CRIPPLED: JULLIANNA (VUILLTRAEN SISTERS SERIES #1)

06

GATORADE

"W-what did you say?"

I ask him when I didn't hear his words clearly. He looked away like he's in pain after I said it. His jaw tenses. He licked his lower lip.

"Nothing," he said coldly. "Get inside now. It's getting dark."

"How about you? Aren't you going to come inside?" I can't stop asking.

"Uuwi na rin ako. Kaya pumasok ka na, Jullianna." Hindi siya makatingin sa akin ng diretso.

"Hmm," I swallowed hard. "Are you mad?"

His jaw tenses again. "Yes, I am. Now, get inside."

I scoffed and draw near him. I narrowed my eyes. "And why are you mad?" I crossed my arms over my chest. He did not say a word. Instead, he turns his back at me. "Bakit, Vico?" pangungulit ko. He stops walking.

"Dahil imbes ay umuwi ka ng diretso dahil alam mong kailangan ka ng Ate mo ngayon ay may pinuntahan ka pa."

My eyes dilated after hearing those. Oh, God! Si Ate! My sister needs me right now! I was about to press the doorbell again when I suddenly remembered something.

"Talaga lang, ha? Ikaw pa 'tong galit?" I laughed sarcastically. "Ako nga dapat 'tong galit sa'yo, e'."

Mula sa pagkatalikod ay hinarap niya ako habang naka kunot ang noo.

"You're my sister's boy best friend, Vico. You know how many uncountable times Ard cheated on her! Yet you let her fall back again in his arms!" I yelled at him. "A-alam mo ba 'yon, Vico? Ha? Alam mo?"

He just licked his lower lip and looked away. He slowly nodded.

"Ano' ng klase kang kaibgan, kung gano'n? Ha?" Nanghihina kong tanong.

"I'm just her friend. All I have to do for her is to support her in that decision of her's. I don't have the right to stop her from choosing that path..." he trailed off. "I'm just her friend, baby," he whispered the last word, but it's enough for me to hear it. "Even if it also hurts for me, seeing how broken she is right now, I still let her choose that decision," he said after a long silence caged us.

Nakayuko lang ako. Tulala sa semento. Hindi alam kung ano'ng sasabihin.

"Get inside now. It's getting dark... and your sister needs you," he repeated what he said earlier... but in a husky voice.

Right after he said it, the gate open. I immediately went inside. I went inside my room first and took a bath. I knocked on my sister's door. Kakatapos ko lang maligo at nakabalot pa ang basa kong buhok sa tuwalya ko. Akala ko hindi niya pa bubuksan kaya kakatok pa sana ako pero dahil binuksan niya na ay ibinaba ko na lang ang kamao ko.

"Hi, let's eat." I smiled at her.

Bumaba na kami. Dumiretso kami sa dining room at nag simula ng kumain. Hindi ko maiwasang pagmasdan siya habang kumakain. Marami akong gustong itanong sa kanya. Pero hindi ko alam kung handa na ba siyang sagutin ang mga iyon.

Hindi kami gaano nag-uusap habang kumakain. But it feels like we both want to ask each other about something we aren't sure if it's the time now for us to hear the answers.