Us Against the World (Louisiana Series #5)

Kabanata 14

14 – Way

From Zachary: 

            Are you home? 

Tumagal ang titig ko sa screen ng aking cellphone nang rumehistro ang kaniyang text. I rolled my eyes and put it back on the bed side table. Nanatili ako sa pagkakahiga. Matapos kong umalis ay hindi ko pa rin nakikita si Dad dahil nagsinungaling lang naman akong tumawa siya kahit na hindi. I just wanted leave. 

Muling umugong ang aking cellphone. Ayaw ko sanang tignan ngunit hindi ko rin natiis. I took my phone and read his text message. 

From Zachary: 

            Your Dad called? Pinauwi ka na? 

Inilapag ko ang cellphone sa kama. It's already ten at night. Magkakasama pa kaya sila? Are they still playing? Baka naman ngayong wala na ako ay masagot na niya ang mga tanong ni Rihann. 

From Zachary: 

            You don't look okay when you left. Is there a problem at home? 

Maybe they're done playing, that's why he can text. Bumuntong-hininga ako at tinignan ang bintana. It's raining outside. Muli kong binasa ang sunod-sunod na mga text niya. I thought he knows me by reading my annotations? 

"Idiot." bulong ko. 

I started typing my reply to him. A call registered and I immediately declined it. Lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko at binura ang mga sasabihin. I typed another text for him. 

To Zachary: 

             Don't call, I'm with Mom. I'm fine. Don't text anymore. 

I bit my lower lip and continued staring at my screen. Mabilis niyang sinagot ang mensahe ko. I shook my head and felt irritated again. 

From Zachary: 

              Why not? 

Why keep texting me, then? If he's not here to be serious with me, then why act like he's really pursuing me? Bakit isinama niya pa ako sa Kuya at pinsan niya? Bakit sumasama pa sa akin sa Maynila kahit na ayaw niya sa mga libro? I sighed again. 

"It's too early to think about marriage. I shouldn't be thinking that. It won't be him, anyway." 

I shrugged and shut my phone down. Tumitig ako sa kisame at tahimik na inisip ang mga nangyari kanina. Muli akong nainis. Maddie is there and she likes him. Paano kung isipin niya na hindi naman seryoso si Zachary? 

At bakit nga ba ito ang iniisip ko? I am too young to think about getting married. Ngunit hindi naman iyon ang punto ko. The point is that I can't be with someone who doesn't have the same goal as mine in the end. If we're not here to be serious, then what are we doing here in the first place? 

"It won't be him, anyway!" inis kong sabi. 

Bumuga ako ng malalim na hininga. Hindi ko rin natiis na buksang muli ang phone ko upang tingnan kung mayroong mga mensahe. Zach sent four more messages. Hindi ko na binasa pa ang mga iyon. 

"Paasa ka.." ani ko at tinitigan ang kaniyang pangalan. "Ang landi mo, pero paasa ka." 

Ibinagsak ko ang ulo ko sa unan. I thought it was Zachary again when my phone rang. Nang tingnan ko iyon ay si Rihann. I hesitantly took my phone and answered her call. 

"What?" salubong ko. 

"Anong mayroon? Is everything okay?" 

"Yeah. Just a random family meeting. Dad called me because I was needed."