Tears Of Cinderella

Chapter 31 - The Aftermath

Steffanie was blankly staring at her ceiling inside her hotel room. Nakahiga lamang siya sa kanyang kama. She was motionless, confused, flustered and disoriented.Anong kagagahan na naman ba ang kanyang ginawa?

She could still remember what happened last night. How she melted at his touch. How she was helpless at his kisses. How she blissfully surrendered at his sweet love making. All of her defences were now broken. She was now completely exposed and vulnerable. And she hated herself for being that way.

Hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili. How come that she couldn't resist him? One look and she's already fallen.

She must be crazy. Kay rami nang masasamang salita ang sinabi nito sa kanya. Every time they met, he just showered her with insult after insult. Kulang na lang ay duraan nito ang buo niyang pagkatao. For him, she was nothing but a whore. For him, she was nothing but a gold digger. So how come that she still felt this way for him?

Sabi nila, ang pagmamahal ay nawawala kapag hindi inalagaan at inaruga. He treated her like trash. Nope. He treated her far worse than trash. Mas mabuti nga ang basura, kahit papaano may dapat na kalagyan. Samantalang siya, he dropped her like a hot potato and squished her like a bug. So why? Why did she still feel this way towards him?

Last night, in the throes of passion, she suddenly realized something. She still cared for him. She still wanted him. She still loved him.

Siya na siguro ang pinaka-estupidang babae sa mundong ibabaw.

She reminded herself of the things that had happened to both of them.

Inakala niya noon na maayos ang lahat sa pagitan nila. Heck, she thought that she finally found the love that she did not deserved. He was her friend. He was her lover. He was her knight in shining armour. He was her hero.

She carefully recalled the multiple times that he saved her. She reminisced those times when he fulfilled her wish one by one. She remembered how passionate all of their love making was. And that they, when he knelt in front of her, when he asked her to marry him. She thought it was the best day of her life.

Nagsimulang mamuo ang luha sa kanyang mga mata. Alam naman niya noon na she was nothing but a fatherless bastard. Tanggap na niya iyon. Alam niyang walang kwenta ang pagkatao niya. That she was nothing but a worthless piece of junk. But then he came in her life. He gave her hope. He gave her a taste of a better future. And she looked forward to that. She loved him with all of her. Kung hihingin nito noon ang buha niya ay walang pag-aalinlangan niyang ibibigay.

She felt her chest tighten in pain. For once in her life, nakatikim siya ng isang tunay na kasiyahan. He showed her the beauty of things in this world. After a long time, she finally opened her heart once more. She finally knew how to unconditionally love someone.

But everything came crashing that night. That wretched night that she'll remember forever.

Nagdere-derecho na ang pagdaloy ng luha sa kanyang mga mata. She was sobbing non-stop that she cannot breathe anymore.

Ang sakit-sakit alalahanin na ang taong nagturo sa kanyang magmahal ay ang taong siya ring sisira ng lahat nang iyon. Her world became dark once. Her hope was suddenly drained. She was crestfallen. She was heartbroken.

So why? Bakit hanggang ngayon, umaasa pa rin ang puso niya. Hindi na ba talaga siya nagtanda? Loving Gareth was a stigma in her life.

Niyakap niya ang katabing unan at dito bunuhos ang lahat ng pait at sakit na nadarama.

The aftermath of what had happened last night had left Gareth confounded. Pinagsawa na niya ang sa rili sa katawan nito. But he still wasn't satiated. He still wanted more of her.