Russian Roulette (Book 1 of RR Trilogy)

Roulette #37

Chapter 37 

(Moon)

"Sinabi niya bang may alam siya or what?" Tanong ni Ela sa akin.

I have no schedule today in the hospital and Ela adjusted her schedule so she can join me right now. We're in a cafe across the street. It's just early in the morning, but the city is already alive. A lot of people and cars are in a hurry for work.

"Wala siyang binanggit. All he said was he loves me so much," sagot ko at sumimsim sa kapeng nasa harapan ko.

She sighed. "Naaawa ako sa kanya sa totoo man."

"Ako rin naman," depensa ko. "Sis, huwag mo namang iparamdam na guilty ako. Alam ko naman iyon eh, at sinusubukan kong ayusin."

"So, you think having a vacation in Maldives is the solution?"

"No... but, he seems so eager to go there with me. I will give it to him. That's the least I can do for him."

"Hays. I wish you luck, sis. Basta kahit anong mangyari, I will always support you," hinawakan niya ang isa kong kamay at pinisil iyon.

"Thank you," I smiled.

Nagtawag siya ng isang waiter at dinagdagan pa ng isang slice ng cake ang order niya.

"Gusto mo rin?" Tanong niya sa akin ngunit umiling lang ako. "Iyon lang. Thank you," baling niya sa waiter.

Inabala ko lang ang sarili ko sa kapeng iniinom habang nakatulala sa labas. Narinig ko ang pagtikhim niya kaya napatingin ulit ako sa kanya.

"So, Clade Schartner, huh? I know na naikwento mo na ang mga nangyari pero hindi mo pa naichika kung anong itsura niya at anong klaseng pagkatao ang mayroon siya," intriga niya sa akin.

"Uhm, wag na," tinanggihan kong pag-usapan si Clade dahil ma-stress lang ako lalo. Hindi pa nga settled ang problema ko kay Aiden eh.

"Dali na. What was he like?" Aniya na mukhang interesadong-interesado.

"Not an ordinary man, obviously," irap ko.

"I can see that. What else?" She really urged me to say more. I just sighed in defeat. I recalled all my memories with Clade. Those were good and bad moments.

"Given na iyong gwapo siya dahil nga may lahi..." panimula ko. "He's always serious like he could kill you anytime, he's grumpy, and he's somehow a control freak and manipulative."

"What? It seems to me that he's not a good man. Kaya hindi na ako nagtataka kung naisipan ka niyang kidnap-in," violent reaction niya.

Napangiti ako. That was the same reaction I had when I first met Clade. Funny how all of my perception about him changed in just three months.

"What's with the smile?" Tanong ni Ela.

"I just remembered that I judged him so easily like that when I first met him," nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kanya at ngumiti lalo. "But, when I got to know him more, I realized how wrong I was. When he let me through his heart, I knew he's someone deep. May pinanghuhugutan ang buhay niya at hindi rin maganda ang nakaraan niya. However, he still managed to live despite everything. He is strong and a fighter."

Natulala siya sa akin, tila ba namamangha sa nakikita. Tinaasan ko siya ng isang kilay para punain ang kanyang pagkatulala.

"Wow, I've never seen you smile so bright like that. Not even with Aiden," komento niya.