KING OF TORMENTS [Completed]

CHAPTER 57

Bumalik ako sa King's Edifice na maraming katangungan ang isipan. Nanghihina akong napaupo sa sofa. I closed my eyes, silently pleading my mind to shut down permanently. I couldn't take this anymore. Kapag inintindi ko pa ang kanilang mga usapan ay mababaliw na ako ng tuluyan.

The silence around wasn't helping me. Nabibingi ako. My head throbbed the more I tried to relax. Ang bigat-bigat sa pakiramdam. I was in fucking turmoil and thinking too much might be the death of me.

Before I would lose my sanity, I stood immediately. Sapo ang aking noo ay nagpasya akong magtungo sa parking lot. Kakalabas ko pa lang sa King's Edifice ay naabutan ko si Ryker na nakatayo at tila may hinihintay. I waved my hand dismissively and resumed walking.

"Sapphire..."

"Back off! I'm not in the mood to talk to you right now."

"Saan ka pupunta?"

I just ignored him completely. Alam kong nakasunod siya sa akin ngunit hindi ko na tinapunan ng tingin hanggang sa makarating sa parking lot. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang mapansin ang pamilyar na bulto ng katawan na papasok sa isang sasakyan.

"Cray!"

His cheeks turned red when he noticed my presence. Pati ang tainga niya ay namumula na rin. Nahihiya siyang nag-iwas ng tingin. Nakapaweywang ko siyang hinarap. Si Ryker naman ay huminto sa tabi ko.

"I'm talking to you!" I snapped my fingers in urgency.

Cray looked at me. His eyes grew wide and his face became redder. I lifted my eyebrow.

"Sapphire..." nahihiya niyang bigkas sa aking pangalan.

"Pwedeng makisakay? I need to go the Downtown," I asked in a diplomatic way. Baka mahimatay pa siya kapag tinakot ko. Kinalabit ako ni Ryker. Hindi ko siya nilingon. I maintained my gaze in Cray's blushing face. The latter kept on fidgeting.

"Ah... sure!"

Muntikan pa siyang matapilok dahil sa gulat nang naglakad ako palapit sa kaniya. Aligaga niya akong pinagbuksan ng pinto. Nagkibit balikat na lang ako nang mapansin ang pamamawis ng kaniyang noo.

"Sapphire, usap muna tayo!"

Nilingon ko saglit si Ryker na kasalukuyang parang pinagbagsakan ng langit at lupa. I just raised my middle finger in the air. Galit pa rin ako sa kaniya. Baka masuntok ko lang siya ulit kapag nagpumilit pa siya.

"Don't talk to me. Fuck off!"

With an eye roll, I entered Cray's car. I closed my eyes when I heard the engine roaring to life. Tahimik lamang ako habang nagmamaneho siya.

Nakakatamad mag-isip. Gusto ko munang makalimot saglit. Alam kong hindi sagot sa problema ang pagtakas, ngunit ngayon wala na akong pakealam kung kaduwagan ba ang gagawin ko. Kahit panandaliang paglimot lang ay papatulan ko na. Gulong-gulo na ako. Nakakapagod ng magtanong.

Darating din pala sa puntong kahit gaano ka katapang ay mawawalan ka ng lakas. I bit my lower lip when Saunder's words started to echo in my mind again no matter how I tried to block it. My despondency worsened when I remembered how Davil answered him without hesitation. How his words were laced with conviction and certainty. How he stood firmly to defend me, and how he made me felt so fucking lucky for still choosing me even when Saunder insisted that I would only bring him to his downfall.

My heart fluttered but my mind ached. He just declared that he would still choose me against all odds. And I didn't know if that was a good one or not. Isa pa, nalilito ako sa usapan nila. They were talking about me as if Davil and I had past, as if I had done something wrong that made Saunder despised me so much. I couldn't even remember that I met them years ago!