Aizelle's POV
Inabutan niya ako ng baso, mukhang mainit iyon at amoy kape. Napatingin ako sa kanya at matipid siyang nginitian. Nanginginig ang kamay ko'ng inabot 'yun. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano kami nakarating dito. Dinala niya ako sa Family Mart. Hinayaan ko lang s'ya kung saan n'ya ako gustong dalhin. I just want to get out of that place. 'Yung pressure na nanggagaling kay Auntie na dapat ako ang mag ahon sa hirap sa kanila dahil hindi n'ya maasahan ang mga anak n'ya, kasama na doon ang utang na loob ko dahil inalagaan at pinalaki n'ya ako noong mawala ang Daddy ko, ang unang beses na pagtangkaan ako ni Bobby. Hindi ko akalain na dadating sa ganitong punto. Ang bigat sa loob, gabi gabi akong hirap matulog dahil sa dami ng iniisip.
He sat beside me. He never asked anything about it since we arrived. It was a long silence and my interwoven feelings creep me up. My life was almost ruined by Bobby. Pilit ko'ng pinapainit ang palad ko gamit ang init na nanggagaling sa cup ng coffee. Nanlalamig pa rin kasi talaga ako. Hanggang ngayon nangangatog pa rin ang katawan ko sa nangyari.
"How long he's been doing that to you?" Dreigan began asking finally, breaking the ice. His tone sounded sincere and worried. I looked at him. His eyes were focused on a different direction, his elbows are pressed against the table and fingers were intertwined together to support his chin. He still looked so masculine. My gazes went back to my coffee. I bowed my head, feeling a little uncomfortable.
I'm so tired and exhausted that it was close to fainting. My vision turned blurry and tears began falling. I tried to blink it back but I couldn't suppress it to matter what I do. It was too much to take in, at isa pa I was venting for the first time and it will be to someone who's nearly a stranger to me. It was ironic because he was the last person I could think of na magiging kaibigan ko sa school. He wasn't bad after all. Well, not bad. I was just hesitant to admit that. It feels so heavy to carry it everyday here in my chest, pakiramdam ko kasi nag-iisa ako.
"M-matagal ko ng nararamdaman but I shrugged it off. I thought I was overthinking. K-kanina it was the first time he attempted." My words are almost running together and I looked down again; discomfited, feeling embarrassed about the topic. I barely know this guy pero unti unti nang gumagaan ang pakiramdam ko dahil sa pinapakita niya sa akin. He wasn't answering though and he remained silent. Good listeners are always the one who never react but still listen. Nag iingat s'ya sa kanyang mga sasabihin at itatanong. Siguro nag-iisip s'ya kung saan n'ya ako dadalhin at hindi n'ya ako maiwan. Ayoko naman maging pabigat. Sapat na 'yung nagawa n'yang pagligtas sa akin.
"Drei, makikitulog na lang ako kila Abby. Baka hinahanap ka na sa inyo." I said. His face was still serious. Napatingin siya sa akin. Tinitigan niya ako sa mata, unti unting bumaba ang tingin niya sa bibig ko. Hindi ko alam ang mararamdaman ko. Bakit ganito ang pagtitig niya? I looked down dahil hindi ko matagalan. Para bang hinihintay niya ang bawat pagbuka ng bibig ko.
"Kung pwede wala sanang makakalabas. Kalimutan mo na 'yung nakita mo. Buhay ko kasi ang maapektuhan lalo na ang pagaaral ko. Pwede ba 'yun, Drei?" I looked at him. Nakatitig pa rin siya sa akin. He looked away and slowly nodded. I wiped my tears and smiled. "Thank you.." I sincerely said. There was a long silence again. For an instant it seemed like I was incapable of speech.
All I could think of were the days that I was rude to him. Nagi-guilty pa ako dahil naging judgemental ako. I was mentally killing him and calling him names. Akala ko masama ang ugali n'ya. Ibang Drei kasi ang nakikita ko ngayon. Nanatili s'yang tahimik.
"Who's Abby?" He suddenly asked. It was the last thing I had in mind; the last thing I thought he would ask.
"A close friend. Malapit lang dito ang boarding house n'ya. Pwede ko'ng lakarin. Maybe a fifteen-minute walk from here." I specified. At the back of my mind, I want to ask if he could still keep me company.
