Loving the Sky (College Series #3)

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Lumipas ang mga araw na parang wala akong buhay. I was very familiar with this feeling because I'd gone through it when he left me.

Hindi ko alam kung anong nangyari pero hindi sila ang tumugtog sa ball. Si Hunter ang nakasama ko pero buong gabi ay tahimik lang ako. Kahit noong mismong party, nasa upuan lang ako at nakikingiti sa mga kasama.

My friends didn't bother asking me what happened. Hinayaan nila akong mag-isa muna dahil alam ko namang 'yon lang kailangan ko ngayon. I appreciated it. I didn't need anyone to sympathize with me.

Nauna rin akong umuwi sa kanila no'ng araw na 'yon. Hindi ko nga alam kung nakausap ko ba si Hunter o hindi dahil wala talaga sa ball ang isip ko.

When we traveled back to Cebu, I locked myself in the room. My parents got worried, but I told them that I was having dysmenorrhea.

It was too painful. I didn't want to give him up. Kahit ano palang pilit kong sabihin sa sarili na isusuko ko na siya, hindi ko pa rin magagawa kasi wala namang switch ang puso ko. Every day and night, I did nothing but to reminisce the past... and it hurt me more. Dahil hindi na ulit mangyayari iyon.

"Focus on your career, Deborah. Pinagbigyan kitang tahakin 'yan. Make sure to succeed," my father told me while we were eating.

"Yes, Daddy..."

Sa loob ng halos tatlong linggo ko sa Cebu, wala akong ginawa kung hindi pakinggan ang sermon ni Daddy lalo at nang mabalitaan niyang nanakaw ang designs ko. It was okay. My father was really strict. Siya naman talaga ang nagpu-push sa akin na mag-business pero sinuportahan pa rin ako sa fashion designing. I had to make him proud.

While looking at our vast plantation, my heart was finally at ease.

Ayoko nang umalis dito. Ayoko nang bumalik sa Isabela dahil alam kong pagtapak ko ulit doon, haharapin ko na naman siya.

Hindi ko alam. Parang hindi na kaya ng puso ko.

I also visited Abuelo. Mabilis lang ang pagkikita namin dahil may trabaho siya. Hindi ko na rin naman siya ginulo.

"Uno will run for governor."

It was my last night there when my father announced it. I was happy for my brother. Buong gabi ay isinelebra namin 'yon. He was happily married, but he didn't have a child yet. Nang malaman niya ngang umuwi ako ay bumalik din siya sa mansyon.

Noong pasko, nakatanggap pa ako ng holiday greetings galing kay Rouge pero hindi na ako sumagot. Kahit noong nag bagong taon, hindi ko siya nireplyan. I didn't block his number, but I unfollowed him on all my social media accounts.

"Nakakatampo ka naman," ani Mommy nang pumasok sa kwarto ko. I was packing my clothes.

Tumabi siya sa akin at tinulungan akong mag-impake.

"Umuwi ka nga... hindi ka naman makausap. I was waiting for you to open up to me, but it seems like you're not ready yet, right?"

I gulped and looked at her with melancholic eyes. Sa mga nakalipas na linggo, sinabi sa akin ni Melanie na sa Sweets and Treats na nagtatrabaho si Solene at ka-close nito ang nanay ni Rouge.

"Mommy..." My voice trembled. "Ayoko nang umalis dito. Ayoko nang bumalik do'n," I confessed. "Kahit business program na lang ang kukunin ko rito... basta ayoko na sa Isabela."

Tumigil siya sa pagtutupi ng damit at iniharap ako sa kanya. She held my cheeks before embracing me. It was full of warmth and love.

"Paano ang pangarap mo?" she asked. "Isusuko mo na ba? Kung oo, sinong talo?"