Through You

CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Between the two

~Kylie

I watch as the two stares at each other, I try to decipher what each exchange of looks meant. Ruru stares at me, trying to make me speak of some explanation on why Martin appeared in my house without being announce. "Ruru, ah, i don't know how to say this without sounding like this pero sometimes, I sleep on his condo and he sleeps here."

Martin sits beside me and I tap his back, putting all my weight in it without sounding like I hit him. "Masakit." He groans and whisper. I give him my smile and gestures Ruru to take a sit. I saw doubts on his eyes when he narrows it. Ruru put his hand on top of the table before speaking again, "Ganon ka taas ung level ng friendship nyo and you sleep together in one roof?" Martin looks at me teasingly, I already know what he plans to do. "Kylie even wears my bathrobe." Martin says without even a slight hint of regret. That's where I slid my hands under the table and pinch him. You don't get to share that to the person I want to have! I see the shock in Ruru's face. I try to hide my anguish over Martin's statement and attempts to change the topic by offering food to Ruru. He nods and eats the food he cooked. Martin begins eating and glance over my plastic of meds lying on top of the table.

"You went to your Doctor without even telling me?" He says, I reach the plastic but since Mart's place is near it, he takes it before my hand could even reach it. I try to take it back but Mart's hands are up high too high I couldn't. I look at Ruru slicing his beef and watches us with judging eyes. "Okay, that explains your bruises." Mart says as soon as he finished reading the paper in it. None of us speaks and we all continue eating, I wanted to clarify things between me and Martin but I like to do it without Martin's nose poke on everything. Maybe he noticed it since immediately after eating, he takes his plate, puts it on the sink, bid me and Ruru goodbye before heading to his room. I am dead silent for a while before speaking.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Martin's place is still swarming with reporters I couldn't just send him back." Ruru takes a good look on the place. "Kayo lang dalawa?" He asks, I nod. But to avoid creating another misunderstanding again, I continue, "Sometimes andito ung isa kong friend si kathy, pero super dalang. Mas madalas kami lang." I immediately regret it. It didn't sound as better as I had imagine.

"We're friends. Just friends." I continue. He nods. He finishes his meal. I do the same before finally taking both of the plates on top of the sink. He takes his car keys and puts it inside of his pocket. "You're leaving already?" I say, I wanted to make sure both of us knew that Mart and I are just friends. I will not let him leave if there is a hint of thinking that Martin and I are together. The last thing i want is to have reporters claiming they had a witness on our so called love.

"Yes," he says then walks out of my kitchen, I follow. "I -" I look for words to say, what will I say? I can't impose my relationship on him without sounding defensive, without him making me feel like I am defending my self to him, and if I do, I can't find any reasons why I should be defending myself to him. "I?", he says, imitating the words I said earlier.

"Nothing." I say, ending our conversation and watch him slowly disappear towards my door. I didn't even had the strength to say goodbye, my feet wanted to move, but my mind refuses to make command.

You will only embarass yourself, Kylie. I hear the back of my mind whispers. I take care of the dishes, waiting Martin to get out of his room, I wanted to talk to someone, as if those words will mean something if I tell them to someone, even if I know I should have told him earlier. I take a shower and feel the burn on my back as I wrongly set the water temperature. I reach for it and turn it until I have reach the desirable temperature.

The next day, I am awaken by the burn the water had created to my back. It is so painful that I can't put pressure on my shoulder. I remove my robe and walk towards the mirror. The water had created blisters sized the same with my fist. Funny how it is on this degree but it didn't feel this deep. It is located on my upper right back. I try reaching it, only to cause pain in my left shoulder. I put on my robe again, take some ointment I keep in my medicine cabinet, thankfully, Martin is watching TV outside so I ask him to apply on my back.