Beneath Her | [R-16]

Chapter Twenty Three

Nag pack up na kaming lahat. Chester assured me he did what he had to. Hindi ko siya kilala, pero wala ako'ng choice para pagkatiwalaan siya. Mauuna na dapat ako'ng umuwi dahil ayoko'ng magligpit pero nilapitan ako ni Kim.

"Why are you so sketchy?" sabi niya at hinawakan yung braso ko kaya nahulog yung bag ko sa sahig. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin,

"Pinagsasabi mo?" sabi ko sakanya habang pinapanood siyang pulutin yung bag ko. Dinaanan na kami ng grupo nila Drey papuntang parking lot.

"You told us you'd be in the restroom yesterday. Sinundan kita, pero wala ka dun. Ano'ng ginawa mo, Nat?"

"Ano bang pakialam mo?" I scoffed, "I'll do whatever I want, okay? I did what you couldn't, by myself. Hindi kita kailangan, umalis ka na." sabi ko at hinablot yung bag ko. Naglakad ako papunta sa gate at nakita ko'ng may nangyayari sa may parking.

It was Justin, on top of Troy. He was punching him. I saw blood. Parang hindi ako makahinga sa nakita ko kaya tumalikod ako. Ganon na ba 'ko kasama? Naglakad ako pabalik at para akong nahihilo. I saw Kim and I held onto him as I fell to the ground.

"Nat, okay ka lang?" napaupo na rin siya para alalayan ako. Gusto ko'ng umiyak pero wala akong malabas. It was just a blank face. My face didn't move at all. I just stared into those trees from the field. How it swayed because of the breeze.

"Calm down." sabi niya at hinawakan yung mukha ko. Unti unti ako'ng kumalma habang nakatingin ako sa mukha niya. It felt good being beside him, even though he did all those shit to me.

"Ako nang bahala sakanya." I heard a manly voice behind me. Napatalikod ako, at napataas ang tingin ni Kim.

"Who are you?" tanong ni Kim. It was Chester. Hinigpitan ko yung hawak ko sa kamay ni Kim para makatayo ako, "Kaya mo na ba?"

"Okay na ako, Kim." sabi ko pagkatayo. Nakatingin siya saakin, na para bang tinatanong ako kung sino yung lalaki. Hindi ko rin alam eh. "He's a family friend."

"You never told me about him."

"You didn't tell me about Stephanie, too." I said as I put my hand over my chest.

Was I really a monster?

"Mauuna na kami." paalam ni Chester kay Kim at inalalayan ako. Ngumiti ako nang kaonti sakanya bago siya talikuran. He walked me to his car.

"Where are you taking me, Chester?" tanong ko nang makapasok siya sa sasakyan. I was still catching my breath.

"Try to calm down, first." his hand was in the gear but his engine was still off.

"Did you see it?" tanong ko habang nakatingin lang sa harap. My hand was still on my chest, feeling how fast my heartbeat was.

"Yes."

Napapikit ako. Bumalik saakin kung paano dumugo yung ilong ni Troy dahil sa suntok ni Justin. Alam ko kung gaano sila katalik na magkaibigan. Troy told me stories about their friendship. Ako yung dahilan kung bakit sila nag away.

"Stop being hard on yourself, Nat." sabi niya at pinaandar na yung sasakyan. Inuwi na niya ako. Nandun si daddy pagka bukas ko nang pinto. Bumilis nanaman yung pagtakbo ng puso ko.

It was all because of him.

"Oh, you're here. How's your camping?" Normally, I'd be happy that he wanted to have a conversation with me. But I didn't want to see him. Naramdaman ko'ng tumulo yung luha ko kaya naglakad na ako papunta sa kwarto.