Sinking Deep (GL)

CHAPTER 41

"Saan mo ako dadalhin?" I coldly asked, nakatutok ang mga mata ko sa bintana. Pagod na ang mata ko dahil sa pag-iyak kanina.

"Safe... with me." She murmured her gaze fixed on the road.

We drove for approximately half an hour, and as I gazed out of the car window, I spotted the nearby sea, a coastal road stretching alongside it. The street was illuminated by numerous dim streetlights, and the time had already reached 10 in the evening.
Ma'am Vivien brought the car to a halt, and without hesitation, I stepped out of the vehicle and walked to the side where I could see the sea, feeling the chilly breeze that swept in from the water.

"Frey?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned, breaking my thoughts.

I turned to her, the sea breeze tousling my hair, "Tatanungin ulit kita ma'am, alam mo ang lahat ng ʼto diba?"

She nodded, her eyes filled with understanding.

"Yes." She replied.

"Why didn't you share all of this with me? Why did you let me endure this heartbreak again?" I questioned, the intensity of our earlier eye contact replaced by her avoiding my gaze.

"I was trying to protect you," sagot niya, her eyes cast downward in humility. It was as if handa siyang lumuhod sa harapan ko in our current predicament.

"Protect me from what? Is this all related to my heart transplant na nalaman ko galing mismo sa kwarto mo?" I pressed further, seeking answers.

She nodded once more, her demeanor reflective of a humble resolve, yet her voice quivered as she spoke.

"Yes, I've been doing my best to help you, to help both of you."

I couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration.

"How can you claim you're protecting me when, in reality, all of you are tearing me apart? It's as though you're slowly piercing through my very being," I retorted, clenching my fists in anguish.

Lumapit siya nang konti sakin, positioning herself beside me as we both stared out at the cold coastal road and the endless sea, my unanswered questions still swirling in my mind.

"I've tried various ways. Seeing you in pain, it pains me too," she admitted, and I turned to face her, medyo malayo ang agwat naming dalawa.

What was she trying to say?

"I care for you, Frey. It's more than that - I love you," she confessed, her gaze locking onto mine as she faced me directly.

I love you?

I love you...

I love you.

"Watching you has always brought me a mix of joy and sadness," she confessed. "I find immense pleasure in observing every aspect of your appearance, from the most prominent features to the tiniest details."

"There have been countless times when I've blushed just from seeing you smile, or when I've tiptoed to catch a glimpse of you on the stage and I watched you from the crowd," she continued. "I've also lost count of how many times I've silently wished that you would look at me too."

Her words sent a shiver down my spine, leaving me frozen in the moment.

"Because even if I were to spend my entire life gazing at you," she concluded with tears streaming down her face, "I know you'd always be captivated by a different pair of eyes, and they wouldn't be mine."

"You may have had your heart broken by what you witnessed, but my heart has shattered countless times watching you with her all this while."

"Ma'am..." I mumbled.