Thorns In The Flesh (WHIPPED SERIES #2) (Completed)

Chapter 2.09

Halik

Cain

"I've been wanting to tell you how sorry I was, Mara," I started like it's how it was supposed to be.

Memorisado ko bawat kataga, pero ngayong nasa harap ko na siya, para akong tinakasan ng lakas. Nakita ko ang pagkibot ng kaniyang bibig na parang ayaw niyang pakinggan ang sasabihin ko. Na para bang masasaktan lang siya kapag nakinig.

"I've been so wrong my whole life, Mara.. ikaw lang yata ang tama sa buhay ko. Siguro'y nasa dugo talaga namin ang ganito... na isang babae lang talaga ang makakapagpabaliw sa'kin ng ganito." I looked at her now puzzled face, refraining herself from saying anything.

Sumikip ang dibdib ko. Hindi ko alam noon kung paano ko sasabihin ang mga nangyari sa kaniya. Hindi ko alam saan magsisimula. O kung may mukha pa ba akong maihaharap sa kaniya.

Palagi kong naaalala ang mga sinasabi noon ni Gelmaine. Isang bagay na hindi ko malilimutan nang makapagtapos ako sa Medisina.

"You've been working so hard pero hindi mo mabuksan ang puso mo sa'kin. Kung wala pa siguro akong puso, baka inagaw na talaga kita ng tuluyan." she smirked watching as my defense crumble.

I am not stupid not to know her attraction towards me. It was so intense she was willing to take everything even in pain... it was hard for me not to like her. Maybe because she was my consolation for losing Mara?

But I didn't want to hurt her like what I did to Mara. Gelmaine is a strong woman. Though, reckless at times, kaya niya ang sarili niya. At times, I wonder if God sent her to me for a saving? But I knew I only needed one person to save me from darkness, to bring back the light that was once taken away from me... or maybe, the light that I chose to push away.

"But you know what... hindi ka tuluyang magiging masaya kung pagbabasehan mo lang ang mga nakamit mo sa buhay. I'm not a fool, Cain. Alam ko ang nangyari kahit hindi mo sabihin sa'kin. Kahit alam kong hindi ko matutumbasan ang puwang niya sa puso mo. I've heard stories. Sure, they're gossips, but I don't think gossips are spread without its basis. Tinulak mo palayo pero nasasaktan ka. And what? Coming from you, you'd rather watch her succeed than to watch her fall?" mapakla siyang tumawa. Kinuha ang shot glass at mabilis na nilagok iyon.

"Yes... I'd rather break myself than watch her crumble into pieces. Destroyed. And hopeless." I whispered.

It was the truth. Dahil alam kong ang relasyon namin ang unti-unting sumisira sa kaniya. I promised to be the best version of myself but I was the reason why she almost destroyed herself.

Isang malakas na sampal ang ginawad niya sa'kin. I heard the sound resonated around the four corners of the room. It was so hard that I could feel her hands left a mark on my now stinging cheek.

"What the fuck!?"

"Gumising ka, Cain. Not all the things in the world are solved from running away. Have you seen your face in the mirror? Walang problema ang hindi nasusulusyonan kapag pinagtutulungan. You left her... if I were her, I'd be wishing I never really met you."

"Nasira ang buhay niya dahil sa'kin!"

"And you think leaving her was your only choice? You could've stayed and pick up the broken pieces that you said you broke! Ang sabihin mo, duwag ka!"

From the number of times I've been with Gelmaine, I've never seen her this mad. Namumula ang kaniyang mukha, ni hindi ko alam kung sa galit o dahil sa alak. O baka dahil sa dalawa.

She looked so much in pain, it reflected those times I've watched Mara beg on her knees just to get me to talk to her. It was so painful. Masakit at nakakatakot. Nakakatakot na baka dahil doon, tuluyan na ngang mawala siya sa'kin.