Mask

MASK 24: SCHEME

Athira's POV.

"Tigil-tigilan moko Cullen ha, wag mong hintayin itumba kita sa sahig ngayon di ka na nakakatuwa." I answered still recovering to what he just said. As his response, he only laughed out loud

"Oo na, I'll restrain myself from teasing you I just can't believe that our feelings are mutuals already." As expected, nailang nanaman ako sa sinabi niya ang hilig talaga niyang asarin ako

"Cullen, I don't know how can you say that without feeling anything. You're making me feel so uncomfortable, kunti nalang sasapakin na kita."

"Oo na, oo na. I'll stop for now, hehe." He answered with a giggle and looked at me

"Uhm Athira, can you accompany me to my mother? I mean you can say no if you don't want to." Before answering, I stared at him waiting for something he would say again but instead of it to happen he only stared at me obviously waiting for an answer from me.

"Hmm? Oh, okay it's fine. I guess?" I answered him this with a mixture of hesitation and astonishment which only made him giggle a little and stood up

"Let's go?" He said this while reaching me his hand obviously helping me to stand, I reached it so that I could stand up immediately

"Naks, inabot niya. Athira didn't even bothered saying "I can handle myself, wala akong sakit."" He said while mocking me continuously and that's also the reason why i smacked his arm which made him laugh even more

"Oo na, totoo na talaga. I'll stop." He smiled at me after he said this and reached me his hand but I didn't mind reaching it and was planning to be ahead of him to go to her mother's grave first, yet instead he intertwined his hand to mine.

"Don't you try letting it go or else—" Before he could finish what he was about to say inunahan ko na siya sabay sabing "or else what?"

"Or else I will stop restraining myself from—" before he could say what he was about to say I immediately cut him off by saying "Oo na, I will not let your hand go you freaking asshole!"

"Hahaha! I was just kidding but anyways that's really good, keep that up."

"You're not the boss of me, you ugly shit." After I told him this he acted like he was hurt while obviously trying to stop himself from laughing out loud

"Oa mo." After I told him this his smile suddenly vanished and he looked like he was thinking about something deep— something that kept on hurting him for years.

"I don't usually tell this to anyone except you, My mom actually died years ago and even though it happened so long time ago I can't still accept the fact that she's already gone. She's the best person alive, she's the sweetest and strongest person I know not until that day happened" He was sharing me about his mom with his eyes being teary and I can't help but to feel sad for him because I know how it feels.

"The night where everything shattered, my father's enemy that time ambushed the car that my mother was riding into and if it wasn't for me she haven't died, if I haven't forced her to buy me that fvcking PS4 she is still here by my side, if it wasn't for me—" I didn't let him finished what he was about to say because seeing him in this state makes me believe that he's blaming himself from his mother's death and I know it's not what her mother wants him to do, I k-know

"Don't blame yourself, I understand what you feel because I've lost my mother too. I kept on blaming myself being the cause of her death before but my family always been assuring me that I didn't do anything wrong, I still remember how my mother told me how she loves me with all her heart and my father before dying. It's our mothers' choice to save us both or to give us what we want, I know that they don't want seeing us blaming ourselves because of their sudden death but I've realized that the reason why they chose us instead of their life because they want the best for us and they want us to keep on living and fulfill our d—dreams." My voice broke after I told him this and I felt a tear on my face knowing the fact that I lied. I lied because I don't want him to experience what I have been experiencing.

Everyone blamed me for her death. Every year, days and nights it keeps on reckoning me into pieces but I always remember what happened that night, the night where those unfamiliar faces killed my mom. I remembered how my mother begged them to let me go, I remembered how they mocked her— how they laughed at her and how she gave me her last embrace.

"Sweetie anak, when I tell you to run. Run as fast as you can, okay? Don't ever look back, never look back." She kept on crying while she's telling this to me but still tried her best to give me a smile "I love you, sweetheart. Always keep that in your mind and I will do anything just to protect you. Tell your daddy for me that mommy loves him too, okay?" Her voice broke again and she suddenly pulled me to her and hugged me really tight and gave me a kiss on my forehead "I love you so much, my princess. Now, run." And just like what she said, I ran really fast and never looked back. I remember clearly how I heard those loud gun shots behind me, I really want to go back to my Mom but I did't because I promised.

I felt myself crying up again and again when I felt Cullen hugged me "Athira, it's okay. I'm here, I will always be." I gave him a small smile and quickly wiped my tears and gave him a small smile

"I love you, Cullen."

Fast Forward.

"So, we're dating now?" He kept on repeating that same question since awhile ago and I don't know why I'm not getting annoyed with it unlike before, lol. As an answer, I slowly nodded my head again and he suddenly jumped out of joy

"Seryoso? Sure na yan ha, wala ng bawian." I can't help it but to laugh at him which made him laugh too "Sorry na, I still can't believe that we're already dating."

"Ingay mo, gusto mong bawiin ko?" After I jokingly told him this, he immediately shook his head and exclaimed "Walang bawian, bahala ka jan. Final na yun, ipinasok sa chest nilock gamit ang susi tapos nilunok ang susi. Oh wala na talagang bawian." I can't help but to laugh again at him it's just that his reaction is priceless and I hate to admit it but he looks cute lol "Weh, sure? Pag iisipan ko."

"Fine." He sighed as a defeat saka nginusuan lang ako "Pasalamat ka maganda ka kasi ano" I stared at him waiting for his answer but instead of continuing what he was about to say he sticked his tongue at me "Stop that, mukha kang tanga." Instead of being offended he was just laughing his ass off and continuing sticking his tongue off, how cute.

"So uhm, I guess this is goodbye?" He told me this while his other arm was holding my condo's doorknob

"Huh? Have you forgotten you live next door." Instead of answering me, he just rolled his eyes at me and said "Tsk, next time nalang. Sige bye, hmp!" Tinalikuran niya ako and walked on the way to his condo when he suddenly stopped and looked at me while pouting "Ayaw mo talaga?"

"Huh? ang alin, why are you so weird today?" Instead of answering he continuously pouted and furiously went to me and all of a sudden he kissed my cheeks "Ayan, mahal din kita."

I suddenly can't move nor talk because of what he just did at imbes na hintayin niya yung sasabihin ko dali-dali na siyang nakapasok sa condo niya, gago talaga. When I entered my condo I felt myself smiling and feeling my face becoming hot. Kinikilig ako.

Gago talaga. I went to the mirror just to check if I'm really blushing and when I stared at the mirror, I can't help myself but to be shocked.

Fvck, all this time I was not wearing any mask? And he didn't even tell me about it, I didn't feel anything wrong or anything. Did I finally recovered from my phobia? Oh my gosh, okay na ba talaga ako? I felt my phone suddenly vibrated and I when I checked it, it was a text from one of the twins and much worse it was from Kuya Mason. Weird, this is so odd. Why is he suddenly texting me?

From: Kuya Mason
Me and Marcus will pick you up right now, we're already in the convenience store near your condominium. Please don't be hard-headed, this is really urgent. It's about our family and the Kim, we need you.

Kuya Mason was never like this, I don't know what to do nor say but even though I feel hesitant believing in him, I still did listened. So, I immediately wore a mask and secretly went outside my room while making sure anyone would not see me, especially Cullen. Instead of using the elevator, I used the stairs and hurriedly went downstairs and waited for the twins to arrive while being hidden.

*****

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