Gone With The Ring (SUAREZ SERIES II)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"I'm sorry, Czei," bungad agad ni Yano nang sa wakas ay sagutin ko ang panlimang tawag niya.

Kunot ang noo ko habang nakatanaw sa bukana ng dining room. Nasa main door ako ngayon at mula rito sa puwesto ko ay naririnig ko ang mga boses ng buong pamilya ko. Troy was also there, but I couldn't hear his voice. Lumabas lang ako saglit dahil naiirita na ako sa sunud-sunod na tawag ni Yano.

Isa sa mga kinaiinisan ko sa kanya ngayon ay ang pangungulit niya nang ganito. Two to three missed calls should've been enough. Kapag hindi pa rin ako sumasagot hanggang sa pangatlo, dapat ay hinayaan na lang muna niya ako. Paano pala kung may emergency at nakakaistorbo na pala ang pangungulit niya?

Because, right now, that was how Yano seemed to me: a nuisance.

I was in the middle of an important late lunch with my family. Kuya Asher just got back. At nanggagalaiti ako sa inis because he looked totally fine.

"Pasensiya na at palaging mainit ang ulo ko ngayon. Masyado kaming busy at palaging may sched—"

"Hindi ko lang talaga nagustuhan ang tono mo no'ng isang araw, Yano," I cut him off. "And you blamed me. It's not like we are obliged to spend time with each other whenever we can. Hindi naman tayo ganito dati, 'di ba?"

"I'm so sorry, Czeila. Babawi ako, promi—"

"You know what? It's okay. Kalimutan na lang natin iyon. Huwag na lang sanang maulit. After all, we're friends. We shouldn't make a big deal out of it—"

"What? We're not friends, Czei. What are you saying?"

Napabuntong hininga ako nang mahimigan ang iritasyon sa boses niya. Bakit ba palagi na lang siyang sumasabay sa tuwing may nangyayaring importante sa pamilya ko? I was already stressed with Kuya Asher's sudden appearance. I didn't need another headache!

Bumuntong hininga ako ulit para kalmahin ang aking sarili. "Yes. We are friends, Adriano."

"Only friends? I've been courting you since college and now you're saying we are just friends? Only friends?" Bahagyang tumaas ang boses niya kaya napapikit ako.

My lips formed into a thin line as I heard my mother talk from the dining room. Pakiramdam ko, sasabog na ang utak ko sa sabay-sabay na pagsasalita nila, si Mama mula sa kusina at si Adriano mula sa kabilang linya. Hindi ko na naman nagugustuhan ang tono niya. At sa totoo lang, mas gusto kong pakinggan at malaman kung ano na ang nangyayari sa dining room kaysa sa pagmamaktol ni Yano.

Bago pa man ako makasagot ay nagpatuloy siya. "After so many years, are you saying that we are only friends? After years of courting you?" And there he went again with his demanding tone.

Mas lalo akong nairita. "Are you saying then na pinapaasa lang kita? Adriano, yes, we are friends. And yes, it's been years and we never really talk about that anymore. And I honestly don't care anymore. Magkaibigan tayo and I'd like to keep it that way—"

"Are you serious?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya na may kaakibat na iritasyon na naman.

Great! He called me to apologize, but we ended up fighting instead. Kating-kati na akong patayin ang tawag para makabalik na sa pamilya ko pero heto siya't nagmamaktol nang ganito.

"You know what? Let's just talk some other time. Parehong mainit ang ulo natin at—"

"We never really talked, Czeila."

Natigilan ako sa biglaang paghinahon ng boses niya.

Huminga siya nang malalim. "You were right. We never really talked. You never really talked to me about yourself, about your dreams, about your problems, about us... Kapag magkasama tayo, nasa iba palagi ang atensiyon mo. You never really paid attention to me."