BrightWin: The Arrangement

XIII

Keiran

"That jerk!" Aniya nang halos sabunutan na niya ang buhok niya sa inis. Matapos ko siyang tawagan, inanyayahan niya ako rito sa bahay niya at dito kami mag-usap. Dito na rin daw ako matulog for the night dahil mukha raw akong nalugi sa sugalan.

"Tangina talaga ni Xavier kahit kailan!" I told Enrico everything. What happened sa bathroom, what I witnessed, kung paano niya ako tratuhin pagtapos. Everything. I sat on his bed at hinayaan ko siyang mag-sulk tungkol sa pagiging gago ni Xavier.

"Fucking user. How could he be this stupid?" Tuloy niya pa. Kita ang frustration sa bawat salita niya at kita na nasasaktan siya para sakin.

He kept walking back and forth sa length ng kama niya, para bang nagpaplano ng revenge kay Xavier. Mas problemado pa siya kesa sakin.

He sat in front of me, let go of a deep sigh and looked at me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, giving me his concerned eyes. His eyes na walang ibang ginawa kundi mag-alala para sakin.

I felt like I wanted to cry sa tanong niya. Nakakaramdam ako ng lump sa throat ko but I managed to flash a smile na may ilang tumulong luha.

"I have to be." I simply said, "Pinili ko 'to, e. Pinili ko siyang gustuhin. Piniling mahalin."

He slowly nodded na para bang naiintindihan ako ng sobra.

Sabagay, ako nga pinili niyang mahalin kahit may ibang gusto, e.

"I'll take care of you." Ani niya. "You can stat here for as long as you want, kahit gaano mo pa katagal na ayaw makita ang mukha niya. A week? A month? A year?"

I smiled sweetly at his offer. His pure soul will forever be my go-to pag wala na akong matakbuhan. Isa siyang savior, kung tutuusin. I couldn't be happier to have crossed paths with Enrico na kahit pa nasaktan ko na, nandyan pa rin para sakin.

Imagine someone willing to take you in just to forget the pain that you're feeling. I've never seen someone as pure and sincere as Enrico.

I agreed to stay for a week. He had his driver drive me back to the apartment to get some of my clothes for the week at nang makabalik sa kanila ay siya na ang nag-ayos nito.

"I'll make you extra comfy here." Nginitian niya ako matapos niyang ayusin sa isang drawer box ang mga damit ko habang ako, nakaupo lang sa kama niya at pinanonood siya, gaya ng sabi niya.

Binalik ko ang magandang ngiti niya and we had a few minutes to endure the silence.

"You can cry to me, Keiran." He suddenly says. Looking down at me dahil nakatayo pa rin siya at ako naman nakaupo pa rin sa kama. "I'm here for you, not as someone who loves you, but as a friend which is what you need right now."

His words slowly made me emotional at 'yun na nga, umiyak na. He positioned himself in front of me at niyakap ako nang mahigpit.

The warmth of his hug felt like all the broken pieces are being pulled back together.

Parang ang mga yakap niya ang dadala sa akin sa langit matapos kong mahulog sa impyerno.

Like he, himself is my safe haven.

I hugged him tighter at binalik niya yon as he continues to caress my back in the process. Bago kumalas sa yakap ay naramdaman kong hinalikan niya ang tuktok ng ulo ko at tinignan ako.