KING OF TORMENTS [Completed]

CHAPTER 58

The wind blew, making me shivered. Yakap-yakap ang aking mga braso ay napatingala ako sa kalangitan. Mag-uumaga na. Ilang oras na rin akong nagpalakad-lakad sa paligid ng King's Edifice upang lumanghap ng sariwang hangin. I felt so suffocated. I was drowning in the river of confusion where I couldn't fight its current.

Mabibigat ang mga hakbang na nagtungo ako sa cafeteria.

Nagising ako kanina sa tabi ni Davil. Hindi na ako nagulat na nakayakap siya sa akin. Ang ikinagulat ko ay nang mapansing namumugto ang mga mata niya at may bakas pang luha ang mga pisngi. I had no clear recollection of what happened before. Ang tanging naalala ko lang ay umiyak ako at halos magwala. Pero ang rason kung bakit ko iyon nagawa ay hindi malinaw sa akin.

I sighed. I couldn't understand myself anymore. Kaunti na lang iisipin kong baliw na ako. Gently, I massaged my forehead. Kanina pa ito kumikirot.

Tahimik ang loob ng cafeteria nang makapasok ako. My eyebrow automatically raised when I noticed Saunder sitting alone. May nakalagay na mug sa mesa niya at ilang mga aklat. He was reading seriously. Para itong ulirang estudyante na paborito ng lahat ng naging guro niya. My temper rose when I remember how he used Ryker for his own evil scheme! This manipulative Rook!

With a clench fist, I marched towards him. Nang makarating ako sa harapan niya ay malakas kong hinampas ang table. Muntikan pang matumba ang mug sa ibabaw kung hindi niya lang ito nahawakan. He lifted his gaze arrogantly, eyeing me with obvious disdain.

"If you hate me so much, then hate me alone! Stop using other people for your fucking scheme! Nananahimik lang si Ryker pero bakit siya nadamay dito?"

"Stop acting like a victim, Sinclaire," he replied. "And yes, I hate you. You will only ruin the Upper Hierarchy."

Pinasadahan ko ng mga daliri ang aking buhok bago ako naupo sa tapat niya. Pilit kong pinapakalma ang aking sarili dahil pati paghinga ko ay nagpapahiwatig ng labis na galit. My shoulder moved up and down, in synced with my labored breathing. I firmly gripped the edge of the table while trying my best to control my rage. Baka kapag hindi ako makapagpigil ay maihampas ko lang kay Saunder ang mesang 'to.

I looked at him sternly. Naibaba niya ang hawak-hawak niyang aklat at natuon na rin sa akin ang buong atensyon. Inayos niya ang kaniyang eyeglass habang nanatiling matalim ang tingin sa akin.

"I don't really care about your feelings, Saunder. You can hate me with all your heart, with all your brain cells, and with all the IQs your highfalutin mind have. But please stop dragging other people to this fucking school just because you wanted to get rid of me. Tell me... what the hell is your problem with me?" I asked without tearing my gaze in his face.

Gusto kong palakpakan ang sarili ko dahil nagawa kong sabihin ang mga salitang iyon gamit ang kalmadong boses kahit gusto ko na siyang sigawan at murahin ng paulit-ulit.

The jerk laughed. Prente siyang nakasandal habang nang-uuyam akong tiningnan.

"I'm not a shallow person, Sinclaire. Do you really think that I will hate you for petty reasons? Try asking yourself why I wanted so bad to get rid of you. Ask yourself instead of playing like a damsel in distress and a victim in this situation. Maybe if you'll know the reason you will thank me," he provoked. "I'm not like Thatum and Vain who will use even the most fallacious argument just to justify your innocence. Most of all, I'm not like Davil who will accept you with an open arms like your family didn't ruin theirs."

Nanlaki ang aking mga mata sa huling pangungusap na narinig ko.

"What about my family? What are you trying to imply?"

Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagtaas ng boses ko. Something twitched in my heart after hearing his accusation to my family. I wanted to defend them even how evil and cruel they were but I couldn't make a logical argument when my conscience started chanting. It kept on bugging my mind, and I suddenly felt guilty.