Heat Wave (Disaster Series #2)

Kabanata 15

WARNING: This chapter contains a specific character's experience about sexual harassment. This may be triggering to readers with similar experiences. You can skip this chapter to prevent being exposed to past trauma. To those who will still continue, please engage in self-care as you read.

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Minor Offense

Bumilis ang tahip ng dibdib ko, at halos hindi ako makahinga. Nagtagal ang tingin ko sa pintuan na siyang kumalabog ilang segundo lang ang nakalilipas.

Nanginginig man ang mga tuhod ay nagawa ko pa ring tumayo, dahan-dahan at halos walang tunog.

"Tequila?! Are you even listening to me right now?!" Halos umalingawngaw na ang boses ni Mama sa loob ng kuwarto ko dahil sa sobrang tahimik ng paligid.

It's a scary silence. My lips quivered as I slowly turned the doorknob open.

Nang nabuksan ko na ito ay siya ring pagsarado ng katabing pintuan. Sa kuwarto ni Celest.

My eyes lingered on her door and the tension that I felt still didn't fade. My palms are sweating and I feel cold.

"Answer me Tequila, dahil kung hindi, ako na mismo ang pupunta diyan sa mansion ng mga Cavallero!" I almost can't recognize her voice from the other line.

The mellow tone that always seemed to me as a music that is played by her lips turned into a rough rhythm, leaving in my mind and chest an ugly and lingering note...

Nanatili sa isipan ko ang galit ni Mama pati na ang kalabog sa pinto sa kalagitnaan ng usapan namin. Kaya sa buong gabi ay hindi ako halos makatulog. Naging atentibo rin ang pandinig ko sa kung ano mang nangyayari sa labas.

Questions kept on circling inside my head. Did Celest somehow heard my conversation with Mama? But if she did, then why didn't she confront me or told the Cavalleros about it right away?

Sa umaga ay halos hindi na ako mapakali. Pakiramdam ko, kapag lalabas ako ng pintuan ng kuwarto ko ay bubungad kaagad sa akin ang galit na panunumbat ni Gon. Pero hindi iyon dumating.

What greeted me instead was his text.

Gon:
Good morning. Something came up at the office so I had to leave early. I already told the driver to take you to school this morning. Will see you later.

Though his message hinted that everything is still fine, I still can't get rid of the heavy feeling on my chest. Pakiramdam ko, hindi ako dapat na mag-relax.

And I need to be more careful right now. I shouldn't accept calls from Mama whenever I'm here at the Cavalleros' mansion. Or even when I'm alone at my room with my door locked.

In fact, I won't go to school this morning. Susundin ko ang gusto ni Mama na lumiban muna ako. I need to talk to her and make everything clear. My decision is final and I don't want to have anything to do with the plan anymore.

And maybe... maybe if I'll somehow convince Mama to stop the plan, then I'll continue being a working student here like nothing happened. It seemed like a selfish thought but I can't deny that I want it.

I want to be with Gon without any lies and deception anymore.

Pero sino nga ba ang niloloko ko rito? Even if I'll get to stop the plan and continue like nothing happened, I will still be deceiving Gon by keeping my first intentions a secret.

But somehow, I can't help but crave for a peaceful life, so much...

However, the more you want something, the more that you won't get the chance of having it. The more that you want to push for something to happen, the more that its possibility will pull away from you.