Everything I Didn't Say (Regret Sandoval)

Chapter Fourteen

Everything I Didn't Say – Chapter Fourteen

Since it's Regret's birthday, here's an update! I was actually writing this chapter for months already and I planned on posting it a week ago but I got busy with academics and the Taal volcano eruption (bc I'm from Cavite) so I got stuck. Then I was writing on my planner yesterday and saw that Regret's birthday was coming. What a perfect timing for this chapter, right? Hope you'd enjoy reading! -Blackness

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"Why don't you live together?"

I choked. Maski si Kaia ay napaubo sa suhestiyon ng Mommy ko.

"I mean, it's more convenient if you live in the same house. Parehas lang din naman kayo ng papasukan sa college... What do you think?"

"Ask him, Tita..." Sagot ni Kaia.

I imagined myself, living with Kaia under the same roof. Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako o matatakot para sa sarili ko.

"Fine with me." Sagot ko naman.

Hindi naman siguro halata na gusto ko?

My Mom immediately called Kaia's parents. I could even hear Kuya Aki's disapproval but at the end, he let it go. After all, it's really convenient for Kaia and I to live near our university.

Apparently, Mom planned this all out. Mukhang pinaghandaan niya ito dahil pinakita na niya sa amin 'yung condo. Kaia and I liked it. Malaki para sa aming dalawa at puwedeng lakarin papuntang uni.

"Ah! Nakakabusog!"

Natawa ako sa pahayag ni Kaia habang naglalakad kami papalayo kay Mommy. Nauna na si Mommy umuwi at hinayaan kaming mag-gala muna.

"Uy, Ba!" Bigla niyang sigaw tapos kumapit sa akin. "You're turning 19 in few days! Ano gusto mong gift?" She asked cheerfully.

Do you really want to know?

I grinned. "Why? Kaya mo bang mabigay?"

She shrugged. "I can give my world to you nga, e... So easy lang 'yan for sure."

I want more time with you... More smile to watch. More tears to wipe. More days like this. Can you give it to me, my dear, Kaia?

"Persuade my parents to allow me get a tattoo."

Nanlaki ang mata niya. "What?! I can't do that!"

"Akala ko ba, easy na lang 'yan?" I asked, wriggling my eyebrows.

She pouted. "But that's hard... Puwede ba 'yon sa uni?"

"Hindi... Pero puwede namang itago."

She glared at me. "Regret naman! May medical check-up kaya!"

I chuckled then pinched her nose. "I asked the administration. Puwede raw."

Days after that, Kaia, magically and successfully, persuaded my parents. Isang araw bago ang kaarawan ko, sinamahan ako ni Kaia sa pinsan niyang tattoo artist.

"Ano ipapa-tattoo mo?"

I sighed heavily. "Paenitet Nihil..."

Her forehead ceased. "Huh?"

I reached for a pen then wrote it on a paper.

Paenitet Nihil

"It's a Latin translation of regret nothing."

Her gaze slowly darted at me. Hindi ko alam kung anong itsura iyon. For the first time, I couldn't read her eyes. I don't know if she's scared, lonely or sad.