Chained to the Past

Chapter 32

#ChainedtothePastWP

Chapter 32
Suspicious

"Clementine, Arlene, you two may go out first," Dad ordered us to go out, after we signed the agreement. "Caroline, Drizelda, I need you two to stay for a while."

Nangingitngit pa rin sa galit si Tita Drizelda. Bakas sa kanyang mukha na hindi niya nagustuhan ang desisyon ni Arlene na tanggapin ang alok na posisyon ni daddy at hindi na lumaban pa.

I looked at my mother, and she calmly nodded at me before turning to Kalcifer. "Please go out with them, Kal."

Tumango na lamang pabalik si Kalcifer kay mommy. Tumayo siya at saka binalingan ako ng tingin.

Quietly, I stood up to go outside, especially when I saw Arlene walking fast. I wanted to talk to her, so I didn't waste any time and follow her. Kalcifer immediately walked behind me, too.

"Arlene!" tawag ko sa kanya, ngunit mukhang wala siyang balak na makipag-usap sa akin. Pero syempre ay hindi ko sasayangin ang pagkakataong ito na makausap siya.

Almost running, I caught up to her and held her arm to stop her from walking away. Before I could even make her turn to me, she withdrew her arm from my hold and faced me voluntarily.

"Arlene―"

"What?" she asked me without giving away any expression.

I was slightly taken aback because of the tone of her voice and indifferent attitude. I already expected that she would not be the same as before, but experiencing it firsthand was still a big blow to me. Kahit papaano ay naisip kong kapag kaming dalawa lang ay maaaring maibalik ang dating pagsasama namin.

We weren't just any childhood bestfriends now. She is already my half-sister. We have the same blood running in our veins, and I'm older than her for almost a year. I should be the one initiating the first move to somehow reconcile.

"Gusto lang kitang makausap," mahinahon at kalmado kong sabi sa kanya.

"Is there anything to talk about?" The strong aura she was imposing was too much for me.

"I just want to know how you've been these past few years," I told her. "Gusto kong malaman―"

"Well, as you can see, I'm fine, Clem," she said and cut me off. "I'm living pretty well."

That was how straightforward she spoke out her answers, like she wouldn't give a chance for our conversation to carry on.

"Is that all you're going to ask me? Can I go now?" She was so eager to leave. Para bang hindi na niya kayang manatili pa sa aking harapan.

I kind of understood why she was giving me a cold shoulder. I left her before to run for my life, though she was also brought home the same night, according to my mother. Maybe she still had hard feelings against me because of what happened before.

"I just also want to apologize," I said, very careful.

A flash of sadness and pain came across her eyes for a very brief moment.

The faint glimpse of emotion I saw from her gave me hope that the childhood bestfriend I knew was still inside her.

"I'm sorry for trying to leave you alone that night... I'm sorry if I didn't stay and try to do my best to take you with me," I sincerely apologized. "Pasensya na kung nauna ang takot ko at kagustuhan kong mabuhay. I'm really sorry, Arlene."

After I expressed my regrets and apologized, silence had taken over us for a few seconds.

Arlene bit her lip. She stared at me like she was trying to suppress different emotions inside her. And when she was finally calm, she said, "You shouldn't have come back."