Claiming Your Heart Sage Villangca

8th Chapter

8th Chapter

Sage stayed at home with me for 3 days now. Nilalagnat ako at masama ang pakiramdam which is normal. Ang hindi lang normal ay ang pag-aalala niya ng ganito.

"We should admit her to the hospital." pilit niya sa Mama niya,

"Anak, she's okay. Bumaba na ang lagnat niya."

"Kailangan na lang niyang magpahinga, matulog. At ikaw din. Look at you." pansin ng Mama niya,

Napatingin ako sa kanya. Tama ang Mama niya, kailangan nga niyang matulog. Ang lalim na ng mata niya sa puyat.

"I'm okay." tanging sabi niya at bumalik na sakin sa kama.

Hindi na siya nagsalita.

"Try to sleep, Sheremee. Nasa baba lang ako pag may kailangan ka."

"Thank you, Mama." ngiti ko, nanghihina parin.

Yumakap sakin si Sage at pumikit na. Umalis ang Mama niya matapos magligpit.

"Ayos ka lang ba talaga?" bulong niya,

"Hmmm. Matulog ka na, Sage."

"I can't sleep." he groaned,

Doon na ko napadilat. Humarap ako sa kanya.

"Nightmares?" I asked,

"They're not nightmares, Sheremee. They're real."

Hindi ako nagsalita. Nakikinig lang.

"Remember when I told you he's chasing me?"

"Hindi na niya ko hinahabol. Nakatayo na siya sa harap ko. That never happened before."

He looks in pain. Like a child scared from a killer clown.

"Do you think a doctor could help?" I bravely asked,

"I've been doing that since I was 4, Sheremee. Why do you think I left home? No one can ever help." he confessed.

"What do you want to do, then?" I asked,

Napapikit siya. Nahihirapan.

"I don't know. Get drunk?"

"Tanghaliang tapat, iinom ka?" tawa ko,

Napangiti siya habang nakapikit parin.

"Kung wala kang sakit ngayon iba ang sasabihin ko."

Unti-unti akong pinamulahan sa sinabi niya.

"Sex is not a distraction, Roen Sage."

"It is. Making love with you silence my thoughts. You make me forget they exist."

Should I feel special? Knowing I'm just one of his distractions? Paano ang girlfriend niya?

"We...we shouldn't do it anymore, Sage. Hindi patas kay Lei...itong ginagawa natin."

"Anong magagawa niya? Tayong dalawa ang kasal. Kung siya ang pinakasalan ko saka siya magreklamo."

"Girlfriend mo siya, Sage."

"Do you realize how stupid that sounds? Girlfriend at asawa? The moment I married you, she lost her rights."

I don't understand.

"Why am I at that party, Sheremee? Why did I touch you that night? Why didn't I use that fucking condom? And why did I marry you and take you home with me?"

"Leanna and I aren't what you think. I'm not the type who cheat in a relationship, Sheremee."

"You don't have to say that, Sage. Alam kong mahal mo si Leanna."

Dumilat siya at tinitigan akong mabuti.

"I don't love anyone, Sheremee. Not even myself. The closest I felt towards love is whatever this feelings I have for you and to our child."

"You don't mean that. Mahal mo rin ang pamilya mo--"

"I'm a stranger in my own house. A stranger in my own family. Have you seen how they are around me?"

"Because you're pushing them away, Sage. Bakit? Bakit mo ginagawa iyon."

Hindi siya sumagot, sa halip ay hinila lang ako at niyakap ulit.

"I'm tired, Sheremee. I think I'm going to sleep now."

I felt better after that nap. Nagising ako habang si Sage ay dire-diretso ang tulog. Nakadapa siya kama at nahihimbing.

Bumangon ako para ibaba ang blinds at di maiwasang hindi sumilip sa labas. The acacia tree from the other side of the road in front of the Villangca's mansion suddenly turn black.

"Sheremee..." he called out,

He stirred in his sleep but remained that way.

Bumalik ang tingin ko sa puno and it almost made me stumble. Hindi itim ang puno, in fact it's still the same tree. There are just birds in it. Black birds and there are almost hundreds of it.

And that's not the most eerie part. The eerie part is that they seem to all look at my way, watching me as I walk away.