She Crossed That Bridge

24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

I'm done with you . . .

"HOW did you even get here in De Grande that fast? You called me at 2 am and you picked me up at 8 am. Eh 'di ba matagal ang biyahe mula Belle Ville hanggang dito sa De Grande? 'Di ka ba natulog, huh?" hindi makapaniwalang sabi ko.

Nagsisimula na namang kumulo ang dugo ko sa kanya sa 'di malamang dahilan.

"I was already on my way when I called you. So, yeah. I haven't slept at all."

"And you went all the way from Belle Ville to De Grande just to bring me to Belle Ville? Isn't that too stupid—and exhausting?" pambabara ko sa kanya.

Sino ba namang nasa matinong pag-iisip ang pupunta rito sa De Grande para lang mambuwisit at bumalik sa pinanggalingan niya kanina?

"Technically, yes. But there's more to gain, so no, it's not stupid nor exhausting at all," he said while his eyes were on the road.

"What's the point of bringing me there? You can just show me a video or a picture to tell me what kind of life Helix had in Belle Ville. What's with the willingness to drive back and forth?"

He suddenly stopped the car at the side of the street. Nananatili lang sa daan 'yong paningin niya, pero kitang kita ko ang pagiging seryoso ng mukha niya.

"You won't understand if you haven't experienced it at all."

"Well, you're definitely wrong about that. Sometimes, your heart can understand something unfamiliar to you. It's not always about the experience. Sometimes, you just have to close your eyes to understand something that has never happened to you."

He shot me a glance from the side of his eyes and raised a brow at me a few seconds later. "You're good—no, not a good person but a wonderful speaker."

I rolled my eyes. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Both?" he said, letting out a small laugh. Jesus. That annoying laugh from him. Kailan kaya siya titigil sa pang-iinis sa 'kin?

"So, can you please drop me off at school? I still have a lot of things to do—"

"Who am I to do that? I'm not your boyfriend, little Ger."

For the hundredth time, I rolled my eyes. "Of course, you're not! But you're the one who picked me up! Kaya ikaw rin dapat maghatid sa 'kin pabalik! Jesus, Dest!" I growled in frustration and annoyance.

Iniinis niya talaga ako! Kahit kailan ay hindi siya matinong kausap! Puro pang-aasar at pamimilosopo lang ang alam niya! Akala niya nakatutuwa siya?!

"Alright, alright. Relax." He chuckled and drove again. "I really don't know why my brother's so into you. You're nothing special."

I rolled my eyes. Ugh. This guy's making me roll my eyes every damn time! "I really don't need your opinion, Dest."

He dropped me off at school at agad naman akong tumakbo papunta sa event's hall para tulungan 'yong mga organizer. I saw Ger, cutting some crepe paper with Zeke. Ger looked up to meet my eyes, but I acted like I haven't seen him at all.

I still hate him for leaving me. And I hate my dad for letting Ger go. My dad's not a good fighter. He preferred to let things go than to hold on to those things. That's why mom left him. He didn't fight for her. He did nothing to win her back. Ganiyan naman lagi si dad. Takot sumugal. Takot sumubok. Takot humakbang. Takot gumawa ng paraan para manatili sa tabi niya 'yong mga taong mahal niya.

A loud noise coming from the mouths of these girls around me filled the hall. What's with the commotion? Mukha silang hihimatayin. They're overreacting and it's annoying the hell out of me.

Slowly, I turned my head to see what's going on, but my heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest when I saw Helix entering the hall.

Ano'ng ginagawa niya rito?

He was wearing a red shirt paired with black jeans and a black cap on his head. He's too perfect.

The way he walks. The way he breathes. The way he does every single thing.

There's no trace of any flaw in this guy.

He stopped in front of me, breaking me out of my trance. "Hi, baby," he greeted me, putting his hand at the back of his head, a clear sign of him being shy to me after throwing a tantrum all the time.

Dapat lang na makonsensya siya at mahiya siya sa 'kin. 'Di naman ako punching bag pero ginagawa niya akong punching bag niya tuwing mawawala siya sa hulog. At nakapipikon 'yon, seryoso.

Naiintindihan ko naman na nagkakaganiyan siya dahil sa sakit niya, pero paano naman ako?

"I'm sorry," he said, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry. I was just having a hard ti—"

"And then what? You're going to push me away again. So, what's the point of dating? Let's just break up."

That slipped from my tongue uncontrollably. Alam ko, masyado akong padalos-dalos, pero ano'ng magagawa ko? I was too mad and disappointed with him. He's not talking to me everytime he didn't feel like talking to anyone. And what does that make me?

"Just go home, Helix. I'm busy," inis kong sabi. Pilit ko pa ring kinakalma ang sarili ko pero hindi ko na talaga kaya. Sobrang nag-uumapaw na talaga 'yong inis na nararamdaman ko.

Ang unfair din kasi ng treatment niya sa 'kin. Palagi na lang ganito. Mag-so-sorry siya tapos uulitin niya lang din naman. Nakapapagod.

That's when I realized that all the people around us were looking at me.

"What?" I told them impatiently. They looked away and went back to what they're doing.

Mga tsismoso't tsismosa. Nakaiinis.

"I'm really sorry, Park. It won't happen again, I promise. Let me make it up to you, baby, please?" Hel grasped my hand to pulled me closer to him, pero tinabig ko lang ang kamay niya.

"You said that a lot of times already, Hel. But you haven't changed at all. You always shut me off whenever you want to. And I'm sick of it. I'm done with this, I'm done with you," I said sternly, without a pause.

I can't even blame myself for acting this way. It's just too much. The way he treated me was just too much.

"You're overreacting, Shin," Ger intruded, making me scoff in annoyance.

"You guys always leave. You always shut me off. Ngayon na ako 'yong unang aalis at mang-iiwan, ayaw niyo akong hayaan? Kayo lang ba may karapatang umalis? Kayo lang ba?!" I snapped. I couldn't take any of these anymore! Sobra na sila!

I got my bag from the floor and stormed out the event's hall. My vision became blurry as tears came out of my eyes.

I don't know. I was just too pissed. It felt like nobody cares about me. Not even my own brother.

Pagkalabas ko ng school, napahinto ako sa paglalakad nang makita ko 'yong sasakyan ni Dest na naka-park sa harapan ng gate.

Bakit nandito pa rin siya?

Napailing na lang ako saka ako naglakad papalapit sa kanya pero nadatnan ko siyang mahimbing na natutulog sa loob habang nakababa 'yong bintana ng sasakyan niya.

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