This Could End

Chapter Thirty

I stared at my phone for a long time, debating if this was the day that I could have the courage to call Hadeon.

I contemplated between disappearing on him and giving us a proper closure but I knew that Hadeon deserved better than that.

Right from the start, I knew that he deserved someone better. Naging madamot lang ako. I thought we would be okay. We were both adults who knew what we were getting into. I was upfront to Hades about our relationship. I thought we could get out of it, unwounded, like nothing happened as long as no one knew. I thought none of us would get hurt.

That wouldn't be possible to me now though. Because I fell for him. Because I'm hurting right now. Because I don't want to let him go but I have to.

I could prolong the agony. I could try my best to resist my father but I knew that all of it would be useless. He has a hold on me and I could never break free from it.

The hope of a painless ending for us wasn't possible anymore but I still had a new hope.

I hope that it wouldn't hurt him as much as it was hurting me right now. Besides, he never said he felt anything deeper. He only indirectly informed me that he likes me and that was it.

I hope that between the two of us, at least one will get out alive and unscathed and that it would be him.

I haven't heard from him since the event. He never messaged me. He never called me. I wasn't sure if he ever went to my unit to confront me about what happened because I was too much of a coward to go home. Apar na araw na ang nakalipas pero hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako umuuwi sa sarili kong bahay.

"Seph," a voice followed by a clap pulled me out of my train of thoughts.

It was Dharma, wearing a bathrobe, a face mask on her face, and her hair tied up. It took me a few seconds to remember where I was and why I was here.

Right. I've been staying at her place for the past four days with the press as an excuse.

I didn't want to stay at the Ziegler's mansion and hotels were not part of the option. Ayaw ko kay Mama Ton dahil maririndi lang ako sa sermon niya. Si Dharma na lang ang malalapitan ko.

"Sorry. You were saying something?"

"You've been staring at your phone for a long time... for days. Are you trying to lift it up with your mind? Because I hate to break it to you but telekinesis isn't real." Komportableng umupo siya sa sofa sa tabi ko.

"No. I was just..." I mentally joggled my brain for an excuse but nothing came to mind. My brain was simply not peforming at all lately.

"I know. Either you're waiting for someone's call or wanting to call someone." She nonchalantly waved her hand. "Is it Gio? Nag-away ba kayo? Is that the real reason why you don't wanna go home?"

"No." I immediately shook my head. "Gio and I are fine."

It was too late for me to realize that I gave her the wrong answer. I should have made it about Gio. Fuck.

"So it's someone else then."

Hindi ako makapagsalita. My words have failed me and the long pause was enough to confirm the unspoken truth.

"I knew it," nakatawang sabi ni Dharma. She removed her facial mask and placed it on the coffee table.

My forehead creased. "What do you know?"

"You ditched us thrice. Hindi ka pala-phone but you were always on your phone the past months. Plus, the tabloid about the unknown personality. It was taken that night you ditched us."