Drawn to His Flame

Kabanata 8

Despicable

I stood frozen when I heard Almira spew those words. Napahinto rin siya nang makitang natigilan ako. After that, she hastily stopped gripping my wrist. "I'm sorry," she said with her head low. "But you really need to come with me," dagdag niya kaya kumunot ang aking noo.

Knowing that Treyton wants to see me alone is an enough reason for me not to go with Almira. Malay ko ba sa lalaking 'yon. I don't know what game he's playing now and I'm definitely not stupid to be involved with it. Not anymore.

I really think it's high time to cut ties with the Francos. Ayaw ko nang makisawsaw sa problema nila. I already had enough headaches.

"I've got nothing to do with him," turan ko na lang bago ako nagsimulang maglakad paalis. Only a few seconds had passed when I felt someone grabbing my arm, successfully stopping me in my tracks.

"Pakiusap. Help me out one last time." Hindi na ako natinag sa tono ng pagmamakaawa sa boses ni Almira. I really don't know why she's acting like this. And I also don't understand Treyton. He barely showed himself these past weeks and when he finally decided to come out of the shadows, he wanted to see me? Seriously? Out of all people, ako pa talaga? And he even sent his girlfriend to fetch me?

Ang kapal ng mukha niya!

Nagsimula na ulit akong maglakad pero nanatiling nakahawak sa braso ko si Almira kaya hindi ako tuluyang makaalis. "Please, Regan. I don't know what Treyton is up to and I'm confused just like you. But last week, I heard from the football team that my boyfriend's planning to quit playing. He hasn't even attended his classes for the past month so it was really a surprise when he came to the university earlier. Pero hindi ang try-outs ang pinunta niya." Tumigil pansamantala si Almira bago niya ipinagpatuloy ang kanyang sasabihin. "He came for you." Ramdam ko ang pait sa boses niya nang sambitin niya ang apat na salitang iyon.

Because who wouldn't? Matagal ba namang hindi nagparamdam ang kasintahan mo tapos noong nagpakita na siya ay iba naman ang hinahanap niya. That could freaking hurt someone's ego.

Tumaas naman bigla ang dugo ko sa katawan. Treyton really doesn't deserve Almira.

Bakas sa mukha ng huli ang pagkagulat nang ako na ang humihila sa kanya paalis sa terminal. "Tara na. Pumapayag na ako. I'm going to see Treyton." I know that this was a rash decision made out of pity so I really hoped that I wouldn't regret this later on. I just don't want to make Almira's day worse.

Nang makapasok na kaming dalawa sa sasakyan nila Almira ay pinaandar na rin ito kaagad ng driver. I heard Almira heaving a sigh before facing me, now with a wide smile plastered on her face. "Salamat talaga, Regan. After all of this is over, I'll make sure to take care of your transportation costs. Sorry talaga dahil hindi ka makakauwi ng maaga sa inyo," she shyly said to which I replied with a small smile.

"Huwag mo nang problemahin 'yon, Almira. Just promise me that this will be the last time you'll be asking me of favors related to Treyton." I don't know where I got the courage to say that directly. Pero dala na rin siguro ng pagod kaya ko nasabi ko iyon. It's just plainly exhausting to think that my world revolved around Treyton for the previous years and now that I'm trying to get over him, he comes back to disrupt my orbit.

I saw Almira briefly eyeing me because of mere curiosity but she nodded afterwards. "Consider it done."

Pero hindi pa lumilipas ang dalawang segundo ay binawi niya kaagad iyon. "But can you please try to make him not give up football? May kutob kasi ako na related do'n ang rason kung bakit ka niya hinahanap."

I almost wanted to roll my eyes because of what she wanted me to do. Gusto ko na talaga pagsabihan si Almira na puwede namang siya na lang ang gumawa no'n dahil siya naman ang girlfriend ni Treyton. But I decided to keep it all in inside.