The Charmed Thief

CHAPTER TWENTY (I)

NAPAKABILIS ng tibok ng puso ni Leyneri.  Hindi siya sigurado kung totoo ba ang nakikita niya ngayon sa harapan niya o produkto lamang 'yon ng imahinasyon niya.  She was thinking about him so hard hindi na siya magugulat kung mag-ha-hallucinate siya na nandito ito ngayon sa harapan niya.  Kung totoo man 'yon, then tuluyan nang naputol ang katinuan niya and she finally fell into the deep abyss of insanity.

Natagpuan na lamang niya ang sarili na naglalakad palapit dito.  Itinaas niya ang mukha at nang dumampi 'yon sa pisngi nito ay saka lang niya napatunayan na hindi ito isang hallucination lamang.  He was really there, standing in front of her.

"No welcome hug for me, printsessa?" wika nito na ibinaba ang malaking bag na dala-dala.  Sa halip na yakapin, kusang umigkas ang kamay niya at binigyan ito ng isang malakas na sampal.  Dagli naman nitong nasapo ang pisnging nasaktan.  "Aw.. that hurts, Ley!"

Pinagsusuntok niya ang dibdib nito.  "You...  how dare you just show up here?  Umalis ka ng hindi man lang nagpapaalam.  You left just like that.  Tapos ngayon bigla ka na lang magpapakita sa harap ko with th-that annoying smile of yours and acting as if nothing happened?  Anong in-expect mo, na magtatalon ako sa tuwa?"

Pinigilan nito ang kamay niya.  "Well, actually, I thought you will come running into my arms the moment you see me."

"You- you egotistical bas--"

HIndi na niya naituloy ang sasabihin dahil bigla na lang siya nitong hinigit at ikinulong sa mga bisig nito.  "I'm sorry, malysh.  For disappearing on you like that.  If I had a choice, I would have wanted to be first person you see when you regained conciousness.  But I couldn't stay by your side.  No matter how much I wanted to."

Lahat ng pagkainis na nadarama niya ay nawala the moment she was engulfed by those strong arms.  His familliar scent filled her, making her heart beat faster.  Gustung-gusto niya na gumanti ng yakap dito.  But she needed answers first.  Kaya naman pilit siyang humiwalay dito. 

"I know that you couldn't possibly go to the hospital with my whole family being there almost everyday.  But you could have snuck inside during the night without anyone noticing, kagaya ng ginagawa mo ngayon.  So why didn't you?"

"I did, when you were still unconcious.  I came to your hospital room every night."

Hindi naman niya alam kung ikatutuwa ba niya 'yon o lalo lang niyang ikaiinis.  "Bakit hindi ka pumunta no'ng nagkamalay na 'ko?  When I can see you and talk to you face to face?  What's the point of going when I didn't even know you're there?"

"I went for my sake.  Because I can't leave knowing that you're in that condition, wounded and unconcious.  I went every night, holding your hand and hoping that you will open your eyes.  Nang malaman ko na nagkamalay ka na, that's when I decided to leave."

"Alam mo ba kung ano ang naintindihan ko sa sinabi mo?  That you only stayed because you were guilty about what happened to me.  And when you're sure I was fine and dandy, you left.  Without even a single word.  Ni 'ha' ni 'ho', wala.  So just... just go.  I don't want to deal with you right now."

Tumalikod siya dito.  Sa sinabi nito ay parang napatunayan na rin niya that she really meant so little to him.  Wala siyang karapatang magalit, alam naman niya 'yon.  He has no obligation to keep in touch with her.  Naibigay na nito ang tulong na kailangan niya.  Sobra-sobra pa nga.  They already managed to give justice to Shane.  It's only natural for whatever relationship they have to end.  Pero hindi niya magawang maging objective.  Nagagalit siya dahil mahal niya ito.  Nagagalit siya dahil hinding-hindi masusuklian ang pagmamahal na 'yon.

Bigla na lamang siya nitong hinawakan sa magkabilang balikat at iniikot paharap dito.  "What I felt was not guilt, Ley.  It was rage.  Matinding galit sa sarili ko.  Sinabi ko sa 'yo na poprotektahan kita at hindi ko hahayaan na may mangyaring masama sa 'yo.  But I just stood there and let that bastard shoot you.  Nang saluhin ko ang walang-malay ay duguan mong katawan, napuno ako ng matinding kagustuhan na pumatay ng tao.  That's the first time I felt so much bloodlust.  I wanted to kill that son of a bitch for what he's done.  If you didn't survive, I would have probably did just that."