17 Years of Fucked-up

CHAPTER 8: LEGALITY

CHAPTER 8: LEGALITY

"Where the fuck have you been?!"

"Wait, I thought you'll greet me with a ki—ouch!"

"Kiss ka diyan! Manigas ka!"

"Baby... why you upset?" naiinis niyang saad at patuloy na sinasangga ang mga hampas ko. "Tigil na, baby. Kawawa naman si Gavin mo..."

Ngumuso pa siya at nagpacute. Gusto ko pang magalit pero nanlalambot na ako sa inaakto niya.

"I'm sorry, all right?" Gumapang siya sa akin at yinakap ako sa kabilang gilid. "Don't cry, please..."

Bumuga ako ng hininga. "What the fuck are you expecting me to do, huh? Hindi ka sumulpot ng walang pasabi. Take note, hindi lang isang gabi! But almost a fucking week, Gavin! A week!" Tinulak ko siya palayo pero mas humigpit ang mga braso nito sa baywang ko.

"I know... I was just..." Ngumuso siya.

"Just what?!"

"Baby, can you lower down your voice? Katabi mo lang naman ako, baby," malambing niyang ani.

"Tinatanong kita."

"Yes, but—kalma ka muna. Huwag na magalit, please," suyo niya pa.

I just rolled my eyes.

"Look, your breathing's still fast. Calm down, Vanessa."

"I am," madin kong sagot.

"Your face is telling the opposite, baby." He pouted even more.

"Huwag mo muna akong kausapin." Pilit kong tinanggal ang mga braso niya at tinalikuran siya.

Nagpaubaya na rin naman siya at tumahimik ng ilang sandali.

And that pissed me off even more.

"So, hindi mo talaga ako kakausapin, huh?" I hissed sarcastically.

"Baby, ang sabi mo 'wag na muna kitang kausapin..." he gently whispered behind me.

"Yes! But it doesn't mean you will completely ignore me!"

"Vanessa, don't shout, please, baby."

"It's because I'm pissed! I'm mad at you for not showing up and acting like it's not a fucking big deal at all!"

"I'm giving you time. Just like what your mom had said, time fixes everything," he said.

"Fuck that time, then." Napangisi ako nang mapait.

Pinilit niya akong iharap sa kaniya. Nagsusumamo ang mga mata niya at ramdam ko ang pagsuyo sa haplos niya sa baywang ko.

"I'm sorry... don't be mad," he said in a tiny voice I'd never heard before.

"Why I can't be mad, Gavin? Sabihin mo nga," pang-aaway ko pa rin. "You think... mauuto mo ako sa ganiyan? No." I laughed. "Nakakapagod ka iyakan."

"No, baby, no." He embraced me tightly. "I'm sorry, baby. Shh, don't cry. I hate seeing you cry."

"You hate seeing me cry but you're always the reason of my tears."

"I've never thought my surprise would turn out like this. I'm sorry, you're supposed to be happy, right? Baby, it's your birthday. Don't cry... Vanessa... don't." He immediately wiped off my tears with his thumbs. Hinalikan niya ako sa noo at pilit na tinahan.

"I'm sorry... I love you so much. Gavin loves you so much."

That made me smile.

"My love for you is very big though," he whispered. "Very big, like a dinosaur."