Adore You

Chapter 3

Mabilis ako na pumasok sa kwarto. Gustong sumabog ng dibdib ko sa galit pero mariin ko itong pinigilan. I saw my reflection on the mirror at gusto kong maiyak. I look like hell. Lahat ng pagod at pagsusumamo na tinago ng napakatagal ay napinta sa mukha ko. I was doing fine holding it all in though. I am only slipping now.

Huminga ako ng malalim. Hoping that the stress would die down every time I breathe. Hinanap ko agad ang mga kakailanganing gamit. Napaigtad nalang ako ng may biglang humampas sa pinto.I knew it was my mother that's why I didn't dare move. Ilang hampas pa sa pintuan bago niya naisipang pumasok.

Sabog ang buhok at puno ng galit ang mata. Nanggigigil ang aking ina na lumapit sa akin.

She slapped me again. Lalong lumala ang hapdi dahil ikalawang beses na niya akong sinampal. I lost all my energy to retaliate because all I want to do is leave this damn house.

"What did you do!" Sigaw niya habang ang kamay ay mabilis na pinisil ang braso ko. I slowly lifted my face so that I could look at her directly.

"So you're not going to ask me if I'm fine? You're not going to ask me if Clementine is still alive?" Malamig kong sabi at mas lalo siyang nagalit.

Dinuro niya ako. "I was abroad when I found out that you crashed into a prominent family! The Daventry's are no joke, I tell you." She said in a mocking tone. "Alam mo ba ang kahihiyan na binigay niyo?"

Tumango ako at pagod siyang tiningnan. "I get what you mean so get out because I'm going back to the hospital. You're welcome to come with me pero alam kong ikamamatay mo kung magpakita ka ng damdamin."

"You're father is going to know about this." She threathened with a frantic voice "Arcellana, You're an Arcellana, Coraline. Never have we stooped too low to be involved in a car crash and killed an innocent." She grunted and stormed out of my room.

"You're too fixed on family honor that you overlook your own family." I whisper out but it was stupid. Everything felt stupid. My mother was stupid. "Nasa hospital ang isa mong anak and the only thing that's plastered on your mind is honor."

Kinaumagahan naroon ulit ako sa unibersidad ni Finn. Nakatayo sa pwesto kung saan mabilis ko siyang matatanaw. Walang buhay at tila ubos na ang pasensiya ko sa lahat ng bagay. Everything is so tiring. I have nothing to lose. I am not like my mother. I can trade away dignity for family. Honor is nothing when I can't even fulfill one promise. I can beg for it if I have to.

He was with that girl again. The one that blocked my way. I sighed at 'di na tumigil sa plano. Dirediretso ang lakad ko papunta sa kanya. I couldn't swallow the lump on my throat and I had to pinch myself to keep a straight face.

"Finnegan." I call out with so much familiarity, like were old friends and I had all the right to annoy him.

I heard the girl he was with groan when her eyes landed on me. "Ikaw nanaman?" She asked dramatically. Na parang sanay na siya na maraming naghahabol sa kasama niya.

I tried to smile. "I want to talk to you again."

Looks like the girl was full of my shit at umamba itong tutulakin ako ng hinawakan ni Finn ang braso niya para mapigilan. I didn't even close my eyes because I wanted to look her in the eye when she's going to put her hands on me.

I wanted to laugh. Lahat ng tao pinapaalala sa akin ang aking ina. This girl is no excemption. The hatred in her eyes couldn't compare to my mom but it was overly familiar for me. I didn't mind anymore.

"Tanya!" Pagalit na saway ni Finnegan. Umatras ang babae at inirapan ako bago kami iwan.

"Fine! You always have it your way." She shouted at him. Then guilt flooded me again.

"Your girlfriend is upset. I'm sorry."

"She's not my girlfriend." Mabilis niyang agap.

"Oh." Di ako naniniwala. "I want to talk to you, please?" Tinignan ko siya pero ang tingin niya wala sa mga mata ko.

His eyes. His dark eyes were looking at my cheek. I laughed awkwardly and held it.

"Let's go?" Yaya ko. Pero hindi siya gumalaw sa kaniyang pwesto.

"What happened to your cheek?" He asked darkly, but I was a born liar so I had a lie for everything.

"Make up." I said without blinking and judging from his look. He doesn't believe me.

He slowly held my chin up and removed my hand blocking my swollen cheek. "You were hit." He declared and I chuckled because I was caught.

"I was." I said honestly. Hinawi ko ang kamay niya palayo. For the first time I admitted something truthfully.

"It looks painful."

"It is painful." I shrugged because his worry is not needed. "But I can manage."

Naglakad ulit kaming dalawa at ngayon siya naman ang pumili ng lugar kung saan kami mag uusap. A high end bistro and a seat that had an overview of the manila buildings brought me to awe. Ang ihip ng hangin ay sapat na para hindi kami mainitan.

"Order what you want." He looked at me pointedly. The ambiance was so appealing and the overview was jaw dropping but my appetite was ruined for the past few weeks. Kahit na andito ako sa isang mamahaling kainan wala parin akong gana.

"Iced tea?" Sabi ko pero umiling siya.

"Kumain ka rin." Sabi niya. Siya na rin ang nag order ng pagkain para sakin. Nahihiya ako pero nanahimik nalang kasi parang 'di namin kayang ubusin ang mga binili niya.

The air was starting to get awkward kaya minabuti kong abalahin ang sarili sa tanawin. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang titig niya kaya nagsimula nanaman ang kaba na mabuhay.

"Again, what happened to your cheek." He was in the middle of eating his meal when he looked at me again.

"Like I said. I was hit." Sumubo na rin ako ng pagkain. The flavors exploded inside my mouth. My eyes widened at how delicious it was. Tumawa ang kaharap ko.

"What?" Tanong ko kahit puno pa ang bibig.

"Wala. Just eat." He shrugged and a ghost of a smile played on his lips kaya ngumiti rin ako.

"You're acting weird." I say to him at humagalpak ito ng tawa.

"You're the odd one here."

Then I stopped and realized that he was right. I'm the odd one. Eating and laughing with him like we're friends. Stalling because I'm afraid that he'll flip when he finds out the truth.

Afraid that he too will have eyes that holds hatred that's beyond my understanding. It will come, a time that a kind person like him will break. Then a person like me would be on the receiving end of that hatred.

A/N:
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