Maginoong Medyo Bastos

Chapter Twenty-Four

Why was she feeling that way?

Since when did she start feeling that way?

"Okay ka lang?" Malumanay ang boses nito nang nagtanong ito sa kanya.

Dapat nga ay siya ang magtanong kung okay lamang ito. Noong nakita nitong nakatulog si Bee sa balikat niya roon sa photobooth, balisa ang kilos ng lalaki at halos hindi maipinta ang bakas ng pag-aalala sa mukha. She remembered how he reached for his sister's pulse, relief immediately flooded his face the moment he realized that she just fell asleep.

How many times had he done that? How many times had loss and defeat occurred to his mind? How many times had he felt the same sensation of relief followed closely by sadness the moment he'd feel her pulse?

Vannessa wasn't certain if she wanted to know.

"Pasensya na talaga sa abala, Van. Hindi ko rin kasi siya matanggihan—"

"You have nothing to feel sorry for," she cut him off. "You know that it's not your fault, right?"

Nakita niya ang bahagyang paglaki ng mga mata nito. Kagaya niya ay hindi nagbitiw ng tingin ang lalaki.

She wanted to convince him that the things that had been happening were not his fault. She knew. She knew that he was blaming himself for the things that he had no control of.

'Stop blaming yourself. You're a great brother.'

She wanted to assure him that things would be alright, but she couldn't get herself to. Because she also wasn't sure what being 'alright' was.

NOONG NARATING NILA ang hotel ay binuhat ng binata ang kapatid habang ang mga pinamili naman nila ay pinapasok na nila sa mga staff. Marami-rami rin ang mga iyon at hindi kayang bitbitin iyon lahat ni Vannessa.

She was just trailing behind the guy, purposely slowing down because she felt nervous. Her heart had been banging against her chest for reasons she didn't want to think about. Hindi niya alam. Hindi niya maintindihan. Halo-halo ang mga emosyong nararamdaman niya sa kanyang dibdib.

Tumigil ito sa paglalakad tsaka siya nilingon. "May problema ba?" tanong nito sa kanya.

Kaagad na umiling-iling si Vannessa bago naglakad papunta sa tabi nito. Sabay silang naglakad papasok sa elevator.

Sinamahan niya ito sa kwarto para patulugin nang maayos si Bee sa kama. Idinilat pa nga nito nang isang segundo ang mga mata bago muling bumalik sa pagkakatulog kaya kinumutan ito ni Jax. She looked peaceful sleeping.

She wanted to caress her hair, but stopped herself, afraid that she might wake her up. Pakiramdam niya ay kapatid din niya ito. Just like her brother, Bee wasn't hard to love. In fact, she was too easy to love. Makikita mo talagang napalaki sila nang maayos ng mama nila.

Ilang minuto rin silang nakatingin lang sa dalaga. Vannessa was watching her breathing. Hindi niya alam kung bakit may kaba siyang nararamdaman sa kanyang dibdib habang pinagmamasdan ang babaeng matulog.

"Van," pagtawag ni Jax sa kanya. Kaagad siyang lumingon dito, nakataas nang bahagya ang isang kilay. Para na namang kakawala ang dibdib niya sa lakas ng pagkabog nito. He rarely called her by her nickname, and she couldn't explain why hearing him say that felt different. It sent shivers down to her spine.

"Pwede bang payakap?" Pagod ang mga mata nitong nakatingin sa kanya at muli, nakita niya ang mukha ng lalaking nakita niya kanina. Exhausted.

She didn't say anything, and just reached out to him to give him hug. The problem wouldn't be fixed by a single embrace, but he for sure needed one.