Hulyo Setyembre (The Rascals 1)

8

Chapter 8

"You're silent," I pointed out as I looked at September. His knuckles stayed tense on the steering wheel while his face remained stoic. "September, you are never silent. You're starting to fucking scare me," saad ko.

He blew air and forced a smile before he turned the car sideways into the familiar road to his house. "This is nothing, witch. Mind your own business."

Napairap ako. Pinigilan ko ang sarili kong hambalusin siya dahil sa pagtawag niya sa akin ng bruha. Kahit tatlong buwan na itong baby ko ay kaya ko pa rin siyang bugbugin hanggang sa magkulay pasa siya.

"Nakatatakot ka kasi, lalo kang pumapangit kapag ganyan ka." The comment seemed to take his mind away from the thing that was bothering him, he immediately showed me one of his most genuine emotions, the one he can always perfect whenever he expresses it: annoyance.

"Yuna, I am not fucking ugly, alright? Artista ako! Paano ako magiging pangit! Puhunan ko itong kinukutya mo?!" His tone was high, a sign that I got to him.

"Pinagmamayabang mo pagiging artista mo, eh, mas sikat pa nga sa'yo si Lence di Angelo!" I fired. Nagdilim ang paningin niya sanhi ng pagkapikon. The mention of the name always puts him in a foul mood. Lence is his career rival. Simula nang sumikat siya ay ito na ang laging itinatapat sa kanya ng kabilang istasyon.

"Tangina, eh supot nga iyon! Mas masarap ako roon, hoy!" nagngingitngit na wika niya. Napahalakhak naman ako bago sumagot. "Hindi siya supot! Nakita ko na kaya! Napanood ko iyong scandal nila nung—"

The car screeched into a halt. Napasigaw ako, kung hindi lang ako naka-seatbelt ay malamang na nauntog na ang ulo ko sa salamin ng kotse.

"What the fuck, September! Are you trying to kill me and my child?!" Sinampal ko siya at gulat na napatingin siya sa akin habang nakalagay ang palad sa pisngi niyang tinamaan. I put a protective hand on my belly, my heart was thrumming wildly on my chest.

"You just slapped me!" he said incredulously and I glared at him with my nostrils flaring. "Oo dahil muntikan mo na kaming patayin ng anak ko!"

He glared back. "Sabi mo nakita mo na yung palito ni Lence!"

"Anong palito ang sinasabi mo!"

"Palito lang iyon kasi maliit." He frowned at me. "Sa akin baston."

"Sira ulo!" I shrieked. "You could've killed me and my unborn baby, you imbecile!"

His expression changed in that millisecond. Huminga siya nang malalim bago tumingin sa tiyan ko.

And then he put a hand over my stomach, and I flinched. I flinched at the unexpected contact. Agad kong inalis ang kamay niya at inirapan siya ngunit inirapan niya rin ako pabalik bago ipinatong muli ang palad niya rito.

"I'm sorry, little one," he said softly, I would've freaked. The sight melts my heart, I could not believe I was seeing this now. "Pinapangako kong hindi na iyon uling mangyayari. I don't know if your pinkie is already formed but I pinkie swear."

"You're creeping me out, Hulyo Setyembre," seryoso kong anas bago pinalis na naman ang kamay niya. Biniyayaan niya ako ng isang makahulugang tingin bago nagpatuloy sa pagmamaneho. Mabuti na lang at walang ibang sasakyan sa likuran namin kung hindi ay baka natapos na ang maliligayang araw ko sa mundo.

He parked in front of the house and opened the car door for me. Inalalayan niya rin akong makababa at dinala ang mga pinag-grocery namin kanina. I opened the door and smiled as his familiar living room came into my view.