Strings in the Beginning (Abrupt Series #2)

EPISODE 10

Hindi pa. Hindi ko pa kaya.

I admit, I laughed and smiled during that small conversation. Ayoko nang magsisi na naitanong ko pa iyon sa kanya. After all, he was the one who told me before na wala pa siyang balak magka-pamilya. Turns out, he only said that to dodge the woman's advances yesterday.

Kaya pala 'yung tungkol sa anak agad ng naisip niya.

Ang daming pwedeng idahilan, pero talagang 'yung may anak pa. At buti na lang, naniwala naman 'yung babae.

The night stretched on, but sleep refused to come easily. The faint music playing in my earphones was more of a distraction than a lullaby, and my thoughts were restless. Images of us laughing together earlier kept looping in my head, our jokes bouncing off each other, the rare ease between us.

It felt odd. Hindi ko napigilan, pero hindi rin ako komportable. The night was too calm, too free of the anger I'd carried every time I saw him.

It wasn't that I had forgiven him. No, far from it.

Hindi pa kami maaayos. The walls I built when he left me weren't ready to come down. Hindi pa ngayon.

"Nate, nandito na tayo sa bahay."

His voice pulled me out of the half-dream I'd fallen into. My eyes fluttered open, and I instinctively reached for my earphones. Pero nagising ako ng wala na ito rito.

"It's bad for your ears kung tatagal silang nakalagay," Conrad said, his tone light. "Kaya tinanggal ko na kanina nung nagpa-gas ako."

I turned to him, surprised. "Hindi ako nagising nang tinanggal mo?"

A small smile tugged at his lips, and he shook his head, twirling the car keys in his hand.

"Buti hindi. Tulog-mantika ka pa rin sa biyahe."

There was a teasing glint in his eyes, the kind that used to make me laugh. His smirk dared me to respond, but I didn't take the bait. Instead, I forced a small smile and unbuckled my seatbelt. I reached for the door handle, needing some distance from the strangely light atmosphere between us.

The moment I stepped out, I realized we were already parked in their driveway. I spotted Tito Luke's car at agad din na pumasok sa isip ko si Mama. Baka nasa loob na sila.

Conrad rounded the car, casually pocketing his keys. "Pumasok ka muna. I'm sure your cats are waiting for you."

I hesitated at his words.

This wasn't the first time he'd shown this version of himself—the one who acted like nothing had happened like he hadn't wrecked me years ago. And yet, the way he spoke and treated me with such casual care felt like a thin string pulling at my defenses.

But I couldn't forget. Not yet.

Without a word, I followed him to the door, my steps heavy with the weight of memories and unresolved feelings. And as he opened the door to his home, to a place that once felt so familiar, I braced myself for what lay ahead.

Malaki ang bahay nina Tita-Nang, isa sa may pinakamalaking bahay rito sa baranggay namin. This was their original house at mas gusto nila umuwi rito palagi dahil dito nabuo ang lahat ng memories na meron sila. Pati ang Lola ko at si Mama-La.

They have houses in Legazpi City pero itong bahay nila rito kung saan sobrang lapit lang din ng bahay namin ang gusto-gusto nilang uwian. But not only this house brought memories to them, also for me.

Ang kaso nga, masasakit nga lang.

Kaya bihira akong bumisita, kahit halos pwede ko na itong gapangin mula sa bahay namin papunta rito. I don't want to bring that trauma back. Sapat na ang naranasan ko noon, 'yung kahihiyan at 'yung lahat ng sakit.