happened, nakipaghiwalay na ako agad sa kanya. Hindi ako makauwi sa house namin dahil sa pasa ko kaya I stayed with Max. Tinulungan niya ako. Siya ang kumuha ng mga gamit ko sa apartment ni Ethan. And she talked to him. He promised na hindi na siya gagamit. Na babawi siya sa akin. Binantayan siya ni Max, Nicole. Tinulungan niya si Ethan and at the same time she took care of me"

"Paano nag-umpisa yung sa inyo ni Max?"