Of all the things

Chapter Eighteen

I'm a Demitri, Theo can't hide forever

Hailey's

NANGINGINIG ang buong katawan ko sa galit habang nakasakay ako sa kotse kasama si Red. We used my car to go to the mall. Hindi ako pwedeng umangkas kay Red, isa pa, ayoko rin, baka sa gigil ko hindi ko mapigilang tumalon kung sakaling makita ko agad si Perseus at ang babaeng iyon sa parking lot. I have no idea what I am going to see in that mall's parking lot but I am ready to face whatever. Nangigigil ako. Ang kapal ng mukha ng babaeng iyon, ang kapal rin ng mukha ni Perseus! Ang buong akala ko ay okay na ang lahat, ang buong akala ko ay tahimik na siya at hinayaan na niya ako, kahit kailan talaga hindi siya madaling sumuko, o baka talagang hindi lang siya maintindi ng maayos, nangigigil ako. If he doesn't want to be happy, the he should just go and fuck himself!

Finally, we arrived at the mall's parking lot. Iniisip ko kung paano nalaman ni Red ang kinaroroonan ni Perseus Vejar, but then, hindi na rin ako magugulat, his kind knows a lot of things. Marami silang koneksyon, natutuhan kong sa kanila magtanong kung may gusto talaga akong malaman. Growing up, I realized that they can even find people that's been missing for years, hindi ko alam kung paano nila ginagawa iyon, but right now, they are helpful and I am going to get all the help that I can get.

I sighed when Red parked the car. Sa tago kami pumwesto, hindi ako mapakali, nag-iinit ang buong katawan ko. Nakatitig ako sa bintana, I am so aware of my surroundings. I was looking for a familiar car, or a figure, I just need to see Perseus.

"He's here." Sabi ni Red. Hindi nagtagal ay lumabas si Perseus sa isang sasakyan. I bit my lower lip. Gigil na gigil ako, hindi ko na hinintay na magsalita pa si Red, basta na lang ako bumaba, at naglakad nang mabilis hanggang sa makarating ako sa kinatatayuan ni Perseus, he became aware of my presence, halatang gulat na gulat siya nang tumingin siya sa akin. Tumaas ang kanang kamay ko at pinadapo iyon sa pagmumukha niya.

"What the fuck, Hailey?!" He hissed at me. Madali siyang nakabawi, he grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him. It used to melt my defenses, it used to scare me when he is being like this, but right now, all I can think about is how fucking mad I am kaya habang nasa malapit ako sa kanya ay inapakan ko ang paa niya, he let me go, I slapped him again.

"Do you fucking think that after what you did to Theo, babalik ako sa'yo?!"

Natigilan si Perseus Vejar, titig na titig lang siya sa akin.

"How many times do I need to tell you that I am not coming back to you? Na ayoko na? Na bahala ka na sa buhay mo? Yes, once upon a time, I was in love with you, but that was before all the consequences downed on me! Ayoko na Perseus! You even hired someone to ruin what I have with Theo! Are you happy? Did you really think that after all this time, babalik pa ako sa'yo?!"

"Where the fuck is Theo now? Iniwan ka rin niya diba? Hindi mo ba nakikita? I am the only one for you!"

"NO!" I yelled. "What we had is wrong and even from the start we both know that but we were too young to even realize that love is NOT and will never be enough!" Perseus whimpered. Lumapit siya sa akin at hinawakan ang kamay ko.

"Hailey, I love you, hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko kapag nawala ka."

"You don't love me." I said to him. "You only think of me as your property. Sobrang toxic na natin sa isa't isa, Perce. Kung mahal moa ko, hindi mo ako sasaktan, but you have done that more than once, you've hurt me physically and emotionally. Hind ka pa ba napapagod? Kasi ako pagod na pagod na sa atin." I sighed. I didn't feel like crying. Si Perseus ay iyak naman nang iyak, dinadaan niya ako sa ganoon, noong una ay nadadala ako, but now I am determined to make him realize that this isn't the case anymore, that we shouldn't be together.